"Every-Day" 21-Day Challenge -- Keep those numbers comin'!!

You're on Page 1 of 20
Go to
  • Okay, everyone, as is the tradition, I start a new thread when I personally start a new challenge.

    Below is a short explanation of how this challenge works so all you newcomers can take a look and decide if you're game or not! I hope you are! Hop aboard and enjoy the ride. We've got a great bunch of supportive people, so I hope you'll give us a try. A lot of people try for a while and then disappear.. I hope some of you will keep trying. There is NO shame in starting over. Remember, it's not over till you give up. And our motto around here is:


    NEVER GIVE UP!!...Just start OVER!!

    EXPLANATION AND RULES:

    It works like this: you decide you'll do something for 21 days straight, every single day, so keep it doable. Then you count ....one through 21.....and if you flub it, you MUST go back to zero and start over again. Everyone will be on different days. You can start anytime. At the beginning of the challenge you declare what level it is -- Level 1, 2, or 3. Level 1 means you feel it's a relatively easy challenge for you and means you only give yourself ONE pause day (see explanation of pause days below). Level 2 would give you two pause days and so on...

    With a pause day you pause in your counting and continue the next day with the number you left off with. Pause days are NOT substitutes for days, i.e. Day 12 -- Day 13 -- Pause Day -- Day 14..... I suggest taking a pause day late in the game (better to go back to Day 1 early on) if you need a break or screw up when you're well into the challenge, meaning, when you're on Day 15 or something like that.

    In any case, the trick is to keep going. The momentum builds and it's great incentive to stick to your guns, cause if you don't.........back to START you go. And the really great thing about this challenge is that you are forming new habits that will wipe out the old! AND, you get to do it with a great bunch of really supportive people to whom you are accountable!

    THREAD GUIDELINES:

    In the interest of maintaining structure, a sense of solidarity and facilitating support I ask anyone who wishes to join this thread to please strive to follow the following guidelines while participating in this challenge and in posting.

    1. Although this is a fabulous support group, the focus is to be on your CHALLENGE/S and/or other people's challenge/s AND weight loss, whether your challenge is about it or not. Please keep the challenge a priority, although we welcome chattiness! This means tell us what day you're on when you post and it's a good idea to make regular mention of just what your challenge is. This an action-based thread. Our members are ON a challenge, RESTARTING a challenge, or just in between and looking to start up again REAL SOON. We also welcome posts from admirers, encouragers, and old friends!

    2. Please refrain from posting food logs or recipes, except where you are really looking for help and advice on your eating. If journaling is your challenge, please keep the journaling off the thread and in a notebook or blog and just tell us if you've done what you set out to do. We have ALL types of dieters here, low-carb, high-carb, low-fat, high-fat, vegetarians, meat-lovers...please use simple mentions if you have something you want to share and then links and/or private messages to do so.

    3. Please do NOT go into glowing accounts of any slipups, food indulgences or binges, what we here call "food porn." Simple mentions are fine, but use of smilies etc. as substitutes where possible is encouraged.

    4. Please keep this a nonsecular thread. Of course, passing references to your beliefs, a bit of introduction about your beliefs, brief faith-related words of encouragement are fine.

    5. Please show support, support, support! This is key. You can waffle on about yourself but please, at least occasionally,come up and look around at others and what they are doing and MENTION it with words of encouragement and/or praise or sympathy. We understand "busy," poor computer connections, and bouts of self-pity and life problems where the focus turns to "me" and dealing with those problems, but these should be temporary, not a habit! ('cept in the computer case.)

    In conclusion, let me say, the above are just that, GUIDELINES. Please realize that these guidelines have been added in an attempt to keep this a supportive and beneficial thread, at the LEAST, to those who need it MOST, those for whom weight loss is the hardest and, more often than not, the most crucial as well as for those who still, perhaps despite great success, know all too well that the road they walk will always be a slippery one.

    The guidelines are also meant to cultivate an atmosphere of consideration and concern for ALL, not individually, but AS A GROUP.

    Well, all's said. Please join us!!

  • it's a new start....
    Hello all and welcome to the new thread. Since I completed my crunch challenge I started up a new one..thread, that is. I hope it inspires you all to keep going, start anew or join us for the first time!

    I also am giving a new start to all my other challenges. I was not happy with the rather slipshod feel that had crept in, what with all the pause days I suddenly was taking. I did have a good 6 days down though, so I'm not discouraged, just want to go for a clean run. SO, it's back to Day 1 on everything! I do not feel too good today as I kind of let myself slide into a pit yesterday. Long hours, the usual frustration, feeling of hopelessness, of fighting hidden forces at work, it all got to me. As I think jolly says, old patterns, old mindsets got the better of me...though I did it with full awareness...and totally threw all semblance of making an effort to the winds.

    But, I did it knowing that today I would be starting up again and that I do plan on getting through three weeks, not just 6 days, of good days, good in the sense that I will be trying my best to reach for that feeling of accomplishment and of having beat the screwballs life throws at me.

    Let me tell you, I did NOT enjoy myself going off the challenge. I mean, sure, some of the things I stuck in my mouth were tasty, but the taste just didn't compare to the feeling of clarity, decisiveness and POWER I had had when I was keeping to the challenges and spending my time using my brain to figure out how to do that. Damn! it was a good feeling! It really was.

    I hope some of you others out there who are having a hard time of things can get that feeling or find it again. jolly, Sushi, CB, don't give those ugly feeling too much shrift! They don't deserve it and writing it down gives them added power. Keep up with what you're doing, focusing on your successes, and not just empty pep talks and power of positive thinking hot air (not that you are). Do something good and blow THAT up. That is ALL that matters!

    curly, girlie, dance, Fish (chin up!), Apple, chai, Danzer, carla (popping in just to get on my case!), hello and I hope to hear from you soon!

    And to any of our Australian readers...Shad?!...hope you're not in the path of Larry. Take care!
  • day 7---- PAWS
    totaled up my carbs and i am over by 6 so i will paws!
  • Hey all Thanks for the new thread, Red.

    Today was a much better day. Went and looked at dogs, had a much better day with my pony. Left behind most of the poor me bad feelings I had been dealing with. It was a good day.

    I have to say, I am very happy about one part of yesterday. While it would have been better to have not used any food to cope with my emotions, I did still stay within what I consider acceptable. No fast food. No . I liked the other night's salad better, but . . . yesterday was a pretty low point and I am glad it didn't become worse.

    Day 18 on the no challenge, day 17 on the following menu challenge. Almost there.

    Everyone, hope to hear from you soon. You don't want Red to crack that whip Curly, I know you can do it. Here's to a great day tomorrow.

  • A long way from the path of Larry, Red. But thanks for thinking of us. Larry is crossing the shore about 2400km north of Wollongong where I am currently working and about 1400km north of my home. Small town - so spare a thought for the worthy citizens of Innisfail from time to time. I hear there is another out in the boonies waiting to form as well.
    Probably the only effects seen down here will be a change in the sea/ wave patterns in the next week or so.

    Not sure where Sushi Penguin is tho'. Hope she is far enough inland to miss everything if she is up that way.

    I'm almost getting back to having some motivation - although at the moment most of my motivation is going into hatred for low lifes (I had my wallet stolen Friday night - lost all credit and debit cards, security pass for work, airport parking ticket for the car, cash and mobile phone. There are more cards such as RACQ and Medicare, drivers licence - all the paraphenalia we need to carry around these day. I'll get plenty of exercise (kick boxing) if I catch the *&%$##@^&&^*%% sub human.

    Back later.
  • Lots my "quick reply" post - the forum said I was not logged in even though I was... no time now no time... quick quick... this is likely my last post until April 15th or so, unless I'll manage to get on the internet somewhere!

    Challenges going strong, day 6 I think it is. I'm a) keeping a food log, b) not eating after 7 pm or after dinner, c) not eating sweets. All level 3, as some might be tough on the trip.

    Red, I'm nowehere near Larry and I'm getting on a plane to New Zealand tomorrow. I know that feeling of POWER you described, it's awesome, isn't it... Good luck with your restarted challenges

    Dance, thank you for your kindest words on the old thread and thank you for your 2nd PM. No time to reply, but I just want to let you know how much I appreciate it.

    Ok, back to laundry/packing/making sure there are enough spare batteries for the camera.

    Take care everyone !
  • We have liftoff! We have liftoff!!
    Day 1 is done on ALL challenges, including a new crunch challenge! It was SO tough, especially when I go into the office and am almost immediately given a present of some Swiss you know what (hint: not a watch and not a knife). Yeah, so I'm thinking, oh, there goes the no-sugar challenge. I am a hair's breadth from blowing it, just wimping out and starting tomorrow, but NO!!!! I put it in my locker and had a sweet potato instead and I got through the entire day. Hurrah! Then got home and did the crunches and journaled. Had stayed off all white flour as well. Did buy some pricey Norwegian whole-grain crispbread and sacrificed two in the office toaster. Only put 'em in for four minutes, until someone said, oh, look! and I see the place full of smoke and the toaster on fire! What a waste of good food. Thank God we don't have a legitimate office with like smoke detectors or worse, a sprinkler system! So, anyhow, I'm through!

    Sushi --Glad to hear you're not near Larry. I hadn't even realized you were in Australia. Glad to hear your challenges are going strong. Too bad we won't be hearing from you. I hope you can get on the Net somewhere and yell us a hello! I think they have computers in New Zealand...not sure though...Shad?! Take care Sushi!

    Shad -- Hi there! Long time no hear! Glad you're safe too. Larry had knocked out power in 50,000 homes last I read. And I saw where it was on the map. I was thinking it was south, but it's northeast. I am slowly getting to know where things are in Oz. I learned where Cairns is and the town you spoke of, Innisfail. For years, I thought Tasmania was north of Australia, not south! Now I know where Sydney, Adelaide and Perth are AND that the capital is Canberra. All that! Yippee! Major ***** on your wallet getting lifted! Damn! Hope nothing gets used and that you can get your cards and ID back soon. What a major, major bummer!

    jolly -- I'm glad to hear you are feeling better today and you're very welcome for the new thread. And I REALLY like to hear you talking about what you did RIGHT yesterday....and it was awesome! You're almost through! Keep strong at least for a few more days and get these challenges notched!

    curly -- Ooh, only 6 carbs over. You are a stickler! I know you can do this again. You rock, kiddo!
  • Good morning all. Shad, Sushi - glad to hear you are safe from the weather. Sushi, hope you are able to check in once in awhile, and that you have a good trip. Nice long vacation, eh? Shad, so sorry to hear about your stuff getting stolen. Hopefully it won't be too big of a hassle to get everything sorted out.

    Red, glad you stayed on track, and avoided the Swiss . . . Alps was it

    I have to admit, even though the moodiness and needing to scream I was feeling over the weekend is gone, I am really, really wanting to eat today. It sucks, as I don't have any pause days left, and I only have 4 more days to get through, to finish my challenge. (Actually, 3 on the no challenge). I don't know why this is an issue today. It might be due to not being able to make the whole class this morning - a lot of jumping, hopping, and other things that a very overweight woman can not do comfortably. I was embarassed, and that may be why I feel like "screw it. Bring on the eats!" Stupid really, as gaining back several pounds is not going to help that at all.

    I hope I can sit this one out, and not make an unhealthy choice. I can do this. I can.

    Sorry for the ramble. Have a great day all. I hope everyone else finds us soon. See you tonight.
  • Hmmm u didnt make it thru the entire class... Look on the bright side.. U did however make the commitment to get to the class, you did make it thru most of the class... and before you started getting fit.. you probably wouldnt have made it thru 1/4 of the class...

    the next time u go you will make it a farther thru the class... and eventually you will be able to do the entire class.... the important thing is to keep at it


    as far as the eating make your self a healthy high protein snack ... that will fill u up and shut off those cravings...
  • Hey everyone I haven't started my challenge back up yet. I'm still feeling fairly blue, plus it's pre-TOM depression time . I will either re-start my calorie watch, or start something else soon though. Let's see how I do today.

    I did get out of the apartment this weekend - I walked over 3 hours each day. Saturday I walked down into and around the Bowery, SoHo, and China Town, then back through Union Square. Sunday I walked up Park Avenue and looked at all the expensive shops on 57th Street and Madison Avenue (went up Madison to 68th Street) then walked back down Lexington. There was a lot of wistful gazing into windows of shops I will never be able to afford. Have I mentioned that I REALLY want a Chanel suit? I did buy a small canvas dooney and bourke handbag - it is perfect for spring (if the warm weather ever arrives). I walked over 100 blocks on Sunday!

    Carla - that is a great idea to post for NYC fat chicks - too bad I didn't check back in until today. I will keep that in mind though. I get to go home Thursday night for 2 days before I come back up. But I have to go into work on Friday, so all I will really get is Saturday at home.

    Jolly - oops, I didn't think I sent the grumpies back to you. Maybe it was a sibling or a cousin - I hope you are feeling better

    Shad - that sucks!!! I hope you don't have too hard a time replacing all your id and cards. What a hassle. Did they find the guy yet? Hopefully he won't have tossed everything.

    Talk to everyone soon.
  • Well, today starts my "Spring Fling" challenge - after all, it's the first day of Spring! It'll last until May 26 (my birthday). It's actually at another site I visit daily, but I won't post it here cuz I don't wanna go against the link policy! But I'll still be over here with a 21-day challenge of no pop! It'll be a level 3 like I tried in the past. So far so good...but that pop downstairs is calling to me! LOL. I'll be as strong as I can be!

    Happy Spring everyone! (well, those of us in my hemisphere anyways..LOL)
  • OK. Sooooooo. Today is not a pause day - 'cuz I have none left Today is a CRASH day. As in - things came to a crashing halt. Even though I know I am making poor choices, and for all the wrong reasons (wait, what is the right reason to make a bad choice ), I did anyway.

    However, my challenges will restart effective tomorrow. Today I made bad choices, but I am not going back to bad habits. That is not an option.

    Everyone else, have a better day than me, that's for sure. Fish, I have to say I am jealous! I have been to NYC once, and would love to go back. Your walking and window shopping sounds awesome - though I do understand how much the commuting etc must suck after so long. But for someone who can't get back like she would like, it sounds grand.

    Danzer - good luck with your spring fling. I like the sound of that. You can do it!

    See you later all
  • Day 2 here I come...
    Morning, all. Starting out on Day 2 here. Wish me luck. Getting through yesterday gave me a bit of momentum. I am so glad I didn't succumb to the call of the Swiss stuff....

    jolly -- Wow. What an absolute bummer...I was sure you were going to get through with all those days behind your back. But, oh, well, your attitude is great and those days are NOT wasted. The challenge is also a game, well, basically, it's a game, and there is strategy involved to get through as well. That involves you getting to know yourself better and that is part of the big-picture game as well. I have been doing these for so long and so it helps. You may have taken your pause days too soon or on days when you could have held off. Whatever, maybe you did everything the best you could at THAT time. Like curly says, nothing is lost if you keep at it. A class with a lot of jumping around is difficult for the thinnest of people. A lot of it has to do with coordination and mind type, not so much body type. I can't do aerobics classes at all. I hate them and wonder what the sense of all the intricate dance steps is about. In any case, don't be down about it. And good luck on the restart. You and I are about the same now and we can cheer each other on! Good luck!

    Danzer -- Welcome back! You can do the pop thing. Get substitutes! It's not all about the calories. Building new habits is usually about finding an alternative. At first that alternative may not help the weight loss, that step can come next. Good luck!

    curly -- Hi there! Moving right along, I take it?

    Fish -- Sorry to hear you're still feeling down. A lot of walking will do that, you know. In any case, you'll get through it. Look forward to your day off and try to enjoy the big city. Wistful window shopping is never the most cheering thing...

  • Hi All!

    I am bad bad bad. Gained back 2 lbs AFTER TOM was over...grr! I'm hoping it's just water weight from eating salty dinners out and not fatweight from eating tasty dinners out last week. I am restarting my challenges AGAIN, but I am changing some things around.

    Challenge 1: Drink 4 bottles of water/day (level 3) [not done yet]
    Challenge 2: Post to fitday every day (level 2) [not done yet]
    Challenge 3: Post to 3fatchicks/21 day challenge every day! (level 1) [done w/this post]


    I added the third challenge because I am having real problems holding myself accountable for my slipups. I am coming off of a lovely spring break in which I played video games, ate porn and watched movies and moving into a really hectic time at school - major writing assignment due in 12 days and only 5 weeks until exams. EEP!

    Well I'm off to read US administrative law stuff...joy

    Hang in there everyone!

    Keep on Truckin!
    Erin
  • Day 7

    carbs 59
    walking 2 miles