"Every-Day" 21-Day Challenge -- Stand up and be counted!!
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...
And taking NO pause days is what I'm going to call "aceing a challenge," as in "I'm aiming on aceing this one!" Yowzah!!
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.
I thought it was time to start up a new thread. Hope you like it. Newcomers, you're always welcome!!
Well, I still couldn't start with the sugar/processed foods, but did get the others going. I just whipped out those crunches as I was typing this...I mean, I typed, went and did the crunches, then came back to type some more.
I got some riding in today and it was torture, took a lesson despite it being very hard to breathe with my congested lungs but I did it and only had to stop once or twice because I simply couldn't breathe. My teacher took it a bit easy on me too. I ride with the teacher's instructions in my ears via a transceiver and earphones and it really helps. You can still hear very detailed instruction well no matter how loudly you're gasping for air!
Processed Foods -- Day 0 done/no pauses taken
Alcohol -- Day 1 done/no pauses taken
Fat challenge -- Day 1 done/no pauses taken
Sugar -- Day 0 done/no pauses taken
Walking/Running/Riding Challenge -- Day 1 done/no pauses taken
Crunch Challenge -- Day 1 done/no pauses taken
100 crunches- day one done, 3 pauses left
64 oz of water- starts today, 3 pauses
food log- day one done, 3 pauses left
red- glad that you started up a new thread. maybe i can keep everything straight this time. i hope that you can get some rest and get to feeling better. it sounds like work is going to be a little rough.
Processed Foods -- Day 1 done/no pauses taken
Alcohol -- Day 2 done/no pauses taken
Fat challenge -- Day 2 done/no pauses taken
Sugar -- Day 1 done/no pauses taken
Walking/Running/Riding Challenge -- Day 2 done/no pauses taken
Crunch Challenge -- Day 2 done/no pauses taken
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trob -- Good work on your challenges. You have liftoff on all them now! Thanks for the encouragement. I will need it. But, today, ALL was good! I didn't have enough time to get to the gym and work out so I just left early and got a lot of walking in, close to 90 minutes. I just got down and did the crunches now. Now, gotta get the wash out and up, eat some dinner, write another story and get to bed, all within the next hour! Continued good luck!
Day 4 - calories under 1800 - good - 3 pauses left
Day 5 - calories - pause! - 2 pauses left
Well, had another busy day yesterday. I think I actually did ok on calories, just never got them entered to know for sure, so a pause is taken. We had a bunch of paperwork (26 pages!) to fill out for the possible job my husband is working on and it took a long time to fill out, scan into my computer and email off to these people. Sure hope that is the end of the paperwork!
Red - You know, as busy as you sound, you're doing wonderful! I only work about 3 hours a day and can barely keep up! Don't know how you do it!
I'm thinking I'll just start fresh this morning. Clean slate. After all, it's Monday.
I'm adding another challenge though....no eating after the kids go to bed.
So its 1) No beer
2) No eating after bedtime
3) Exercise video or stepping 20 minutes
I think I can I think I can I think I can.......
I am definately the type to eat (and drink) as a reaction to stress. I have a 2 year old, so I figure I have another 16 years of stress, probably more. So I need to find a healthier way to handle it. I wish I could meditate or do some yoga. Maybe that will be another challenge later, once I get through this one.
Hello DJ, Trob and Red!!
And hello to all you lurkers! You know who you are!!
Hi--I'm new to this area of the fora, hailing from CIC-land. But I LOVE this idea, and I need to get going on some exercise, so...
I'm taking on a couple of Level 1 exercise challenges:
Day 1 of 100 crunches - 1/1 pause left
Day 1 of 50 squats - 1/1 pause left
they're level 1s, because I figure all that exercise can't take more than 10 minutes, which I can and will spare every day, easily. So I have the time. I'm going to try for first thing in the morning--and just wake up 10 minutes earlier.
Apple Blossom - I too am a stress/emotional eater. Good luck with your 3 challenges. You can do it! Meditation/yoga seems like a great idea for a challenge. I may try something similar in the future as well.
djstorey - how much water are you drinking per day to meet your goal? you've almost made it with that particular goal! Keep it up!
trob - I borrowed the crunches goal from you. Thanks for the inspiration! Good luck!
redballoon - This is a great challenge idea. All the experts say it takes 21 days to make a habit, right? Wow, you have a lot of challenges going. How are you going about the process foods? cutting down or cutting out?
I also have a question about the pauses: Do we have to declare a pause day beforehand, or can we take it after we've slipped up or not met the goal, as a safety net?
quick check-in before bed
day 3 of crunches done, 3 pauses left
day 2 of water done, 3 pauses left
day 2 of food log, 3 pauses left
hope everyone has a great tuesday.
It's getting late and I have to be up and out around 5 a.m. tomorrow....but I just got down and did the crunches, got riding in before putting in 8 hours in the office, no processed foods, no booze, no sugar...just had a bit of some fat no-nos but did it fully aware....it's OK, at least I can now remember the fat challenge. Last time I kept forgetting I was doing it.
Processed Foods -- Day 2 done/no pauses taken
Alcohol -- Day 3 done/no pauses taken
Fat challenge -- Day 2 done/1 pause taken
Sugar -- Day 2 done/no pauses taken
Walking/Running/Riding Challenge -- Day 3 done/no pauses taken
Crunch Challenge -- Day 3 done/no pauses taken
Sorry, all, no time to write. Will try to get in some writing tomorrow. dj, Apple, trob, keep up the good work!
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knot -- Welcome!! Just wanted to say heh to you and answer your question before I hit the hay. Pauses can be taken at any time, planned, semi-planned, anything. I sometimes use them the next day when I realize I forgot something. Good luck!
I am also new and love this idea...I hope yoou don't mind if i steal a couple ideas
No Processed Foods- Day One/ three pauses...this one is really hard for me because I have this crazy obsession with Liversausage. Yeah...gross I know. I can't even believe I eat it.
water-Day One/three pauses...this is also hard because I am not a big water drinker
crunchies-Day one/one pause..I have been doing them alot lately and it's becoming more routine...now if I just did them every day.
Had a good day yesterday, no problem on the calories and got a good hour in on the exercise, which felt good. Still have not had the nerve to get on the scale. I know I gained some weight during all the craziness a while back, but I'll get up one of these mornings and face the darn numbers.
Knot! Glad to have you here. My water goal is 64 ounces a day. That seems to be about the best I can do, although as it gets colder here I might reduce it a little. Good luck on your challenges!
Apple - I know how a 2 year old is! I've got one myself, well, 2 1/2 actually. One minute he's the happiest thing you've ever seen and the next, meltdown! It's fun though and I'm lucky that I also have 2 teenagers that are really good with him so I get a break even when my husband is working.
Good luck with your challenges! I know you can, I know you can!
Trob - You're doing good, keep it up!
Red - Being aware is half the challenge! I hate it when I find myself aware only AFTER I did something, but I try to catch myself. Hope you got some sleep!
Hi everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend Mine was pretty good, but i messed up my calorie challenge Not by a lot (for a change) but still over 1500, and then yesterday was supposed to be day 1 again and I ended up going a bit over
So - today is day 1 (again) of keeping my calories at or under 1500 (level 2).
On the bright side, I have finished day 6 of my exercise challenge Saturday I did a 46 minute vinyasa yoga dvd; Sunday was 30 minutes on the elliptical; and yesterday was 35 minutes on the elliptical.
knot and thankyou- welcome, i know that you are going to find this a fun and helpful group!! they have sure helped me. good luck on all of your challenges.
dj- you are so close to being done with your water challenge. i drink three 20 oz bottles at work everyday and usually drink more when i get home. my daughter asked me today how much longer i had to drink so much water and i told her for the rest of my life.
fish- do you have an elliptical at home? if so, what kind. i have been looking into them and would really like to have a precore (i think that is the name) i have bad knees and most of them hurt too bad.
red- looks like things are moving right along with your challenges...keep up the good work!
day 4 of crunches-3 pauses left
day 3 of water- 3 pauses left
day 3 of food log- 3 pauses left
Hi everyone,
I'm just coming back from surgery last Friday, so am going to start with very small goals. Have limited arm movement yet, so will have to work up to more typing.
Limit calories to 1,800 per day / level 3 - day 1 done
50 minutes of PT per day / no pauses - day 1 done
1 mile walking per day / level 3 - day 1 done
"Every-Day" 21-Day Challenge -- Stand up and be counted!!
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! 
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!
etc. as substitutes where possible is encouraged. 
Continued good luck! 
for everyone!
Just wanted to say heh to you and answer your question before I hit the hay. Pauses can be taken at any time, planned, semi-planned, anything. I sometimes use them the next day when I realize I forgot something. Good luck! 
Mine was pretty good, but i messed up my calorie challenge
