[Amarantha2]

Ok, here's the deal! It occurs to me that I'm not really giving this weight management thing my all anymore and I'd better shape up if I wanna, well, shape up!!!

In the interest of shaping up (or for those of us who've already shaped up, maintaining said shape), I'm proposing that darling of weight loss forums, a 21-day challenge!

I'm calling it a club because, after all, this is the miscellaneous clubs section of 3FC. But I'm not proposing that anyone leave their regular group or swear allegiance to the flag of the 21-day challenge or anything.

I'm just inviting all regular posters, lurkers, passersby, droppers-in, miscellaneous folkettes, etc., who want to a 21-day challenge to post it here.

As everyone likely already knows, the 21-dayer is based on the concept (stated by someone somewhere) that it takes 21 days to change a habit. So the rules are you take any positive behavior you want (related to weight loss/maintenance/fitness/health/weight management mindset, etc.) and post your intention to do it for 21 consecutive days. Then you report in (daily would be nice but whenever).

You count up the days; seven days is a block; if you do three consecutive blocks, hey, you did the challenge and receive the admiration of your peers.

BUT (this is the fine print) if you skip a day, you have to start all over again at Day One!

It's actually a really great achievement to do all 21 days!

Anyhow, post thy personal challenge if you wanna.

If you don't wanna, then, well, pooh on you!

[Amarantha2]

Ok, Amarantha, I'll take you up this and post my personal 21-day challenge:

Since I seem to be out of control calorie wise these days, I need to address the calorie control issue. Thusly, I'm challenging myself to eat NO MORE than 1700 calories daily (less would be better but we can't have everything, can we?) for 21 days, starting TODAY (Thursday, May 20). When I complete 21 consecutive days (no matter how many times I have to start over and I'm sure I will), I will buy myself a wonderful reward (to be determined)! ~ Signed, Amarantha!

DAY ONE!

[Cerise]

OK, Amarantha, here's mine:

5 servings of fruits and veggies per day.

Tomorrow's Day 1. Thanks for doing this again, luv.

[Amarantha2]

Hooray, we have a second member of the 21-day challenge club!!! Welcome to thee Cerise. That's a very healthy challenge you've got there. You can do it!!! Yowza!

As for me, I'm racking up a successful Day One at 1695 calories. I had to give a part of my corn serving to Old Dog to bring the day in at less than 1700, but I did it. (Old Dog was quite pleased!)

Avoided a binge on the way home from an assignment because of this challenge, so I'm a happy camper!

On to Day Two! Woo-hoo!

[Arabella]

Here's my challenge: I am going to aim to follow this list every day, and come in and rate myself 1-10 on how well I did on each item.

The List
Early morning prayer/focus/centering:
(Think about what you want for that day-- energies unblocked, open to others, open to joy, etc.)
To do list/plan for the day:
Aerobic exercise:
Flexibility exercise:
Strength training:
Energy work:
Eat only at table when alone:
Creative break:
Make your environment nice:
Groom nicely (remember you're a model!)
Eat only when hungry:
80+ ounces of water:
No white stuff:
Vitamins:
Meditate:
Journal:
Fun:
Socialize:
Evening prayer/focus/centering:
9 fruits/veggies:

[ceara]

Boo!
Have pulled out of the murky depths for a minute, where I was hiding with Cerise. Have been lurking. Have goals in mind...for this 21 days. Will post them later...However today is Day 1.

Ceara

[Amarantha2]

Yowza!!! Welcome to Ceara and Arabella, the newest sterling members of the 21-day challenge club!!!! Huzzah!!! I am going to try to embrace brevity and just report that I'm on Day Two of my challenge! Huzzah! This has got me going and I feel really positive. I recalled that in the 21-dayer, a block is usually the full three weeks instead of one week as I previously noted ... so, to each her owneth ... I'm calling my weeks blocks and I'm marchin' around that first one now!!!! Huzzah! Also should mention that, I believe, Arabella was the first to introduce the 21-day challenge concept to 3FC (should have cited that sooner)!!! How's this for brevity and a run-on graph!

Amarantha's 21-day challenge to eat no more than 1700 calories per day:

Day 1: 1695, Day 2: ????, Day 3: ????, Day 4: ????, Day 5: ????, Day 6: ????, Day 7: ????, Day 8: ????, Day 9: ????, Day 10: ????, Day 11: ????, Day 12: ????, Day 13: ????, Day 14: ????, Day 15: ????, Day 16: ????, Day 17: ????, Day 18: ????, Day 19: ????, Day 20: ????, Day 21: ????

[Arabella]

Oh, actually, I think that it was katrinabgood, a lovely woman who posts on another thread who introduced the 21 Day challenge, if memory serves.

[Cerise]

All right, whoever started the 21-day idea, it's great and I'm happy to be a part of it again.

Day 1 - eat at least five servings of fruit/veggies per day. I have 3 pieces of fruit in my bag for work today, and a Tupperware of mixed greens to eat for lunch. Also, on the lunch menu is root-vegetable soup (the best soup idea I've ever had), chock-full of carrots, potatoes, turnips and beets. If I eat all this, I'm good!

Huzzah!

Amarantha, the 21-day challenge hath already saveth thee from many calories! All hail!

Arabella, if this list changes my life forever, and it may, I'll owe you big-time. Thank you for letting me use it!

Ceara, waiting with bated breath...

[Amarantha2]

We have four great challengers now (I wrote a long and rather more poetic post to this effect but lost it, so suffice to say, we are four!!!)! Here's to us all!

I'm winding up Day Two (woo-hoo) and heading into Day Three (whee)!

Day 1: 1695, Day 1660: ????, Day 3: ????, Day 4: ????, Day 5: ????, Day 6: ????, Day 7: ????, Day 8: ????, Day 9: ????, Day 10: ????, Day 11: ????, Day 12: ????, Day 13: ????, Day 14: ????, Day 15: ????, Day 16: ????, Day 17: ????, Day 18: ????, Day 19: ????, Day 20: ????, Day 21: ????

[Cerise]

5 servings of fruit/veggies today, check! On to Day 2.

[Amarantha2]

HEAR YE, HEAR YE!!! The 21-Day Challenge Club Prize Committee hath announced that a small NON-VIRTUAL AWARD OF HONOR will be snail mailed to the first challenger to complete their 21-consecutive days!

This prize program is a one-time offering and will be administered by Amarantha, who is not eligible to win the prize (since obviously she intends to be first and she started first!!! )!!! The eligibility caveats are thusly: The prize winner must complete 21-consecutive days of their challenge and be regularly reporting in on their progress to this thread (at least twice a week) because we need to support each other. The winner must notify Amarantha by email or pm of a snail mail address to send the prize (could be a PO box to preserve anonymity, the prize will be small, although the committee doesn't know what it is yet! ).

Amarantha hath promised to purchase said prize in a real store, not weave, bead, crochet, knit, carve or otherwise craft it herself! She warns, however, that said prize will be veeeery inexpensive and a mere token of honor for the stalwart 21-day winner!!! (So don't get too excited, challengers)!

In the event a snail mail address is not received from the winner or the winner doesn't want the award or in the event no one wins before July (say, we all give up because we ain't got the stuff), no prize will be awarded. If Amarantha hath already purchased the award she will have sole discretion as to what to do with it!

Huzzah! Bye all!

[Arabella]

Did not badly yesterday. Mind you, my behavior is actually just doing the recording every day, so I COULD do poorly indeed and still be in the game. However, in practice I find that reminding me to do these things is very helpful.

Here's yesterday:
Early morning prayer/focus/centering: 10
(Think about what you want for that day-- energies unblocked, open to others, open to joy, etc.)
To do list/plan for the day: 10
Aerobic exercise: 8 - did 30 minute run, might have been good to get in a 30 minute walk to get an hour.
Flexibility exercise: 7 -- did set of tai chi
Strength training: N/A (3x a week)
Energy work: 7 (tai chi)
Eat only at table when alone: 4 (forgot a couple of times, not too bad -- it gets easier to remember)
Creative break: 4 (did a little thinking about garden)
Make your environment nice: 8 (got son to clean house)
Groom nicely (remember you're a model!): 6
Eat only when hungry: 7
80+ ounces of water: 10
No white stuff: 10 (was a good reason not to have one of DS' peanut butter cups!)
Vitamins: 10
Meditate: 2 (started but was interrupted)
Journal: 8
Fun: l (needs work!)
Socialize: 3
Evening prayer/focus/centering: 2 (forgot)
9 fruits/veggies: 8

On to Day 2!

[TechAlum]

If you all don't mind, I think I will join in on this.

My goal: To not eat after dinner unless I am really, seriosly, tummy rumbling hungry!!!

I was doing really well for a couple of weeks, but have fallen off the wagon this week so maybe a 21 day challenge will help.

Onto day 1....

-Tech

[Wildfire]

Hidy-ho Challengerettes! Me too, please!

Have been doing a lot of financial planning which, believe it or not, ties into my weight-loss goals. No more running out for coffee, quick lunches out, driving home at lunch time, etc. I will make my evening coffee at home, pack my lunch and go for a stroll to get away from work, and save gas by not getting in the car!

So, my 21-day challenge will be to:

~ follow the South Beach diet as closely as I possibly can
~ to get some exercise each day in one form or another
~ vitamins & calcium daily
~ water
~ report!

Tech, do I remember you from our Alterative Group from a few years back, before they melded us with the Alternachicks and set up a new forum? Glad to have you with us on the challenge!