I'm not sure how I fell so off track. I'm struggling to get back in motion, but I am still trying.

Sassy, I've been off the wagon myself. So rest time is over. Why don't you re-figure your ticker for just the last week of September? Let's keep on stepping.

I'm back on track! I got my steps yesterday and am going to get on the treadmill today. I am going to sit down and re-figure everything. Its a new beginning. Yep. Rest time is over.

I'm starting to think that I need to do the Step Diet for 2 months and the 3rd month be a maintenance month. 3 in a row seems to be too much for me. September was awful! I was a very lazy daisy.

I am aiming for 10,000+ steps today. I overslept yesterday and only had time for a 45 min walk, so ended up with 8014. Peak hay fever season isn't helping any these days.

What exactly is the step diet? I am new here and am curious.

Hi Hattie.

Sassybiscuit posted the following summary August 6th:

"The premise of the diet is to move more and eat a bit less (when needed). It is broken into phases. A baseline phase that lasts 1-2 weeks. Losing phases last 12 weeks each, which is followed by a period (I chose 4 weeks) of maintenance before beginning another losing period.

For the first week, you track your normal steps and don’t change anything. This will help you find a baseline by averaging your steps for the week. I averaged about 7300 steps per day over the baseline week.

For weeks 2 and 3, you add 2000 steps to your baseline week and attempt to move more. I had to get 9300 steps, so I parked in the back of the lot and walked up the stairs and it worked out OK.

For the following 12 weeks, you add 500 steps to your weekly number. For me, I had 9300 so I added 500 to it for week 4. I rounded up to 10,000 to make it easier for me to remember. In week 5, I needed 10,500 steps. In week 6, 11,000 steps and so on. I am now needing 12,000 steps per day.

At the end of the 12th week, you begin a maintenance phase. You get to choose how long this lasts. I chose 4 weeks. You lower your steps to maintenance levels.

The book is great. It has a lot of information, as well as conversions to turn other exercises into steps. I haven’t converted anything yet because I am afraid I will goof it up.

I have not drastically altered my food intake and do not track calories. The book suggests eating 75% of whatever you want. I haven’t done too much of that yet, just occasionally.

This seems to be a life change that I can stick with. I can’t count calories. I become too frustrated and I end up failing. This, however, seems to be a lifelong thing. I started taking walks with friends and all kinds of cool things to get out and about. We even walk to the store now!"

I started the program in July and feel much better now that I have increased my activity level. I hope you will be joining us.

I got in a long walk today, so finished with 14,267 steps. Tomorrow will be some weight training and time on the treadmill. I am going to go for 12,000.

Welcome Hattie!

You're getting back on track Cat! I think that I might be as well. I got on the scale this morning and it read 188, which is a new all time low. So now I have more motivation. YEAH!

My family and I went to "Boondocks Farms" yesterday and spent 2 ours trying to get out of a corn maze. It was fun and it helped me get lots o' steps! I really like autumn... if it wasn't followed by winter, it would be my favorite season. LOL!

Sassy: Good going on the weight loss. I did get down to 132 last week, but made the mistake of getting some vanilla ice cream to have with strawberries when my sister and her husband were here. Well nobody ate it but me. It was a new brand for me and organic and the best ice cream I have had in my life. At least the "half gallons" only contain 1 1/2 quarts. Ice cream is a serious trigger food and I can't have it in the house. Once I ate that, I got careless with my diet for a week. Didn't dare weigh myself this morning. I will wait a few days until I lose the bloat and then see what I did to myself.

The 14,000+ day was "easy" because it was a pretty walk. I won't be doing it once deer hunting season starts. Yesterday I got in 10,095 steps. Another 20 minutes on the treadmill would have gotten me my 12,000, but I had a slow start with the hay fever and finally took a pill. Then I was gone the rest of the day. So probably 12,000 is a reasonable daily goal.

The corn maze sounds like a lot of fun.

Cat - I feel the same way about ice cream. I get all careless after one goof up too. The other day my son had cheetos and I said "Can I have one?"... pretty soon, we were munching together. Sometimes I feel like I'll never learn. My boys can have plain M&M's in the house as they are the only candy that I won't touch.

Good job on the steps! I set my goal back to 10,000 per day. On 10/1, I'll go to 12,000 and stay there all month long and see what happens. Having a steady daily goal sounds good to me. It will help me know how long I need to be on the treadmill and give me time to alter my daily habits. I got 10,183 steps yesterday, most of which were on the treadmill because I was step-lazy yesterday. We washed all 4 cars, but there isn't a lot of steps in washing cars.

My Mom and I are going to Cabo San Lucas for 10 days in February, so I have officially got a new goal. I don't wanna look really terrible in a swimsuit when on vacation!

Happy stepping! I feel like I am starting to get back on track, the idea of vacation is helping. I am also looking forward to October!

Cheetos would be another item I couldn't have in the house.

I took another long walk today, figuring I'd atone some for my ice cream. I got in 15,904 steps alright, but the pollen was too much in spite of my allergy pill. So I guess it will be indoor workouts for a while. At least I am back on track with my diet.

Catr

Thanks for the explanation. I think I will figure it out (my goals) and get back here to join in the fun!

Hattie - Can't wait to see you back!

Cat - You are getting lots of steps, especially with the pollen! I got mine yesterday (10877), so I'm pleased as punch.

I worked out inside today after OD'ing on pollen yesterday. Between 40 minutes on the treadmill and my weight training, I got in 13,681 steps. I was surprised at the final count, but I need all the steps I can get for a while to recover from my ice cream.