Ok, I should have started my calorie count yesterday, but it didn't happen. We celebrated my sons birthday yesterday, (even though it's tomorrow), because the weekend is the only time everyone is home at the same time.

Today will be day 1! I will do the zigzag with an average of 1800. We'll see how it goes.

Ashley - Nice to have you back! Glad you enjoyed your company though. I'll be zig zagging along with you. Good luck!

Hi everyone! Gotta run. Have a great day!

Day 1 done on all counts.

Red - I laughed when I read that you picked the DVD based on the colors and the "happy" model. That was just too funny, but so true. The asparagus green also made me laugh. Do you have to shut your eyes to drink the stuff?

DJ - I'm starting with the zig-zag, but already feel a cheat coming on, so may have to re-think this. I'm going to do my best for a week and see how it goes.

Everyone else - hope you had a strong Monday staying on target with your challenges.

New exercise -- Day 4 completed/3 pauses left (right after I post this.. promise ... )
Crunches -- Day 4 completed/3 pauses left
Veg juice -- Day 4 completed/3 pauses left

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Ashley -- Hurrah for a successful liftoff! Haha, glad you liked my selection process on the DVD. No, really, I have had this pilates book for ages and I just couldn't stand the woman modeling the exercise. She looked so smug! And I thought, heck, if I don't like her, why should I try to emulate her!?!? Thus my little rebellion...it's working though. Oh, actually, I really do love the pretty green veggie juice.

Hi Ladies,

This seems like a good way to keep myself in check. So here goes nothing.

-68 ounces of water: Day 0 completed/ no pauses
-No meals 2 hours before bedtime: Day 0 completed/1 pause left
- food log: Day 0 completed/ no pauses
- excercise at least 3 X a wk (for 30 min): Day 0 completed/ 2 pauses left.

Ok I wish you all luck with your challenges and here goes nothing.

Day 1 - calorie count - good - no pauses

Mnms! Glad to have you join us. Good luck with your challenges!

Gotta run! Another busy morning.

wahh :O I havent been here in a while!
I completely fell off the wagon... I can't explain why.. just stopped doing everything! o.o Im going to start back at the beginning and just try to count all my calories for 21 days so here we go

count all calories - Day 1 - 3 pauses left

The "lift-off" was a dud and yesterday was a disaster, so I'm having a do-over and started with day 1 again today.

Calories - zig-zag, average 1700 calories, day 1
Vege/fruit - at least 5 servings per day, day 1
Food log every day, day 1
Exercise - 30 minutes per day, day 1
No candy during lent, day 24, no pauses allowed, 1 pause taken

mnms - welcome to the challenge. You'll find a lot of great encouragement here. I find it very motivating to stay on the program if I have to come here to confess when the day doesn't go well. You've got some great challenges.

DJ - I'm going to be following your progress on the zig-zag, so you can be my role model.

Rab - good to have you back. We all go through periods like that. Just dust yourself off and get back to work.

Red - I'm enjoying the rhymes. "Four's no bore"

Day 8 on my exercise challenge! I took 1 pause last Sat. My DH was in such a bad mood that I was reluctant to take the time away....but Sunday I did both a run AND the weights so I sort of made up for it. And I had to flip flop Monday and Tuesday because I was out of town. But I'm not counting that as a pause because it was out of my control. I am finding it hard to increase my distance. some days my legs feel too heavy. And some days I need to walk a bit. I'll get there eventually.
Anyway, I stayed at a hotel with a pool, and of course the kids had to swim. Me in a swimming suit is rather scary! I really need to combine the exercise with some kind of diet. I'm going to try to just eat less the next week or so, even though DH has a brithday coming up. I'll try, I'll try.
Hello to every one! Looks like there are lots of fresh starts going on!

Apple! You said it...fresh start on the way...

Ashley...

Day 2 & 3 - calorie count - good - no pauses

Well, so far so good. Those low calorie days on the zig zag are kinda hard, but knowing I get more calories the next day makes it a little easier to deal with so hopefully this will workout for me.

Well, I am trying something new for exercise. I decided that when I quit smoking that I would get a membership at the local ymca and finally got signed up today. I'm planning on going there to workout at lease twice a week just to mix things up a little. I'm pretty excited about it, although the idea of group classes are a little intimidating. I've never done that before! I'm used to working out in the privacy of my own living room with no one around! It'll be interesting.

Ashley - I think we'll be each others role model! I've never done the zigzag before. It just seems like a more natural way to eat anyway. Some days you eat more and some days you eat less which is like real life! Hopefully this will work out for us!

Apple - Sounds like you are doing good with the exercise! Isn't it funny how some days you feel like someone poured lead down your legs and the next day you feel like you could fly?!?! I just let myself have the easier days when I feel that way and take advantage of the days that I feel better. Keep it up!

Rab - All that matters is that you're back now! Glad you're here!

Hi Red, Jolly, Mnms and everyone else out there! Hope you are doing well!

Calories - zig-zag, average 1700 calories, day 2
Vege/fruit - at least 5 servings per day, day 2
Food log every day, day 2
Exercise - 30 minutes per day, day 2
No candy during lent, day 28, no pauses allowed, 1 pause taken

I just realized that I have not been updating the number of days in the candy challenge, so fixed that.

Apple - nice to hear from you. I agree with your logic - a run and lifting should count as exercise x 2.

DJ - I suspect the zig-zag will only work if I actually zag. So far, I'm eating on the high end every day. I love the YMCA - they are such a great family place to work out.

Red, Rab, Mnms, everyone else - have a great Friday and then a wonderful weekend.

Hello again,

I'm going to be better about login in daily. Although I have been keeping up w/ my challenges.

-68 ounces of water: Day 3 completed/ no pauses
-No meals 2 hours before bedtime: Day 3 completed/1 pause left
- food log: Day 0 completed/ no pauses
- exercise at least 3 X a wk (for 30 min): Day 3 completed/ 2 pauses left. This is definitely a big step for me.

Day 4 - calorie count - good - no pauses

Ashley - I know what you mean about getting that zag in! My low days are not as low as I'd like them which means of course my high days can't be as high as I'd like them, however, I think it's getting a little easier. I'm just having to figure out ways of feeling satisfied on less food a couple of days each week. I'm going to continue this until the 3 weeks is up, then I'll see what I think.

Mnms - Good job keeping up with those challenges! Especially that exercise one. That can be a tough one at first, but hopefully one day you'll find that you enjoy it. That took me a good 4-6 months, but now I'm hooked! My family thinks I'm crazy!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Calories - zig-zag, average 1700 calories, day 3
Vege/fruit - at least 5 servings per day, day 3
Food log every day, day 3
Exercise - 30 minutes per day, day 3
No candy during lent, day 29, no pauses allowed, 1 pause taken

Mnms - good work on your challenges! I agree with DJ - the exercise challenge is tough. You have to make it part of your life. You wouldn't go to bed without brushing your teeth, so you won't end the day without some exercise.

DJ - Have a great weekend.