I'm stealing this idea from the main "challenges" forum. The idea is to give yourself one or more specific challenges and then count your days of success, aiming for 21... but if you don't meet your challenge on a given day, you start your counting over.

And of course, no matter how many times you have to start over, the goal is to keep getting back on the horse until you successfully complete 21 days straight of achieving your goal.

Each of us can be on different days for our challenges. You can start as many or as few challenges for yourself as you want. You can be on different days for different challenges yourself. The idea is just to have some accountability and support as we work on developing new and better habits.

Since it's fine to be on different days, this is meant to be an on-going thread.... so feel free to join any time.

I'm going to start with the only habit I think I can reasonably start working on while I'm at my mother's house: water. My goal for this first challenge is to drink 6 8-oz. glasses of water a day. Today is only "Day 0" for this challenge, since I'm starting too late in the day to do this today. Next week when I'm back at my own place I'll set myself some additional challenges.

Anybody game to join me with your own goals?

This is a great idea! I always think of water in terms of litres, how much is 8 oz? Can everyone post back and say how they're going?

My specifics are too much to get into, but basically it involves me trying to replace my main 'bad' habits with something better for me. For example:

- going to the gym every day after work, even if just for 15 mins. this isn't cause I expect to become a massive gym buff in 3 weeks, but it will keep me focused on the bigger picture and hopefully break the habit of 5pm munchies!
- get up for work half an hour earlier to do some light exercise (walk round the block or stretching). This will eliminate the 'no time for brekkie' thing and force me to go to bed earlier (another of my vices!)

Just some examples! I'm on day 8 and want to meet the 21 day challenge, cause I'm feeling great so far!

Angela this is a great idea, I am in, though I do pretty well with water I am making my goal a little higher because I am not as consistent as I would like to be. So I am going to aim for about 80 ounces a day or 10 eight ounce glasses. I also have 5 in for the day as that is the first thing I now grab for in the morning before my coffee. weird huh?

I may try the gym on the next challenge though I am nervous about going, having other people around kind of makes me feel really self conscious so I am dragging in the exercise bike into the house today and have a gazelle already. Too much snow to walk outside in the winter especially when it all freezes and is so slippery.
Have a great day ladies. and thanks again for starting this thread.
Anna

Welcome, Anna, Senorita! Feel free to start or restart a challenge any time you want.

Day 1 of my water challenge was successful.

I realize there's one other habit I can start working on before I get back home, so tomorrow I'll start a "take all my medications as prescribed" challenge.

Anna, the bike and the gazelle sound like a great start.

Senorita, those both sound like challenges I should take sometime soon. Feel free to start counting any day you want.

New habits, here we come!

Hey Angela, Okay all my water in for the day, not floating but I know exactly where the bathroom is now heehee. and I WI'd today and lost a pound this week so I feel pretty good about that. I had the flu last week and lost the first part of the weight and was worried I would gain some of it back. guess not.
didn't get the bike in as the BF wanted his recliner in the living room instead so we are going to try and make room in the den for the bike but the gazelle still fits in the living room when I want to work out as soon as I dust it off. Feels so good to be back on track. Congrats Angela on meeting day one.
well got to get ready for work now. I also went shopping today and decided to go auburn insted of sandy blonde. Kind of weird looking in the mirror now. New look new year, new resolutions to be healthy.
Anna

Day 2 since I work nights I drank all my water last night and day 2 completed, time for bed now, have a great day and good luck with your challenges ladies
Anna

WTG Anna!

So Angela how did you do for the day with your 2 goals? HOw is your trip going ?
Seniorita How's it going? Anything new at the gym today?
Anna

Water challenge--Day 2--success!
Medications challenge--Day 1--success!

Alas, I was wrong that I would have internet access throughout my trip... I'll probably be offline until about Wednesday. So good luck on your challenges... I'll be keeping count offline and I'll catch up when I can.

Good luck Anna, Senorita, and anyone else who joins us!

day three, 80 ounces and counting in for water. YEAH

heehee i found the smilies, sorry you won't be here until possibly wednesday , will miss you until then. Good luck and keep it up.
oh another happy note, i lost 3 pounds this week.

Hey Anna...

Both my challenges are restarting today! Yesterday we ran out of seltzer at my mom's house... and it's well water in the tap and it just smells so much of sulphur that I couldn't make myself drink it. And I failed to take one of my meds (the one that's always a problem). So today is day 1 again. That puts you far in the lead! I'll have to get someone new in here after New Year's!

Hope things are going well. WTG on last week's loss!

Happy New Years Angela.
I made a few resolutions for myself and here is the synopsis of them
Lose 85 pounds this years, I really want to see myself below 200 by next year
pay off half my bills hmm this will take some work
be at the gym 3x a week by the end of january. and finally enjoy the ride, cuz this is gonna take me awhile.
I am on day 2 again as I blew it on the 30th. day off a work and no plan yet for those days. though i found out i average 4 miles a day or more when i do work for waking, bought myself a pedometer, what a neat little invention
Hope your stay is going well and sorry to hear about the water. I have well water and personally think it is fabulous to drink though Iknow not everyone's is. Yesterday went to gram's house and there's tastes so much like chlorine that I have to bring bottled water so I can drink something. crystal light doesn't even mask the taste.
Good luck today and will catch up with you later.
Anna

Sound like great resolutions, Anna. How goes your water?

I'm back on day 1 with my water... only one glass down so far today, but I'll check in again by the end of the day, with luck to report success.

I've made it 2 days in a row taking my meds, so this is day 3 for my meds challenge.

I'm also starting one new challenge today: to do one flight of stairs, up and down again, NOT taking one step at a time, each day.

Hope your new year is off to a great start.

Water Challenge -- Day 1 -- successful
Meds Challenge -- Day 3 -- successful
Stairs Challenge -- Day 1 -- successful