Health: Healthy Challenge--Spring 2015

[Altair]

I'll lead off, since the brutal weather has wreaked havoc on my usual aerobics regimen, leading to some winter weight gain:

By June 21, I will be back down to a 32-inch waist.

And at age 52, that's pushing the boundaries of "achievable" that this thread demands. But dammit, I'm going for it!

 
Yesterday was bad, after doing rather well for a while: Free pizza at the office at lunch, free finger food (mozzarella fingers and a profound personal weakness of mine, pigs in blankets) at the office at the end of the day. Freaking office!

And this morning, when I'd normally be at the gym, I'm just not feeling it. So I'm going back to bed.

I'll have to get back on the wagon this weekend.

[Queen of Swords]

I want to lose 15 pounds. I've been on a weight loss journey for a year now (March 19 is my one year anniversary) and know from experience that this *should* be a modest and attainable goal.

I did a good job this week in terms of being faithful to my eating plan. Now if only I could get on track with hydration and supplements! No weight loss this week, but that isn't unusual.

[Jabberwocky]

I did a good job this week in terms of being faithful to my eating plan. Now if only I could get on track with hydration and supplements! No weight loss this week, but that isn't unusual.

 
Gaming was cancelled this week so I was sensible and didn't go and buy gaming baccy because it "should be on".

[DemeterDelusion]

Haha, speaking of staying on our feet,  it seems I have discovered that jumping straight into workouts after months of inactivity isn't exactly the easiest thing to do. Totally underestimated how sore I'd be after my first workout. But hey, at least I've gotten started!

Best of luck to everyone!! <3

 
I did bad this week. After the workout I took one quick walk the next day and that was it. My sleep schedule took a total dump, so I completely missed the times I had available to work out. :/

[Altair]

I did bad this week. After the workout I took one quick walk the next day and that was it. My sleep schedule took a total dump, so I completely missed the times I had available to work out. :/

As you can see above, DD, I had my probs too this week. Y'know what? Fine. Learn from it and move on.

We've got plenty of time still to make our respective goals. I may not have been perfect this weekend (I can't go see a movie without buttered popcorn!), but I started to recover from my bad few days (great workout at the gym yesterday). So let not the perfect be the enemy of the good!

[Queen of Swords]

As you can see above, DD, I had my probs too this week. Y'know what? Fine. Learn from it and move on.

We've got plenty of time still to make our respective goals. I may not have been perfect this weekend (I can't go see a movie without buttered popcorn!), but I started to recover from my bad few days (great workout at the gym yesterday). So let not the perfect be the enemy of the good!

Great attitude, and I agree!

[Sophia C]

Today's our start date, people! (Although some of us jumped the gun, myself included; it's all good, as long as it's in the service of our respective goals)

At last count, there were 17 of us embarking on this quest: me, Aster, Rocquelaire, Amphibian, Darkhawk, Jabberwocky, Missgraceless, Ian288, Naomi J, MadZealot, Demeter Delusion, Chatelaine, Aisling, Mivi, Nyktipolos, two queens (Queen of Wands and Queen of Swords), and a wildly enthusiastic Juni. (If I missed anyone, my apologies, and chime in)
 
I'd wish us all the best of luck, but it's really about discipline and determination, and keeping in mind how great we'll feel about this and ourselves if we hit our targets come the solstice. So instead I'll wish us all the best of health...

...and remember to keep us updated on your progress!

(Even if you stumble; in fact, especially if you stumble, so we can collectively help you get back on your feet and back on track)

Like a lot of us, from what I'm reading, I didn't get very far last week! I'm doing fieldwork, which means I'm driving all over the country and very busy. This is not good for either having time to go swimming or eating healthier. But it is a good time to think about how I can fit things like swimming into a busy schedule (while also dealing with my fatigue!) This week I'm going to try going one evening when SJ is out volunteering. If I start with once a week, and can maintain that, then adding a Saturday morning swim in a few weeks won't be too difficult. Hopefully!

[Amphibian]

Like a lot of us, from what I'm reading, I didn't get very far last week! I'm doing fieldwork, which means I'm driving all over the country and very busy. This is not good for either having time to go swimming or eating healthier. But it is a good time to think about how I can fit things like swimming into a busy schedule (while also dealing with my fatigue!) This week I'm going to try going one evening when SJ is out volunteering. If I start with once a week, and can maintain that, then adding a Saturday morning swim in a few weeks won't be too difficult. Hopefully!

Good news and bad - while I did get out on my rollerblades for a solid hour and a half on Sunday, noodling around the local park (it is FANTASTIC, and also huge), the route to get to said park involves going down a tremendously steep hill. I'm not sure why, exactly, but it feels a lot less stable to go that quickly on my rollerblades than my bicycle, which meant that I ended up braking by sliding my arm along the guardrail basically the entire way down. functional, but left a fantastically messy dirt-type smear on the entire arm. not an ideal solution.

Also, the muscles I used (unsure on names, but on the inside of the thighs, connecting on one end to somewhere groinal?) are screaming at me still. Hopefully that will get better with practice, but ow.

[Aster Breo]

As you can see above, DD, I had my probs too this week. Y'know what? Fine. Learn from it and move on.

^ Thank you for this!!

I've been doing ok. I'm doing my arm exercises more often than not, while I watch tv in the evenings.

Didn't do it tonight, though.  :-(

[Caroline]

HINT: Pick a goal that's specific, measurable, and attainable

• beginning with the impending equinox, strive for achieve your goal by the solstice on June 21
• update us here in this thread periodically on your progress

 
I was really sick (flu, brochitis et al) for all of February and much of March (started feeling better just before the equinox) so after almost six weeks near-bed (or couch) malingering, my endurance is shot. I'm working on building it up slowly and once the snow/ice is gone I'll be resuming my walking/hiking routine. (Presently I'm doing the ciruit-walk-around-the-house-and-up-and-down-all-the-stairs thang.)

I'm also dealing with rehab for an injured shoulder while doing house reno/painting, so a significant goal for me is to do a matching amount of exercise with my left arm (I'm really right-dominant, which contributed to the injury).

So yes, I'm in and hoping to be much better in both these areas by the solstice.

[Nyktipolos]

 
Haven't been able to get to the gym, only because it seemed to be super busy when I've gone. Hopefully this weekend, provided the pulled muscle on my shoulderblade (!) is okay.

Otherwise I feel like I've been getting more walking in, although I haven't hit anywhere near the "ideal daily" of 10,000 steps. Eh, whatever. The fitbit process has a food counter so I'm using it as well, and it seems more reasonable/in touch in keeping track of how much I should eat, and I feel less stressed about it. I cut back on some sugar in my daily coffee. Went grocery shopping and bought ALL THE FRUITS AND VEGGIES so I'll have daily snacks.

I should be drinking more water, though. Challenge! If you read this, drink some water! :

[Altair]

Challenge! If you read this, drink some water! :

I like this "insti-challenge" concept! And I accept! (esp. since drinking more water is something that's supposed to be generally good for you and something all of us, regardless of our goals and fitness level, can do.)

I'm halfway through the 8-oz glass of water I just poured in response to your challenge, and should finish it shortly.

Challenge: 5 minutes of stretching exercises!

[Juni]

I'd like to do another two days next week, maybe three, depending on how much of the forecasted rain we actually get.

 
No progress whatsoever this week, and not because of the rain; I've been plague-ridden all week. Assuming the fever/puking/body aches subside soon, I'm hoping to do two days in the yard next week. I'll be happy with even just one.

[missgraceless]

No progress whatsoever this week, and not because of the rain; I've been plague-ridden all week. Assuming the fever/puking/body aches subside soon, I'm hoping to do two days in the yard next week. I'll be happy with even just one.

No progress for me, either. I'd started a new job working for a maid service (cleaning houses), so I'd thought I could use that as my exercise. But that didn't work out for reasons I'd rather not go into, so the rest of the week was spent being pissed off and not wanting to do anything.

And the boys are downstairs working out right now, but I just woke up so (hopefully) I'll make it down there later today.

[rocquelaire]

No progress for me, either. I'd started a new job working for a maid service (cleaning houses), so I'd thought I could use that as my exercise. But that didn't work out for reasons I'd rather not go into, so the rest of the week was spent being pissed off and not wanting to do anything.

And the boys are downstairs working out right now, but I just woke up so (hopefully) I'll make it down there later today.

 
And no progress for me. I spent a chunk of the first week travelling to a funeral and staying with family. This week I've had a massive cold sore and swollen glands so I've been doing my best to rest round about decorating my daughter's bedroom. So not much rest really, I just haven't been doing any formal exercise.

Here's hoping for a better week next week.