Wednesday, October 1, 2014

My First Challenge!




I am super excited about participating in my first challenge. Thank you Skinny Geek & Crazy Penguin for putting this together. I have been inspired by both your blogs and appreciate all the encouragement and helpful advice you have shared with this new blogger.

I know it is a simple thing, but I am posting my goals on the fridge.  I think seeing them constantly is going to keep them front and center in my mind. I don't want to suddenly remember on October 25 that I was supposed to be walking and have 50 miles to make up before the end of the month. I had a similar experience in college.  My Spanish professor announced the week before finals that someone in the class had never been to the language lab and that their grade "would be seriously affected." I had to make up hours and hours of language lab during finals week - no bueno :)  For the record, I did get an A in the class, but his scare tactic worked!

So here it is...my personalized goasls for the Stay Away from Tricks and Treats Challenge for October:

1.  No candy!  In general, I don't like to say "absolutely" none of something, but in the spirit of this challenge I think I can agree to doing without candy for one month.
2.  Weekly weigh-in only - I want to say no weigh-ins for the entire month, but I have been participating in  Ash's Wednesday Weigh-in and would like to continue doing so.  It is all the other obsessive daily/hourly weigh-ins that need to be curbed.
3.  Walk 60 miles - This is serious, but doable. I will need to be focused each week.
4.  Track on MyFitnessPal every day - even if it means confessing I went over calories :(

5.  Millie training sessions - 3 times per week (20 minutes each) We have been slacking on her obedience and she is being a bit of a rotten teenager.
6.  Menu planning - Each week I will post 5 dinner options (ingredients in the house) on the fridge. We can then decide each day which one we want for dinner that night.
7. 15 Minute Daily House Dash -  Thankfully, my husband and I have a similar threshold for how messy the house can be before we go nuts (saves plenty of arguments). It seems we are both bad about not putting stuff away :(  Even though I can put up with it, I know I function better when things are clean and organized. To help me from getting overwhelmed, my husband and I have agreed to spend 15 minutes a day giving the house a quick straighten/cleaning.
8.  Meet up with my blogging "neighbor" One Crazy Penguin - We recently realized we live within an hour or so of each other - how fun to meet a fellow blogger :)


I feel pretty good about my list. I also made a calendar for daily accountability. I think this will be especially useful for recording my walking miles and my Millie training sessions.

I will make a weekly report of my challenge progress. I am going to do my very best, but be kind to myself if it doesn't happen exactly as planned.  However, I invite (or implore) you all to speak up if I start making lame excuses - lame excuses are not acceptable!

Weigh-in this week:  1.6 pounds lost :)  That means I am still hanging on to 2.2 pounds of my gain from last week, but at least I am headed in the right direction. This challenge is exactly what I need to refocus. 

Happy October!

Links:


Weigh In Wednesday

10 comments:

  1. WOOT! Fantastic loss and you're off to a great start! I love your goals! I really hope you and OCP can meet up!!!! That would be awesome!!!

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    1. Thank you! Can't wait to see where we all end up at the end of October :)

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  2. I love your 15 minute daily house dash idea. That's something I could totally do to help keep my little apartment from getting to be too much of a disaster.

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    1. I can't believe how much you can get done in 15 minutes. I got the idea from flylady.net years ago. That is the one practice that stuck with me :)

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  3. These are FANTASTIC goals! So excited for this challenge and am loving reading everyone's goals! And so excited to meet up with you!

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    1. Thanks! It is going to be an inspiring month watching everyone work toward their goals. I like that they are personal.

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  4. I love these goals. The walk 60 miles bit, very doable, but definitely something you need to work on to complete. Tracking your food, they all tell us that this is the best way to stay on track, but it's kind of hard (at least it is for me). Menu planning, I love the idea of figuring out what you can make that's on hand and posting it on the fridge. The 15 minute dash, I so need to start doing this.
    I too will be participating in the no candy challenge, kind of scared as I'm really bad around Halloween (meaning the month of October) I'm always eating the candy.
    The best of luck, and I look forward to reading your update next week.

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  5. Thank you! I am excited about my goals. Last night I stood at the fridge to review my goals...NOT looking for snack :)

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  6. You're off to a great start! Great goals and I like how you hung them on the fridge!
    xo Krissy @ Sneakers and Sequins

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    1. Thank you. I got that idea from Des at Skinny Geek Within :)

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