Challenge Wrap Up...Bring on the Next One

Last day of October means time to wrap up the Stay Away from Trick and Treats Challenge. 


1.  No candy! I DID IT!!!! Not one single bite of candy.  We always have candy at work for workshops.  My husband brought home a couple bags (small) of M&Ms.  At the beginning of the challenge I expressed concern about banning something completely.  I feel like I am still processing, but I have two thoughts on this.  I noticed how frequently I ate candy (or at least considered eating candy).  There was no mindless swiping of a few M&Ms from my husband.  And don't even get me started on not sampling the chocolate chip while baking for the bridal shower - my challenge group assured me they count as candy :(  There is a freedom in restriction...you are not constantly debating whether or not you really want some, deserve some, etc....you just know the answer is "no!"  On the other hand, I found there were numerous times I think having a small piece of candy would have prevented me from making a potentially bigger mistake. If my sweet tooth was raging I found myself grazing various foods (fruit, carbs, etc.) and not being able to soothe it.  A couple times in desperation, I would give in to cookies or cake or something that was considerably more calories than the original candy I wanted.  It is a fine line between healthy limits and limits that set you up for failure.  Overall, I am very proud that I resisted candy for an entire month.  And I am looking forward to a piece very soon.  Remember these?  One will soon be mine!

I am making my way back to you.

2.  Weekly weigh-in only - I pretty much gave up on this during week 2.  I am an obsessive weigher.  The trick is to make it work for you not against you. I get bummed out if the scale isn't moving the way I think it should.  I don't like the control a scale has, but I am not ready to break up with it completely. 
3.  Walk 60 miles - Just by the skin of my teeth...60.3 miles.  With being sick and the bridal shower it was a challenge to get my road time.  This past week I had to really push to finish.  And it reminded me that if you really want to make something happen you will find the time.
4.  Track on MyFitnessPal every day - I started out every day planning to track all day, but seemed to fail time after time.  I just didn't want to be "good" all the time. With my husband in maintenance there have been more temptations for me.  He can "afford" pizza more often than I can.  We are finding our way to what works for both of us now that we are at different stages in the journey.

5.  Millie training sessions - 3 times per week (20 minutes each) Well, we still have a rotten teenager on our hands.  We have been better about taking her for walks and runs, but not structured training.  We have been working with her more on her chewing issue...seriously, I don't think we can support her pillow/blanket eating habit.
6.  Menu planning - I was a little better about this, but never quite had 5 potential meals on hand.  Believe me it is MUCH harder to dissuade your husband from bringing home pizza if you don't have dinner on the stove.
7. 15 Minute Daily House Dash -  This one didn't work out quite like I wanted. I kept up on the house okay, but I was hoping to get ahead a little and include my husband more in the process. 
8.  Meet up with my blogging "neighbor" One Crazy Penguin - TOMORROW!!!  Excited she is coming to watch my husband and I race in a 10K.  We narrowly missed October, but it is close enough for me :)

Even though my results are a mixed bag, I feel like a winner!

• I lost 4.6 pounds in October (in September I lost 1.2 pounds - so that is a definite improvement).
• I didn't give up on the whole "journey" - September was a rough month and I was concerned that my determination was waning.
• I found an incredible accountability group - the perfect mix of humor, encouragement, tough love and maybe a few "scare tactics." 

If this post doesn't get your challenge inspiration on...check out these wrap up posts from other group members.

Tiina @ One Crazy Penguin

Saturday, five months after my first 10K, I am walking my second 10K.  I am both nervous and excited.  I feel like I will earn a new PR, but maybe not by as much as I would like. I had hoped to be running by now.  I had a weight in mind I wanted to be under before I tried running.  I am there, but just can't seem to push past a mental block. Within in a few weeks of trying to start running back in 2008 I had the first onset of my MS symptoms.  My head knows that the two are not related, but emotionally I am a bit stuck.


Details tomorrow on the November challenge - there will be some new things in my fitness plan.  So excited to keep it going.