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!

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