Contrary February — Step Challenge and REVISED Resolutions

[Baltoscott]

So how did January go?  Are you still holding strong on those New Year’s resolutions?  Or have you completely forgotten about that?  🙂

Well, Contrary February is here. And rather than quit those lofty January goals altogether, how about the contrary approach of just dialing things back a bit? Instead of 6 days a week at the gym, commit to putting on your workout shoes for 3 mornings and walking a couple of miles, followed by some body weight exercises (you can still go to the gym, but if you’ve been missing, change the commitment somehow — less often, switch from morning to evening or vice versa — so it is easier to meet). Whatever it was you committed to in January, if you were not successful, try doing half as much of it in February and see how that goes. (Of course, if you hit your goals in January, YAY YOU! Now keep practicing the goals you want as lifetime habits, and increase effort or time a bit).                                                     

   
How It Works

The primary purpose of these monthly challenges is to keep track of your daily step goals for the month; though many of us track other things as well, like body weight exercises, sleep, trips to the gym, logging food, etc. This is not a competition to see who can do the most of whatever, instead it is a challenge to measure your consistency. So whether you do 1k, 5k, 10k or even 40k steps a day, this is measuring how many days out of the monthly total you can hit your goal.

Some might have a constant goal of 10k steps every single day and others might have a variable goal throughout the week, (and some might even plan days off!) for example.
Monday -> Friday = 10k steps a day
Sat & Sun = “6k steps a day,” or “not tracking”

Regardless of how you structure your daily goals, the only thing that matters for the monthly challenge is whether or not you reach what you set out to do.

Suggested Posting Format    
1) Post either your constant or variable step goal.
2) Keep track of the # of daily goals achieved out of the monthly minimum and or monthly total

Picture Scavenger Hunt — 3 pictures

The theme of the photo scavenger hunt for Contrary February is to find the ‘odd duck;’ something out of place; someone oddly dressed; something a little ridiculous; or just unexpected.

Where's Jayhawk?

Posting

Although you certainly don’t have to post daily, you’ll likely stay closer to what you set out to do by updating the thread several times/week

Injury Notice
If you injure yourself during the month and need to scale back due to the injury, then all you have to do is adjust your goal for that period. If you normally do 10k steps a day but pull a hamstring and decide to do minimal walking (2k steps a day), then all you have to do is change your goal.

[WendyB]

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@BMANintheUP wrote:

Does anyone else have a suggestion for goals that are helpful to them?

---

I dont have any ideas for you. I have thought about adding water to mine. I track it on fitbit.But I really dont have a problem getting it in.

Just try to pick things you need help with meeting. I meet all mine now as its become a habit to me. Some times I forget Weights but i make sure if I didn't do when I'm suppose to I do it the next day or even later in the afternoon. I sure you will find some things that need working on

[Baltoscott]

Contrary February Day 19

15K steps/day		19/28
1 pushup/day		19/28
12 weight-lifting days		7/12
post scavenger pics		4/3
Sleep 6+ hours 12 days or more during the month		8/12
1 pull-up/day		19/28
Complete Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat		1/4

Snow on that way tomorrow.  Gonna try to get to the gym before it starts.  Then I've get me steps and activity minutes in shoveling snow.

[Baltoscott]

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@BMANintheUP wrote:
...

Does anyone else have a suggestion for goals that are helpful to them?

---

I haven't focused on it here, but one of my favorite metrics that some Fitbits track is floors.  My office is on the 7th (top) floor of the building I work in and do those stairs 3-10 times/day.  And you can accumulate floors on your walks (or bike rides if you do that) by finding the hillest route to wherever you are going.  It is a variation of parking far from where you are going and makes for a good healthy way to game a bit more activity in your life.

[CatLover74]

No idea where I’m at anymore, so I’ll start again in March. For now, here’s my last scavenger hunt pic.

[NellyG]

20 February 

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                       16/20     

4 days over 15,000 steps                                                 5/4              

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                    1/1

Swim 2x per week (when I'm home)                              4/5                                                

Dance prac 6 hours a week (when Im home)              16/18

5 bike rides or interval walks per month                         4/5            

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                       3/3  

[SunsetRunner]

Contrary February - Day 20
12,000 steps: 13/18 days
20,000 steps: 3/2 days
1-min (or longer) Modified Plank: 9/15 days
Training w/weights: 9/15 days
40 jumping jacks: 15/20 days
Line Dance: 2/4 days
IF5/2 (stay under +/- 600 cal): 1/6 days
Eat a piece of fruit: 16/20 days
Scavenger Hunt Pics: 2/3 pics

Thanks for your encouraging words @WendyB. I did walk with a bit of a limp today after 20,000 step day yesterday (my 9th), but still managed to get in my 12,000 steps. 

[kschurman]

hi

--
***Sent from a Racine Unified School District Elementary School student 
account***

[WendyB]

Contrary February Day 21

Steps: Goal 13,000 28 days: 21/28
Boxing 28 days: 21/28
Bike 3 times 28 days: 21/28
Weights DVD 16 days: 11/16
Stomach YouTube 28 days : 21/28
Wall Push Up/Counter push ups 28 days: 21/28
250 Steps per hour 28 days : 21/28
Post Scavenger hunt photos: 2/3

[NellyG]

21 February 

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                       17/20     

4 days over 15,000 steps                                                 5/4              

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                    1/1

Swim 2x per week (when I'm home)                              5/5                                                

Dance prac 6 hours a week (when Im home)              16/18

5 bike rides or interval walks per month                         4/5            

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                       3/3  

[SunsetRunner]

Contrary February - Day 21
12,000 steps: 13/18 days
20,000 steps: 4/2 days
1-min (or longer) Modified Plank: 10/15 days
Training w/weights: 10/15 days
40 jumping jacks: 16/20 days
Line Dance: 2/4 days
IF5/2 (stay under +/- 600 cal): 1/6 days
Eat a piece of fruit: 17/20 days
Scavenger Hunt Pics: 2/3 pics

I know some of you have already earned this and many others, but for me it's still a big deal... ☺️

[GSaldiveri]

February Goals: Day 21

15K Steps/day - 21/28
20k steps/day - 16/21
64+ oz water/day - 21/28
30(+) cardio - 06/14 ** Don't think I'm going to make this one.

Lose 3 pounds - 3.4/3 ** Goal Met

[NellyG]

22 February 

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                       18/20     

4 days over 15,000 steps                                                 6/4              

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                    1/1

Swim 2x per week (when I'm home)                              5/5                                                

Dance prac 6 hours a week (when Im home)              19.5/18

5 bike rides or interval walks per month                         4/5            

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                       3/3  

[WendyB]

Contrary February Day 22

Steps: Goal 13,000 28 days: 22/28
Boxing 28 days: 22/28
Bike 3 times 28 days: 22/28
Weights DVD 16 days: 12/16
Stomach YouTube 28 days : 22/28
Wall Push Up/Counter push ups 28 days: 22/28
250 Steps per hour 28 days : 22/28
Post Scavenger hunt photos: 2/3

Woot on the new Badge @SunsetRunner !

[NellyG]

23 February 

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                       19/20     

4 days over 15,000 steps                                                 7/4              

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                    1/1

Swim 2x per week (when I'm home)                              5/5                                                

Dance prac 6 hours a week (when Im home)              19.5/18

5 bike rides or interval walks per month                         5/5            

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                       3/3  

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks @WendyB !

Contrary February - Day 22
12,000 steps: 14/18 days
20,000 steps: 4/2 days
1-min (or longer) Modified Plank: 10/15 days
Training w/weights: 10/15 days
40 jumping jacks: 17/20 days
Line Dance: 2/4 days
IF5/2 (stay under +/- 600 cal): 1/6 days
Eat a piece of fruit: 18/20 days
Scavenger Hunt Pics: 2/3 pics

[GSaldiveri]

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@BMANintheUP wrote:

Also, everyone here posting their goal updates has inspired me!  I set a daily step goal based on my stats for January. 

Does anyone else have a suggestion for goals that are helpful to them?

---

@BMANintheUP- I find posting and especially logging everything I do and consume keeps me honest and on track. When I let that slip I slip. As far as suggestions, I agree with the others, find out what is important to you and track the things that will allow you to achieve those goals.

I want to lose another 20 pounds and get into better shape so I track what I eat and I try to keep my steps up and exercise along side that in order to burn the calories. I also try to drink a minimum of 64oz of water a day (I think the recommended amount is actually 70oz) although I usually drink over 100oz.

The dashboard tiles I keep my eyes on are these, if I keep these in the zone then everything else falls into place:

[WendyB]

Contrary February Day 23

Steps: Goal 13,000 28 days: 23/28
Boxing 28 days: 23/28
Bike 3 times 28 days: 23/28
Weights DVD 16 days: 12/16
Stomach YouTube 28 days : 23/28
Wall Push Up/Counter push ups 28 days: 23/28
250 Steps per hour 28 days : 23/28
Post Scavenger hunt photos: 2/3

[Autumn43]

February 24

minimum 10,000 steps: 24/28

15,000 steps: 3/5

Pushups: 22/28

Drink 1.5 litre of water: 24/28

Photo scavenger hunt: -/3

[NellyG]

24 February

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                       20/20     

4 days over 15,000 steps                                                 7/4              

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                    1/1

Swim 2x per week (when I'm home)                              5/5                                                

Dance prac 6 hours a week (when Im home)              21.5/18

5 bike rides or interval walks per month                         5/5            

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                       3/3  

[SunsetRunner]

Contrary February - Day 23 & 24
12,000 steps: 16/18 days
20,000 steps: 4/2 days
1-min (or longer) Modified Plank: 11/15 days
Training w/weights: 11/15 days
40 jumping jacks: 19/20 days
Line Dance: 2/4 days
IF5/2 (stay under +/- 600 cal): 1/6 days
Eat a piece of fruit: 20/20 days
Scavenger Hunt Pics: 2/3 pics

I had finished my work out yesterday, had a shower, and fixed something to eat. Before I could log-in here and report I got the news that my Mom had fallen and broken her hip. The rest of my evening went by in a blur after that.