Dancing December Step Challenge and Scavenger Hunt

[Baltoscott]

Here we are — the last month of the year, holiday food everywhere you look, all sorts of social obligations ... so .... why not recommit to your minimum daily fitness/eating goals -- and maybe even DANCE a bit around the mistletoe -- just to make sure you don’t lose the baseline you’ll aim to beat next month when you plan out 2019? 

General monthly instructions are below, including the monthly picture scavenger hunt.                                 
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

This month look for and post pictures of at least 3 outdoor holiday displays while out and about.

Union Station - DC 34th Street - Baltimore

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.

[Jotex]

Dancing December — Day 28
10,000 steps - 20/20 days
Training w/weights - 15/15 days
40 jumping jacks - 16/15 days
Line Dance - 2/3 days
Scavenger Hunt  7/3 pics

NEW: stay under 500 calories - 3/4 days

[Baltoscott]

Dancing December Day 28

15K steps/day		27/29
30 jumping jacks/day		28/31
1 pushup/day		28/31
11 weight-lifting days		11/11
post scavenger pics		10
Sleep 6+ hours 12 days or more during the month		11/12
Weight loss of 2-4 lbs (Dec 10 = 161.3 on TW)	Dec. 23	161.4
No seconds		14/20

With my trip to the gym this morning, I finished up my weight-lifting goal for the month. One goal accomplished!

[Baltoscott]

@Mel9 -- glad you are feeling better.  Hopefully whatever has gotten into the family is satisfied with just one go around!

@LisefromCanada - You've been doing great with your weight loss this month.

@Jotex @NellyG -- thanks for posting about your low calorie days.  I don't think I'll follow suit, but I think the different strategies we successfully use to lose or maintain weight are all evidence that there is no one perfect way eat.

@shawnkp @Jotex @NellyG @Mel9 @LisefromCanada @CatLover74 @WendyB @KSmart @benvegi @SunsetRunner @gocolts12 @Heather-S @helenejoyeux @SandpiperMc @SeleneD 

The Topiary January 2019 -- Step Challenge and Resolutions has been posted.  Go set your goals.

[NellyG]

@Baltoscott @Jotex  I didnt start the 5/2 to try to lose weight, but I did initially lose a couple of kg. The biggest up side of doing it for me has been unexpected and WONDERFUL and is that it has cut my episodes of diverticulitis to almost zero. I used to get quite sick with it every few months but since starting the 5/2 I think I have had one episode in about 5 years. I certainly didnt anticipate it helping with that, but it keeps me doing it! But if I am going out on one of the restriced days I just forget about it for that day. I dont want to make my life difficult over it!

@Jotex  I relate to packing food away and eating half of it!

[LisefromCanada]

I did make it to the Y today for swimming, yeah!  And I walked briskly on the treadmill for about 1 hour.  So it was a good day.  I am going cross country skiing tomorrow with family/friends for a few hours - hopefully it won't be too cold tomorrow (today it was -20C ...brrr)

Here are my December Step Challenge and Scavenger Hunt

Results as at Dec 28:

Over 10,000 steps 20 days this month - 22/20  Exceeded Goal!

Minimum 5,000 steps daily - 28/31 on track

Calorie intake at least 400 calories less than calories burned for 25 days - 25/25 Achieved Goal!

Swim/aquafit class for 45 minutes 10 times this month - 18/10  Exceeded Goal!

10 floors daily - 28/31  on track

Lose 4 pounds this month - lost 5.3/4.0  Exceeded Goal again - YES!

3 scavenger hunt posts - 5/3  Exceeded Goal!

[WendyB]

Dancing December Day 28

Steps: Goal 13000 31 days: 28 /31
Boxing 31 days: 28/31
Bike 2 times 31 days: 28/31
Weights DVD 18 days: 16/31
Stomach Youtube : 28/31
Wall Push Up/Counter push ups: 28/31
250 Steps per hour : 27/31
Post Scavenger hunt photos: 8/3

Been gone most the day but managed to get it done!

[Jotex]

---

@NellyG wrote:

@Baltoscott @Jotex  I didnt start the 5/2 to try to lose weight, but I did initially lose a couple of kg. The biggest up side of doing it for me has been unexpected and WONDERFUL and is that it has cut my episodes of diverticulitis to almost zero. I used to get quite sick with it every few months but since starting the 5/2 I think I have had one episode in about 5 years. I certainly didnt anticipate it helping with that, but it keeps me doing it! But if I am going out on one of the restriced days I just forget about it for that day. I dont want to make my life difficult over it!

@Jotex  I relate to packing food away and eating half of it!

---

Thanks so much for sharing @NellyG.I had a pre-cancerous polyp removed from my colon this summer, so it would be another bonus if the 5/2 could help keep 'that' at bay! Now, if I can only stay away from the left-over holiday sweets. 😋😇

[NellyG]

29 December

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

4 days over 15,000 steps per month                         6/4       

1 day over 20,000 steps                                               2/1                    

Swim 2x per week (when I'm home)                          8/5                                         

Dance at the Aussi Open. Hoping for a placing!       Yes yes yes!             

6 bike rides or interval walks per month                   6/6

[benvegi]

Steps 15,000 per day

20+ floors per day I cut my floors back because sometimes the weather or working in the yard keeps me from getting lots of floors.

7+ miles per day

2 sets of 12 reps of dumbbell curls, triceps, shoulder shrugs, and chest flys, 3 times a week.

Three or more pics of each scavenger hunt topic. 

Check in at least 2x a week.

12/24 steps 26,558, floors 32, miles 12.94 

12/25 steps 25,173, floors 27, miles 11.85

12/26 steps 21,891, floors 30, miles 10.35

12/27 steps 29,348, floors 40, miles 14.23 - It was 63 degrees, sunny & no wind! Jake & I walked 6 miles up and down the hills. He loved it. Char joined us for 3 miles of this walk.

12/28 steps 27,007, 23 floors, 13.28 miles

weights 19/12 days

check in 2x a week 3/4

Jake leading the way!

[WendyB]

Dancing December Day 29

Steps: Goal 13000 31 days: 29 /31
Boxing 31 days: 29/31
Bike 2 times 31 days: 29/31
Weights DVD 18 days: 16/31
Stomach Youtube : 29/31
Wall Push Up/Counter push ups: 29/31
250 Steps per hour : 28/31
Post Scavenger hunt photos: 8/3

[Jotex]

Dancing December — Day 29
10,000 steps - 21/20 days
Training w/weights - 15/15 days
40 jumping jacks - 17/15 days
Line Dance - 2/3 days
Scavenger Hunt  7/3 pics

NEW: stay under 500 calories - 3/4 days

Nice pic of good ol' Jake, @benvegi. Glad you have company on your walks. 

[Mel9]

Still feeling sick this morning, in fact I woke up early, took cold medicine and went back to sleep...until noon!! That’s odd for me. I did get my 5,000 steps today though. 

December 29:

5,000 steps a day: 27/31

10,000 steps a day: 2/5

Get 250 steps per hour:  245/315

Water intake of 64 ounces a day:  28/31

Scavenger hunt photos: _/3

Check in and log status: 14/20

[LisefromCanada]

So many goals accomplished by the Dancing December gang - well done everyone!

I went cross country skiing with family/friends today.  According to my fitbit, I was skiing for 1 hour and 45 minutes.  And if you are interested in knowing, it was -15C, plus a windshield bringing it down to -25C.  But we all dressed very well, the trails were mostly in wooded areas, and I had hot rods in the toes of my boots.  So it was very enjoyable. The mocha coffee and Baileys afterwards was great too.

Here are my December Step Challenge and Scavenger Hunt

Results as at Dec 29:

Over 10,000 steps 20 days this month - 23/20  Exceeded Goal!

Minimum 5,000 steps daily - 29/31 on track

Calorie intake at least 400 calories less than calories burned for 25 days - 26/25 Exceeded Goal!

Swim/aquafit class for 45 minutes 10 times this month - 18/10  Exceeded Goal!

10 floors daily - 29/31  on track

Lose 4 pounds this month - lost 5.3/4.0  Exceeded Goal - YES!

3 scavenger hunt posts - 5/3  Exceeded Goal!

[NellyG]

30 December

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                  21/20                 

4 days over 15,000 steps per month                         6/4       

1 day over 20,000 steps                                               2/1                    

Swim 2x per week (when I'm home)                          9/5                                         

Dance at the Aussi Open. Hoping for a placing!       Yes yes yes!             

6 bike rides or interval walks per month                   6/6

[WendyB]

Dancing December Day 30

Steps: Goal 13000 31 days: 30 /31
Boxing 31 days: 30/31
Bike 2 times 31 days: 30/31
Weights DVD 18 days: 17/31
Stomach Youtube : 30/31
Wall Push Up/Counter push ups: 30/31
250 Steps per hour : 29/31
Post Scavenger hunt photos: 8/3

[LisefromCanada]

Here are my December Step Challenge and Scavenger Hunt

Results as at Dec 30:

Over 10,000 steps 20 days this month - 24/20  Exceeded Goal!

Minimum 5,000 steps daily - 30/31 on track

Calorie intake at least 400 calories less than calories burned for 25 days - 27/25  Exceeded Goal!

Swim/aquafit class for 45 minutes 10 times this month - 18/10  Exceeded Goal!

10 floors daily - 30/31  on track

Lose 4 pounds this month - lost 5.5/4.0  Exceeded Goal!

3 scavenger hunt posts - 5/3  Exceeded Goal!

[Mel9]

December 30:

5,000 steps a day: 28/31

10,000 steps a day: 2/5

Get 250 steps per hour:  255/315

Water intake of 64 ounces a day:  29/31

Scavenger hunt photos: _/3

Check in and log status: 15/20

[NellyG]

Last day of the year 31 December and at last some dance photos From the Australian Open!

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                  22/20                 

4 days over 15,000 steps per month                         6/4       

1 day over 20,000 steps                                               2/1                    

Swim 2x per week (when I'm home)                          9/5                                         

Dance at the Aussi Open. Hoping for a placing!       Yes yes yes!             

6 bike rides or interval walks per month                   6/6

Scavenger Hunt pics                                                     3/3

[Jotex]

WOW -- @NellyG!!! You look absolutely gorgeous (and he's handsome) and very elegant! Well done! 🎉

[NellyG]

@Jotex thankyou