MAYhem Monthly Step Challenge--MAYbe it's time to step it up and get a little crazy with your goals

[Baltoscott]

So April was a reset month, a restart of the January goals you dropped in February ;-).  For the MAYhem challenge this month, get a little creative; sure, get your steps — always gotta do that — but add some floors, or do a 5K, or post a pic of something 2 or 3 miles away from your couch! You get the idea, it’s MAYhem!!

   
How It Works:

The primary purpose of these monthly challenges has been 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

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 and that will give the rest of us incentive to update our own progress.

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.

[Ennay]

almost 21K yesterday.  Took a walk with a friend in the morning and then hubby and I walked to the pub after dinner and had a drink.  I had a familiar bourbon, but while I was sitting there I realized they have brought in about 5 new bourbons so I may need to start trying new ones.

I've really been struggling in getting other stuff done.  I'm falling back into some old bad habits. I'll have to work on that next week.

@Jotexhope all goes well!

@cyfyguywelcome!

[A_Lurker]

@cyfyguywelcome!  One of the odd things I used to do was the multi-trip stuff.  Normally I would drag all the groceries inside and then to the kitchen.  If I had stuff to go downstairs I would pile it at the top of the stairs.  Instead I would bring the bags inside and then put them away from the front hall.  I'd pick up just a few things and put them away.  Whatever works is the best.

[A_Lurker]

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@A_Lurker wrote:

1) 10,000 steps each day

2) some other form of exercise (rowing, elliptical, strength training... may include gardening)

3) 7h sleep average each week

4) checking in each day

---

1) 12/31

2) 4 (rowing), 4 (elliptical), 4 (resistance)

3) week 1 (6hr31m), week 2 (7hr41m)

4) 11/31

Well, smashed the sleep goal for the week. I actually got just over 8hr sleep overnight and, after doing a lot of moving stuff around, I had a bit of a nap in the afternoon. I'm getting rid of some of the furniture tomorrow (an attempt at decluttering) and then Monday it's clean the garage day (mainly breaking down cardboard and such) so I can get to reorganizing it. The overall plan is to start simplifying/decluttering everything. It's possible in the fall I might decide to sell up and move, but I don't want to drag everything I have now with me.

@Jotex- sorry to hear about your husband's treatments.  Hoping all the best for the outcome.

[Jotex]

May 12

10,000 steps a day average - 11/31

15,000 steps a day x 5 - 3/5

Made my 10,000 steps plus enough to make up for the 1,500 deficiency on Friday (and about 1,000 to spare). Had to make an executive decision in the afternoon, though, as I was going to dinner and a concert (good ‘ol country!) in the evening: either clean the house or go on my treadmill. Getting steps in was a priority — couldn’t let y’all down! 😅{Besides, having a spotless house is so overrated!} Happy Sunday Peeps, and Happy Mother’s Day to all you Moms out there! 

P.S. @A_Lurker - thanks. And congrats on smashing your sleep goals! Whoop! 

[NellyG]

13 May

Steps 10,000 per day                                       11/20

High step day over 20,000                              1 👍

Swim twice per week                                       2/2     4/8

Fitbit Coach or bike ride - one per week      1/1      2/4    

Dance 6 hours per week                                6/6      10/24

[GershonSurge]

I weighed in at 156 lbs this morning, down from my target of 158 even though I ate over 1400 extra calories during the last couple of days. I've calibrated my Charge 2 many times and at most, it's about 100 calories off a day. This is getting disturbing. I'll put a longer explanation in the nutritarian topic, but the short answer is I'm going to eat more peanuts in addition to eating more calories.

I added a savings/loss carryforward line to track my savings based on spending $5.00 a day. So far, I've saved $8.11 this month; but this isn't the whole story. I've incurred an outstanding obligation to regain the two pounds I lost, which is about 7,000 calories. Calorie dense foods cost about $1,000/1000 calories, so the obligation is about $7.00. In other words, I'm pretty close to spending $5.00/day on my food.

Convention: If I get free food, I don't consider the cost or the calories or add them to calories consumed.. It should get deposited in my internal food bank (fat) and show up as reduced spending later.  If taken to the extreme, this could lead to some interesting behavior at restaurants. 

[Ennay]

~13K yesterday without taking a walk.  Worked in the garden for a bit and then went and shagged flyballs when dh took my son to hit.  Went to dinner and a play downtown last night and walked around a little.

Going to work in the garden some today but it is going to be hot for me.  The family went over to the inlaws for mothers day breakfast but I got in past midnight last night and told them I wanted to sleep in instead.  I dont like blowing my days calories on breakfast foods that I am not particularly fond of anyway.

[Jotex]

I offer no excuses. I just simply took a day off today. Will get back on track tomorrow.

[Baltoscott]

May 13

-15K steps/day for all 31 days. 13/31
-1 pushup/day for all 31 days 13/31
-13 weight-lifting days: 6/13
- 50 floors or more for 20 days: 8/20
-Sleep 6+ hours 12 days: 2/12
-sign up for and do one organized event: 1/2

It was a struggle to get my steps in yesterday and today.  Went camping at Janes Island State Park with wife (Jane!) and another couple.  It was a lot of fun and we got some exercise in, but it was mostly by kayak which doesn't generate a lot of steps -- 15K steps happened at about midnight last night!  But we had great time and even if paddling isn't on the list of monthly fitness goals, it is a great way to get out and see nature.

[A_Lurker]

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@A_Lurker wrote:

1) 10,000 steps each day

2) some other form of exercise (rowing, elliptical, strength training... may include gardening)

3) 7h sleep average each week

4) checking in each day

---

1) 13/31

2) 5 (rowing), 4 (elliptical), 4 (resistance)

3) week 1 (6hr31m), week 2 (7hr41m), week 3 (so far) 7hr 0m

4) 12/31

Did some furniture moving today, which moves me closer to my purging goal. I'm still not making as much effort as I should. Starting to collect some electronics and furniture for a group that does pick ups.  Tomorrow though I have some clean up in the backyard (major storm, broken glass table) and more in the garage.

@Jotex- we all have a down day every now and then, it's definitely allowed.  The importance in the long run is not to have too many of them. 

[GershonSurge]

I weighed in at 158.8 lbs. today. 🙂

Yesterday, I ate a bunch of peanuts and peanut butter to increase the fat content. It worked as predicted. I also ate a bunch of carbohydrates to increase my calorie count. I had a lot of energy yesterday, so I kept doing more work. The result was I only had a 500 calorie surplus. 

It does appear Dr. McDougall's assertion based on extensive research supports the fact that carbohydrates cannot be converted to fat; only fat can be converted to fat.

Today, I weighed and crushed an ounce of peanuts to add as garnish to all my meals. Eventually, I'll determine a homeostasis amount to add each day. 

[Ennay]

All goals except high day are weekly.  All weeks begin on Monday

	April	May	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Total
steps per week	106393	105000	95373	104290
burn per week	19990	21000	19475	19857
weights per week		3	2	0
HIIT per week	0	1	0	0
High day	25031	25000
Weight loss	6.8		3.6	+0.6

10K steps yesterday, all in gardening.  I might have pushed for the extra 710 steps had I realized I was so close to the weekly target.

I dont seem to be able to fit everything I want to do in!   

scale weight up a little today probably from last nights dinner, but overall the week has been showing a nice decline. 

A couple more big gardening days ahead and then I should be onto garden maintenance.  We're going to mulch around the beds in a couple weeks to hopefully keep the maintenance easier than having grass around it.

@Baltoscott- kayaking sounds good!  It's good to shake it up!

@Jotex- sometimes a day off is needed!

@A_Lurker- my may decluttering doesnt seem to be getting anywhere.  Maybe I should make that a winter sport.  

[NellyG]

14 May

Steps 10,000 per day                                       12/20

High step day over 20,000                              1 👍

Swim twice per week                                       -/2     4/8

Fitbit Coach or bike ride - one per week      1/1      3/4    

Dance 6 hours per week                                -/6      10/24

[rylohnes]

Good morning, Good morning, Good morning!!!! Remember, whats worth the prize is always worth the fight!!

So far:

87000 steps/wk - Nailed it the first two weeks!

15000+ steps/ day - 8/8

[Jotex]

May 14
10,000 steps a day average - 12/31
15,000 steps a day x 5 - 3/5

As promised,,. back on track today. So far, 11,500 steps. 

[Baltoscott]

May 14

-15K steps/day for all 31 days. 14/31
-1 pushup/day for all 31 days 14/31
-13 16 weight-lifting days: 7/13 16 
- 50 floors or more for 20 days: 9/20
-Sleep 6+ hours 12 days: 2/12
-sign up for and do one organized event: 1/2

Updating my weight-training days from 13 to 16.  I was planning on taking this week off, but I feel like I need to work on my form a bit, so I added M,W,F to do some 1/2 load reps.  

[A_Lurker]

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@A_Lurker wrote:

1) 10,000 steps each day

2) some other form of exercise (rowing, elliptical, strength training... may include gardening)

3) 7h sleep average each week

4) checking in each day

---

1) 14/31

2) 5 (rowing), 5 (elliptical), 4 (resistance)

3) week 1 (6hr31m), week 2 (7hr41m), week 3 (so far) 7hr 56m

4) 13/31

Didn't get as much accomplished today as I expected to. Tomorrow I will get up with a plan!

@Ennay- winter would have been a better choice for decluttering.  However, I was commuting 2 hours each day, then a 3 week trip to the UK, followed by more commuting.  Then a cough/cold that some of the doctors were calling the 100-day cough.  Just threw everything off balance.  I'll do the spring work with the decluttering at the same time.  Really I will. 

[NellyG]

15 May

Steps 10,000 per day                                       13/20

High step day over 20,000                              1 👍

Swim twice per week                                       1/2     5/8

Fitbit Coach or bike ride - one per week      1/1      3/4    

Dance 6 hours per week                                 1/6      11/24

[Ennay]

17K yesterday Bought all my starts so today will be gardening steps mostly.   Although maybe a little walk first to loosen up my back.  My egg delivery is late so I may be having lunch for breakfast and hopefully breakfast for lunch.

@A_Lurker- I say I should make winter the decluttering season but I just recently unpacked my show kit from the first musical of the season (september). Every month I say next month.

[GershonSurge]

Dripped below 158 again. I seem to be in this cycle of eating more which stimulates more activity and more eating... while it's hard to maintain weight. More peanuts and peanut butter today. 🙂