March Madness 2020 — Step Challenge and Photo Scavenger Hunt

[Baltoscott]

It is the third month of 2020 and for college basketball fans in the US the start of three weeks of hoop madness (beginning on March 17).  My Kansas Jayhawks are flawed this year (can't shoot very well other than dunking), but in a one-and-done 64+team tournament the luck of the draw often brings favorable matchups.  You just never know what will happen.  

In the meantime, it is time to commit to another month of health goals.                                                      

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 

March will be the last month of winter for most of us (and summer from some of us).  It is usually a good time for a mini-vacation, or maybe a big vacation, so the task this month is to get out of the house, walk about and find three pics that represent play or relaxation — People, or animals — swimming, skiing, hiking, sunning; or fun places, tourist attractions, playgrounds, circus tents, festivals.  Of course, the spread of coronavirus may result in the cancellation of many public events and if that happens where you are, maybe post some pics documenting how your community is reacting.

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]

March Madness — Day 19

10,000+ steps: 8:15 days

15,000+ steps:  4/4 days

20,000+ steps: 0/2 days
Exercises & weights: 11/15 days

Stomach exercises: 10/10 days

40 Jumping Jacks: 11/15 days

Eat 1 piece of fruit: 16/20 days

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 2/3

[WendyB]

This is getting crazy. Hubby did find some bread but most was gone. No chicken, Hamburger, soup and some other stuff.

The clerk told him 20 people where waiting outside for them to open this morning and its been non stop since 🙄

[NellyG]

20 March

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

12 days over 12,000                                                      14/12

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            8/10

3 days over 20,000 steps                                               2/3

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                          15/20

Swim 2x per week                                                           6/8

8 bike rides or strenuous walks per month                 3/8

3  hours dance practice per week minimum              13/12

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    3/3

[SteppingBooks]

March Madness Day 19:

15k Steps/Day: 09/31

600 Cal/Day Deficit: 11/31

20 Squats/Day: 17/31

IF 16x/Month:  12/16

Yoga 1x/week: 01/4

Weights 2x/week: 03/8

Photo Scavenger Hunt: --/3

[herget]

Thanks for the lovely photographs, everyone. I was just thinking about the ocean from the many photographs of water. And yes, if I could I would hop in the car and drive to the ocean...

Yester was a great day as I surpassed 12,000 steps. I was so tired I was crashed for 10 hours and it felt amazing! Many thanks to everyone for their motivation in March 😀 👍

[herget]

Okay, just one more photograph... this one was a great day over at Sunset Beach in California... Yeah, during that lovely day along the California Coast I was able to get some great memories, step county exceeded 15 K, and we had a lovely time at the beach 😁 And now it is time for bed...

[WendyB]

March Madness Day 20

Steps: Goal 10000: 20/31

Boxing: 20/31

Bike 3 times : 20/31

Weights DVD 18 Days: 11/15

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: 20/31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups : 20/31

Leg Exercises: 20/31

250 Steps per hour : 20/31

Log food daily : 20/31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : 4/3

Lose 3-5 Pounds: 2.3/3

[NellyG]

21 March

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

12 days over 12,000                                                      15/12

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            9/10

3 days over 20,000 steps                                               2/3

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                          16/20

Swim 2x per week                                                           7/8

8 bike rides or strenuous walks per month                 3/8

3  hours dance practice per week minimum              13/12

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    3/3

[Baltoscott]

March Madness 2020

Day 21

15K steps/day		20/31
10 pushup + shoulder extension /day		21/31
15 weight-lifting days		12/15
post 3 scavenger pics		3/3
Sleep 6 hours, 10 minutes 12 days or more during the month		8/12
3 pull-up + 1min bar-hang /day		21/31
Lose 2 lbs (Start 3/1 at 160.7 lbs.)	3/15	160.5

Nice pics @herget 

The folks below were working out on the Under Armour campus in Baltimore.  The governor has mandated no groups over 10 people.  These guys are exactly 10.  I think some are a little closer together than 6 feet, but pretty good social distancing overall. 

Working with appropriate distancing

[WendyB]

March Madness Day 21

Steps: Goal 10000: 21/31

Boxing: 21/31

Bike 3 times : 21/31

Weights DVD 18 Days: 12/15

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: 21/31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups : 21/31

Leg Exercises: 21/31

250 Steps per hour : 21/31

Log food daily : 21/31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : 4/3

Lose 3-5 Pounds: 2.3/3

This whole thing s so sad. We decided to go to our favorite brewery today. They had a drive though get growler  and food truck  option.

We had to order growler ahead of time and food. It was just sad as no one was going out.

She said we were the only ones in 2 days 😞 Food truck said the same. Both are very popular.  Both came out and we chatted for a long time

[Jotex]

March Madness — Day 21

10,000+ steps: 9/15 days

15,000+ steps:  4/4 days

20,000+ steps: 0/2 days
Exercises & weights: 12/15 days

Stomach exercises: 11/10 days

40 Jumping Jacks: 12/15 days

Eat 1 piece of fruit: 17/20 days

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 2/3

One of my free time activities is gardening in pots. Here are my seedlings so far this year, mostly hot peppers 🌶.

 

[Kanga999]

March Madness - Day 13 - 21

5,000+ steps ----- 4/11

10,000+ steps ----- 8/16

15,000+ steps -----1/4 ----- yay!

1,500mls water ----- 14/31

Keep to food plan ----- 10/31

Sleep 7+ hours ----- 7/31

Scavenger Pix ----- 1/3

OK, so things have gone a bit pear shaped (no pun intended... I think). Totally not hitting my goals, and not even logging things consistently - which means I am eating too much, and exercising too little. And not using this group for support as it is intended.

This staying at home is not good for those (ME!) who like to snack. And I have realised that when I walk I like to have a purpose, and that is usually to walk to a supermarket a couple of suburbs away daily rather than driving and doing a weekly shop. I have been avoiding that this last week or so because I am rather shocked by all the hoarding and selfish behaviours leading to empty shelves.

I get that some refugees and immigrants and anyone who has suffered true food deprivation due to wars, poverty etc. might panic buy, but that is not the bulk of the people over-shopping from what I have personally witnessed. Picture this: white collar guy with his arms loaded to the gunnels with cans of food, making repeated trips - presumably back to his partner who was elsewhere with the trolley. Just how many cans of corn and baked beans do you need to stockpile?

We have been repeatedly assured of our food security here in Oz, but this hoarder shopping has been going on for a couple of weeks now. The best thing I have heard out of our Prime Minister was at a press conference where he said, in relation to this over shopping, "Just stop it." in that admonishing tone of voice of a parent who has reached their limit with their children's misbehaviour.

Sorry for the rant.... meanwhile I will try to get back on track.

[NellyG]

22 March

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

12 days over 12,000                                                      16/12

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            9/10

3 days over 20,000 steps                                               2/3

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                          17/20

Swim 2x per week                                                           7/8

8 bike rides or strenuous walks per month                 3/8

3  hours dance practice per week minimum              13/12

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    3/3

[WendyB]

March Madness Day 22

Steps: Goal 10000: 22/31

Boxing: 22/31

Bike 3 times : 22/31

Weights DVD 18 Days: 13/15

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: 22/31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups : 22/31

Leg Exercises: 22/31

250 Steps per hour : 22/31

Log food daily : 22/31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : 4/3

Lose 3-5 Pounds: 2.3/3

[SteppingBooks]

March Madness Day 20-22:

15k Steps/Day: 09/31

600 Cal/Day Deficit: 11/31

20 Squats/Day: 19/31

IF 16x/Month:  14/16

Yoga 1x/week: 01/4

Weights 2x/week: 03/8

Photo Scavenger Hunt: --/3

I'm definitely going to work on a better routine/schedule while working from home.  This is definitely a new challenge that I'm trying to figure out.  I used some time yesterday to set up a tentative schedule to help keep me on track.  Now if it could just stop snowing!  😢

[NellyG]

23 March

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

12 days over 12,000                                                      16/12

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            10/10

3 days over 20,000 steps                                               2/3

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                          17/20

Swim 2x per week                                                           7/8

8 bike rides or strenuous walks per month                 4/8

3  hours dance practice per week minimum              13/12

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    3/3

[Jotex]

March Madness — Day 23

10,000+ steps: 10/15 days

15,000+ steps:  4/4 days

20,000+ steps: 0/2 days
Exercises & weights: 13/15 days

Stomach exercises: 12/10 days

40 Jumping Jacks: 13/15 days

Eat 1 piece of fruit: 17/20 days

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 3/3 {forgot to update this two days ago}

Day 10 of self-quarantine. It looks like I’ve gotten into the routine of reaching my goals only every other day. Will try to break out of my slump tomorrow and get back on a daily track. We’re out of fruit, and I’m not sure any will be in the delivery tomorrow. Also, my new painting is not going very well.... may put it on hold and do something else — to cheer me up. Hope you are all doing fine. Stay safe!

[WendyB]

March Madness Day 23

Steps: Goal 10000: 23/31

Boxing: 23/31

Bike 3 times : 23/31

Weights DVD 18 Days: 14/15

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: 23/31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups : 23/31

Leg Exercises: 23/31

250 Steps per hour : 23/31

Log food daily : 23/31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : 4/3

Lose 3-5 Pounds: 2.3/3

@Jotex  Sometimes you just need to walk away for a while. I am now giving up painting rocks. With all thats going on they should not be picked up by anyone anyways. So I will need to come up with some ideas for canvas. I have so many now though that I tend not to look for ideas. That's why I went to rocks 😂  Maybe just take a break for a while is a good thing. 😊

[Baltoscott]

March Madness 2020

Day 23

15K steps/day		22/31
10 pushup + shoulder extension /day		23/31
15 weight-lifting days		14/15
post 3 scavenger pics		3/3
Sleep 6 hours, 10 minutes 12 days or more during the month		8/12
3 pull-up + 1min bar-hang /day		23/31
Lose 2 lbs (Start 3/1 at 160.7 lbs.)	3/21	160.7

So far we can still go outside here, so Sunday Jane and I got out on a bike ride to the Cylburn Arboretum.

Next month's photo theme will be seasonal changes.  Spring in the North, autumn in the South.  I'm a little ahead of the curve with some these pics, but spring seems to come earlier every year.  The wizard at the bottom was new to me. A few years back, a local artist did something similar at Druid Hill park, which is where the Baltimore Zoo is located.  I think this was done by the same artist, but it was in someone's front yard.  Just happened to notice it as we were riding by ...

The trees are flowering -- (is that cough allergies or COVID-19?Jane found some HelleboresMe and the bikes.Gandolf?

Jane is in front of some hellebores.  

[NellyG]

24 March

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

12 days over 12,000                                                      16/12

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            10/10

3 days over 20,000 steps                                               2/3

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                          18/20

Swim 2x per week                                                           7/8

8 bike rides or strenuous walks per month                 4/8

3  hours dance practice per week minimum              14/12

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    3/3