May Flowers (2020) — Step Challenge and Photo Scavenger Hunt

[Baltoscott]

April 2020 has been unlike any other April I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been fortunate to be able to continue working, from home. But the mere fact that my daily commute is gone has dramatically changes so many other habits, from when I get up in the morning and go to bed at night, where, when, and what I do for exercise (One unexpected change was learning to Unicycle).

The new schedule has also greatly affected how much I eat throughout the day. I was up about a pound in April and I’m eager to take that back off.  Maryland will likely begin to ‘reopen’ in May, but there is a pretty good chance I will continue to telework for at least another month, so I will have to continue to focus on my ‘at home’ habits. 

But as different has April/May in 2020 is from the same months in 2019, they are much the same in one basic way:  April has been wet and MUDDY, and May looks to be full of flowers.  So, like last year, this month’s photo theme will be to find at least three different kinds of flowers on your daily walks.                                           

   
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

As noted, the theme of the photo scavenger hunt is to find at least three different kinds of flowers (blooms) on your daily walks.  The more colors the better.

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.

[NellyG]

Thanks @Baltoscott . I just noticed May is up.

May Goals  similar to April but I really struggled to get 20k steps in lockdown so will reduce that goal to once a month while the virus keeps affecting our movements. I have always swum in a pool but since December I have been swimming in the ocean. Since the virus appeared the pool has been shut anyway, but I am loving swimming in the ocean. As it is getting colder I am adding more protective clothing. I just got a Steamer suit today and some swim socks too, so looking foward to trying them out and having warmer legs and feet! I think I will be putting my Spring suit away till spring time!

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

15 days over 12,000                                                      -/15

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            -/10

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                -/1

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                         -/20

 8 swims per month                                                        -/8

6 bike rides per month                                                    -/6

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    -/3

[Baltoscott]

Well now I'm going to have to look up steamer suit and swim socks @NellyG ...  The concept sound pretty good.  I hate letting the weather get in the way of going outside and moving around.

Here are my goals for May Flowers
       

-17K steps/day
-1 pushup/day (I always do more, but this goal gets me into position!)

-1 pull-up/day
-18 weight-lifting days

-post 3 scavenger hunt pictures

-25 days on the Unicycle (and learn to ‘free mount’)

-Sleep 6 hrs 10 min + 15 days or more during the month

-Lose 2 lbs

[WendyB]

May Flowers Day

Steps: Goal 10000:  /31

Boxing: /31

Bike 3 times : /31

Weights DVD 18 Days: /31

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: /31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups : /31

Leg Exercises: /31

250 Steps per hour : /31

Log food daily : /31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : /3

Lose 3 Pounds:  /3

I have swim socks from when I was swimming. I did have a Wet suit many years ago when I was water skiing and it was freezing cold

[Jotex]

Goals for May Flowers 

10,000+ steps:  15 days

15,000+ steps:  4 days

Exercises & weights: 15 days

Stomach exercises: 15 days

40 Jumping Jacks: 20 days

Eat 1 piece of fruit: 15 days

Lose 2 lb (from ... 😞  1

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 3

I was delighted to find my first few blossoms on my bougainvillea a couple of days ago! It survived winter. 🙌 

 

[SteppingBooks]

May Flowers:

12K Steps/Day:  --/31

500 Cal/Day:  --/31

20 Squats/Day: --/20

IF 16x/Month:  --/16

Yoga 1x/week: -/4

Weights 2x/week: -/8

Photo Scavenger Hunt: --/3

Here's to hoping May goes more smoothly.  We've had crazy weather; unseasonably cold, windy, and rainy almost daily.  I've to WFH for at least 3 weeks of May (an extra week courtesy of the electric shut-down to the building I'm in starting the first week we are to return to work 😩).  Because of this, I have altered my goals slightly to make them hopefully more obtainable/realistic given everything going on.  

[PureEvil]

May Flowers:

10k steps per day: 0/31

13,699 steps per day: 0/21

17k steps per day: 0/15

Activities: 0/8

Photo Scavenger Hunt: 0/7

I'm expecting that we'll still have a stay-at-home (or at least work from home) for through the end of May.

[NellyG]

1 May

@Baltoscott The steamer doesn't do much for my appearance, but will be giving it a try out in the water tomorrow morning!

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                   1/20

15 days over 12,000                                                      1/15

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            -/10

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                -/1

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                         1/20

 8 swims per month                                                        -/8

6 bike rides per month                                                    -/6

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    -/3

[Baltoscott]

Ah, it is what we in the US call a wetsuit @NellyG.  I think I like ‘steamer’ better.  A little more descriptive of the reason I would want to get one 🙂

[WendyB]

May Flowers Day 1

Steps: Goal 10000: 1/31

Boxing:1 /31

Bike 3 times : 1/31

Weights DVD 18 Days: 1/31

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: 1/31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups :1 /31

Leg Exercises:1/31

250 Steps per hour : 1/31

Log food daily : 1/31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : 0/3

Lose 3 Pounds:0 /3

[Jotex]

Goals for May Flowers - May 1

10,000+ steps:  0/15 days

15,000+ steps:  0/4 days

Exercises & weights: 0/15 days

Stomach exercises: 0/15 days

40 Jumping Jacks: 0/20 days

Eat 1 piece of fruit: 1/15 days

Lose 1 kg (from 64.1): 0/1*

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 0/3

*My scale is in kilos so I’ve changed from lose 2 lbs to 1 kg. Eating a piece of fruit is the only goal I managed to meet today. Inauspicious start. Ja, nu?

[shm]

My goals are pretty much the same as for April. I did reduce the total amount of calories per day by a little because I want to see if I can get my weight to nudge down a bit. Also, I'm going to start getting my exercise in first thing in the morning and see how that goes ...

May 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
Post every day	1/31
Sleep 7+ hours a night	0/22
5 miles a day walking/hiking/light jogging	1/31
30 Jumping Jacks	1/31
25 Mayo clinic back exercises	1/31
Weights - ½ hour weight lifting sessions.	0/10
Track food/water	1/31
1,400 to 1,600 kc a day	1/31
8+ cups water	1/31
Scavenger Pictures	0/3

[benvegi]

Hello, I'll join up again even though my goals have all been thrown out the window.  I didn't finish my April stats due to unforeseen problems. That problem is that Char took the dog out one morning to "help me out", and he saw a rabbit, rabbit ran, Char fell and broke her left shoulder in two places. Trip to ER then Dr. said she had to have surgery. Waiting for swelling to go down enough for scheduling operation. We go back this Wednesday to see Dr. and set surgery date.

As it turns out, I did average 8,400 steps per day for April.  

With that said, I'll set my goals for May at 8,000 steps per day. Doing some weights & yoga but not on regular basis.

My cardio version is now set for May 11th, the Doc thinks that should set my heart back in proper rhythm. Then I might get back to higher step counts though he said I'd need 2 -3 weeks  to recuperate. In the meantime they have me taking several medications. (yuck! not used to pills)

With any luck this will end our "Perils of Pauline" existence we've had the last 6 months and get back to normal! 

[NellyG]

2 May

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                   2/20

15 days over 12,000                                                      2/15

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            1/10

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                -/1

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                         2/20

 8 swims per month                                                        1/8

6 bike rides per month                                                    -/6

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    -/3

[Jotex]

Goals for May Flowers - May 2

10,000+ steps:  1/15 days

15,000+ steps:  0/4 days

Exercises & weights: 1/15 days

Stomach exercises: 1/15 days

40 Jumping Jacks: 2/20 days

Eat 1 piece of fruit: 2/15 days

Lose 1 kg (from 64.1): 0/1*

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 0/3

Welcome (back) @benvegi! So sorry to hear about Char and wish her a speedy recovery. Your plan sounds very good. I wish you success, no stress! 

[Baltoscott]

Day 2

17K steps/day		2/31
10 pushup + shoulder extension /day		2/31
16 weight-lifting days		2/18
post 3 scavenger pics		1/3
Sleep 6 hours, 10 minutes 13 days or more during the month		2/15
3 pull-up + 1min bar-hang /day		2/31
25 days or more on my unicycle		2/25
Drop 2 lbs.  Start 161.7 lbs

Pics below a couple small neighbors and my front walk.  The link is to one of my first unicycle rides of over a minute.  My next trick will be to turn right 🙂

https://youtu.be/AB2X6576lpc

A couple local banditos ...Front walkFront walk

[shm]

May 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
Post every day	2/31
Sleep 7+ hours a night	1/22
5 miles a day walking/hiking/light jogging	2/31
30 Jumping Jacks	2/31
25 Mayo clinic back exercises	2/31
Weights ½ hour weight lifting sessions.	0/10
Track food	2/31
1,450 to 1,600 kc a day	2/31
8+ cups water	2/31
Scavenger Pictures	0/3

[WendyB]

May Flowers Day 2

Steps: Goal 10000: 2/31

Boxing:2 /31

Bike 3 times : 2/31

Weights DVD 18 Days: 1/31

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: 2/31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups :2 /31

Leg Exercises:2/31

250 Steps per hour : 2/31

Log food daily : 2/31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : 2/3

Lose 3 Pounds:0 /3

[NellyG]

3 May

Hey great ride @Baltoscott . Neat way of dismounting too!

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                   3/20

15 days over 12,000                                                      3/15

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            2/10

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                -/1

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                         3/20

 8 swims per month                                                        1/8

6 bike rides per month                                                    -/6

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    -/3

[Jotex]

Goals for May Flowers - May 3

10,000+ steps:  2/15 days

15,000+ steps:  0/4 days

Exercises & weights: 2/15 days

Stomach exercises: 2/15 days

40 Jumping Jacks: 3/20 days

Eat 1 piece of fruit: 3/15 days

Lose 1 kg (from 64.1): 0/1*

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 0/3