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.

[WendyB]

May Flowers Day 28

Steps: Goal 10000: 28/31

Boxing: 28/31

Bike 3 times : 28/31

Weights DVD 18 Days: 12/31

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: 28/31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups : 28/31

Waist/Stomach: 28/31

Leg Exercises: 28/31

250 Steps per hour : 28/31

Log food daily : 28/31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : 4/3

Lose 3 Pounds: 5/8

[Baltoscott]

Day 28

17K steps/day		28/31
10 pushup + shoulder extension /day		28/31
16 weight-lifting days		16/16
post 3 scavenger pics		3/3
Sleep 6 hours, 10 minutes 13 days or more during the month		15/15
3 pull-up + 1min bar-hang /day		28/31
25 days or more on my unicycle		28/25
Drop 2 lbs.  Start 161.7 lbs	5/24	162.7

I feel like I've been regressing a bit on my unicycle 'free mounts' (getting started without leaning against something) so I've decided to add 10 of those a day to my goals next month.  And by the way, the Zoom Zoom June challenge is up!

New obstacle -- Nets!

[SteppingBooks]

May Flowers 28:

12K Steps/Day:  08/31

500 Cal/Day:  20/31

20 Squats/Day: 11/20

**IF 16x/Month:  20/16**

Yoga 1x/week: -/4

Weights 2x/week: 2/8

Photo Scavenger Hunt: --/3

[NellyG]

29 May

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                   29/20

15 days over 12,000                                                     27/15

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            19/10

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                6/1

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                         19/20

 8 swims per month                                                        5/8

6 bike rides per month                                                    3/6

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    4/3

[WendyB]

May Flowers Day 29

Steps: Goal 10000: 29/31

Boxing: 29/31

Bike 3 times : 29/31

Weights DVD 18 Days: 13/31

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: 29/31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups : 29/31

Waist/Stomach: 29/31

Leg Exercises: 29/31

250 Steps per hour : 29/31

Log food daily : 29/31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : 4/3

Lose 3 Pounds: 5/8

[WendyB]

May Flowers Day 30

Steps: Goal 10000: 30/31

Boxing: 30/31

Bike 3 times : 30/31

Weights DVD 18 Days: 13/31

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: 30/31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups : 30/31

Waist/Stomach: 30/31

Leg Exercises: 30/31

250 Steps per hour : 30/31

Log food daily : 30/31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : 4/3

Lose 3 Pounds: 6/8

[benvegi]

Well, never posted in May.  

Got my heart rhythm reset on the 11th, that was successful. Then on the two week follow up the doctor detected what he thinks is small blockage. So going in on the 15th for an angiogram. 

Char came through her shoulder replacement well and is now home recuperating. Starts PT on Tuesday.

In May, I averaged 7,693 steps per day, three days over 10,000.  Had 12 days over 8,000. Still taking it easy.

Is June up yet?

[Baltoscott]

Day 31

17K steps/day		31/31
10 pushup + shoulder extension /day		31/31
16 weight-lifting days		18/16
post 3 scavenger pics		3/3
Sleep 6 hours, 10 minutes 13 days or more during the month		17/15
3 pull-up + 1min bar-hang /day		31/31
25 days or more on my unicycle		31/25
Drop 2 lbs.  Start 161.7 lbs	5/31	163

Well, instead of dropping 2 lbs for the the month, I went up 1.3 lbs.  Adding steps didn't help. but I think I'll stick with 17K/day next month. I had to go out a couple of evenings to get that in May and its a help toward keeping me from settling into the couch and watching the TV every evening.  

Some of you may have noticed from the pictures I've posted that I have two unicycles: one has a 26" wheel, and the other a 20" wheel.  I got the bigger one first, but after a couple of weeks thought that the 20" might be a little easier to learn new skills on.  I put the seat at the same height, but the smaller wheel is easier to turn and get started on.  I was on that one most of May, but I'm going to work with the bigger wheel for June.  I'll continue to focus on getting it started without leaning on anything.  As I master that I'll work on some distance rides (a mile plus ...), transitions from sidewalk to street, and sidewalk to grass, and tighter and tighter figure eights.  I'm kind of amazed I can do it at all!

See you all in Zoom Zoom June.  @benvegi good to see you back.  Go post your goals for next month. You too @PureEvil @shm 

There were a lot of good May Flowers posted this month.  Here's one more from our yard ...

[shm]

Sleep 7+ hours a night	7/22
5 miles a day walking/hiking/light jogging	29/31
30 Jumping Jacks	9/31
25 Mayo Clinic back exercises	7/31
Weights ½ hour weight lifting sessions.	1/10
Track food	26/31
1,450 to 1,600 kc a day	26/31
8+ cups water	6/31
Scavenger Pictures	3/3

The good news is that I lost 3.1 pounds in May. I also was able to increase the intensity of my daily 5 miles/11,000+ steps by going on 4 fairly strenuous hikes with lots of big hills and finally being able to do 4 “jog” days where I jogged a good part of my 5 miles. (before I’ve been too heavy to jog) I can tell my “cardio” capability is better. My diet has improved quite a bit etc.  

The bad news is that I continue to struggle with all sorts of other poor habits like not getting adequate sleep, not drinking water, not doing enough weight lifting etc. I always used to like weight lifting so I don’t know what my problem is with that lately. I can really tell the difference in strength (I’m losing strength) by ignoring this aspect. It’s a good thing I can start fresh tomorrow with the June challenge.

Below is a picture of wild flowers I saw on a hike I went on today. Earlier in the season, there was a different type of purple flower. Now these smaller ones have appeared everywhere. 

This is a flower from a garden. 

[Jotex]

Goals for May Flowers - May 28-31

10,000+ steps:  17/15 days

15,000+ steps:  2/4 days

Exercises & weights: 14/15 days

Stomach exercises: 14/15 days

40 Jumping Jacks: 21/20 days

Eat 1 piece of fruit: 18/15 days

Lose 1 kg (from 64.1): 0/1 

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 3/3

Not sure what happened, life suddenly got busy, and I haven’t reached 10,000 or more steps since last Wednesday, or had time to exercise. But I started meeting people again and after 11 weeks of nothing, and though it was nice to catch up, psychologically it could have been too much (subconscious anxiety, ...). Anyway, I also have had my arthritis flare up, so need that to calm down.

Nevertheless , I met some of my goals. I confess I’m secretly glad I’m not the only one whose weight went up when I wanted it to go down. 😇

I have loved seeing all the photos. Here’s one last flower, though it was bought. I couldn’t resist this Bavarian Butterfly at the garden center. 

 

[PureEvil]

May Flowers 05/31:

10k steps per day: 31/31

13,699 steps per day: 21/21

17k steps per day: 18/15

Activities: 12/8

Photo Scavenger Hunt: 5/7

Here are a few more pictures of the park:

[WendyB]

May Flowers Day 31

Steps: Goal 10000: 31/31

Boxing: 31/31

Bike 3 times : 31/31

Weights DVD 18 Days: 18/31

DVD Has Balance, Cardio: 31/31

Wall Push Up/Counter push ups : 31/31

Waist/Stomach: 31/31

Leg Exercises: 31/31

250 Steps per hour : 31/31

Log food daily : 31/31

Scavenger Hunt Photos : 4/3

Lose 3 Pounds: 6/8

[NellyG]

30 May

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                                   29/20

15 days over 12,000                                                     27/15

10 days over 15,000 steps                                            19/10

1 day over 20,000 steps                                                6/1

10 lunges a day for 20 days                                         19/20

 8 swims per month                                                        6/8

6 bike rides per month                                                    3/6

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                                    4/3

[SteppingBooks]

May Flowers 29-31:

12K Steps/Day:  08/31

500 Cal/Day:  20/31

20 Squats/Day: 11/20

**IF 16x/Month:  21/16**

Yoga 1x/week: -/4

Weights 2x/week: 2/8

Photo Scavenger Hunt: --/3

[Jeaken]

Hello there

[Jeaken]

Hey beautiful

[WendyB]

@JeakenThis is not a dating site. Please go else where