Muck-about March Madness — Step Challenge and Photo Scavenger Hunt

[Baltoscott]

Is it really already the third month of 2021?!?

Vaccines are starting to ramp up, and COVID seems to be waning just a bit!  And while It is surely too early to relax social distancing, the close of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the end of summer in the Southern Hemisphere means it's is the perfect time to get out of house and muck about.  So go outside and enjoy the weather!!

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 pictures should be a contrast from March 2020. Back then we were all starting to live, or at least read about, lockdowns, 6 foot spacing, and 20 second hand washing; and some of us were even starting to wear masks!!! Whoa!!! How have the people and public places in your area changed since March 2020? Look at your photos from then, and see if it is even possible to recreate the same picture at the same place now. I'm wondering if I will take my first train ride in over a year in March 2021.  Maybe.  What has your year been like?

The senate cafeteria - just before we went into full lockdownThe first sign of the apocalypse ....If the commute was still this empty I would still be doing it

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.

[Baltoscott]

Muck-about March Day 3

16K steps/day		3/31
1 pushup + shoulder extension /day		3/31
15 weight-lifting days		2/15
post 3 scavenger pics		1/3
Sleep 6:15 hours + 20 days or more during the month		3/20
1 pull-up		3/31
Unicycle: 15 mins/day for 25 days		3/25
Lose 2 lbs. Start 168.4 lbs (Mar. 1)	3/1	168.4
Log food daily		3/31

The first pic below was just before Maryland shut down gyms in March 2020.  There were just three people in the gym that day.  They didn't open them again until the end of June.  

Nowadays they can have up to 25% capacity. Masks, of course. There were between 20 and 30 people on the first floor while i was there. To be honest, I'm beginning to feel a little crowded.  I mostly go to use the squat racks and then do the rest of my workout at home.  There are four racks and all were being used when I got there on Monday. Finally got on one after about 20 minutes (did some other stuff) and then left after being inside for about 35 minutes.   

March 2020March 2021

[NellyG]

4 March

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

20 days over 12,000                                         3/20                

14 days over 15,000 steps                               2/14

4 day over 20,000 steps                                     -/4           

Physio exercises 20 days                                  3/20

20 exercise sessions (swim, bike, vigorous walk, dance, gym)   3/20

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      -/3

[PureEvil]

Here are my goals for Muck-about March Madness.

10k steps per day	3	/31
13,699 steps per day	3	/21
17k steps per day	3	/13
Activities	0	/7
Photo Scavenger Hunt	0	/3
Full 'Reminders to Move' Days	3	/11
Update post	1	/7

[SteppingBooks]

Muck-about March Madness 2-3

11.5K Steps/Day: --/31

700+ Calorie Deficient/Day: 03/31

IF Daily (12 hr weekday/16:8 weekend): 03/31

Weights 2x/week: -/8

Stretch 4x/week: --/16

Squats 20/day: --/15

Photo Scavenger Hunt: -/3

Total Steps: 20,688/356,500

I took yesterday off; while I didn't get a lot of steps in, I definitely got another arm workout in with all the ice I was chopping up and shoveling off the driveway.  While this weekend won't be too warm, we are looking at the 40s next week, possibly into the 50s!  Can't wait for that nicer weather.

[Ennay]

3/3 - 11062

Goals - Muck about March

10K+ steps: 3/24 

11K+ steps: 3/16 

12K+ steps: 1/8 

total steps: 37108/341000

Stretch/Stability work 8/20 

Today will most likely NOT hit my goal.  I didn't get a walk in this morning, got to work and discovered I had an opportunity to get vaccinated TODAY during my lunch break.   I expect to feel ok enough to maybe do a shorter walk tonight, but not going to push it to make the whole 10K.  I am fairly high risk and this is a month earlier than I expected so pretty darned happy today. 

@Baltoscott I think it will take me awhile to get used to being around people.  I dropped my gym membership before COVID because I can work out at the University gym for free, but they have it only for students right now and by appointment only to limit the capacity.  Maybe by fall I will have gym access.

[Jotex]

@Ennay — I also spontaneously got a call that I could get my first vaccine yesterday so I took off. Otherwise It would probably be summer before my group got called. I didn’t hit any fitbit goals either, but it was worth it for me to get that shot.

[NellyG]

5 March

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                      4/20

20 days over 12,000                                         4/20                

14 days over 15,000 steps                               3/14

4 day over 20,000 steps                                     -/4           

Physio exercises 20 days                                  4/20

20 exercise sessions (swim, bike, vigorous walk, dance, gym)   4/20

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      -/3

[SteppingBooks]

Muck-about March Madness 4

11.5K Steps/Day: --/31

700+ Calorie Deficient/Day: 04/31

IF Daily (12 hr weekday/16:8 weekend): 04/31

Weights 2x/week: -/8

Stretch 4x/week: --/16

Squats 20/day: --/15

Photo Scavenger Hunt: -/3

Total Steps: 30,402/356,500

Coldsnaps are the worst!  I was so close yesterday to hitting my step goal but that wind just cut right through me.  I'm starting the month off a bit behind, but I'm not giving up.  My primary wants me to watch my sodium intake now too, which just exposing my (horrible) math skills (yay for calculators).  

@Jotex The vaccine is the ultimate goal right now 😛 Definitely worth forgoing daily goals for a day.  Our local vaccination center is very efficient with getting people in and out (by appointment).  I think I spent more time with the travel to/from the site than the actual appointment (it's about 10 miles away from my house).  

[Ennay]

I will not hit my goals today.  I forgot that my particular joint issues could be exacerbated by something like a vaccine.  So I am a bit achy.  I'm going to go home from work and soak. 

@Jotex  agree - totally worth it.  

[Baltoscott]

Muck-about March Day 5

16K steps/day		5/31
1 pushup + shoulder extension /day		5/31
15 weight-lifting days		3/15
post 3 scavenger pics		1/3
Sleep 6:15 hours + 20 days or more during the month		4/20
1 pull-up		5/31
Unicycle: 15 mins/day for 25 days		5/25
Lose 2 lbs. Start 168.4 lbs (Mar. 1)	3/1	168.4
Log food daily		5/31

[alexthecat]

March 6

6,000+ steps: 1/4

8,000+ steps: 1/10 days

10,000+ steps: 4/17 days

Weights: 2/9 days

[Baltoscott]

Muck-about March Day 6

16K steps/day		6/31
1 pushup + shoulder extension /day		6/31
15 weight-lifting days		3/15
post 3 scavenger pics		2/3
Sleep 6:15 hours + 20 days or more during the month		4/20
1 pull-up		6/31
Unicycle: 15 mins/day for 25 days		6/25
Lose 2 lbs. Start 168.4 lbs (Mar. 1)	3/1	168.4
Log food daily		6/31

In late March 2020, everything inside shut down in Baltimore and there there was only take away food. But as it warmed up, the gyms took their classes outside.  The second picture was taken today -- March 6, 2021. Although limited indoor dining is available now, we've also adapted to year-round outside eating even when the weather is barely above freezing.

March 2020March 2021

[Jotex]

Same here, @SteppingBooks  — took me longer to get there, but I did make a wrong turn so next time it will be quicker. @Ennay @Hope you’re not suffering too much. My arm still hurts and I had side effects that landed me in bed for about 36 hours. But now it’s pretty much just arm soreness. Hope to get some steps in today.

Nice pics @Baltoscott. We only have take away available here. They might allow restaurants to reopen later this month. 

[Ennay]

@Jotex about the same.  I went to work Friday morning feeling terrible and went home at lunch and napped for 2 hours and then basically stayed in bed the rest of the evening.  Was fine yesterday except for some lingering minor arm soreness, like a fat bruise.  Mine was a last minute invite through work on the satellite campus about 30 minutes away, but the second one is supposed to be a drive through 5 minutes from my house on the main campus on a Saturday.  

I got in a bit over 10K yesterday, entirely in house cleaning and reorganization because that was where my brain went (maybe a tiny bit of mania).  Meaning my house is now a freaking disaster now because I pulled almost everything out of the "spare room" aka library/overflow pantry/don't know where to put it  room.  That room is starting to look better although most of the books have been unshelved over the past year and need to be put back properly.  But there are huge goodwill/give away/keep somewhere else piles all over the downstairs. 

Of course today I no longer have the organization bug and am tired.  😄  I have so many books in the giveaway pile.  Normally I take these to our library because they sell them to raise funds but they haven't accepted donations since COVID.   I might have to hold on to the best ones for awhile longer.  

[Jotex]

Muck-about March - Day 3 & 7

6,000+ steps:  0/5 days

8,000+ steps: 2/15 days

10,000+ steps: 2/5 days

12,000+ steps: 0/5 days 

Lose 1½ kg (starting 28.2.21 at 66.3): -.4/1.5

Eat 1 piece of fruit: 4/25 days

Photo Challenge: 0/3 pics

[Jotex]

Goodness @Ennay  — you’ve been busy! I know what you mean about tiredness. I slept the better part of 36 hours. But I guess I needed it, and it helped. Plenty of time to get organized when you get your strength back. 

[stoughjr]

Week 1 update 😀

12,000 steps per day: 7/7
3 sets of 5 exercises every other day: 4/4
1 hr of exercise each day: 7/7
6.5 hr sleep each day: 6/7
Log meals & water daily: 7/7
3 pictures: 0/3

[Baltoscott]

Muck-about March Day 7

16K steps/day		7/31
1 pushup + shoulder extension /day		7/31
15 weight-lifting days		4/15
post 3 scavenger pics		3/3
Sleep 6:15 hours + 20 days or more during the month		4/20
1 pull-up		7/31
Unicycle: 15 mins/day for 25 days		7/25
Lose 2 lbs. Start 168.4 lbs (Mar. 1)	3/7	168
Log food daily		7/31

Looks like the vaccine is rolling out nicely all around and no hesitancy in this group :-). Congratulations @Jotex @SteppingBooks @Ennay I don't fit any of the early groups, but production and distribution seems to be ramping up, so I'll probably get the jab in a month or two. Very fortunate to live somewhere where most of the population will get it this year. It is really amazing how quickly this part is happening.

Got out for a longish (6.9 miles/75 minutes) unicycle ride today. It is amazing to me that I first learned less than a year ago.  The pic of me on my porch was day one or two, on March 31, 2020.

Day 1 or 2 - March 31, 2020March 7, 2021 

[NellyG]

8 March 

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                      6/20

20 days over 12,000                                         6/20                

14 days over 15,000 steps                               4/14

4 day over 20,000 steps                                     1/4           

Physio exercises 20 days                                  6/20

20 exercise sessions (swim, bike, vigorous walk, dance, gym)   5/20

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

This is the same view as I took in March last year at Middleton Beach. It looks pretty much the same except the seat is gone and instead there is an orange caution cone. They are upgrading the foreshore. Work in progress!

This one is the carport at Middleton Beach. Last year my walking group was gathering. This year the walking group has died, so I walk alone!

 the last photo I posted in March was my cat Matilda curled up asleep. Unfortunately Matilda died during the year, so here is another of my cats - Sophie in a similar pose.

 

 

[SteppingBooks]

Muck-about March Madness 5-7

11.5K Steps/Day: --/31

700+ Calorie Deficient/Day: 07/31

IF Daily (12 hr weekday/16:8 weekend): 07/31

Weights 2x/week: -/8

Stretch 4x/week: --/16

Squats 20/day: 03/15

Photo Scavenger Hunt: -/3

Total Steps: 61,417/356,500

I keep getting close to my step goal, but missing it.

@Baltoscott In ways, I'm not sure I like being in one of the categories for getting the vaccine, but having at least the first dose is like a weight lifted off my shoulders. 

@Jotex  Our local state site for vaccinations is also right off the highway, so that makes it easier.  Plus side is there are two exits right there to use, and if you miss it, there is an exit less than a half mile up.