My September project

[johnr]

A big hello to everyone here at the Fitbit Community! 😄

This is my first post on these forums, but I've been visiting them occasionally since I bought my FitBit One in June 2013, so I'll start with a short introduction of myself.

Who am I?

Born in 1982 in Norway. Married to a beautiful woman. Father of two, one girl and one boy. Got an office-job, so not much steps earned at work 😕

My activity and form

In May 2013 I started to run three times a week, and I kept at it for a little over four months - until we went on a three week vacations to Florida, USA - I lost a lot of weight, got fitter and felt fantastic.

But I also love food, and after the vacation I never got back into my good routines. The running had also made my hip and knees hurt a lot, because of the lack of body strength.

Since then I've lifted some weights to increase my body strength and stability and it has helped my hip and knees a lot - but I never got into a good routine, and between work and family it's been a little too easy to just skip the training. I guess I'm what they call a "yoyo"-guy here when it comes to both training and weightloss (getting fit) - but I hope I can establish a good routine that lasts at some point in my life.

I've gained a little too much fat lately (I also have a Fitbit Aria to help me track the weight and fatpercentage) and my form is not the best since I don't work out regulary.

Which brings me to my "September project"!

The project

Introduction: We're doing a lot of projects at the office, and I like the way a project can help to achieve the goal in an easy way - so that's why I've chosen to think of this "fitness-program" as a project. I also think it's a good idea to do this things in steps (milestones), with realistic tasks and goals.

This project is way too short (only 19 days) to achive my final goal, but if I can complete the tasks throughout September, it will be a good set of routines (habits) to build on.

Goal: (Long-term) Getting leaner and feeling better! Establish a better (and lasting) lifestyle that will make me a better father, husband and employee 🙂

(Short-term) Lower my fat-percentage, decrease my waistsize and start to exercise regulary.

How (tasks):

• Eat and drink healthy
• Exercise three times a week
• Get enough sleep

(Sounds easy enough!?)

Tools: Fitbit One, Fitbit Aria, Smartphone with Endomondo-app for exercise-tracking and MyFitnessPal-app for food-logging. And I will use the Fitbit Community (this thread) to let you know how I'm doing and that will (hopefully) keep my motivated all the way!

I've decided to focus on the tasks at hand, and not on the goal itself. Because if I can complete the tasks, I know from earlier "projects" like this ("yoyo" remember? ;)) that I will be well on my way to reach my goal.

What now?

This post turned out to be way longer than I planned, so if you have read all the way to here then a huge thank you from me to you! 😄

I've already started on the project (as of this morning), and I will post updates here regulary throughout September to share my progress and thought. Hopefully you will follow me on this "journey"!

Don't hesitate to ask questions or share what you do to "get fit"!

Best Regards,

John Richard

[WendyB]

Welcome to the forums @johnr.

Sounds like a great project for September! Keep us posted as to how you are doing!

[johnr]

Hi, and thanks for your cheering response!

I've now completed the first day of this project, and it with very well.

Steps: 8,024 (Daily goal is 10,000 so didn't reach it, but I completed a 4k run!)
Calories: Approx 1,000 deficit which is my goal for this project - and I ate healty!

Time to go to sleep. Good night! 🙂

[GriffirG]

Johnr, 

I'm new here too, I've read a bunch of posts in the last couple of hours and this is the first one that really jumps out at me.  I like your approach, very analytical and SMART.  This is definitely something I can relate too.

I too am confined to an office most of the day, fortunately my commute to work (walk-train-walk) accounts for most of my steps.  I usually feel my FitBit vibrate for 10,000 steps just as my apartment building comes into view on the way home.  It's a great feeling, multiplied by two 🙂

I think I might turn my weight loss / fitness plan into a project.  Thanks for the inspiration!

Feel free to add me as a friend if you're up for some challenges.  The challenges are not something I've had chance to use yet (billy no mates over here!)

Good luck!

[johnr]

Hi @GriffirG,

Thanks for your nice comments! I'm really glad that you found some inspiration in my "project"! If you create a similar thread at some point, let me know - I would love to follow other Fitbit-users projects!

I use to walk to our Office, but with two kids at kindergarden the car has replaced my morning- and afternoon walks to the Office 

I've mention some of my Daily Goals in the previous post(s), but here they are:

• 10,000 steps
• Eat 1,000 Kcals less than I burn
• Drink enough (at least 1,690 ml) water
• Sleep 8 hours

And my Weekly Goal is to exercise (run or do weight training) at least three times a week.

And to give you all an update on my project, here is last nights Sleep Cycle.

As you can see I have been awake twice and restless a lot of times. This is what a normal night is like with a 4-year old daughter in the bed with us...

The good thing is that I went to bed 1 hour earlier than normal, and I also got to sleep an hour longer in the morning, since there is no work or kindergarden at the Weekends.

But my plan for this project, is to get earlier in bed, so that I have a chance to get 8 hours of sleep before getting ready for work.

Regards,

[WendyB]

Looks like you are doing great!

[johnr]

Thanks @WendyB!

Not doing so well today. Only 2,450 steps so far (and it's already 18:00 here).

We just came home from a birthday party. Celebrated my best friends daughter who turned two years old.

If I don't eat anymore today, I will reach my 1,000 kcal deficiency - but hotdogs, cheese cake and cupcakes aren't the best food... so I guess I will be hungry a little later tonight.

I must also figure out how to get 7,500 more steps! It's raining like crazy here, and I still need to put both kids to bed... Any good ideas?

Regards,

[WendyB]

Some days it just wont happen. I had one of those days last week.

But When Im watchig TV I will get up and walk around the house during commericials.

Some people will get on a rebounder and watch TV while they do that.

[johnr]

Yeah, I guess I will need to walk in place, or try to go for a walk later when the kids are in bed.

[johnr]

Steps: 3,996 of 10,000

Food: approx 1,000 kcal less than I burned 😄

Water: not enough clean water (1150 ml), but a lot of coffee should cover up for that

Sleep: Not the best sleep tonight, got tooth acke and my soon was awake twice...

I'm most pleased with the calorie deficiency during the weekend, and the result;

I've lost 1.3 kg and reduced the fat-percentage from 24.5% til 22.1% (according to the Fitbit Aria)

[johnr]

10,000 steps a day is hard (when not focusing on getting them), guess I have to "step it up"!  (pun intended) 

My day :

6,481 steps... 

Managed to burn 1,000 kcal more than I ate though 

[EdsonFitbit]

Hello @johnr @WendyB & @GriffirG. Thanks for taking a break from stepping to visit the Community. @johnr Good luck with your goal. Thanks for keeping us tuned of your progress.

I wanted to inform you that I moved this thread to Get Fit board because it's more related to the topic. Keep up the super stepping. 

[johnr]

I hate to admit it... but... I failed and the project fell apart. But I saw great results the days I managed to control my food intake.

Maybe I was too ambitious!

I will try again, starting when I go to bed tonight, kicking it off with a good night sleep.

I've slept way to little this week and have eaten too much "crap". And now I feel like sh*t, and is exhausted from doing hardly anything.

Regards,

[FerdinandFitbit]

This is so inspiring @johnr. Thank your for sharing your project with us! I can relate to it a lot because I also sometimes don't have much time to get to walk or be truly active but hey! Don't give up. If you tried the first time, that's awesome. You at least tried and you have the willingness to be active and improve your habits.

A while ago, I came up with some ideas for keeping healthy even when you don't have much time. You might want to take a look at it.

So again, don't give up and it doesn't matter if you go slow as long as you're going steady. Keep us updated! 🙂

[Brown-eyedG2]

Hey there @johnr! Best wishes to you on your project too. Everyone and @GriffirG If you'd like to join in with us Fall/Winter Project https://www.fitbit.com/group/22H46M
You won't be alone and make many friends. Our @Crunch70 also has a desk job. You may have suggestions or jump in and join in our friends group too!
Maybe you guys will create your own challenges there and or mix it up with the ladies.
Good luck!

[I-train-hard]

Johnr 

Did you give up?

Was it too hard?

Would you like to wait for the “change” when cholesterol kicks you in your behind or diabetics?

So what’s next?