OctoberFest Step Challenge and Scavenger Hunt

[Baltoscott]

YIKES! It is the beginning of festival/holiday season. Already! Around here October will be beer festivals with the wurst and schnitzel, probably a trip to the Maryland Renaissance Festival, and a pumpkin carving party at the end of the month. With all that coming up, it makes sense to plan out fitness and eating goals for the month and check in with Fitbit friends to get support for hitting those goals. So lets get started!

General monthly instructions are below, including the monthly picture scavenger hunt.   


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

This month’s scavenger hunt is a little more free-flowing than the past couple of months. Tell a story with words and pictures about where you live - your neighborhood, your town/city. Maybe just about a particular building, or maybe the founding of the area, or maybe a famous person who lived in or visited or died where you live. It doesn’t have to be a lot of pictures and doesn’t have to be historical. Most comic strips are just 3 or 4 panels. But it does have to be pictures you take while walking this month. For example, here is a little moralistic story about locking your bike in the Baltimore/DC area from pics I took last month:

1. What is ...2. A well-locked bike frame3. What can be ...4. A well-locked bike frame

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.

[CatLover74]

Not such a good month last month with the week long migraine putting paid to any chance of meeting my original goals; and struggled a bit to get back to it since.  Just revisiting last month's goals again, and see if I can get them all this time round.

10,000 steps on at least 15 days of the month.

15,000 steps on at least 5 days of the month.

4 walks along the foreshore of my local beach.

7 hours sleep on at least 15 days of the month.

10 wall push ups on at least 15 days of the month.

Lose 1kg.

[GershonSurge]

I think I'm going to spend the month studying for the Turing test.

[lavabelle]

I'm super excited to be setting goals this month. I understand more about what I want and what measurable goals I want to set. I've decided to change how I tract my steps for this month...I am going to keep my 7 day average above 10k...I have found that I have a large range of steps depending on how busy I am...5000-45000 is my range!!! So this month is gonna be a keep the average above 10k month. I am also weight training for about an hour 5 times a week, so I really noticed I have less tlme left over for long walks💪💪💪.

Goals for October

7 day average above 10k all month (I will check this daily)

18 days weights 

4 hikes (3+ hrs)

4-6 lbs loss

[Baltoscott · Accepted solution]

Here are my goals for OctoberFest
      
-15K steps/day
-1 pushup/day (I always do more, but this goal gets me into position!)

-30 jumping jacks/day (repeat from a couple of months ago)
-13 weight-lifting days

-post scavenger hunt pictures

-Sleep 6+ hours 12 days or more during the month. 

- lose 2-4 lbs

[WendyB]

@GershonSurge what us the Turing test?

Back later to post mine. Got some new DVDs 😀

[GershonSurge]

---

@WendyB wrote:

@GershonSurge what us the Turing test?

Back later to post mine. Got some new DVDs 😀

---

It's a test to see if a computer can pass as a human. 

[NellyG]

October already! 

October goals

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                        

Swim 2x per week                                     

Dance 6 hours a week                                      

One Interval walk or bike ride per week     

Post Scavenger Hunt Picture Story (this might take some thinking about!)   

[WendyB]

OctoberFest

Steps: Goal right now is 11000 0/31
Boxing 31 days: 0/31
Bike 2 times 31 days: 0/31
Weights DVD 14 days: 0/31

Stomach Youtube 31 days: 0/31
Wall Push ups 31 days:0/31
250 Steps per hour : 0/31

Lose 2 Pounds 0/2 This will be goal from the weight I gained being sedentary

Post Scavenger hunt photos 1/1

From Pumpkin festival. Didn't stick around but I assume this is the stage for Batman etc

 Forgot to give a story. I walk here daily. Its called Gibson Ranch park. Its a living ranch with many Horses. There is a poor Pigmy Pig that was dumped out there. But he is probably better treated here than he was before. He gets walked daily by regulars that go out there. I need to get on the list. I saw him dumped and tried to chase after the people but to no avail.

I know many people and the owners know me very well. When we went to festival today one person said this is Wendy she comes here daily I do pay 49$ for a year but what is 49$ for heaven?

When we move I will seriously miss this place

[WendyB]

Tinkerbell at pumpkin festival

[Jotex]

Thanks for the new monthly challenge and invite @Baltoscott. I found in September that increasing my step count often meant I was too tired to work out with weights (not on my goal list in Sept either). So I’m scaling back a little to include both in October.

OctoberFest Step Challenge Goals

10,000 steps x 20 days

Training w/weights x 15 days

40 jumping jacks x 20 days

Lose 2-4 lbs (@1-2 kgs) [Current weight: 142 lbs]

Scavenger Hunt Photos 

The photos will be my biggest challenge, I think, as I do most of my walking on my treadmill. It will force me to move out of my comfort zone, though, which is a good thing! 

[SeleneD]

My October Step Goals,

• 8,000 steps
• Dance twice a week

Since it is going to be cold soon, it is the perfect time to ride bikes.

• Ride my bike once a week

[SeleneD]

Thanks for setting it up @Baltoscott!

[SunsetRunner]

@Baltoscott. You've excelled again. The title is great. The scavenger hunt this month is a terrific idea. It will be a test of my imagination though and I'll have to think about it.

As for goals, I'm refining them a bit further. I'm learning about this fitness gig. Like @Jotex, if I push myself too far to soon, my program suffers (along with me). My aim is to increase things a small amount each month. I'll keep the categories the same and change the levels of some, not all. Next month I might be adventurous and add something new, but not just yet 🙂

Goals for OctoberFest:

• At least 5500 steps every day, allowing three rest days: 0/28.
• At least 7500 steps on two days each week, and one day in the last week: 0/9; 0/4; 0/5th week.
• By the end of the month have the 28-day average at 7500 steps.
• One or more 2 km walks or longer on ten days in the month (can include running): 0/10.
• At least 6 hours of sleep on 20 days a month: 0/20.
• At least one scavenger storyboard.

[benvegi]

I'm in, probably same goals as September........, will put them up in a day or two. The new scavenger hunt sounds like a fun challenge. Got a laugh about the bike, hope it wan't your bike.

[SunsetRunner]

Day 1 of 31 in OctoberFest

• At least 5500 steps every day, allowing three rest days: 1/28.
• At least 7500 steps on two days each week, and one day in the last week: 1/9; 0.5/4; 0/5th week.
• By the end of the month have the 28-day average at 7500 steps. Day 0 (yesterday) = 7210
• One or more 2 km walks or longer on ten days in the month (can include running): 1/10.
• At least 6 hours of sleep on 20 days a month: 0/20.
• At least one scavenger storyboard. = nothing yet.

Today I used a treadmill for the first time ever and counted it for the 2+ km walk (away from home in the hotel gym). It took a bit of getting used to. Next time it should come more easily. For much of the time I held onto the bar (one hand, not the Fitbit hand), but not all the time. This helped with balance, especially when the speed went up a notch. I forgot to bring my earphones so it was a silent walk 🙂

I looked longingly at all the other equipment. Another time.

[benvegi]

October goals

Steps 15k per day

20+ floors per day I cut my floors back because sometimes the weather or working in the yard keeps me from getting lots of floors.

7+ miles per day

2 sets of 12 reps of dumbell curls, triceps, shoulder shrugs, and chest flys, 3 times a week.

Three or more pics of each scavanger hunt topic. 

Check in at least 2x a week.

Last but not least, lose 3 more pounds, lost one in Sept

FYI, my September monthy totals:  Step average p/day = 19,539, floors avg p/day 39, miles avg p/day 9.22

@Baltoscott  Thanks for encouraging all of us to increase our goals from time to time. When I raised my step goal from 10 k to 14 k didn't know how that would happen. Since I was already being active 14 hours per day it was just a matter of getting more steps per hour. So 14 k just required 1,000 steps per hour, 20 k is just 1,430 steps per hour. (had to edit my math, too difficult at 6:45 am) One thing that really helped was to never watch TV sitting down, instead, walk around the living room while watching. I don't watch much TV but this helps. When reading, I make sure I'm up for 10 to 15 minutes per hour walking. Even when it's pouring rain outside getting steps is easy. 

[NellyG]

1 October

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

Swim 2x per week                                                -/2         -/8                          

Dance 6 hours a week                                         -/6         -/24                        

One Interval walk or bike ride per week            -/1         -/4

Post Scavenger Hunt Picture Story                   -

[WendyB]

OctoberFest

Steps: Goal right now is 11000 1/31
Boxing 31 days: 1/31
Bike 2 times 31 days: 1/31
Weights DVD 14 days: 1/31

Stomach Youtube 31 days: 1/31
Wall Push Up/Counter push ups 31 days:1/31
250 Steps per hour : 1/31

Lose 2 Pounds 0/2

Post Scavenger hunt photos 2/2

This is a Trail I go to with friends sometimes. It is in a town called Auburn. There are actually many trails up there. Beautiful place to hike

[Jotex]

OctoberFest Step Challenge Goals - Oct 1

10,000 steps - 1/20 days

Training w/weights - 0/15 days

40 jumping jacks - 0/20 days

Lose 2-4 lbs (@1-2 kgs) - 0/2

Scavenger Hunt Photos - 0/0

I retired early two years ago and never looked back; but recently agreed to teach 4 classes for 2 weeks this month for a friend and former work colleague. This morning was my first time back, and afterwards I met up with 2 other friends for our annual excursion and lunch. By the time I got home I was so exhausted I fell fast asleep on the sofa. My body isn’t used to the commute (and our train was ½ hour late), standing up in class, and getting up so darn early (3:30 am today)!!! Already counting the days til this gig is over, and I can go back to being retired!

The weather was mostly cold, gray and rainy, but I snapped a couple of pics in Zug.

My friends and a clock tower in the far background

Typical historical fountain