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.

[lavabelle]

October 13 Update

7 day average above 10k all month (I will check this daily) 13/31 Current avg 11537

18 days weights 7/18

4 hikes (3+ hrs) 0/4

2-4 lbs loss 0/2

I went for a run yesterday and put on my "cushier" shoes and had no pain...never even though about changing my shoes until now...duh!! I was running in my trail runners up until now, and by mistake ended up using my running shoes yesterday. I was so surprised I had no foot pain...so I will do another run in a couple of days with my runners,  not my trail runners, and if it still does not hurt, I will add it back in to my goals 🙂

[Baltoscott]

Looks like it was fine day in Houston @shawnkp.  Nice pic of City Hall.  

[Baltoscott]

Sounds like a hectic October @SunsetRunner.  Glad you checked in and we will see you soon.

[Baltoscott]

OctoberFest Day 14

15K steps/day	13/31
30 jumping jacks/day	14/31
1 pushup/day	14/31
13 weight-lifting days	6/13
post scavenger storyboard	2/1
Sleep 6+ hours 12 days or more during the month	4/12
Weight loss of 2-4 lbs (Oct 1 = 160.4 on TW)	Oct. 14: -0.3

I'm not exactly on pace of 2-4lbs weight loss, but I am back on the "loss" side of October 1.  🙂

One of the pictures stories I wanted to do this month was of Edgar Allan Poe.  From 1832-35 he lived in a 5 room duplex at 203 N. Amity St. in Baltimore.  The half of the duplex he lived in is preserved as a museum, and I stopped by to visit today.

Here is a pic of the full duplex.

Poe lived in the right side of the duplex

Here is what it looks like today.  The house was just 600 square feet, and Poe lived there with 4 other relatives, his invalid grandmother Elizabeth Cairnes, first cousins Virginia and Henry Clemm, and his aunt Maria Clemm.  Poe married cousin Virginia when she was 13 and he was 27.

Poe House BaltimorePoe House - Back (left most house)Poe House - Far right. (The other structures were added in the 1930s)Poe met his wife (and first cousin) Virginia Clemm in Baltimore.Painting of stairway in Poe HouseStairway today.3rd floor bedroom

Poe was buried in Baltimore at the Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, which in downtown Baltimore right behind the University of Maryland School of Law, where I went to law school.  I stopped by there today to get a few pics.

Westminster todayPoe was relocated to an area right at the entry of the burial ground. His wife rests there with himMap of the burial groundsPoe memorialPoe memorialPoe was originally buried toward the back of the burial area behind Westminster

[LisefromCanada]

Results for week 1 & 2:

• At least 5,000 steps every day.  wk1: 7/7 days    wk2: 5/7 (missed goal)
• At least 7,500 steps on two days each week.   wk1: 5/2 days      wk2: 3/2 days
• At least 10,000 steps once a week.  wk1: 2/1 days      wk2: 3/1 days
• Practice T'ai Chi Chih at least 5 days per week. 
  • week1: 6/5 days (exceeded goal)
  • week2: 4/5 days (Missed goal)
• Aquafit class or swim 45 minutes at least 2 times per week. 
  • week1:  2/2 days (Nailed it)
  • week2:  3/2 days (Exceeded Goal)
• Lose 5 pounds in 31 days.  2.9 lbs / 5 lbs. (on track)

I was sick during week 2 and was unable to walk as much as planned.  Also missed doing some of my T'ai Chi Chih practices.  Feeling much better now, and I anticipate week 3 results to be very good!

[LisefromCanada]

Scavenger Hunt - Not sure what to do for this, so I thought I would share some of the paintings I did during my water colour class this month.

Enjoying my painting classReally happy with how this guy turned out

[WendyB]

@BaltoscottGreat pictures!

@LisefromCanadaYour paintings are aweome!

[WendyB]

OctoberFest Day 14

Steps: Goal right now is 13000 14/31
Boxing 31 days: 14/31
Bike 2 times 31 days: 14/31
Weights DVD 18 days: 8/31

Stomach Youtube 31 days:14/31
Wall Push Up/Counter push ups 31 days:14/31
250 Steps per hour : 14/31

Lose 2 Pounds 1/2

Post Scavenger hunt photos 3/3

This is why I like walking early

[Baltoscott]

Nice morning shot @WendyB.  The paintings look great @LisefromCanada.  

[NellyG]

@Baltoscott great story. His poor wife was only 13 when she got married! 

@LisefromCanada wow love the lion!

15 October

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                         14/20     

Days over 15,000 steps (1 per week)               3/4    

Swim 2x per week                                                -/2         4/8                          

Dance 6 hours a week                                         2.5/6      17.5/24                        

One Interval walk or bike ride per week            -/1         2/4

Post Scavenger Hunt Picture Story                   1/1

[WendyB]

OctoberFest Day 15

Steps: Goal right now is 13000 15/31
Boxing 31 days: 15/31
Bike 2 times 31 days: 15/31
Weights DVD 18 days: 9/31

Stomach Youtube 31 days:15/31
Wall Push Up/Counter push ups 31 days:15/31
250 Steps per hour : 15/31

Lose 2 Pounds 1/2

Post Scavenger hunt photos 3/3

[Baltoscott]

@lavabelle -- you certainly don't need to join a gym to do your strength training.  But they can be nice.  I now belong to two!

At home, I've got a nice set of nested dumbbells, an adjustable bench, and a stability ball that was all I needed when I bought them 20+ years ago (I've got the 90 lbs set, but 50 lbs set I linked to would be fine for most women).  It is a good set up; it doesn't take up much room, and I still use it occasionally, but there is a gym in the building where I work that makes it easy to get a weights workout in while I'm in DC on commuting days.  Since there is not really enough time on those days to workout with weights at home, I joined that gym for $12/week. 

Once I got used to having access to a squat cage and a bench press that would hold a barbell in DC, I started looking around for a gym in Baltimore.  Since my wife already belongs to one that has a couple of locations, we converted to a family membership for $10 more/week and we go together on Sundays (she takes a swim class, and I do weights).  I also bike to a closer location on Mondays and Fridays for the rest of my weight workouts.  

Now that I have access to the full gym, my little home setup seems lacking.  Truthfully, I really could do 80% of what I want without going to the gym -- and the extra 20% would not matter that much as far as my fitness goes.  But the gym is nicer, and I like being around other people who work out.

[lavabelle]

@Baltoscott hubby has the nestled weights, and I have a nice set of dumbbells...5-30lbs. we also have a power rack and looking to buy an Olympic bar and plates... Definitely don't need a gym for weights, but I was thinking for cardio machines...I opted not to join a gym at this time for a few reasons. One, hubby won't join me...and I really enjoy working out with him, it's something we're doing together and I would not want to be without him...I love that we are sharing this together. Next, I don't think I need as much cardio as I think I do...it's hard as a woman to break out of the cardio bunny effect...lol. women are "supposed"  to do more cardio, and men are typically doing more weights, it's a strange cultural trend that sometimes trips me up. But having mostly been doing weights for last month and seeing the amazing results my body has experienced, I'm pretty convinced strength training is much more beneficial to me right now...so home gym it is with walking and hiking as cardio. 

[Baltoscott]

@lavabelle -- If I had room for a power rack and Olympic barbell and plates I'd be golden with the home set up.  My current routine is pretty barbell dependent and my squats and deadlifts require a lot more weight than my home dumbbell set.    

It is big bonus that you and your husband are working out together.  Sounds like you are right where you need to be right now.  If you decide you need access to a gym later on, it will still be there. 

[WendyB]

@lavabelleI would also love that set up but I just dont have the room for it.

I just use 5-30 pounds weights at home. Also have a few Kettlebells I use

[lavabelle]

We sacrificed our living room for our weight room set-up...lol...It's a living room, and we both choose to live in a weight room...not every couple would agree on this, but it works for us. We are definitely not the norm...I go to the library (we have beautiful libraries here), or a coffee shop for a "typical" living room feel 🙂

One of our magnificent librariesVancouver Public Library is really cool!Another great Library, beautiful architectureVancouver Public Library is great architecture and I love to spend time there...

[SunsetRunner]

OctoberFest Step Goals - Oct 15

10,000 steps - 10/20 days

Training w/weights - 4/15 days

40 jumping jacks - 9/20 days

Lose 2-4 lbs (@1-2 kgs) - 1.5/2-4 lbs

Great shots of the Edgar Allen Poe sites/museums @Baltoscott. Also love how those libraries look @lavabelle.

Like @WendyB I have weights, not barbells, though, pairs of hand weights (6.5 - 11 lbs each) and a kettle ball. My home office is also my work out area, with treadmill, bellicon trampoline, and floor mat and the weights. Occasionally I have to clear some space for guests to sleep in there. 

[lavabelle]

@LisefromCanada your paintings are beautiful! Thanks for sharing 🙂 I wish I could get proficient with watercolors, but been working with acrylics for a few years...takes a long time to get any good at it. You must have been doing this for a while, your paintings looks very skillful.

[WendyB]

Great pictures @lavabelle

My weights are my living room as well

They are tucked under a coffee table.

So I don't need to move when company comes 😀

I would like to get a bench and a barbell. But I dont know where to put it. It would also help with stomach exercises. Need to think about it 😀

Wheels are tuning as I look around 😀 I'm sure hubby will shake his head 😀

[CatLover74]

October 15

10,000 steps on at least 15 days of the month - 2/15.

15,000 steps on at least 5 days of the month - 4/5.

4 walks along the foreshore of my local beach - 1/4.

7 hours sleep on at least 15 days of the month - 12/15.

10 wall push ups on at least 15 days of the month - 12/15.

Lose 1kg (SW - 79.15kg)  -  CW  -  78.55kg ( -0.6kg ).