Holiday Challenge! Maintain or lose but do not gain!

[Shelley]

I read that the average person puts on 6 pounds over the holidays and doesn't ever lose them.  Let's not let that happen to us!  This challenge will run through December 31st!  Here is the challenge:

Pick a goal for how you plan to eat through this challenge.  It is your choice but some examples might be giving up all processed foods, eating mindfully, eating plant based diet, etc.

Choose an exercise regime you will commit to do daily.

Stay accountable to the group by reporting in daily or if you can't do that just report as often as you can.

Who is with me??  Let's do this!  Here is my commitment to the challenge:

I am eating 90% plant based diet with no processed foods and limiting salt.

I will walk enough to get 10K steps a day 

[Shelley]

Welcome to all the new folks!  It is so great to have a lot of people doing this together.  We do not have to make the holidays a reason or excuse to undermine our health!  We can do this and still enjoy family and friends!  It is all in our attitude.  Set an intention and keep your attention on your intention!  I intend to weigh less on December 31st than I did on the day this challenge started and to do this by staying with the plan.

Lays, I was just thinking of that video the other day and wondering how to find it again.  I saw it on FB over a year ago.  I am thrilled you posted it here.  So inspiring!  

I got up and out the door earlier today and walked for an hour.  My steps at this time of posting are 11,399.  Ate according to plan.  Feeling strong and empowered today!

Roma, I am so glad you got your force!  I am still waiting for mine to arrive but I have my zip that works fine.  I am going to give my zip to my daughter when the Force gets here.

[TangledWood]

Yesterday I ate with in plan, got my steps in, and did a pole dancing class.

Today I will be running a 5k.

This morninging when I weighed myself, the scale is already moving in the right direction. 🙂

[joshl]

Yesterday I ate fairly well and reached my step count. I also did strength training at the gym. My weight stayed the same. Have a GREAT day folks!

[SunsetRunner]

I'm with you Shelley!  Great idea, thanks!

My Goals will be:

• walk 10k steps 6 times a week
• stay within my calorie budget
• do not eat any food containing hydrogenated oils
• continue with my Zombie Run 5K training, then transition to Zombie Run!

[TangledWood]

Yesterday I did very well following my diet plan. I also ran a 5k. When I stepped on the scale this morning, I am down again, this time in both weight AND body fat %!

[Shelley]

Way to go Tanglewood!  

Yesterday, I didn't do as well as I have been but not terrible.  I rode the exercise bike for 30 minutes and walked for 30 minutes but that only got me to 8,000 steps.  Riding stationary bike was a first since getting the fitbit.  I heard other people get their steps that way and it was cold outside so decided to try that.  Only got 500 steps in 30 minutes compared to somewhere between 3 and 4K walking for 30 minutes.  Need to find out what I did wrong.  Also, got off work too late to cook so picked up some already cooked food from local grocery store.  It wasn't unhealthy food but it had a lot of oil and salt which I do not normally eat if I am cooking myself. I had about 3 oz of grilled salmon, wilted spinach, and a delicious green bean dish made with cranberries and toasted hazlenuts.  I am up .5 from yesterday's weight but still down some from the day I started the challenge, so not worried.  

[RomaS]

Good Going Shelley.  I know what you mean about the stationary bike or the just using the elliptical.  These machines will barely register any fitbit steps.  My husband's coworker clip their fitbit one on their shoes while riding the stationary bike and got their steps recorded for almost the smae number of steps they would have received if they were walking.  On a good note, at least you were still getting some exercise.

The toasted hazelnut and cranberries sounds very yummy.  How did you prepare the cranberries.

[Lays]

Hey everybody! I hope you're all trying to keep up with the challenge and your personal goals. I must say, I have been doing pretty good so far, not sure if it's becuase i have only had the fitbit for a few days but it's definitely pushing me to make smarter choices all around. I am planning on getting my 70k steps this week. I almost skipped the gym after sitting in traffic for 2.5 hrs in traffic during the snow storm we had last night but right before getting ready for bed i had a change of heart and ended up going to the gym. (yay ME!!!) This morning I went back and ran 2.5 miles to get most of my steps out of the way and plan on going back with my husband tonight for some quick cardio and weights.

Hope you all have an awesome day!

& remember: "The Body Achieves what the mind believes."

[urnmor]

Working at the challenge .  Have done two 10000 plus steps days back to back and keeping food intake down. Howevr tonight will be a real test as we have a Christmas party to attend.

[SunsetRunner]

I am going to make my  10,000 steps for today

I'm still within my food budget too.

[Shelley]

You all are keeping me inspired!  This has been harder than I thought it would be.  I had such a busy demanding day that I never got a chance to take my walk.  I had to walk around my house for 45 minutes tonight to get my steps!  I put on Pandora and that helped.  I am positive I would have never done that if it weren't for the fact that I have this challenge. It really wasn't that hard but I do prefer walking outside!  Regarding food.  Cooked dinner even though didn't get home from work till 8pm and then had to go grocery shopping, pick up some Christmas gifts for office mates and get them wrapped.  Can't wait for Monday to get here when I will be off for a week!  Everyone keep up the good work and keep posting!

[Shelley]

Roma, the green beans with hazlenuts and cranberries was prepared by the deli in the grocery store.  I think they just used some craisens.  It also had some carrots in it.  The ingredients list says the carrots were roasted with dill.  Also lists ginger in the ingredients.  I am thinking of trying to re-create it myself by oven roasting some carrots with a little dill on them, steaming the green beans and craisens then tossing it all together with the hazlenuts and ginger.  I don't want to use any oil or butter so mine might not taste quite as good but I will save a few calories.  A tablespoon of oil is 100 calories.  Dr. Joel Fuhrman says "From your lips to your hips!" and says you can biopsy the fat in your hips and scientists can tell you what fat you have been eating by looking at that fat from your tush under the microscope!  So it does litterally go from lips to hips!

[TangledWood]

I ate with in my calorie budget yesterday, though that was hard to do!

Got my exercise, adn the scale is still going down. 🙂

[joshl]

I thought I should check in. I am am doing well and reached my 10,000 step goal over the last few days. I actually took over 15,000 steps yesterday. I have lost a couple pounds since joining this discussion. The biggest test will come over the next week as I have Christmas parties at work, church and with family.

[Lays]

HELP!!!

Hey guys!

I have a question I'm hoping somebody can help me with. I was logging in my food today and noticed that you can also log your activities. Is that for when you worked out and didn't use you fitbit to track? I am a bit confused since I just go by what my fitbit is recording throughout the day. I logged in my work out this morning thinking that's something I am supposed to be doing but it  increased my steps and doubled my distance, I feel like thats cheating since the fitbit already recordered my activity during the work out. I deleted the log and will continue to just go by what the fitbit tels me. Do you guys log your activities even when your fitbit is keeping track?

[SunsetRunner]

Hi Lays 🙂

the activity log let's you put in things fitbit can't track.  Such as bicycling and weightlifting.  I wouldn't use it for steps walked if fitbit already calculated the steps for me. I have used it for the one time I forgot to wear my fitbit!   I hope this helps 😄  Have a great day!  Keep up the good work 😄

[Shelley]

Have lost 3.5 pounds since last Saturday.  Not sure how that happened because I am not doing anything different except eating at home more.  I am sure that is helping reduce salt and calories.  I have also had a cold all week and it is getting worse.  I coughed all night last night and only got about 4 hrs of sleep.  Tonight I am getting to bed earlier.  I got my new Force in mail today and will get to see how it tracks sleep. I have been using the Zip which doesn't have that feature.  Hope tomorrow is better for exercising!  Keep up the good work everyone.  Less than a week till Christmas!

[RomaS]

Hey everyone--I'm inspired by all of the post.  You are all fantastic Fitbitters.   Great job Shelley for losing the 3lbs.  Its all of that mindful eating that you are doing.  As for me, I lost the last stubborn pounds to make the original 30 lb weight loss goal.  But I think it was cheating since, I was doing my dreaded colonoscopy prep yesterday.  Anyone who has done always said that the prep was worse than the actual procedure.  One of the joys of turning 50.  I'm just hoping that these lbs lost is a permanent one as an ealy Christmas reward.

[TangledWood]

Got LOTS of exercise yesterday, but went over my calorie budget hugely. the scale hasn't gone either up or down this morning, so I may be alright. 🙂 At least it was real food that I ate to go over budget.

[SunsetRunner]

I was short on steps yesterday.  I got 9442. 😞

I stayed within my food budget.  I was so tempted too!  we ate at applebees but i stuck with the lower calorie options.  I have been feeling very worn down.  I need to continue my Zombie 5 k today.  It will be nice that kids have Christmas break starting tomorrow. I'll get some needed rest.  I know, I know, I have to continue the workouts. 😉