JULY SLIMMING MINIS OPEN, but we're moving it to a new thread soon.

This challenge was originally started to be for folks under 5'4", but it evolved to be an all-comers challenge. So welcome, and I hope you enjoy participating!

Here are the guidelines:

• Email me your starting weight.
• 2 points each for every 8 ounces of water. Plain or bottle (No flavors)
• 3 points for each 15 minutes of workout time. This is structured workouts - as in you went for a walk with the intention of it being exercise - and there are no points for anything other than 15 minute intervals.
• 1 point if you complete a physical challenge.
• 1 point if you complete a personal challenge.
• Send your weight at the end of the month.
• Person with the most points wins.

Note: 1 point bonus if you suggest a challenge! You can suggest a challenge by posting it in the thread or by messaging me and I'll post it. Challenges can be completed at any time during the month - just tell me which one you did after you do it. Just give your challenge a title and give a brief description of how to complete it, and you're good to go (and you get an extra point!) For example: "I would like to challenge everyone to do 10 pushups today." would be a physical challenge. "I would like everyone to do 5 minutes of quiet reflection/meditation" would be a personal challenge."

Please send your information to me via private message daily or every other day in the following format:
3x 8 oz of water
45 minutes of treadmill
completed side bend challenge

If you go out of town please let me know ahead of time, and then when you get back please send me your points broken down by dates.

I usually update points every day in the morning, but sometimes I take the weekend off - I'll let you know if I do.

Post or message me if you have any questions.

Good luck everyone!

The Contenders - JUNE - FINAL POINTS

augette - 775

findingmeagain2009 - 1633 - congrats!

kyashiis - 707

moonduster - 1278

nev2179 - 154

solemnleaf - 412

spacedreamer01 - 361

Physical Challenges - we'll keep the same from April if y'all want...

Change It Up! - Try a workout you've never done before (1 point per new activity tried)

Strength Training - One point for at least 15 minutes of strength training - this will also get you 3 regular exercise points!

Crunches - As many sets of 25 as you can (max 1 point per day)

Pushups - As many sets of 25 as you can (max 1 point per day)

Plank - Hold the plank position for 20-30 seconds (1 point per day)

squats - with your weight centered over the middles of your feet, squat down and stand back up again. Keep your knees centered over your toes and your back straight. Repeat as many times as you can - try it in sets of 10-25 (max 1 point per day)

jumping jacks - one, two! one, two! try a few sets of jumping jacks (max 1 point per day)

zany workout! - one point per day for the most odd, creative workout you can think of

Positive Challenges

5-a-day - eat the recommended 5 fruits/veg a day (recurring)

Go Outside - enjoy the great outdoor

Litter Busters - Pick up a piece of trash when you go outside

Eat Breakfast - The most important meal of the day!

Reading - get one point per day for picking up the book you've been meaning to read (p.s. I'd love to hear what it is, as I work for a Library =)

Finish a Book - back by popular demand - one point for every book you finish

8 a Day H2O - You will receive one extra point per day if your water totals 8 x 8 oz or more.

Straight A Students - log in your food and get an A for the day, and you get a point

Set a Goal - one point for setting a total points goal for the month

Meet Your Goal

Get Some Sleep - get at least 7.5 hours of sleep a night

Stay Under Your Personal Maintenance Calorie Level

Log Your Food By Midnight

Zany Workouts

This is where I'll be posting your creative/crazy workouts, if you'd like

Kneading Bread

Car Racing (I'm not going to count this in my exercise total, but it was a nice isometric core stabilization workout!)

wrestling my tiller!

trimming sheep feet (awesome)

making balloon animals

hmm - meals that fill me up but still help me with calorie counts:

- steamed rice cooked with a little bouillon and frozen mixed veggies thrown in

- soups with beans, veggies and pasta

I'll post more if I can think of them =)

Lower calorie foods that fill me up:

soups

lean protein - especially chicken breast - I simmer/poach it in a little water or chicken broth then add to garden salads, mix with a little light mayo/dressing for chicken salad, toss with some veggies for a stir fry, or eat it alone

fiber and protein in general tend to fill me up before anything else

THANKS GIRLS.  I have been eating lots of fiber as christalrae suggested (the doctor had already advised me to make sure and get plenty of fiber do to being on pain meds so I knew that would be okay)  and hadn't even thought of the others.  So far I have managed to keep losing my steady 1/2 lb every two days and eat enough to keep me from being sick on the infection meds!!  I appreciate all the suggestions so much!!

Oh man.  I really need to get my points in!  Sorry spacedreamer. 

how was everyone's weekend?

I had a pretty good weekend.  Ended up down slightly from Friday which is almost unheard of for me. I tend to be up on Monday.

I've started pre-planning and logging my meals so hopefully that will help me stay on track this week.

ooh - preplanning. good idea augette

Sorry I haven't updated points in a bit guys - I was skiing all day sunday then was too exhausted/busy today to get in here. I'll update in the morning =)

A suggestion for a positive challenge (during the last few days of this month and on to the next, if you're so gracious as to continue the Slimmin' Mini's):

Finish reading a book that you've started for pleasure (not an assigned reading).  I think we did this last year, and it helped me get to the end of a couple of books.

awesome - the Finish a Book challenge is on! Just let me know when you've finished a new book.

Hi everyone - I'm back, but not feeling so hot. I have a killer cold/flu something. But the points are now current!

I should have plenty of time for that challenge.  We have been snowed in for a week and last night got another 3 inches and huge ice storm with more coming tonight.  I have done nothing but clean house, and work out.  I welcome the change to SIT and complete a challenge.  LOL

I like that challenge.  I've got a book that I've been reading and the only time I've been reading it is when I'm on the exercise bike. So I'll take care of a challenge and get some much needed exercise. 

I had an unexpected day off today due to the snow/ice storm that came through last night, so I've managed to get in a little extra exercise. I spent 15 minutes shoveling a path last night from the car to the house and had to go back out and do it again today.  At least it gets me moving!

wow! it sounds like folks are dealing with some serious weather out there - stay safe everyone!

The new challenge also reminded me - could you all please tell me in your points messages when you've suggested a challenge? You get 1 point extra for doing that, but most of the time I cant remember who's suggested what. Thanks!

Well everyone - it's almost over. But it doesn't have to be!

How would you all feel about extending on to February in this forum, but starting with a blank slate as of February 1? That way we could declare a winner for the partial month of January, and welcome new members for February!

If you'd like to do that, I have one more positive challenge for January - set a goal for yourself for next month! Whether it's an amount of water to drink each day, or an amount of exercise to do each week, it doesnt matter, as long as it's a goal you think you could reasonably reach.

Mine is going to be to track my own points - I've been pretty good with updating yours (give or take a day), but I forget to keep track of mine!

I'm all for continuing on in February.  I've really been surprised with how well I've done during January.  I'd really been sliding for the past 3-4 months but all the challenges that I've joined this month have really helped keep me on track (for the most part anyway).

I have 3 goals for next month:

1. Drink 72 oz water everyday

2. Exercise on average 30 minutes per day (840 minutes for the month)

3. Continue to pre-plan my weekly meals - this has really  helped me this past week.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Well I know I have 2 goals I'd like to work towards for Feburary

1.   To get my exercises back up...I have been meeting my 45 minutes a day this month...BUT am use to before doing workouts in the house in the morning and another 45 minutes of walking w/ my daughter in the evenings.  In this cold weather that HAS NOT been getting done...so actually think I'm going to look for me a treadmill so I can continue my old routine no matter what the weather is.  :D

2. AND ALSO STEALING augettes idea.  Mine isn't coming over but under as the problem.  :(  (something I had trouble w/ before when dieting)  I am losing well...have lost 11 lbs since the 7th BUT I feel awful...just weak and tired all the time.  Lets face it, feeling this way is a good way to STOP dieting.  Yesterday I actually cheated my butt off (Pizza ) and I know it's cause my body isn't getting all it needs. SOOOO I'm going to start preplanning my meals a week a head of time so I can try to ALWAYS meet my 1200 a day.  :D

Onward to February!

I need to up my water intake to at least 40 oz. daily...not much for most of you, but a HUGE amount for me, who has a bladder the size of a thimble.

I want to continue my exercise routine -- 45 min. brisk walking daily; 15 min. strength training 3X a week.

I am most definitely in for February.  :D

I'm in February.  My goal for February is to stay on track for the whole month.  I was doing pretty well for the first 3 weeks of January, then I sort of fell of the wagon.  Goal part 2 is to do at least 14 hours of exercise.

My February start weight is 247.8.

Yay! Welcome back for February!

For those of you continuing from Jan, please send me your starting weight for Feb.

I've been MIA because of sickness - sorry about that. But I'm here and able to take your first points stuff.

welcome to Feb!

Oh also - -CONGRATS TO JAN WINNER SHELLBYSMOMMA!! 565 points

ARE YOU KIDDING.  Awww I have been so frustrated the last couple days...stubborn scales and feeling hungry (I'm an emotional eater and been depressed...the feeling hungry is because of that I know.  :(  ) BUT I NEVER have won one of the challenges.  This definetly will put a little pep back in my step to go at Feb. a little brighter.  :D

So it seems from the points I've received so far, people want to carry over the personal and physical challenges from last month. namely:

Grateful Challenge - tell us/me something you're grateful for today

Get Outside

Strength Training - 15 min of strength training = 1 point

Finish a Book

5-a-Day - eat the recommended 5 fruits/veggies

How does everyone feel about carrying these over? Does anyone have suggestions for more challenges for this month??