November Slimming Minis

Challenge yourself to create the good habits to achieve your health goals.

Welcome, and I hope you enjoy participating! Let's get slim and trim together. You can start anytime. You may not be the challenger with the most points at the end of the month, but you'll still be a winner. GOOD LUCK ! ! !

(If you just want to post your goals for the day on the thread, that's ok, too.)

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.

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

I usually update points every few days.

Post or message me if you have any questions.

Good luck everyone!

The Contenders - November 16th   (there is some slippage in the dates due to posting in different time zones and when people get their data in)

augette  -415

delaney86 - 388

figurethefat -267

goals in mind - 218

jamescl -  467

kyashiis - 235

llnudl -

theprize - 179

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Physical Challenges

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 oddest, most 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 (if you want to share what you are reading with others, post about it)

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.

Review an exercise DVD - You get one point for every exercise DVD you try and write a review for

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 or day

Meet Your Goal - one point for reaching your goal

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

Stay Under Your Personal Maintenance Calorie Level - one point

Log Your Food By Midnight - one point

Zany Workouts - one point  This is where I'll be posting your creative/crazy

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. 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."

I envy you.  In my younger years, I used to walk 6 miles a day--three in the early mornings, and three after supper.  I loved it.  We had an old dog that would go with me; and though we lived in a small village at the time, we were close to the country roads.  I could take her out there and just let her run.  Good times.  Several years ago I fell and broke my shoulder and messed up my spine but good by knocking my head full up against a concrete block wall.  I'm finding, as I get older, that the walking just doesn't agree with my back (it would, I'm sure, if I would get down on the floor and do the stretching and strengthening exercises that my chiropractor reccommended for me on a daily basis).  Now we live in a city that is full of hills, and I just don't do them very well.  We also live in an area of the country that has a great deal of snow and ice in the wintertime; and that keeps me inside.  --But I can peddle this recumbent bike of mine that my oldest son and daughter-in-law gave me, and it compensates to some degree for those long serene walks I used to take. 

Am going shopping today to pick up lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.  I found it quite a struggle yesterday to actually come up with five helpings; but I think if we (my husband and I) become intentional about it, we can do it more naturally.

Today is a beautiful day. The sun is out and the temperature is in the mid 70s. So far I haven't been able to enjoy much of it. We've been stuck inside for basketball games watching our son. I've got an hour or so and I'm going to head out for a walk before heading back for another ball game. Then maybe a late afternoon walk before heading to the school drama performance with the family. I'm sure this will be one of our last really nice weekends so I want to take advantage of the time we can spend outside.

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

I need to work on drinking more water. I used to have no problem getting 10-12 glasses a day but lately I'm lucky if I get 5.  Having trouble with the exercise as well. I need to be doing at least 30 minutes a day but somedays I'm doing well to get 15 in. I will admit that there've been a number of times I've been ready to stop after just 10 minutes. The thought of missing those 3 points just because I couldn't hold out for 5 more minutes has kept me going.

Off to bed to get my 8 hours of sleep (and another point!)

I am pretty sporadic with my routines.  I think this is hurting my progress a lot.  You guys are doing so well.  Keep up the great efforts.

Most of my points are from the basics.. drinking lots of water, eating breakfast, getting plenty of sleep. I've realized I need to earn some points based on eating - fruits/vegs, under maintenance, etc. This challenge is a good way to troubleshoot!

I agree, delaney86.  Sticking to the basics really helps me too.  And the water intake has been a help for me.  Even though some people scoff at the idea, I still see a difference - and feel a difference -  when I stick to my water regimen.

Lost a pound and a half at my TOPS weigh-in last night, so I'm pretty pumped today.  Hope everyone else is seeing some progress.  Good luck as the week goes on.!

I made it out of the turtle club, w00t!! It was nearly 1 lb, but seeing as how that has been impossible the past couple months, it is a very important pound lol!

I tried 2 Yoga DVDs from the library, Ashtanga yoga and Kundalini yoga, I am going to have to take a more serious approach to them tomorrow. Today I spent a half hour with them and a 10 minute pilates work-out from comcast on-demand. The 10-min Pilates was pretty good, I learned I have no abs! LOL I couldn't do a sit-up with my legs flat on the floor, I ended up squirming on the floor like a bug. It made me laugh a lot, so I think that helped ease the bruise to my ego lol.

The yoga dvds are a whole other story- sorta. There was a lot of laughing, and I though I'd be more mature, I'm 25 after all. I shouldn't giggle when I tried the chanting thing and breathing exercises (Fire breath?)... I think I was just in a silly mood. It also didn't help that in one (I think Kundalini), the lady was in a unitard that showed EVERYTHING. I mean it was horrible camel toe. I was also disappointed in this same DVD because it was supposed to be for beginners and she was contorting into some crazy positions that just weren't even remotely achievable for me, as I imagine is the case for most beginners, which is discouraging. So after about 20 minutes between the 2 of them I gave up, I plan to give it a whole-hearted, hopefully giggle-free try again on Friday and then give them as good as a review as I can. If not I have more coming to me from the library to try, that seem less focused on the spiritual side, and more on the exercise. I was really hoping to learn some decent relaxation techniques, hopefully I can if I am mature enough. ;)

If you have Comcast, the 10 minute pilates ab work out is really good. I am still feeling it. Nothing bizarre, uncomfortable or silly. There are a bunch of work outs under "Fit TV" and they change every month. I think I will play with these more.

Original Post by jamescl:
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Lost a pound and a half at my TOPS weigh-in last night, so I'm pretty pumped today.  Hope everyone else is seeing some progress.  Good luck as the week goes on.!

Gratz Jamescl!

Original Post by theprize:

If you have Comcast, the 10 minute pilates ab work out is really good. I am still feeling it. Nothing bizarre, uncomfortable or silly. There are a bunch of work outs under "Fit TV" and they change every month. I think I will play with these more.

 

My family has Time Warner Cable but whatever package we get includes something like Fit TV on demand. I've always wanted to try it but just haven't gotten around to it! Now I have a little more motivation.. points!

Have you ever seen Belly Dancing on one of those workout channels? That is something to giggle it. I know it's a great workout but it's hard to take them seriously.. so slow and sensual.. Maybe if I committed to doing it instead of watching it for entertainment, it would be a little different. 

I have seen the belly dancing. I tried it to, but when I looked in the mirror, I was so off, twitching like a dying fish, I had no grace lol. My roomate had some DVDs on it. We also tried Carmen Electra's Strip Tease, a group of girls trying that- hilarious. Most of it is not much more than dance, but when it gets to the "tease" trying to do it seriously was a challenge. Although after we completed the series, I gave it a test and showed my hubby what I learned, I doubt he could be a critical judge but it was worth my efforts lol.

Laughing burns calories, right? So it is all good. :)

Nice to read about some DVDs people are watching...  My work schedule is pretty erratic at the moment, so my lifestyle gets to be in flux along with it. 

Yesterday, my eating was completely off course.  I didn't overeat, but I ate at odd times and didn't eat proper foods most of the time. I am getting over my stiffness from the hard hike I did on Sunday though.

I feel loggy.  So, today, I commit to exercising in 15 minute increments and eating properly with lots of veggies.  I'm making curry for dinner, so I'll load it with vegetables. I will get enough sleep tonight too. 

Thanks to everybody for inspiring me to stay on track.

We're getting into our hectic schedules now which means squeezing in exercise when/where I can. We're constantly on the go between basketball practice, cheer practice, games and just the routine meetings. I've been squeezing in a walk on practice nights since I can walk around town while my son is at practice then I also try to get up early enough that I can get in 15 minutes on the exercise bike before work. Depending on practice times I also try to do another 15 on the bike in evening but it doesn't always happen - like tonight.

I feel I might be in a slump.  It seems like I am having trouble finding time.  As I make a little progress on one thing, another slides.

Everybody here is making great efforts.  Keep it up! 

Dear Kayashiis:  You are an inspiration to all of us by maintaining this "contest".  I hit these slumps so often, but am encouraged by others who are battling the same weight problems.  Keep up the good work you are doing; and good luck over the next few days....Because of you, I'm actually doing sit-ups again; I'm eating five or more fruits and veggies daily; I'm more conscientious about my water intake; and, while I'm dropping pounds much more slowly than I want to, I feel good about myself.  Keep up the good work; and thank you!

Thanks for the encouragement.  I sure do need it.  Even though I got 75 points in exercise last week, I didn't get any done this week.  I am not sure if it was because I was too tired out or a combination of a heavy work schedule with a little apathy mixed in.

Today, I have eaten chocolate a couple of times.  That's not good.  It's possible that I am going off the wagon.  If I can just catch myself before I fall....

I must make a long drive tomorrow to visit a relative who has a lifethreatening illness.  Four hours out and five hours back on expressways with a hospital visit sandwiched inbetween is not a good way to spend a Sunday.  Maybe I can do some stretching and yoga poses when I have chances.

You're doing things that need to be done.  And I remember well the weariness I felt after a long day's work.  Sometimes we just have to give ourselves a break -- and not knock ourselves for doing so.  You'll get back on target, I'm confident of that, because you care enough about yourself to give somethings to others.

:) You can do it!

Sorry about your relative. Maybe you can find time during the ride for some breathing exercises or a nice book on tape. I hate commuting anywhere but I've found that helps me.

Sounds like you need to make bonus points for the people with hectic schedules like yours!! "Take 15 minutes out of your day to relax and concentrate on you!."

Busy days like those that make me wish I had a working bathtub for bubble baths.

Good luck! And perk up, if you can climb a mountain you can handle a few tough days.

Fortunately my relative has gotten better.  I did most of the driving, so I was pretty exhausted.  I did do some stretching at the rest stops.  Unfortunately, I didn't eat well though I don't think I went over my maintenance level in calories.  A lack of vegetables in my eating also tends to make me cranky.

I ate some terribel potstickers at a rest stop as they tend to be safe bets and there are usually a lot of Chinese cabbage and green onions in them.  Not so for the ones I got.  I left half of them on my plate.  My 88-yr-old father-in-law raved about the food.  I think his tastebuds must be dead, or he gets out of the house so seldom, just eating out is a treat -even something as aweful as reststop food.  LOL

Today, I lolled around the house and rested.

I spent the weekend moving out of my condo back into my parents' house. Now that that stress is gone and I'm going to have a lot more free time, it's time to start earning more points for exercise! Glad your relative is doing better kyashiis. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

I had a not good weekend :( and have been sick with fever and sneezing.  This has put a fullstop to my exercise!  So not happy with that.  I feel tired too so no incentive to do any more.

Kathy, sorry your weekend was not so good.  But it's good that your relative is feeling better.  Hope your week improves!