Spring Health Challenge

So I have decided I need to commit to working on my health come spring....anyone want to join me and keep each other motivated?

Here's what I was thinking - health for me is holistic so I want to commit to doing something for my mind, body and spirit each day. I thought I would post what I plan on committing to for the week to come and try to stick to that!

I aim to lose the few kgs that I have found over the winter and since my break up - it's time to stop making excuses or dwelling on the past.

Current weight:
76.5kg
First goal:
72kg

Goal to achieve by: Mid October

Mind
I will do something that feeds my mind/aids my happiness:
This week I will read a good book at some point each day

Spirit
I will feed my spirit each day through reading the bible/devotional and prayer.

Body
I will eat healthy, nourishing foods - I will not eat processed foods and cook fresh meals
I will exercise daily
Monday - Walking the dog
Tuesday - Pilates
Wednesday - Walking the dog
Thursday - Pilates
Friday - Gardening
Saturday - Bush walk
Sunday - rest day


At the end of each week, I encourage everyone to check in and encourage each others efforts and stay accountable.


Who's with me?

I'm in- I'm still carrying my excess baby weight 9 months post birth so it's what I want to work on this spring

Current Weight:
84kg
First Goal:
80

Goal to achieve by: end of October

Mind
Take 10 minutes each day to meditate and practise mindfulness

Body
I'm recovering from a bad cold right now so rather than list the days I'm going to aim to go for walks each day weather permitting and when I'm better I'm going to try to implement getting on my spin bike whilst DS naps. I will stop skipping lunch each day and filling up on bad foods in the afternoon. I will make myself healthy meals.

I'm in too. I'll come in tomorrow morning and put in the details

Hmmm, yes, I should join.

I have been really slack with my body in general, and I'm feeling the effects. I've been extremely busy at work, and any extra time has been with the kids, or in bed.

But I need to get my body back into gear, so that I can enjoy being active with my boys more, and get better sleep, etc! And mind and spirit are part of the fabulous package which is ME.

So yes, committed and motivated I am not yet, but some accountability will help that, I am sure!

And there's just under 4 months 'til Christmas, so that's a good goal ...


Current weight:
x kgs

First goal:
(x - 15) kgs

Goal to achieve by: Christmas

Mind
I will give myself some creative time, by doing some drawing or painting or journalling every day.

Spirit
I will grow my spirit by listening to a sermon on my iThing each day (now that I have learned how to get good podcasts!)

Body
I will exercise daily, and I commit to either walking or cycling or crosstraining for 15 minutes a day to start, working up in 5 minute increments to 40 minutes when it stops feeling like I'm going to die from the current increment.

I'm in.
I need abs.

Mind - read one non-fiction book for every fiction book

Spirit - nap more

Body - cardio every day (except rest day)
No more cake, banana bread, toast, crumpets, Saturday night desert.

Me too.

Current weight: 69kg

First goal: 65kg

Mind: Start daily journaling again.

Spirit: Phone down once I'm in bed, to allow some meditation before sleep.

Body: 30 mins of cardio 6 days a week. I'd also like to start a pole fitness class or similar one day a week. Also limit my chocolate intake to once a day, and a reasonable serve :p

Okay, I'm in. I need more people holding me to my word ;)

Current weight:
87kg
First goal:
80kg
Eventual goal:
65kg (ish)

First goal achieved by: Let's say end of November. I go pretty slowly :lol:

Mind
Finish the series I'm reading and start on something I've NEVER read before instead of going back to books I've read a hundred times!

Spirit
Taking a few minutes every day to have a cuppa (or cold drink, whatever i feel like in the moment) by myself. The kids will be okay!

Body

I will at least attempt to exercise daily (and will fill this plan out when I get time)
Monday -
Tuesday -
Wednesday -
Thursday -
Friday -
Saturday -
Sunday -

I have also decided to remove the scales from the bathroom for now - too addicted to standing on them everyday - and hormones make weight unpredictable for me so it's not healthy to keep on focusing on them.
I will only weigh occasionally from here on in.

So I weighed myself this morning. I'm 102 :cry:

First goal is to be 90kgs by Christmas. Overall goal is 75 for now.

Mind:
I will enrol in a course I want to do

Spirit:
I will aim to do devotionals and spend time in prayer every night

Body:
I will make better food choices

I will also exercise at least 6 times a week
Monday: Cardio Workout video/Walk (Whether permitting)
Tuesday: Yoga/pilates (whichever takes my fancy that day)
Wednesday: Cardio Workout video/Walk (Whether permitting)
Thursday: Yoga/pilates (whichever takes my fancy that day)
Friday: Cardio Workout video/Walk (Whether permitting)
Saturday: Something physical with family (walk/bike ride etc)

Woohoo, great ladies, let's do this thing!!

Ladies with little ones under your feet, just wanted to let it know how I've been getting my workouts in lately. Chuck on Ready, Steady, Wiggle, grab the kids, and DANCE LIKE A MANIAC. Run on the spot, so star jumps and burpees, squat and spin and just get your heart rate right up. Each episode is 11 minutes, even when the singing etc stops I keep dancing and moving. I do 3 episodes with a water break between each one. Just as good as any branded workout video (if you have a basic understanding of how to do things like squats, lunges etc, and even if you don't just jogging around the lounge is something), it's fun and the kids have an absolute blast with you, so much so that you'll actually want to do it every day with them ;) I get a really great all over body ache from this.

Today I downloaded an App that reminds me to drink water! It's pretty good, but I've needed to pee a lot more haha.

Joined a gym today :D I only went in for a tour, but it was pretty much exactly what I was looking for so I went for it :)

I only wish their crèche was open longer, I didn't realise until I got home that they only do two sessions a day, in the mornings. Only the Thurs/Fri ones sync up with classes I want to do, but oh well. I'm sure my mum can take the girls for the nights I want to do yoga :p And I can still do self-led workouts on the other days, so it's not a huge problem. Just have to remember to book in!

I'm jumping in too.

I've been 'going to' for months now. My body is now my own for the first time in years and I'm feeling old and foggy. I want to feel fit and strong and clear minded and calm.

Current weight:
72.2
First goal:
70 - I just can't start. That's the problem
Ultimate Goal
65 However, if I am happy with the shape and feel then the scales don't matter.
Goal to achieve by: Christmas, but continue fitness and toning for a Fiji holiday in March with a bunch of 'lots under 30's

Mind
Be kinder. Everyday. When I am kinder, I am calmer. Calmer me makes our world a better place.

Spirit
I will go back to meditating most days. I will schedule it in rather than just trying to catch a few minutes randomly.

Body
I have gone back to the gym finally. My aim is 3-4 times a week
I will go back to running with the pram on the other days after school drop off. This is a mind hurdle for me as starting again seems monumental. I have lost so much fitness it feels impossible.
Signing up for a colour run in November.
10 000 steps every day.
Whole nutritious foods and less crappy carbs - no matter whether they fit in my calorie allowance or not.

Teni, that's my problem with the gym too.
FF I have mine in an inopportune spot in the laundry. Out of sight, out of mind.

So far this week I have gone ok. I've managed to exercise 2 days so far. This is a marked improvement from the weeks before of no exercise :D. Diet hasn't been fantastic but it hasn't been awful either. I find it really hard to exercise when it's cold. Again, this is a mindset thing and an excuse.

I'll probably try to weigh myself once a week just to help keep me on track. I avoid the scales when I'm not being good cause if I don't know what they say I can trick myself in to thinking I'm ok. When I weigh myself I stay more focused.

I'm thinking I might measure myself rather than rely on the scales as I find them a better indication. I'm going ok this stupid cold is still lingering so I haven't done any full on exercise but have been doing lots of gardening so I'm counting that :) I'm trying to work up the courage to join the gym. I have a super fit friend who has offered to train with me but I find gyms really embarrassing as it's a public display of how unfit I am. On the diet stuff I'm really working on reducing my sugar intake as I consume far too much. I'm taking baby steps with it all at the moment but it's still better than nothing and hopefully I will be feeling 100% soon and can really get into it.

I did a loop of the lake today (2.5km). Felt good.

Pain... So much pain... It's a good pain, but... Paaaiinnnn...

What class did you do Teni?

I need to keep this thread bumped. I'm not doing so well, but you girls are fab motivation.

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What class did you do Teni?

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No class yesterday, just worked out on my own steam. I keep managing to *just* miss classes and go outside of staffed hours :lol: I tried to push myself, so I did 15min more on the treadmill than I did the day before, added a few minutes of running (I don't run, ever, so just 1min was a huge achievement for me!), and tried out a few machines I hadn't tried yet. So I'm just a bit sore :D

On Friday, if I can get the girls into the crèche, I'm doing a Zumba class :lol:

I've downloaded another app called 'workouts'. You get a couple of different workouts for each core area ie butt, abs, arms, etc. You can choose either 5, 8 or 10 minute workouts and off you go. You get 10 different 30 second exercises per area (in the 5 min one anyway). I've started low on the 5 min ones and wholly dooly, they hurt!

I decided to weigh myself again and I'm 2 kilos down! I know that could be fluid etc but I'm taking it as a win for now. I've been taking a green tea supplement which is for energy and weight loss. I must say it is certainly giving me an energy boost. We are redoing our back garden so I've been doing lots of gardening lately and I'm finding it a great way to build exercise into my day. Im hoping this weather clears up soon so I can resume my walks with DS. I'm going to try and go twice a day (I have a puppy who needs to burn energy)

How is everyone else going?

Well done Em! I am only weighing fortnightly - so Monday is my weigh in day.

I am going well eating and ok exercise wise, so I am hoping that I will see some improvement!

Did a Body Balance class this morning (it was meant to be Pilates, but the instructor is sick and the Balance instructor was the only one able to fill in for her). It was great! Really got me sweating, which I wasn't expecting from something you move so slowly in :lol:

Tomorrow morning, Zumba! Well, if there's a cancelation at crèche. Elisabeth's on the waiting list at the moment...

Walked the dog today. First time in two weeks; felt good.

I need to do more exercise asap. Starting in a basketball team next term so I need some basic level of fitness. Also haven't been doing anything for myself so I need to do something.

Current weight - three figures.
Goal weight - two figures.

Current goal - x - 4 kilos by the end of October.

Long term goal - x - 9 kilos by Christmas.

My goals for next week:

- Go to at least three classes at the gym.
- Get someone (probably my brother) to show/remind me how to use free weights safely.
- Add them to my routine.
- Other stuff that I can't remember because I started typing, got distracted, and forgot about this...

Terrible week here, but not feeling bad about it. Lead up to and getting AF always throws me off. So next weeks goals:

-No sweets during the day! Like, maybe one Tim Tam with a coffee or I'd I go out with a friend, but mainly no snacking on sweets during the day. This is the worst during the leadup to AF.
-Reign in portion sizes.
-Continue documenting food.

I've been fairly good with using MFP, not to aim for a certain number of cals, but just to be accountable for what I'm putting into my body. It's a good motivator, seeing what I'm eating.

Well done Em!!

Teni I did that class this morning too. I loved it. It was actually harder than the spin class I did yesterday. I think because i had to concentrate to hard lol.

I need some of your attitude PZ. My food week has been terrible too. I need to be ok with it.

I have however done 4 classes this week and my muscles are caning! Good hurt though. Have found a balance of classes that works well for me. Pump, Attack, Spin and Balance. Going to sign us all up for the colour run in November. The kids will have a blast :D
Have also been meditating. Very beneficial with PMS lol.
We are however not going to speak about the scales and their upward motion. :redface:

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- Get someone (probably my brother) to show/remind me how to use free weights safely.
- Add them to my routine.

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:dance: Huzzah. Weights are the bestest. Don't be scared to lift heavy. You won't bulk out and look like a man but you will be able to open recalcitrant jars and carry in all the shopping in one load like a boss.

Next week... I need to make my trail runs more demanding. I've got a couple of routes in mind with some killer hills. I have a race in about a month so I need to work pretty hard over the next 3 weeks.
I have some PT sessions left on my gym membership so I'm using them up over the next 3 weeks.

My shoulder is playing up so I'm going to have to try and balance a dodgy shoulder with getting stronger and faster. Hmmm.

Depressed. Weighed today - one day early, because I felt thinner. NOPE, scales have gone up and say 78kg this morning, very upsetting. Don't understand it.

This is the problem with weighing as there can be so many variables. You could be loosing fat and gaining muscle which could account for the increase or it could be fluid retention etc. I know it's disappointing but don't be too hard on yourself.

AFM I've had a couple of shocking days food wise.... It's so easy to fall into old habits def need to get back on track!

It could even just be down to the time of day. I "put on" two kilos the other day. The previous weigh-in was first thing in the morning, this one was right after dinner. The next morning I'd "lost" that weight and more ;) Doing morning weigh-ins from now on lol

So weighed myself this morning and I'm 99. So down 3kgs in two weeks. I'm happy with that.

My son for this week is to be more aware of what I'm eating and to pick up the exercise. I've been managing exercise 2 times a week. This week I'm going to ask for 4 times.

Weighing in in the morning is the best time as it's probably a truer representation of your weight as you haven't retained water and aren't weighing the meal you just ate too. :)

Is a new week ladies. Hope you kick some goals this week :)

Don't stress about the weighing. I weigh first thing in the morning after going to the loo, naked. But seriously, I've weighed myself after moving my bowels and lost 600g hahaha. It's greatly variable.

I always weigh in the morning, after the loo and before brekky, naked too. Anyway, I am going to track my weight daily for a while to see if there is a hormonal thing going on.
I should also take measurements again I think.

Might come back and do that later so that I have a record somewhere.


Waist 79cm
Hips 96cm
Thighs 109cm

So far this week I've managed to exercise 3 days :). Go me! I made my own little circuit on Monday at home and flipping heck I was sore on Tuesday.

I have a love/hate relationship with feeling sore - love it because I know I am achieving something - dislike the pain - especially after doing legs - the loo is such a long way down lol.

I have done SFA, other than work and have family time.

I am telling myself that during out holiday (5 weeks, starting in under 2 weeks) I can realistically walk every day.

Scales have moved - patience pays off. Down 1.2kg from last Sunday. Been doing 10 minutes of kind of intense workouts daily, hiked up a mountain yesterday, but that's about it.
Eating has been ok, had a few difficult days but made reasonable good choices.

I have been doing all the right things...exercising hard most days, eating reasonably (and much less than I had had in the past) and drinking lot so of water - and I have put on 3 kgs :wall: Plus I saw photos of myself at DH's 40th.....nearly cried.
I have been allowing myself one cheat day and one afternoon a week. I didn't think I had been going too overboard even on those days but obviously I need a full pattern change :(