30 Day Challenges

[_Erin_]

WOW!! Look at all the people that joined in, so cool! Good morning, everyone, I missed you! LOL Day 22! Missed a couple running days this weekend but made it up with lots and lots of walking! Great job, girls!!!

[Mairianna10]

Day 5 done, back on track. You doing OK Serena?

Good luck with the decluttering. That may be my next challenge. Have tried to start but it seems overwhelming. Kids wardrobes full of toys instead of clothes!

[Mairianna10]

Should have said "good luck with the decluttering Dragonfly"!

[Millie]

Day 22 done. Only 8 more days. I am planning on immediately starting round 2 as soon as this one is over, so Mairianna, you will be way ahead of me then.

Erin, how was your weekend.

I am also considering a 30 day letter writing challenge. Send one handwritten letter or note each day. I probably need to prepare by gathering addresses and stamps. .

[Millie]

Erin, oops, just saw your post.

[_Erin_]

Millie, I love the handwritten letter challenge idea! I may try to join you on that, although I think it's sad to say that that one might be even harder for me to keep up on than the exercise one!! I love to write and receive notes in the mail, and I have plenty of people I've lost touch with. Wonderful idea.

[_Erin_]

Does my exercise still count if I choose to take the weekends off? LOL Maybe I will continue the challenge, except not force myself to get up at the buttcrack of dawn to run around town on weekends. I just really like to sleep in when I can! I guess that doesn't mean I can't find 20 minutes to do some other activity, though.

[Millie]

Erin, I think you can slice and dice your next challenge as you wish. If you take weekends off, it will take you longer to get your thirty days in. You may also lose momentum. I think your idea to sleep in and do exercise later in the day on weekend may be good compromise. There is no rule that exercise has to be the same, or at same time.. I finished about 11pm at night the other day.

I was toying with idea of taking a day of rest, but ultimately I fear if I give myself an inch, I will start slacking, so I am just going to keep doing it every day. Twenty minutes is pretty doable. It is not getting any easier, yet. I still have to force myself to do it every day. I am always happier when I get it done, though.

[Regina]

Are most of you exercising in a gym, at home, outside or some other choice? I think exercising would not only be good for my body but my mood too so I think I need to get on it!

[_Erin_]

Regina, I live a few blocks from the high school track, so I get up and run a lap. A lap is a lot of work for me. LOL But I go early in the morning when it's still dark out, I'm very conscientious of other people watching me run/exercise. When I miss my run, I make sure to get a good, long walk in while pushing my daughter in her stroller.

Pretty soon, we're going to be moving (found a place on a dirt road out in the country, not far from a lake - yaayyyy), so I'll have to come up with a new plan. Our yard will be huge, so maybe a lap around the yard will be the same as a lap around the track. LOL I'm sooo excited about taking walks with John & Kinzie down a quiet dirt road!!! One day soon I'm going to invest in a bike... but it's almost wintertime now, so that may have to wait until next year.

What do you enjoy doing, Regina?

[Millie]

Regina, I am doing a mixture of a bunch of things. When I go to gym, I either do 20 minutes or more on treadmill. I try to do it as intense as I can stand it, or I join a class. I've done a couple of hour long rumba classes. A few times, I made it through whole class, a couple of times, I quit after 30 minutes. I have also tried the spin and one other class, can't remember what it was.

At home, I either get on elliptical machine or put in a DVD, such as rumba or jilian's thirty day shred. I've also walked outside at least once. A couple of times, instead of cardio, I did 20 minutes of ab work and upper body weights, but mostly I try to do 20 minutes of cardio and sometimes follow that with some weights.

I think some of the folks have counted heavy duty gardening, etc. I like to vary what I am doing, so I don't get bored.

[Millie]

Erin, your new place sounds great. You can just run/walk on dirt road... Or invest in some DVDs.

[Millie]

I hate autocorrect. Zumba class

[Millie]

It has really been a great way to take my mind off drinki g. It has given me something g else to focus on. I've gone from NEVER exercising to doing it every day straight for 22 days. I am really proud of myself which is a nice feeling for a change.

[Millie]

You will be so happy after completion of that challenge. No way could I go through my whole house, in a week of thirty minute increments..Are you including drawers, closets, nooks and crannies? Lol

[Samantha]

Hi all, Christy I believe we are on the same day so I think this is day 5 for us? This is sad I cant remember the start day but I think I just finished 5 today. I guess the fog hasnt totally lifted. :-(

Dragonfly I really enjoyed your post today. I put a snipet of it on the 60 day forum because I thought it was so dead on to deal with emotions without alcohol in a new healthy way. I love seeing you grow and change here.

I'm enjoying the exercise even though its tiring I think it helps with my mood. Anyway love ya.

[Christy]

Yes Samantha-I got in my day 5 even though I was exhausted from yesterday.
Millie-I'm still searching for 30 day shred. Hope I find it, i would like to try something different and mix it up a little.

[_Erin_]

Day 22! I reallllly struggled with just throwing in the towel today. I'm sleepy, it's getting chilly out, and I wanted to stay cozy. But I did it anyway. I haven't weighed myself in 5 days, but today I did. I am 3 pounds down from 5 days ago, and 8 down since I started this challenge. I guess that was my reward for getting my butt up this morning!

Last night I got a little added exercise. I went out and played fetch/tug-o-war with my pit, Bucky. He plays fetch until he gets bored, and then I play fetch - I throw it, and then I chase him down, and he runs around keeping it from me until I catch up with him, in which case the tug-o-war comes into play. It keeps him entertained, he loves to show off. And he's damn near 100 pounds, so that's quite the workout!

[Millie]

8 pounds. That is awesome!!! I've lost exactly 0. I need to concentrate on my eating habits next, I guess.

[Samantha]

Dragonfly if you decide to do 30 days without processed foods I would do that. I have just been thinking of how much chemical junk I consume. As bad if not worse then the alcohol. I know I need to change my diet and that might be a good way to do it. I find when I eat processed foods its almost addictive to me like alcohol. Anyway you have some great ideas and good challenges moving forward! Love it!