Plans for May

 April is almost done and I really have nothing good to say about it!   Well, at least in terms of my weight loss!  There were some good things that happened in April...just not with my weight loss efforts!

The Good

We have been able to start getting out and working on the yard again!   The property we bought was rented for quite a few years. Renters didn't do anything to better the property.  In fact, when tree limbs dropped, they must have apparently just pushed them into the closest flower bed.....and they stacked up.  There were rocks scattered everywhere...in flower beds, under trees, you name it  Rocks, we have a plenty!   We can envision the yard when it is back into great shape, but we also are realistic enough to know that it will take years for us to have the time (and money) to do what we want.  So last year we reclaimed one or two flower beds....and just maintained.  This year we plan on reclaiming a bit more and maintaining everything.   As we are reclaiming, we are trying to planT perennials.  It's more expensive now, but in the long run will save us so much time and money to not have to replant....to just maintain with some mulch some pruning/dividing and a little bit of weed pulling.  As spring rolled around, we started to work outside again.  It is very satisfying to see a brush pile shrink!    We fixed the back steps that were in dire need of help.  We enjoyed the time with each other...and our pets!   It wasn't a bad month.

The Bad

So the bad comes into play when I got a stomach bug.   I rolled into April strong!  I was exercising heavily.  I was drinking lots of water.  I was tracking every bite and eating within the confines of my set plan.  I was killing it!  Well, I was killing it for the first 2 days!   And then I picked up a stomach bug!   The bug threw me off my healthy lifestyle. I fell apart on almost every aspect of my healthy habits.  Water....what's that?  Tracking.......yeah right?   The ONLY thing I continued was my daily exercise.  I of course didn't exercise the week I was sick.  But the following week I was back at it religiously!  But everything else was a bust!

I ended the month at almost exactly the same weight that I started the month!   Disappointing....but I also know that's a miracle in itself!

The Plan

I had started the month of April with a plan.  A challenge for myself.  I was so excited about it.  It was a points value system for myself to compete against myself with.   Every day I would earn points.  Everything I did that was healthy would earn me a point..or more.   Every day, I would just need to better my number..compete against my previous day!   Compete against my previous week.   Compete against myself to keep earning more and more points. (the original post can be found here)

I am planning to restart this challenge and I'm excited about it for sure!

So the points system...

Weight - I earn one point for any loss or maintain on my weekly weigh in day. (only one point per week)

Track -  I can earn one point per day - just for tracking my food and my efforts

On track eating - I can earn one point per day for eating within the confines of my set eating plan

Water -  Every 10 ounces of water I drink I will earn 1 point.  If I have a "bad day" and only drink 20 ounces....it's not a failure because I still earn 2 points.  But the days that I drink 70 ounces....well, I earn 7.  (drinking water is easy points!)

Fruit and Veggies -   Quite simply I can earn one point for every fruit or vegetable that I eat.   Once again, I am celebrating the ONE serving I ate if that's all I ate.  But I am killing it with lots of points if I eat 6 servings!

Exercise-  I will earn 1 point for every 10 minutes of  cardio or strength exercise I do.  

Steps -  I will earn 1 point for every 1000 steps I take.

Yoga - (A new addition this month) - I can earn 1 point for a yoga session!  

We will always round down.  If I drink 59 ounces of water, it rounds down to 50 and I only earn 5 points....this should encourage me to take that extra sip of water to throw myself over the next milestone.  If I take 9800 steps, it rounds down to 9000 so 9 points. once again, by rounding down I should be encouraged to take a few more steps to get to the next milestone/point!

I'm ready to kick this weight in the teeth and knock it far far away!   April was a rough month, but I can make May amazing!

Adding a new challenge

I’ve got a new plan!   I know, I’ve written about a new plan a gazillion times!  That means that my plans don’t always work…but I’m still out here trying….so that is what matters!

It’s no secret that I’ve been struggling!  Seriously, I wrote about it last week when I somehow managed a maintain for my weigh in! I would love to say that things got better this week.   But I continued to struggle!  I seem to lack motivation and willpower.   The sad thing is that I KNOW that I lack it but I just can’t seem to get my act together.   So I’m true Maryfran fashion I sat back and tried to think about when I was super motivated and full of willpower.  If I can figure out what was so magical back in those times maybe I can recreate it!

The first thing that comes to mind was when I was attending weight watchers meetings.  Those meetings kept me straight!  The meeting and my weigh in were always looking in front of me and it kept me on point and motivated.  The meetings and camaraderie with the other attendees was so inspiring.   The meetings Bolstered my willpower week in and week out.  Unfortunately meetings aren’t in the cards for me right now.  WW has closed most in person meetings.   There is exactly ONE that I could possible make it to…and that would be a stretch.   Plus, money is tight right now as we try to recover from Jasons’s unexpected ‘holiday’ from work as he recovered from his encounter with an axe. (Read about it here.). So paying the extra for in person meetings is doable but not wise considering the meetings would be hit or miss anyway.  On top of that, I am questioning Weight Watchers and their current beliefs and current system.  But that is a post for another day. (I promise I’ll write about it!!). So at this point weight watchers is not the magic for me.

I then started to think about the weight loss challenges that I have been a participant in.   Honestly, I was never the winner of any of the competitions.  (I am pretty sure one was rigged….I even had some other people tell me that it was fishy…but that’s another different story.  Hahaha).  But the act of being in the competition was good for me.   I work well competitively!   I also loved the competitions that I was in because they included lots of emails, lots of chats, lots of real time interaction.   That was good for me!   So hmmm, maybe could look into a challenge.    I’m where do I find a challenge?   I started on MyFitnessPal.   I looked at their challenges.  And some seemed really good.  But they don’t seem to offer the interaction that I need.  I looked at DietBet.  Bit once again the money thing…and also the interaction in the one that I did was lacking.  Another bust.     Then I stumbled upon doing my own challenge!   I was excited!  but how to pull it off?   I am working on it in my mind!     I know that it will be a point system.  And I know that weight loss is important but being healthier is even more important.  So it will incorporate earning points for healthy things.     I am fine tuning and plan to test drive the point system.  But here is what I have right now:

Weight loss.  This is worth one point each week.  If I  lose OR Maintain my weight I can earn a point.

Tracking-   For me this means tracking my food and my points.  And it is worth one point each day.

Keep my eating on track-   For me I aim for a certain calorie count (points) .  If I keep it within 200 calories I will consider it a win…and I will warn one point.

Fruits and veggies-   Every serving I eat is worth one point.

Exercise/activity-  here is where the points can start to be wracked up like crazy.    Every 10 minutes of exercise will earn one point.   The trick is that I will ALWAYS round down.  If I exercise 19 minutes it will only be 1 point.  If I push through for that extra minute then I have reached 20 minutes and I can earn two points.  The sky is the limit.  10 minutes of walking…1 point.   20 minutes exercise class…2 points.   These points are stackable…earn as many as possible.  It also doesn’t matter what I do.  An exercise class/video.  Awesome.   Push mowing…we’ll that counts just as much!  Activity is good!

Steps-  I have pondered the aspect of giving points for steps.  But ultimately decided to do so.  This will take into account that day that I am exercising and run out of time…at 38 minutes.   I would only get 3 points since I round down…BUT; I can still earn points for the movement through my steps!     So for points, there will be one point for each 1000 steps!    Once again…rounding down.   If I’m getting ready to go to bed and see that I am at 9900 steps, that is only 9 points.  If I ante up another 100 steps (in that situation) I would earn 10 points.   Once again…rounding down will hopefully push me to get those extra steps!

Last but not least, I have water-   1 point for every 10 ounces of water.  Rounding down.  It doesn’t matter if I am nobly a sip’ away from 10…if it is less than 10 I don’t earn that point’

This plan requires total honestly from me.  I’m ok with that.  If I cheat, I am only cheating myself!!!   The emphasis is on living a healthy life and not the weight loss.   Weight loss is definitely a goal….but being healthy is the ultimate goal.

I haven’t given up on my project 50.   That is still going strong!   I’m just incorporating a bit of excitement into my life.

As I said, I’m thinking about offering a challenge…I will ante up a prize for the winner.   But for this test period my goal is to continually better my numbers!   I do want to throw out a personal reward though.   I calculated it up.  If do everything perfectly.  Exercise 60 minutes a day….have 8k steps, 5 fruits and veggies I should earn roughly 185 points a week…roughly 750 a month.    That is perfection.   I would love perfection…but that is not realistic.  I am going to aim for 150 points each week.  If I can do that…then I will reward myself at the end of the month….not sure with what…yet.  But Mmmm and it won’t be a lot…or anything big.  

So let’s get this moving!!!   If you want to join in…let me know and you can test it out with me!