Here we are on the home stretch of the challenge. How are you all doing? Are you still working on your challenge goals?

Be thinking about whether you want to continue the challenge past the 7 weeks. I'll do a poll probably around the beginning of week 7.

This morning I walked 2 miles without stopping. Of course, I had to make myself go slow enough that I didn't have to stop and rest. My first goal was that I wanted to see if I could walk for one hour without stopping but then at the end of the hour I realized I only needed 5 more laps to make 2 miles so I kept going. It took me 1 hour and 10 minutes.

I think I will have to change my goals because they are mutually exclusive. If I walk fast enought to do 3 miles in one hour, I have to stop and rest. If I go slow enough to not have to stop and rest, I can't do 3 miles in one hour.

I don't think I failed on either goal. I just have to put #2 further into the future.

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BTW... just out of curiosity... since you don't measure food or write it down... what is your method of "recalibration"?...

I play "mind games" on myself somtimes. In this case, for a couple, three days, I had no breakfast and a late lunch, just to remind myself that being a little hungy sometimes isn't going to kill me.

Mostly, I just focused more on what I was eating, concentrating on reducing "mindless nibbles", and/or after dinner snacks.

My worst weigh-in this year was a BMI of 22.0, so I am still in pretty decent shape. My 2005 starting BMI was 27.5, and I'm currently at 21.5.

While I have done a great job at getting back into the exercise habit during the challenge (I have been exercising 4-5 days a week vs. MAYBE 1 or 2 days before), I have not done a great job at re-incorporating toning and weight workouts regularly. I have missed them entirely 2 weeks, I think, and most of the time have "cheated" by doing my toning and weight workouts in the same workout when my goal was to have 2 separate toning/weight workouts per week.

But at least I'm doing them at all and I'm back to exercising regularly, so it's a step in the right direction. And, while I was watching TV last night, I was flexing my quad and saw that wonderful definition in my thigh returning--so that will be motivation to do better!

As for the Sugar Monster, we are still doing battle, but I am not as much a slave as I was at the start of the challenge...I never immediately have sweets after I eat anymore...I may still have them, but I wait...baby steps, baby steps.

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Originally posted by Sheltieguy:
It sounds strange, but I have been trying to "reset" my eating/appetite to a previous/lower level. Over the winter, I got into the bad habit of thinking that I am supposed to be 100% full, 100% of the time, etc. I think I finally "got it", and my weight seems to be drifting down, rather than up.

This doesn't sound strange to me at ALL.

I know that you don't like measuring food or keeping a food log... but the way that (currently) works best for me is to measure food and log it on Fitday, and figure out, "Well gee! Look at that! I probably don't need 15 servings of fruit a day... when 4 will do."

But I totally get that "I need to take my appetite in for a tune up and get it recalibrated". How easy is it to eat just 100 calories too many a day? (Even a person who doesn't count calories could/would have a sense of "OMG! I is sooooooo easy to eat an extra 100 calories!" ) Just 100 calories too much is weight creep of 10 lbs a year.

So a goal of appetite adjustment makes perfect sense to me to stop the weight creep.

BTW... just out of curiosity... since you don't measure food or write it down... what is your method of "recalibration"? (Always looking for new ideas.)

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I'm still working on defining my goals.

I hear ya there... Still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

I have fallen so far from my goals, it's very sad. But I haven't given up. I weighed in on Wednesday and was down .2; which always sparks me to do much better. No more Ice cream trips, and get that suit out. I have to find a new place to swim, as the motel is being renovated. I took new pics of me to put up, and I can see some definite major changes in my body shape....
So my goals for this challenge have fallen apart...but I am still in the battle. Yeah for my side.

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Here we are on the home stretch of the challenge.

I'm still working on defining my goals.

It sounds strange, but I have been trying to "reset" my eating/appetite to a previous/lower level. Over the winter, I got into the bad habit of thinking that I am supposed to be 100% full, 100% of the time, etc. I think I finally "got it", and my weight seems to be drifting down, rather than up.

I'm doing really well with my goals and really feel like I've gotten back into a routine with them.

I will probably not continue the challenge past this.

generally, i am doing ok. i feel in better balance, and the post dinner temptations are better. i had one evening last week where i had 2 brownies. and then dd turned 15 so i had birthday cake but no frosting and little bites.

positive affirmations are helpful. visualizing role models are helpful. i am pretty consistent with exercise, and I pack my breakfast and lunch. I would say the toughest demon is stress, and falling back on old patterns of comforting myself with food.

since i am a person of routine, in the past, i would worry that the fourth of july weekend is coming. i will miss a day of work (and my usual packing of meals) and the gym is closed, but i feel pretty ok about it.

another challenge right now is the high cost of food and staying on some kind of budget. oh well. we are all hurting.

I walked at the Y this morning.
2 miles (at the slower pace) without stopping to rest
Well, I did stop between mile 1 and mile two for a potty break .

My plan is to go to Curves after lunch (they don't open until 1pm) and then go back to the Y around 3 or 4 and do some more walking before picking up dd from her job.

The afternoon may not go as planned because mother wants to go shopping and I don't know when or for how long.

In terms of challenges I'm doing badly. I thought I was doing well avoiding sugar (no cake except for once a week with discretion), but then I remembered the daily bite of dark chocolate after lunch...<sigh>. Next to no exercise (I blamed it on a muscle injury, which was partly true), and positive thinking, well, umm...

I think I just need to go back to my normal activities: 1) maintain a healthy diet, 2) avoid foods that don't agree with me, 3) regular walks. I'm on vacation for the next four weeks and there's the apt bldg window replacement to contend with, so no new challenges for me right now. Getting healthy food on the table daily and keeping myself and the family happy and occupied are enough.