Posted by hanlie | Posted in My Long Walk to Health | Posted on 13-06-2009
The wonderfully inventive Angie and Shannon from Weight Loss with the Fabulous Fatties sure know how to put together a fun challenge! The challenge ran for 15 days and I’m sure everyone taking part thoroughly enjoyed it.
We all have to report in with our points, how we got them and a short statement about what the challenge meant to us. I thought I’d share my report with my readers.
How did I do?
I think I did great! I earned a total of 1756 points.
They are made up as follows:
Signing up challenge members: 3 @ 25 points each = 75 points
Weight lost: 3 pounds @ 1 point each = 3 points
Five servings of fruit & veg per day: 15 x 5 = 75 points
Eight glasses of water per day: 15 x 8 = 120 points
Exercise: 615 minutes @ 1 point per minute = 615 points
Random Good Deeds: (9 x 5) + (2 x 50) = 145 points
No Soda: 15 x 1 = 15 points
Comment on other blogs: 432 x 1 = 432 points
Bonus Question: 14 x 5 = 70 points
Healthy Breakfast: 15 x 1 = 15 points
Recommend two users on twitter: 3 x 2 = 6 points
Keep a food journal: 15 x 5 = 75 points
Take a walk at lunch time: 11 x 5 = 55 points
Random tasks and extra points: 55 points
The fruit and veggies were easy, of course, since I have more than that per meal. The water was also not difficult and I usually had my 8 glasses in before supper time. I don’t drink soda, so those points were literally a gift. I eat breakfast every day after gym and it is always healthy!
Doing the good deeds were not always so easy, since I’m a housewife and don’t hang around people all day. Most of those good deeds occurred at gym – helping old ladies out the pool, holding open the ridiculously heavy doors for people, giving up my ball for someone else, picking up stuff and, most memorably, helping an old lady put on her bra (she’d hurt her shoulder and couldn’t quite reach). At the supermarket I took people’s carts back whenever I could, let a harassed mom with two whiny toddlers go in front of me at the checkout and handed a shorter lady stuff from a high shelf. Nothing major, but I also made sure to smile at everyone I came across. It really made me aware of how powerful a smile can be, because people would often look kind of surprised, and then light up themselves! The world needs more smiles…
I quite enjoyed the lunchtime walks… I spend most of my day online, so those few minutes outside provided a welcome respite from the computer. It got the blood flowing and gave me an opportunity to absorb some vitamin D. I didn’t do it on the rainy days!
I wasn’t looking forward to keeping a record of my meals and snacks, but I did it and it wasn’t too bad. Fortunately the challenge was only for 15 days, otherwise I might have slipped up in this regard. Since I don’t count calories, keeping a record of my food serves no purpose for me. As long as I avoid the stuff that harm me, I’m good!
Of course, I read a lot of blogs every day and often comment. Keeping score of my comments was really simple and I was surprised to see that I averaged about 29 comments per day – more during the week and fewer over weekends. I love the support and comments from my readers and I believe that blogging is very much a two-way street. Now I must unlearn the habit of keeping track of comments!
I love that this challenge made me not want to skip days when it came to exercise. I log my minutes anyway, and some days I pushed myself for a few extra minutes, just to earn some more points. My body really appreciated that!
What the challenge meant to me
The challenge showed me that I can do what it takes, even though the idea may not appeal to me at first. I met a whole lot of new people on twitter and they are enriching my life in many ways. The road may be long, but I’m not walking alone!
Thank you, Shannon and Angie, for a wonderful challenge. I think ultimately we all won, just by taking part.
Sounds like a fun challenge! I’ll have to check out their site.
Have a terrific day
Manuela´s last blog ..Roses
Good job Hanlie!! You have me beat, point-wise, but I am just as rich for the experience!
Karen´s last blog ..This Is What Peace Feels Like
wowee, that’s a lotta points you racked up there! AND…holy comments!
Jen, a priorfatgirl´s last blog ..Reflection & Humor Mixed
It sounds like the challenge was a real success in on a lot of levels. Congratulations on completing it!
South Beach Steve´s last blog ..Day 242 – Superman was Here
Hanlie, You have a wonderful blog. I’ve seen your comments on some of the blogs I read and just had to pay you a visit. You are doing a great job. I love your progress pictures. You will reach your goals. I’m sure of it.
There’s nothing like a great personal challenge to motivate and inspire…and at the end… there are always positive results….
it’s what keeps me coming back for more!
and KEEP smiling at people..I SWEAR it’s the single biggest and easiest gift to humanity
xo
Cindy´s last blog ..Dear Bagel
LOVELOVELOVE that sentence about the challenge showing you that you can do what it takes.
MizFit´s last blog ..Soap & Chocolate.
there used to be an older lady in my free weights class – she used to comment on a regular basis (when it was an intense workout day) that someone was going to have to follow her home and put her bra on (after her shower). So I smiled to see that you really had done that for someone.
It was interesting to see all the different components that went into the challenge points. There were many that I would not have thought to include. I can see that all this would roll up into getting participants to think about do things that might be outside their normal daily schedule.
vickie´s last blog ..Changing perspectives
It seems like an interesting challenge. Your good deeds were very cool! It’s something I probably slip up with daily…
Netjane´s last blog ..Lag ‘n slag
Congrats on doing so well! I shy away from challenges myself (maybe my next blog post), but I can see how they’d be motivating and fun. As far as helping people, the town I live in is super expensive, but there’s rent control, so if you’re living in your place 30 years you’re likely paying <25% of what a new tenant pays. Thus, you're not moving-ever. I see people who can barely walk, sometimes they ask or I offer to carry their groceries or other stuff up or down the steps to their house. One lady had 15 steps, tough to maneuver with a walker and groceries. I could pick up lady under one arm, groceries under another and carry them both up, but I don't want to scare them or make them think I will rob them, so I just carry their groceries up, or their cart down, etc. It's really sad to see, I wish there was more community, as in "it takes a village". Not to be a hippie, but I've been on crutches, and the slightest help, hardly any time or effort for a normally-abled person, can make a big difference.
julie´s last blog ..From the Farmer’s Market
Hanlie,
I absolutely love what you wrote. It is very humbling to see what our little idea can do for someone else.
We have been truely blessed to meet such wonderful people like you and you have inspired us to be better people, believe in ourselves and push harder to accomplish our goals.
Thank you for being our friend and we just love you to pieces!
XO Shannon
Shannon Fab Fattie´s last blog ..LAST DAY OF CHALLENGE #2 WOO HOO!
Excellent job with your challenge! I love giving myself points for doing non-fitness-related-but-still-good-for-me-things. I especially love the prizes I award myself
Wishing you an awesome week ahead!
cammy@tipptoediet´s last blog ..New Personal Challenge: The Tippy Toe 500
Wow – you did great on the challenge!! Me, not so much – I need to get my a$$ in gear – soon!
Hope you are having a good weekend!
Biz´s last blog ..Did you say deep fat fryer?
You did a great job in the challenge!!
And you totally killed it on the blog commenting. I see your name everywhere and now I know why! That is a lot of blog comments!
These challenges are really great. They keep us motivated and focused. Thanks for sharing with this.
I’m thinking of coming up with my own this week.
Hanlie, Shan has been telling me about the wonderful people that she is meeting on this journey. You sound like you are an great one! I am glad that the challenge helped! It is always nice to do something for someone else. It so takes your mind off your own troubles and helps you to appreciate what you have. I have a wonderful daughter and friend, in these two fabfatties. They are truely an inspiration and great motivators. Did I mention funny! Fabfattie mom
Oh and I forgot to say I love the new look for the blog. Very pretty!
Excellent job Hanlie, and I love the new blog look too! When you commit to something, you really commit, which we all know what that means, right?
Patty´s last blog ..Can I get a one week extension please?
Julie – I also usually shy away from challenges, but what attracted me to this one was that it rewarded positive behavior and not just numbers on the scale. That made perfect sense to me!
Hanlie,
Wonderful job on the challenge! I’ve been reading your blog for days and just didn’t take the time to write you and say you are doing great. I particularly liked the blog where you shared that you are going to kick through this plateau and not give up like you normally would have been inclined to do.
As I lost my weight that part was hard. Great job and thanks also for the comments on my blog. Diane
Diane, fit to the finish´s last blog ..A Little Happy from My Friends
Wow, it sounds like the challenge was a truly lovely one.
Good job on participating and finishing.
Congrats on your points and your success following the 15 day challenge! Hanlie I have to say you are a real inspiration to me, maybe it sounds cliche but it’s true. I love reading your blog and you inspire me more then anyone to move my body. I once read a twitter post you wrote on strength training and you literally gave me a craving to do some. How’s that work? LOL! Thanks for another great post!