The FastDay Forum

Every week we will have a challenge thread where you can set a challenge/goal for yourself for that week. Anyone is welcome to start the thread or join in. If someone else's challenge sounds good to you, you can do that one or create your own. It should be a habit that will help you reach your goal. (It can even be unrelated to weight loss if you want!) Then during the week and at the end of the week you can report on your progress.

Since the holidays I haven't gotten much exercise. I don't have a lot of time for exercise during the week, so I want to try to at least get walking in. Therefore my goal this week is to get a 15 minute walk in every day. A purposeful, fast paced walk. I will do it either before work, on a break at work or in the evening.

I actually started my own weekly challenges at the beginning of the year. The first week it was to give up all sweets (cookies, candy, ice cream, etc.) The second week was to drink a cup of green tea every night. The idea is to keep those up as habits even after the challenge week, although perhaps slightly less strictly.

Please post what your challenge will be this week!

As I mentioned elsewhere, I haven't managed to have either a fast or light day for a couple of weeks, and I need to! So my challenge is to have 2 fast/light days in the next week, and to have no more than 2 squares of chocolate on those and 1 or 2 more days. And no other added sugar foods either on those days (eg no shortbreads or Christmas cake).

Morning all!

My challenge might seem unrelated to weight loss- but it really isn't. My challenge is to get to bed every night this week by midnight. Some of you might think "gosh, that's late" - but for me, that would be very early...

I have a problem with going to bed. This means I often don't go to bed until anywhere between 2am & 5.30am. I have no idea what the issue is with me - but it's bound up with the issue of self-care/not mattering and so on....complex stuff. Anyway, the net result is being constantly tired, black circles under my eyes (which are dull through lack of sleep) and not feeling tip top. I wake up exhausted, because I've not had nearly enough sleep. Maybe this is all TMI...but writing things down helps me to understand them...plus, "why use 10 words when 100 will do?"...is my mantra!!!!

Another major downside of not going to bed at a decent hour is that, when I'm not on a diet, I will stuff my face with all sorts of inappropriate "treats". This obviously wouldn't happen if I was in bed! So, there are multiple benefits for achieving this first challenge....

Hi @Hazelnut20

Thanks for your post - that is a wonderful challenge. Sleep is such a powerful healer and controller of our bodies. I know when I let my sleep patterns wander too much is does lead to too much eating, tiredness, lack of mindfulness etc. And when I am stressed/being hard on myself - that's when I stay up later for no good reason at all - just wasting time.

Can I ask - do you like to read? To get back on track with sleeping and unwinding I find reading helps me - takes my mind to another place, and my eyes will eventually start to droop. Or you can download a free audiobook from your local library and have the story read to you as you hopefully drift off to sleep.

Be kind to yourself - you absolutely well and truly deserve it!!!! Your posts inspire me.
Good luck with the night nights...

Merry

[Tracieknits]

Great idea! My challenge is to go as low carb as possible this week in order to give my weight loss a boost and atone for my recent weekend away:)

When I can't sleep, I just think 'maybe I should clean my house', and it's amazing how fast my body and mind react to that and let me fall asleep!

Oh... and my challenge for this week will be to stick to my decision limiting my wine consumption during weekdays, that's a lot of empty calories I can avoid.

Thanks everyone for sharing. These are some great challenges so far!!

Hi There,

My challenge is to walk everyday for an hour. I live in the mountains so it's a great workout, plus the Almond Blossom is coming out, so it's magical. I'm half way through DryJan ( No Alcohol ) which is a miracle

[carieoates]

@hazelnut20
Gosh I'm astounded how do you exist on so little sleep. I'm in bed by 11 and up at 6.25
Great goal for you it seems.


Mine will be no biscuits, chocolate or crisps. Keeping the nuts and cheese for now.
I'm back to regular exercise after the Xmas break so I should be ok food vs expenditure wise soonish

Hello Merry @merrymelb and thank you for your thoughtful post.

You asked if I like to read? Many many years ago, it was one of my greatest joys. But there's been a huge wilderness on the reading front for years...in fact there's been something of an all-encompassing wilderness in my life...full stop.

Put simply, I've completely lost sight of myself. I don't really function as I should. I don't see things through. The Christmas before last, my brother kindly bought me a Kindle in order to encourage me to read again. Months later, I switched it on & downloaded "To kill a mockingbird" - a book I've always wanted to read. Think I'm on about Chapter 11...but I can barely remember the characters now as its been so long...

In the same way that I don't allow myself to go to bed (and it's not a problem with actually getting to sleep) at a sensible time even when I'm dog-tired, I don't allow myself to do much that I like. In fact, I've lost sight of what I do actually like - because I've not done any of it for ages. Does that make any sense? I have a great sense of "not deserving" this or that. Just to illustrate, I have been going to a chiropractor for the last few weeks and have been given daily exercises to do. The first time I did the exercises - which are really more like pleasant 10 minute stretches whilst lying on my back - a voice in my head said "Well, this is very indulgent. Should you be spending this time on yourself?" Since then, I've certainly not done the exercises daily as I should be doing...I just don't prioritise myself on any level.

So, committing to go to bed by midnight will be absolutely HUGE for me...if I can be bothered to make it happen....

Dear dear @Hazelnut20

You CAN make it happen. Just do it. You can! Get ready for bed now, have a nice warm drink, and off to bed.

And find some lighter reading (tomorrow) than To Kill a Mockingbird, very worthy tho that is. Good old crime works wonders for me for a light read. I get all my books electronically from the library, and have been working my way from start to finish through different authors.

All the very best! Xxx

I have not been a great reader lately. It's mostly because I'm busy with both jobs and therefore tired. But I agree with Sassy, read some fluff! I personally like to read YA books. They still have interesting plots (many of them) but are much easier to get through. Or you could do an audiobook too. I recently listened to a book called So B It. I really enjoyed it and I think it'd be a good read as well.

Well hello and good morning!

Pleased to report I was in bed a smidgen before 11pm last night....unheard of! Thank you so much for this weekly challenge @cblasz!

Good idea re reading fluff -it might get me back in the habit.

But who is YA please??!!