SuzyQlou destroys the plateau

[suzyQlou]

 
All excuses aside, I'm going down this month.  My main quest is weight loss, and I've been to wimpy to reflect that in my goals lately.  I've had some lovely side quests.  I found some delicious foods to cook and I've squatted an intimidating bar.  But my weight loss goal has plateau'd because I've been avoiding it, plain and simple.  Holidays are over, and I am striking back with a vengeance.
 
Goal 1.  Healthy Eating
I am shooting for six out of seven days of healthy eating.  This works with my own personal checklist that includes eating lots of vegetables and reasonable portion sizes.  I will use it to lose a pound a week.  In addition, I'm adding two sub-goals
 
A.  No french fries.  Seems like we've been eating out an awful lot lately.  If it's just once and a while, it doesn't hurt to eat some fries.  But it's become a habit, so I'm cutting them out entirely for the month of January.
 
B.  Kid vegetable challenge.  This isn't my own eating, but we've made a New Year's Resolution in our house.  Ok, the "we" is a little misleading.  Mando Baxter and I are 100% on board.  The Nickster and the Golden Boy are complying only because we've linked the goal to screen usage.  Ha! Ha! Ha!  Evil parent laugh.  Since one child eats vegetables occasionally and one child never ever eats any, we're starting small.  For January, every child must eat 1/2 cup of vegetables a day before he can turn on a screen.  The goal for me is to make this stick through the whining and complaining.
 
 Goal 2.  Stay Active
I'm using my fitbit this challenge to help keep me going the extra mile.  I've signed up for the walking PVP and I'm going to walk 100 miles this challenge.  That is an average of between 8000 and 9000 steps a day on the fitbit.
 
I test drove the fitbit for 20 days in November.  I became a little obsessed, and finally took it off when I developed a blister on my wrist under the band.  This time around, I'm going to be less obsessed.  I will not be measuring my sleep quality and will be taking it off from time to time.  But the numbers from November gave me a good idea of a decent goal for myself.  100 miles will be hard - but obtainable.
 
Goal 3.  Work Out
This is my usual morning routine.  It's proving to be the part of fitness that I look forward to the most.  I do strength MWF and cardio TTh.  Outside cardio will boost the fitbit numbers, so I'll shoot for at least two this month.

So, I'm looking forward to seeing the new changes here on NF.  The four week challenge will be tricky for me come February.  The family is going to Disney the first week, so I will be tempted to skip the whole month.  Probably not what the NF masters intended with the new shorter format, but I'll worry about that later.  For now, watch out plateau!
 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

*meep meep*

[Rurik Harrgath]

Great looking challenge and goals, Suzy.  You're gonna crush it!

[Elastigirl]

Great challenge.I love my fitbit, so much fun to add up the steps. I'm going on vacation in Feb too, I think I will still do the challenge, but just have it be something short I can accomplish in the couple of weeks I'm home.

[Emerald_Dragonfly]

Sitting in the airport, bored out of my mind, so I decide to check out the new challenges and what do I see?

So.

Much.

Fabulous!

I'm now thinking about my own challenge; yours has inspired me!

I love the kid veg challenge, BTW. Stay strong! :-)

And outstanding theme, too. Nicely done.

[Yraen]

You, Elastigirl, me, what is Febuary, official nerd vacation month? Love the way you're getting your kids to eat healthy.

[suzyQlou]

*meep meep*

Yep, you are the road runner now, crushing 3 mile runs as a matter of routine.  *Meep  meep* back atcha!

 

Great looking challenge and goals, Suzy.  You're gonna crush it!

Yep, with a super strong Ranger crush!

 

Great challenge.I love my fitbit, so much fun to add up the steps. I'm going on vacation in Feb too, I think I will still do the challenge, but just have it be something short I can accomplish in the couple of weeks I'm home.

Yep, it's a good idea to keep the challenge rolling over vacation.  Guess it will just take a little creative adaptability to make it work.

 

Sitting in the airport, bored out of my mind, so I decide to check out the new challenges and what do I see?

So.

Much.

Fabulous!

I'm now thinking about my own challenge; yours has inspired me!

I love the kid veg challenge, BTW. Stay strong! :-)

And outstanding theme, too. Nicely done.

Thanks!  Boredom is good here at the beginning.  So much activity to catch up on!  Glad you had such a nice trip, btw.  Hope the flight home was un-eventful.

 

You, Elastigirl, me, what is Febuary, official nerd vacation month? Love the way you're getting your kids to eat healthy.

Ha!  I specifically picked February because of less crowds on vacation.  Sounds a little nerdy now that I think about it.  Steering clear of social interaction?  Just a little bit

 

So, here's exhibit A as I focus on getting accountable again:  MFP weigh-ins since I started with the rebellion in April.  It's a good thing I don't remember much about my statistics classes.  The graph I'm calling a plateau is starting to creep upward just a wee bit.  I'm sure there's an unpleasant term for that.  Still, my weight has been pretty much bouncing around the 185 line since October.  I'm starting fresh with the new year at 185, and I'm determined to go down again from here.

 

 

 

 

 

[Terra]

Lovely goals, totally doable yet challenging!  

 

I think your hardest goals will be the kiddo veggie one but I really hope it works (I might have to steal the idea!)

[RoxyFreefall]

Your great goals and some persistence will break that plateau. Happy Challenge!

[Rurik Harrgath]

Some seriously solid progress displayed on your graph there, Suzy.  I bet you can keep that up through 2016!

[honeybadger]

So excited for your new challenge. Here cheering you on!

[Yraen]

With the workouts you been doing it's quite possible that you've put on muscle and lost fat, and that's why the scale hasn't been showing much change. As always don't focus on the scale, focus on real measurable progress. Inches lost and reps added mean more than what some machine says.  

[suzyQlou]

Lovely goals, totally doable yet challenging!  

 

I think your hardest goals will be the kiddo veggie one but I really hope it works (I might have to steal the idea!)

Yep.  The kiddo veggies are going to be challenging.  I wish I didn't have to resort to threats and bribes, but alas.  It's good to have other moms on my team.  Thanks for hanging in there with me!

 

Your great goals and some persistence will break that plateau. Happy Challenge!

Thanks!  We will both get it done this month.

[suzyQlou]

Some seriously solid progress displayed on your graph there, Suzy.  I bet you can keep that up through 2016!

So excited for your new challenge. Here cheering you on!

Thanks!  I love the excitement of a new challenge.  You guys are really ramping up my enthusiasm here at the start!

 

With the workouts you been doing it's quite possible that you've put on muscle and lost fat, and that's why the scale hasn't been showing much change. As always don't focus on the scale, focus on real measurable progress. Inches lost and reps added mean more than what some machine says.  

You are so kind.  I agree in principle that I may have put on muscle and lost fat.  But, I'm greedy and want both.  Muscles AND weight loss   Rangers get to do it all AND have it all, right?

 

For me, it's a case of seeing my eating log and knowing that it is out of control.  The scale isn't the best measurement, but I believe in general trends.  I'll bounce around a little bit, but in general my weight will go down when my eating is on track.  If the log shows the eating is back under control with no weight loss, then I reserve the right to smash the scale with a flaming sledgehammer.

[Yraen]

You are so kind.  I agree in principle that I may have put on muscle and lost fat.  But, I'm greedy and want both.  Muscles AND weight loss   Rangers get to do it all AND have it all, right?

 

For me, it's a case of seeing my eating log and knowing that it is out of control.  The scale isn't the best measurement, but I believe in general trends.  I'll bounce around a little bit, but in general my weight will go down when my eating is on track.  If the log shows the eating is back under control with no weight loss, then I reserve the right to smash the scale with a flaming sledgehammer.

 

That sounds like a Ranger trait alright. As far as the eating log goes i suppose you're right. Diet is 80% of the battle. Also if you smash the scale with a flaming sledgehammer I want to see a video. 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Thanks!  I love the excitement of a new challenge.  You guys are really ramping up my enthusiasm here at the start!

 

You are so kind.  I agree in principle that I may have put on muscle and lost fat.  But, I'm greedy and want both.  Muscles AND weight loss   Rangers get to do it all AND have it all, right?

 

For me, it's a case of seeing my eating log and knowing that it is out of control.  The scale isn't the best measurement, but I believe in general trends.  I'll bounce around a little bit, but in general my weight will go down when my eating is on track.  If the log shows the eating is back under control with no weight loss, then I reserve the right to smash the scale with a flaming sledgehammer.

[Emerald_Dragonfly]

 If the log shows the eating is back under control with no weight loss, then I reserve the right to smash the scale with a flaming sledgehammer.

 

Ummm...why am I not doing this?  I am unabashedly, unashamedly, and uninvited(ly) joining you in this reservation. 

[RoxyFreefall]

 

But, I'm greedy and want both.  Muscles AND weight loss   Rangers get to do it all AND have it all, right?

YES! this is so me too.

[honeybadger]

Logging my food is really the only thing that keeps me on track. It keeps me honest and helps me make better food choices (sometimes). I agree with Yaren, if there is scale smashing, there must be video documentation. 

[suzyQlou]

Ah, I must admit I stole the flaming sledgehammer idea from master ranger Rurik.  That's how I knew it would be a rangerly thing to do.  Don't worry.  I promise video if it should come to that.

[weaver]

Down with french fries!

[suzyQlou]

Down with french fries!

Good to see you, weaver!  Bet you're going to love the new four month challenge format

 

Week's off to a great start.  Three perfect days on my healthy eating checklist.  That hasn't happened in a L O N G time.  Feeling really good about it.

 

Plus, I hit my mini challenge goal for the Stamina Feat.  I beat my step record.  I walked 14,791 steps to blast past my old record of 13,944.

 

Speaking of the mini challenge, I think I'm going to stash my goals here in my challenge thread.  I've been feeling a little overwhelmed trying to keep up with the thousands of posts that have been flying around the boards this time around.  Love the enthusiasm...but overwhelmed, too.

 

Mini Challenge:

Strength Feat - deadlift half my body weight.

Agility Feat - burpees - I've not burpee'd before, so I'll benchmark how many I can do in my first minute

Stamina Feat - beat my fitbit record - take over 13,944 steps one day this week

Ranger Class Feat - this is still to be determined

[Terra]

WAHOO 14,791 steps is huge!!!!  

[weaver]

Yes, so much walking! Did you go somewhere interesting with all those steps?

[honeybadger]

You have Rangered the first 3 days of this challenge. Keep up the great work!