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The Official 2017 Healthy Habits Challenge/Goals!

kyuuei

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There was enough questions and interest generated that, albeit a month late, who cares! Let's do this. No more New Years Resolution fall off, this is a year-long journey.

The challenge is with yourself! Towards yourself! For small, bite-sized, reasonable goals. Everyone is different, and there's no shame or negativity in this thread. You set a goal for yourself, read other peoples' goals for inspiration, and work through it and towards it at your own pace.

The only parameter is this: Whatever you choose for yourself, make it one you can work on for the entire year comfortably even if stuff in life comes up. For example... Please don't say "I will stop eating junk food!" .. This doesn't really lend itself to something reasonable and/or measurable. It's a admirable goal to have, but maybe break it down more. "I want to stop eating junk food. So, I am going to start by x and try to work my way up to y." You can have a vague goal, like, "I will say something nice when I look at the mirror" or "I will stop hopping on the scale everyday because it doesn't make sense to do that, I'll spread it out more." Or, you can do like I am doing and post your year-end goals, and see if you consistently do them month-to-month by the time the year end gets here. Whatever your style, make it so that you aren't going to feel bad about it during the journey. This isn't a pass/fail course. This is not a healthy/unhealthy binary. This is trying to get a little better every day.

Healthy habits can be anything that attributes to your health in the year. If that's getting more sleep, or consistent sleep, or what you eat, or even how you vent stress. This thread is mostly based on the more physical side of health, but there is a lot of bleed over with stress and mental self-defeating, so these aspects are not excluded. Building habits for your physical-mental wellbeing is important, and it's done in baby steps and slowly.

It's never too late to learn something new and incorporate something healthy into your life. So, post your goals, and your progress. If you fall short, that's okay. It's all a part of the fun of the journey.






As for me..

Last year I had vague goals of 'getting stronger' and 'eating healthy' and stuff. I think those vague goals worked well for me, but I've created some more specific, measurable ones this year.

I plan on competing in a tournament for HEMA and I will go to at least 1 practice a week as much as possible.
I am aiming to complete 2 8-week programs for Fitness Blender. I will try my best to complete each week, but I am giving myself a minimum of 3 days of working out for sure during the program.. I need a rest day somewhere and they run 6/7 days a week and HEMA will already be one of those days and I'll be running soon soo... At least a legs day, upper body day, and cardio/abs day.
I will drink a cup of water when I wake up in the morning, and I will drink 2 cups of water each day I get onto shift and again halfway through shift. Right now I've been halfway towards this. My water drinking tended to be done at night (so I'd wake up a bit shy of continuous sleep and have to pee... so I'm trying to structure things so I don't wake up from needing to pee vs on my own from the alarm.)
I will try to get 6-7 continuous hours of sleep depending on what my body is feeling, but try not to over sleep as I've had a problem with that the past year.
I will try to eat vegetables of some sort with every single dish I cook (lately I've been a bit lazy.. but this has become easier with the markets being open again and new products out in the frozen sections of the grocery store), and I aim to make 3 Japanese-style dishes a week. They can be the same dish. This month has been a variety of experiments.. but rice, pickled vegetables, enoki mushrooms wrapped in bacon, miso soup, and curry were among the last month.. so this month, a different pickling technique, boiled shrimp, sushi with shrimp on top, curry, miso soup, steamed vegetables, calamari salad, and matcha pancakes are on the menu. Jan-Mar I'll be cooking at least 1 dish a week... by the summer work my way into eating an entire breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a Japanese style of cooking. Mostly because I learn new cooking techniques and have fun with healthy foods.
Finally, when the weather is warmer out, I aim to go running. I want to get back to running 2 miles like it's another day at the job... so I'll be using a couple flat trails I found near water sources here to do that. I'll start going 1-2x a week and work my way up from there.
 

EJCC

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SO psyched that this thread exists.
 

EJCC

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My goals:

- Go bouldering 1-2x/week
- Run a 10k, and if you manage that, try for a half marathon afterwards
- Do one pull-up, and if you can do more, then do more
- Do one real, non-modified push-up, and if you can do more, then do more
- Establish a routine throughout the year, and continue that routine in the winter (S.A.D. didn't help my eating or fitness this year -- thank goodness for having a climbing buddy, is all I have to say)

Might add more goals later.

I'm much more fit than I was at this time last year. My fitness journey has been exciting and will continue to be exciting.

 

entropie

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my goal:

- 10 muscleups

can do 5 now and finally gave up on loosing weight. Building muscle takes me a second, loosing weight is impossible. I am at 93 kg now and 3 years ago when I went down to 78 kg after my divorce, I had no sixpack. The fat was there all along. Just the muscles were gone.
 

EJCC

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Ughhh.

My goals:

- Go bouldering 1-2x/week
- Run a 10k, and if you manage that, try for a half marathon afterwards
- Do one pull-up, and if you can do more, then do more
- Do one real, non-modified push-up, and if you can do more, then do more
- Establish a routine throughout the year, and continue that routine in the winter (S.A.D. didn't help my eating or fitness this year -- thank goodness for having a climbing buddy, is all I have to say)

In order to do these, I have to get up early.
In order to get up early, I have to get enough sleep.
In order to get enough sleep, I have to go to bed earlier.

This is going to be an ongoing struggle -- harder than any of my other goals, tbh.
 

magpie

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I managed to do six minutes of an exercise video today which included some standing segments! :solidarity:

I also did my normal 5 minutes on an exercise bike. This is awesome.
 
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I would like to continue eating a whole foods, plant-based vegan diet and to keep doing at least 4 days of vinyasa yoga. It would be ideal to increase it to 5 days like I used to do it weekly, but I'm a little too lazy and I just don't see it changing anytime soon at the moment, haha. Also, I would like to increase my overall strength and flexibility in order to get into more difficult poses, like being able to finally touch my head in scorpion pose. Oh, and to stay away from the peanut butter. That shit is like crack to me.
 

citizen cane

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I had vague goals , to use the OP's wording, of drinking less alcohol and getting more exercise. The latter is still sporadic, but nothing sucks the life out of the party like working second shift wed-sun. I've also been eating less, but I haven't lost more than a pound or two at most.:mad:
 

Smilephantomhive

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I'm going to try and keep my daily sodium intake under 2,500 mg. I'm no longer going to eat at Quik Trip or Sonic after school.

I also feel like I should try and learn to cook, but I have to get comfortable working in the kitchen with my mom in the room before I even think of trying that.
 

EJCC

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Following up on a few of my goals.

- Go bouldering 1-2x/week
Once a week = solid. Officially a routine.

As of last week, finally starting to move from once a week to 2x/week. Hoping that the routine can become more solid if and when I start bouldering before work instead of after.

- Establish a routine throughout the year, and continue that routine in the winter (S.A.D. didn't help my eating or fitness this year -- thank goodness for having a climbing buddy, is all I have to say)
Getting there. I now have a calendar on my wall where I cross off each day that I work out -- and I've had three X's per week for the past 4-5 weeks. So that's good! My next goal is bumping that up to 4x (two days of run-commuting and two days of bouldering per week), interspersed with easy yoga for stretching. That may change over time, depending on whether or not I want to start riding my bike to and from work instead of run-commuting (or in addition to run-commuting).
 

entropie

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Following up on a few of my goals.


Once a week = solid. Officially a routine.

As of last week, finally starting to move from once a week to 2x/week. Hoping that the routine can become more solid if and when I start bouldering before work instead of after.


Getting there. I now have a calendar on my wall where I cross off each day that I work out -- and I've had three X's per week for the past 4-5 weeks. So that's good! My next goal is bumping that up to 4x (two days of run-commuting and two days of bouldering per week), interspersed with easy yoga for stretching. That may change over time, depending on whether or not I want to start riding my bike to and from work instead of run-commuting (or in addition to run-commuting).

How did the sex dream turn out, I mean that would be workout aswell ?
 

EJCC

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How did the sex dream turn out, I mean that would be workout aswell ?
I'm asexual, so sex dreams are boring, so no. But thanks for asking.
 

kyuuei

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Evaluation:

I plan on competing in a tournament for HEMA and I will go to at least 1 practice a week as much as possible.
- So far, this is going very well. I have gone twice a week the weeks I can, and once a week the rest of the weeks that aren't chocked full of stuff. The tournament is at the end of April and I am registered!

I am aiming to complete 2 8-week programs for Fitness Blender.
- I started this week a 4 week program. :) I had been doing random videos here and there.

I will drink a cup of water when I wake up in the morning, and I will drink 2 cups of water each day I get onto shift and again halfway through shift.
- I've been doing well at work

I will try to get 6-7 continuous hours of sleep depending on what my body is feeling, but try not to over sleep as I've had a problem with that the past year.
- As I write this, it is from waking up after 12 hours of sleep. @_@ I am hoping that part time will help a lot with this adjustment, but overall I have been getting adequate sleep on my work days, but feeling tired on my off days and taking naps and stuff I never really do.

Eating veggies in everything I cook.
- I've actually done quite well with this! :) Cauliflower pre-riced and frozen makes this infinitely easier, and frozen veggie mixed packets as well.. but I have been doing very well. I also started keeping fresh spinach around, and onion/cilantro mixes and adding it to everything.. ramen and soups, etc. Besides that, my diet is not very well-rounded the past week but overall I have eaten homemade and cooked foods that I would consider healthy, including a load of Shabu Shabu for my birthday.

I aim to make 3 Japanese-style dishes a week.
- I have done alright on this front too barring last week when I didn't cook anything at all. Fried rice, miso, salad with ginger-miso dressing I made myself, Shabu Shabu for my birthday dinner (it was a very nice spread) and I have plans for getting a Cake pop maker and making Takoyaki soon! Apparently those will work the same as a takoyaki maker.

When the weather is warmer out, I aim to go running.
- The weather's cold snaps have finally given away literally juuuust this week. While I haven't gone running this week, I think next week is when I'll start. I've been putting together some play lists in the meanwhile.

Adding to these goals, is keeping all of my doctor's appointments, and Physical Therapy on my hips, back, and feet.
- I've kept my doc appointments so far, even though it is sooo frustrating to go to one only to find out that I didn't need to go at all. @_@ But one thing at a time. The 27th is my biiig appointment.
- Ive started light stretching again, and I need to be more aggressive with my hips.. though I think nothing will take away the pain like dropping down to part time. My back I've been using the exercise ball to invert at times, and some light yoga poses. My feet I've been using toe spacers I got that have shown some promise already. I took before and after pictures to see how they look at the end of the year. But I am at least twice a week soaking my toes and putting cotton under the toenail to retrain it to grow out, and I'm designing a tool that will help pinch it in a good direction as well. I have not started toe exercises yet and I need to.
 

kyuuei

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25 Ways to Exercise Without Realizing It | Nerd Fitness

While I don't agree with everything on this website, this article is, overall, really money. If you can overlook the super-motivated "RAWR FITNESS" model they use if that isn't your thing.

Suggestions mentioned for fitness:
- A hobby like geocaching, hiking, or walking.
- Dancing of any sort
- Playing! Anything! With kids, at a playground, parkour, instruments, etc. etc.

The idea is, do something you enjoy so that FITNESS is it's own reward. If you 'reward' fitness with the habits that you have that created your mentality to start getting fit in the first place, you'll associate working out with negative things, and your old lifestyle as a positive. Everyone needs their own motivation.. but the trap of "I worked out so I deserve x (x = decisions that were in your lifestyle prior to being more fitness minded)" makes your old lifestyle a positive and fitness a negative.. Fitness does NOT have to be negative.. don't choose fitness routines that you find boring or awful or, more importantly, something you NEED a reward for. I love fitness videos, but if you don't, don't do them! Don't choose fitness that Seems like it'll just get you in shape as fast as possible.. choose things you can enjoy for their own sake. There are a LOT of things to try out.

For anyone looking for a community, NF runs challenges that are very tailored specifically to you. You basically pick the things you do, and how those level you up.
Basic Rules and Guidelines - Challenge Instructions and FAQ - Nerd Fitness Rebellion
 

skimpit

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I've gained 15 pounds in the last year, so my goal is to figure out how to lose it and keep it off because I seem to just keep gaining weight. I'm a nervous eater who can't seem to stop eating when I'm bored, so this is a real problem.

I really feel bad about myself, but I don't have any hobbies or anything that prevents me from eating when I'm not or just a teeny bit hungry. I also need to get motivated, which is sometimes hard for me to do.

@ kyuuei, that seems like a good resource. Some of those things I hadn't even thought about as forms of exercise. Also, was your appointment this April 27th? How did it go?
 

EJCC

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Ughhh.

My goals:

- Go bouldering 1-2x/week
- Run a 10k, and if you manage that, try for a half marathon afterwards
- Do one pull-up, and if you can do more, then do more
- Do one real, non-modified push-up, and if you can do more, then do more
- Establish a routine throughout the year, and continue that routine in the winter (S.A.D. didn't help my eating or fitness this year -- thank goodness for having a climbing buddy, is all I have to say)

In order to do these, I have to get up early.
In order to get up early, I have to get enough sleep.
In order to get enough sleep, I have to go to bed earlier.

This is going to be an ongoing struggle -- harder than any of my other goals, tbh.
My attempts at figuring this out have been mostly unsuccessful.

New strategy: start by forcing myself to go to bed earlier. Setting a "go to bed" alarm maybe 30-60 minutes before bedtime, and gradually slowing down/getting ready after that. Then see if that helps with getting up earlier. Do that for a week or two, then see if fitting in morning workouts is actually possible.
 

kyuuei

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Evaluation:
- Not doing great on the drinking water when I wake up front. I dunno why, I'm just not thirsty. I suspect this will change in the summer months. I am going to start mouth taping, sexy I know, to try to help with the mouth breathing I've suddenly developed in the last 6-8 months. I felt yucky waking up despite going to bed with brushed teeth, and my BF pointed out I've started sleeping with my mouth open for some reason. I think the increase in allergies I experience here in NC is to blame.. but simply taping the mouth shut with gentle micropore tape will supposedly do the trick, so gonna start this in my "get small problems in my body addressed" initiative.
- HAVE been wearing my toe correctors.. I can tell when I have worn them all night, my little toe doesn't like it hahaha. But I can tell a difference so far, minus my pinky toes which I can tell are genuinely contracted it seems... I'm working with them all as I can, particularly while watching TV and stuff.
- Still sleepy af when off of work. Just tried to wake up at 6am to prep myself for waking up early tomorrow... No dice. 11am. @_@ Which I am totally cool with usually, but I went to bed at 1am.. I just put my part time application in though, so we'll see.. maybe in a few months I'll be much more comfortable and on a better schedule.

I've gained 15 pounds in the last year, so my goal is to figure out how to lose it and keep it off because I seem to just keep gaining weight. I'm a nervous eater who can't seem to stop eating when I'm bored, so this is a real problem.

I really feel bad about myself, but I don't have any hobbies or anything that prevents me from eating when I'm not or just a teeny bit hungry. I also need to get motivated, which is sometimes hard for me to do.

@ kyuuei, that seems like a good resource. Some of those things I hadn't even thought about as forms of exercise. Also, was your appointment this April 27th? How did it go?

Howdy and thanks for thinking of me! :) I used to be a personal trainer and nutritionist, and would like to eventually get back into that as well.

Anything that gets you moving is exercise, though. It doesn't matter if it's chill af Tai Chi and Yoga, violin playing, or if it's extreme boot camp classes and hardcore dancing. It's all good for you, and variety is the spice of life.

My appointment went great! I was nervous about it, and it was fine, and I have a few more doctor appointments to worm my way through this next month before I can take a break from constantly being inside the VA hospital for a while. :laugh:

I'm a bored eater too.. bad habit from the military.. luckily, there are a LOT of hobbies you can pick up for free for super cheap! This past year I picked up several new hobbies, and I want to add Parkour to those hobbies as well. On top of traveling, and HEMA, I am active in gaming via table top DND sessions, I run with a group called Hashers, and I practice violin and Japanese and somewhat french as well. I cook, and have been doing an initiative for cooking Japanese-style meals.. I exercise.. I do costume building once a year, and I go on hikes sometimes for fun, and participate in group events out of the groups I started meeting up with and participating in.

There are a lot of ways to get started on hobbies that are completely free.. I found the best thing is to find a good spot AWAY from home. I pack a healthy snack with me when I go to things that are more low-key (like studying Japanese outside the house) and work outside, or away from my living room if I feel like Im just gonna be eating.

The easiest way to get started: Check out meet-ups in your area! Meetup.com is a fantastic website to look for and try new things.

Free/cheap hobbies I do:
- French on youtube and duolingo. Learn French With Alexa
- YouTube

- Japanese. Admittedly, not TOTALLY free, as I bought Genki 1 + workbook, but still a bargain at $70 for two textbooks and the older edition is like $15-20 now with more online resources. But reddit helps a lot too :)
- I go to HEMA, but there are a LOT of hobbies like this.. rock climbing, swimming, dancing, anything physical you can think of!
- Contra dancing! My favorite new way to dance, that's very old actually.
- Costume building! How To Make A Foam Deep Sea Diver's Helmet. DIY Halloween Costume - YouTube I love to cosplay! Halloween, anime conventions, you name it. Glue is cheap, and Harbor Freight has a sheet of foam for $10 that will allow you to build almost anything.. a lot of patterns online are free, or cheap.
- I go running with the Hash House Harriers, it's a group I don't quite fit into (I don't really drink) but I have lots of fun regardless.
- Coloring, and crafting in general. Not always cheap, but certainly can be! Origami and DIY pop up cards and such are fairly cheap.
- Yoga and exercising! Well known I love work out videos... Fitness Blender is my favorite, Yoga with Adriene and Fightmaster Yoga are awesome, and so is Fitness Marshall.
- DnD is pretty free to start out with, someone always has an extra set of dice. :)
- Educate yourself. I follow the personal finance, fiancial independence, japanese food, and frugal reddits, look up new ways people have saved money (and verified that those are good ways or shitty ways), or cooked this or that. I found out that once I find a $2 flea market cake pop maker I can start cooking Takoyaki, a food I LOVE but cannot find in america.
- Volunteer work! In the summers I volunteer at the farm down the street that does a wednesday help day.

I keep myself and my spare time very busy overall... I like it that way, and find I get into a slump of meh when I am not busy.
 
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