Answers to a few questions

Some people have had some questions about what good personal weekly challenges would be. Here are some suggestions: (just pick one to do the whole time, or... pick one to do each week and make it your own rotating weekly challenge!)

Ideas for personal weekly points-

(if you are doing the challenge for weight loss specifically) it could be losing a certain number of pounds, or maintaining your target weight each week. Or...

Go on a date with your spouse

Attend the temple

Have family prayer every day that week (this could be a good daily challenge instead)

Read a conference talk

Do an act of service for someone in your family, or a friend

Work on family history work for an hour or two

Contact the person you home or visit teach once a week

Meditate or spend some time listening after your prayers

Write a letter to a missionary or a long lost friend or relative

Plan meals ahead of time

Spend time preparing for a garden 

Just think of something tangible that will improve your physical, spiritual or mental health, that will help you be a better instrument in the Lord's hands.

Answer about the bonus space on the tracking sheet above the weekly total space:

 

The bonus space isn't really needed if you are filling it out on your computer. If you fill in one point for each day, for 6 days (you get one cheat day) then you will see a total of 6 above the bonus section, but the total below it will say 7, because it gave you the bonus point automatically (because you did six days that week). I think that space is mostly there for people who are printing it up and keeping track by hand, that would be where they would mark their bonus point for the week, then add it to the total, to equal 7. So, on the computer, that square will be blank, but the point, if you earned it, will be shown in the total below. Sorry, kind of confusing. 

Ready, set, GO!!

Fitness challengers-

We start tomorrow!!!! I am so excited to get started and happy that you are all starting this adventure with us to become more fit for the kingdom! Attached to this email is your tracking chart. You can fill it in on your computer or print it up (or both). If you mark each category at the end of each day, it will automatically total each week, keep track of your running totals and fill in your bonus points when you earn them! If there are more than one person in your family using the same email address, be sure to make enough copies . One week from tonight I will send you your first survey where you can report your points for this first week and find out what the mystery challenge was! Do your best to challenge yourself to try new things and become the healthiest you you can be!

Do you want to know who else is doing the challenge with you? They are all listed at the bottom of this email. You probably know some of them! There are 102 all together! Let me know if you DON'T see your name on this list or if I misspelled it. 

Hopefully you all received the earlier email with the rules and instructions for the challenge. If not, they are on the website listed at the bottom of this email. Good luck!!!

Here is some great info and encouragement for this week's rotating challenge,keeping a food diary: 

This week the rotating challenge is to keep a food diary.   You get to choose how you want to do this.  The point is that we keep track of all of the food and drink we take in for an entire week.  This exercise is insightful and helps us realize we are accountable for everything we take in.  For added effect, you may try showing your food journal to someone every day!

        You may want to just get a notebook and write everything in as your day goes along.  Including your feelings, whereabouts, hunger levels, and other details may help you discover patterns to your eating.  Once you realize bad habits, you will be more likely to change them.  

        Or, you may choose to use and app or website to keep track.  There are many apps out there, but Sarah has used the free "Lose It!" app before and gives it a tried and true recommendation!  If you are a regular computer user like me, I would suggest going to LiveStrong.com and using the MyPlate food journal (also free, and available as an app too).  You start by entering your weight loss goals, and current weight.  Then you input your food choices from a large database including your frequently eaten meals list, personal recipes, and popular restaurants.   They track not only calories for you, but also sodium, cholesterol, fiber, sugars, etc.  Both methods also let you input your exercise routines and take those into consideration when calculating your caloric balance.  Both methods offer many other healthy living motivational tips and resources.  

        No matter what method you choose, don't cheat yourself!  Take the time to actually measure the amount of food  you eat.  Remember, we are only doing this for ONE WEEK.  You can do it!    Part of what is eye-opening is to see how much we are actually eating when we think we are eating one serving of something.  So get out those measuring cups and dust off your kitchen scale if you have one.  You By the end of the week you will be a  pro!

        There are many helpful resources out there, for all different types of goals.  Here are just a few if you are interested in reading:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20080708/keeping-food-diary-helps-lose-weight

http://skinnyms.com/the-benefits-of-keeping-a-food-journal/

http://touch.organicauthority.com/organicauthority/#!/entry/10-steps-and-benefits-to-keeping-a-food-diary,516debb1d7fc7b5670b4d76e/3

Go Team!

Instructions for 2013 Fitness Challenge!

       The human body is an amazing gift.  We are given our bodies and our health to help us find joy and to serve others.  When our bodies are strong and full of energy, the Lord can use us more efficiently in building his kingdom.

       This challenge is meant to stretch us, but not stress us.  Use it to try out healthy habits.  If you already have that healthy habit, adapt the challenge in a way that will make you have to work at it.   That is the only way you will benefit from this!

        

There are ways to get daily points and weekly points.

1 point is earned each daily for the following achievements:

(7 challenges x 7 days = 49 possible points weekly for these things***)

·     Daily Personal Challenge (You pick one personal goal to work on daily.  Examples are not biting nails, no soda, not yelling at children, keeping a particular counter clutter-free, flossing your teeth, etc).  You do not have to disclose what your personal challenge is.

·     Daily Prayer (one point for praying morning and night)

·     Scripture Study (Whatever you are currently studying -- at least one chapter)

·     No “sweets” (candy, sugar cereal, or other typical desserts)

·     No eating after dinner unless it is a small, healthy snack

·     Exercise (at least 30 minutes of whatever work-out you desire)

·     Rotating challenge point:  The rotating challenge is something healthy that we should be doing daily.
This challenge changes every week.   You are not expected to do one week’s rotating challenge in addition to past weeks rotating challenge (but of course you may if you want).  Just focus on the current week.  

The weekly challenges are as follows:

1.  Keep a daily food journal (Like on myplate on livestrong.com or other system or smart phone app)

2.  Drink the proper amount of water

3.  Get the proper fiber intake

4.  100 sit-ups or crunches (may be broken up)

5.  Eat the recommended daily servings of fruit

6.  Get the right amount of sleep

7.  Eat the recommended daily servings of vegetables

8.  50 push-ups (may be broken up)

9.  Only eat carbohydrates that are whole grain (this includes breads, pasta, pitas, tortillas, breakfast cereals, etc)

10.           No processed food (think anything packaged/transformed… including crackers, chips, sugary “granola bars”, ready-to-eat breakfast cereals….you decide what your goal will be!)

We will email you a nifty chart that you can use on your computer to track your points. It will automatically fill in your bonus points. You can also print it up and keep it handy.

***There is one cheat day each week for each daily point.  You decide which day is your cheat day for each thing.  If you finish all 6 days of something, you still get a point for your 7^th day, even if you “cheat” (for example, even if you eat cheesecake on Sunday, you will still get 7 points for that week.  But, if you eat cheesecake on Saturday and Sunday, you will only get 5 points for that week for that thing).

1 point is earned each week for the following achievements:

(3 weekly possible points + 49 daily possible points =

 52 points possible per week)

·     Weekly Personal Challenge

·     Holding Family Night (If you are not LDS, this basically means that you will dedicate a portion of one evening per week for spiritual family instruction and a bonding activity of some sort.  It does not need to be elaborate, only intentional). 

·     Mystery point:  Think of this as a funny bonus point.  Each week on Sunday you will be sent an email telling you what you had to do for the mystery point that week.  You can only look back in the week to see if you did it or not.   You cannot go and do it once you know what it is.

       Each Sunday you will be sent a quick survey to complete.  You MUST complete the survey by Monday night! It is how we will track our points and how we communicate with each other about how we are doing, what we are learning and how to help each other. I will keep a running total of everyone’s points and email the list (and other fun information) out to the group every Tuesday.  Remember, there are 52 points possible per week if you do everything perfectly. 

We also can communicate through the Fit For The Kingdom blog at www.moresaviorlikethee.blogspot.com If you are on Facebook, please search for and request to join the More Fit For the Kingdom group! It will be fun to cheer each other on!  We will start on Monday, August 5^th!!!

       One more thing:  CHEERLEADERS NEEDED!  I need 9 people to volunteer to “Sponsor” one week each.  I will sponsor the first week.  This entails you doing a little bit of research before the week that you pick (Say you pick the “fiber” week).  You will then share with the group (just email me and I will forward it to the group) a summary of what you learned  (ie: How many grams of fiber are recommended for an adult man and woman, helpful websites or charts, great sources of fiber, tricks on increasing fiber intake, etc).  You can then send me an email or two during the week if you want to cheer everybody on and encourage us to keep up the good work.  This will ease my burden and help the group hear from different voices than my own. 

It's time to get fit again!

Friends-

I hope you will join us on Monday, August 5th as we start our well-rounded fitness challenge, "More Fit For the Kingdom" again!!!

The idea behind this challenge is NOT WEIGHT LOSS! You are not a number! It is about taking charge of our days and paying more attention to how we take care of our bodies and our spirits. It's about being the best you you can be so you can fulfill your potential and help others along the way. It's about feeling healthy, strong, and happy!

We will earn points for achieving daily and weekly fitness goals and we will track our progress through group emails, this blog and surveys. You can do this challenge from anywhere because we stay connected online! Anyone can join! Last time we had kids as young as 9 join us!

I need to prepare a survey with everyone's email addresses in it so please let me know right away if you want to join us so I can enter your information before Sunday, August 4th.
My email is:

morefitforthekingdom@gmail.com

I will email you a chart that will help you track your progress and a list of all the challenges (except our secret challenges) and I will explain how we get points. It's a lot of fun and the more the merrier!

The weekly and daily challenges are listed along the right side of this blog for your reference.

I hope to hear from you soon!
Sarah