Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Scraps, Buggs, and the last 100 days of 2009

First of all, thanks to 266, Jo, and Katie (via comment, there's no list in her post) for giving me the Honest Scrap award.

Thanks guys! The award comes with rules (don't they all?) which I may or may not follow at some later date. Part of it involves listing 10 blogs. I listed 15 that I love not too long back, and I have new favorites that belong on any list I'd make. Essentially, this would mean cutting the old 15 to 7 or 8 to make room for some new folks, and that would just be too difficult an endeavor. Maybe I'll figure out a way to do it at some point, but for now I'm not going to. A genuine thank you, though, to Katie, 266, and Jo. I appreciate the recognition.

This morning I've had quite a bit of blogger's block. I thought about writing the 10 things about myself for the honest scrap, but I couldn't come up with 2, let alone 10. I thought about writing about two fat tax articles in Slate, but the post never quite got off the ground.

I got my new bodybugg last night, which was pretty exciting. I'm going to even go crazy and post a Katie J style screenie:

It's pretty cool, how you can actually track the day through it. I went home during my lunch hour to plug it in, but I didn't get to put it on until after work. Technically, work ends at like 5:30, but the bodybugg screenie reveals the truth: I totally went home a little early because I was giddy about getting to use it. I strapped it on, then walked to the gym, getting there around 5:30. I put in a little over 20 minutes on the elliptical machine, then did the 6-7 Yoga Fundamentals class. This was my very first yoga class there (and the first class at the gym that I successfully completed). I'm actually quite sore from it, but looking at the bugg it had a pretty disappointing burn. Walking home, and then freaking out because I lost the digital display at the gym, which I did from 7-8, was way more of a burn. For the record, yes, I really did lose the digital display within 12 hours of getting it, and no, it hasn't turned up anywhere yet. I ordered another this morning after confirming with my gym that it hadn't turned up in the lost and found. Boo for losing $100 to idiocy.

Making dinner from 8 to 8:30, and then Biggest Loser from 8:30 to 10, were terrible in terms of calorie burn. This just in: sitting in front of the TV's not much exercise. I did love in Biggest Loser how they were talking about burning 6000 calories a day and using their buggs to track it. It really gave me a concept of what actually is required to get Biggest Loser type losses, and why it's not possible in the real world when you need to devote 8-10 hours a day to work. However, it also really brought to the forefront the idea that even though I can't have Biggest Loser weeks, it's eminently possible to have a Biggest Loser day every now and then. Since I don't have to care for a family, I'm able to block off a weekend day every now and then. Yes, I'm not going to be able to burn 6000 calories a day every day, but I damn well can burn 6000 calories a day twice a month.

I cleaned my apartment from around 10:30 to midnight which, needless to say, turned out to be a much better work out than watching TV.

Seeing the chart, thus far, has been an amazing motivator. I promise a full review of the bugg once I've had it for more than 24 hours, but for now I love it and would highly recommend it to anyone. If you're on the fence, get one. Just try not to lose the digital display the very first day.

Anyway, during my blogger's block, I was taking a peak at a few other blogs, and found that Diane over at Fit to the Finish had linked to a Hot 100 challenge being hosted by South Beach Steve. As of today, there are 100 days left in the year. The point of the challenge is to make a few goals that are attainable, measurable, and that you have complete control over, and to check in and measure your progress on the goals at least once every 10 days. So, you can't do "Eat 200 calories a day" since that's not attainable, you can't do "Don't eat too much" because that's not measurable, and you can't do "lose 10 pounds" because you don't have complete control over it. I think this challenge is probably a really good idea for me, because my goals tend to fall into the category of ones I don't have complete control over, so it would be nice to add a few non-weight goals into my repertoire. Anyway, here's what my goals are going to be:

1. Have two "Biggest Loser" (6000+ calorie burn on my Bodybugg) days a month. For September, I'm only going to require one since there's not much of the month left. I discussed the motivation/concept of biggest loser days above, and I think it's going to be a damn awesome experiment.

2. Work out an average of 5 days/week. This is important, and this is attainable. Work outs are my weak spot, and I'd like to push myself into changing that habit. Note the use of the word average, though: some weeks work or life will mean that I can't get to the gym 5 days a week, and that's okay so long as I make it up.

3. Go to the Gym at least 15 times each month. When I avoid the gym, not only do I burn fewer calories, I waste money. I pay for a very expensive gym membership, and hot damn I'm going to use it. My membership is $69 a month, this would mean I'm paying $4.60 a workout, which to me is an acceptable amount. If I go 20 times a month, each workout becomes $3.45 a pop.

4. Keep average calories below 1400, and don't exceed 2000 in a single day. I'm making this limit relatively high, in fact, more than I eat most days right now. I generally shoot for around 1200, and go under more days than I go over. But, if I'm stepping up workouts, I'm probably going to end up increasing calories a bit, and there's no shame in that. The 2000 top is to stave off binges, and, for when I do binge, to encourage me to stop before things get really bad. It also let's me comfortably enjoy holidays and special events, while still pushing me to maintain a good average.

Those are my goals for the rest of 2009. 100 days. Doable.

16 comments:

  1. I love your goals, because they are measurable, and attainable. I like Steve's challenge a lot. I still can't believe there are 100 days left in the year.

    I've got a lot to do in those 100 days!

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  2. I too was shocked at the calorie burn amounts but hey it does make sense. LOL I am rocking my gowear fit today (just like the bugg but button is green and program a lil different looking)

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  3. I soooooo want a BodyBugg! Watch now that you ordered a new digital display, your old one will show up in the most weird of places.

    Great goals, btw!

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  4. Thanks for linking Steve's challenge! Good goals, I might copy the last one. Have a great last 100 days of 2009!

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  5. I'm so lurving my bugg!!!
    Wasn't it surprising to see what burned & what didn't?
    Yesterday was first day on for the full 23 hours so I just did my normal...it was cool to see how even sweeping, mopping, chasing the kids & chopping apples added up. ;)

    Love your goals.
    6000 burned? Whoa baby, that is an active day. I think you can totally do it...and I might steal your idea (but I'll give you full credit lol).

    Enjoy,
    Lynn

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  6. For the record Miss Hadley I did post the list the next day (got the award late at night) :-)

    Look at you posting your screenshot! Those are some smoking totals missy! Pretty low on the calorie intake too.

    I am SO sorry you lost your display. That just blows. Do you have the watch or the clip?

    In 9 months I have never burned anywhere close to 6,000 calories. Maybe close to 3,000 but the 6K seems like a TON of cals.

    You are gonna LOVE your bugg!!!!!

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  7. Hadley I LOVE My Body BUGG....Loves it. I have been wearing it since July. I have done all kinds of BB experiments. Like if I stand when I eat does it help...etc. My husband thinks its hilarious..... I lost my display a TON Of times but I found it each time They need to find a way to make it stay on better. I leave it off most days because I am scared to lose it!

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  8. nice list of goals!
    i found a neat idea on a blog i was randomly clicking around on last night, make a list of 101 goals/activities you want to accomplish in 1001 days (about 2 and 1/4 years). since i adore a good list, i'm setting about to make my own (which takes a lot damn longer than i thought it would!)
    and way to actually utilize your gym membership. i am woefully guilty of wasting a discounted 1 month membership at my gym earlier this year...i think i went a total of 3 times. but! we do have a small home gym here and i figure, why pay when i can get a similar workout here at home? so i'm no longer neglecting my home gym..thats my goal for the rest of sept and october.
    good luck on your goals hadley!!

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  9. Well, you totally deserve that award!
    I think those goals are attainable and will give you great results!

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  10. Congrats on the award! Well deserved.:-)
    I'm going to have to google this body bugg thing because I keep reading about it in everyone's blogs and still have not a clue what it is????
    I love your goals too. Way to go!!

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  11. You have a plan--that's what most people are missing. I love "Biggest Loser." I admit that I was a skinny model/beauty pageant girl who never once had to lose a pound, but sometimes needed to gain. I hit my 30s and went off the pill and gained rapidly. I've never had to lose weight in my entire life and it's overwhelmed me. No one told me how hard it would be. I mean, they said "diet and exercise" but people seem to magically show up thin after a few months and never speak about what they went through. Seeing "Biggest Loser" gave me such relief. To see them sweating and frustrated and in agony made me realize how ugly the process is. It screws up your moods, makes you highly competitive, irritable, sore, exhausted, and wanting to give up. But, in the end, they look so young and so healthy and beaming. I love that we see how hard it is to morph into a butterfly. I don't feel so alone when I see them suffering too. Keep it up--you give everyone who reads your blog that "Biggest Loser" feeling of not being alone in the journey and the priorities you have to make to lose weight and ensure health.

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  12. I like that idea of having one or two biggest losers day every month. I might take you up on that! I sure hope you ate more than 900 calories tho~ Don't starve yourself girl!!!

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  13. Glad to have you in the competition, and thanks for the link back! The goals look great. The BL days are going to be tough, but worth it!

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  14. Now I want a bodybugg. I couldn't believe when I heard them say 6,000 calories last night.
    Great goals. I can't wait to see what you are going to do on the BL days! A 5K? A hike? Basketball??

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  15. Yeah for the Body Bugg!! One question, do you have to use their software to track calories? What a bummer about the display.

    Thanks for mentioning the 100 days challenge. I'm definitely going to check it out!!

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  16. WOW, with those goals and that bugg thing looks like your always gonna be in the lead! well I support you!

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