Needing Challenge Partner or Group

[Dia Minha]

I accomplished so much on my personal challenge of no sugar for 21 days (did 19 of those 21). I have been wanting to do it again for different reasons. I have tried to set up a challenge for myself and have been unsuccesful. After thinking through why this might be, I decided it was because last time I had someone in my WW meetings doing the challenge with me. I really think this helped.

Is there anyone that wants to join me in a similiar type of challenge? I'm changing the rules a little this time. You can make up your own rules. These are mine.

One protein bar a day. (This is the only pre-workout meal I have been able to come up with that is quick, easy and gives me what I need to get through both a strength training and cardio routine.)
One smoothie a day. (This is how I get in 3-4 servings of fruits and my flax seed in every day. It also helps me get in my aloe vera juice.)
I can enjoy one serving of any treat or dessert once a week, at FHE. (This way I do not feel deprived and binge on something else to make up for it.)
Otherwise, no other sugar such has; candy, cookies, cake, ice-cream, etc. and no white flour such as; crackers, bread, tortillas etc.

Like I said, this is my own personal challenge. You can come up with your own rules that fit within your needs and desires of what it is that you would like to accomplish.

I'm going to start tomorrow, Thursday, April 17th. Any takers?

[Meticulous madness]

Okay so...as a challenge partner (or group) do you just mean that you want a person or people to check in with on a regular basis? Like, a goal-Nazi or something?

You talked about your specific goal, but not necessarily what you expect out of a partnership (as far as give 'n' take, rewards, consequences, timing involved - yada, yada).

Maybe I should just call you. I definitely have one specific goal that I keep making over and over, and it eludes me (notice how my words reflect a lack of personal accountability?) heehee.

I'm ready to give something else a try!!!

[Dia Minha]

Well, I was hoping to find somebody who was willing to concentrate on something similiar to what I'm doing. It wouldn't have to be going sugar free, but maybe cutting back on sugar or something along those lines.

The last time I did the challenge, someone in my meetings agreed to do it with me. The funny thing is that she never even did it, but just thinking that someone else was doing it with me, really helped me pull through some tough times.

So really I just need to know that there is someone else out there that I know that is working on something similiar to me. Someone I could check in with on a weekly basis or someone to vent to when it gets hard. She wouldn't even have to start at the same time and she could create her own rules.

Are you still interested, or does this elusive goal not meet these requirements?

[Meticulous madness]

Well, as much as I'm interested in a challenge group or check-in buddy, my goals probably aren't similar enough for what you might need right now.

I'm trying to give up a few specific foods/drinks that I love to consume (pretty much daily), and I'm trying to add more water into my diet. My goals aren't as specific because my eating habits are REALLY bad, at this point. So...just a few small changes are my "first step." Baby steps.

I may get to the point you're at a little later, but I'm just not there yet.

[Dia Minha]

Hey, M&M that might work. I was thinking that maybe you were wanting to work on something completely different, but when you said you were trying to give up a few specific foods/drinks it hit me that is basically the same thing. We would both be going without something and could give each other support and understanding.

Do you want to go for it?

[Dia Minha]

I might get to nazi for you though, because I will require for you to get specific even if it is just one little baby step.

[Dia Minha]

I just wanted to add, that as you jump in and start making improvements you will better know how to make your guidelines more specific. Taking baby steps is good. Taking one little step at a time is a lot better than trying to take a giant leap and falling on your behind.

[Meticulous madness]

Yeah. I think our goals are definitely similar in the sense that we're each giving up something that will be difficult to give up. And we're both adding something into our regimen that will require effort and planning. And both our goals are diet related.

So, yes...I'm totally on board, if you think it will work how you intended!

ANYBODY ELSE???!!!

I can definitely be more specific on my goals and I will really appreciate you being a Nazi about it. Like I said, I've wanted to do this for a while. But there's always a reason to put it off. I'm too busy. I'm too stressed. I'll do it tomorrow. I'll do it next Monday. The excuses go on and on.

[5ft Diva]

This has been a motivating thread to read. You gals put hope in the word teamwork. I wish you the best!

[Meticulous madness]

Originally Posted by 5ft Diva

This has been a motivating thread to read. You gals put hope in the word teamwork. I wish you the best!

Thanks!

And maybe you could join us. Your goal could be something along the lines of getting in your 4-5 small and nutritious meals a day (like you were referencing in another thread). It's so hard to eat after having a C-section, with all the stomach muscles healing, and whatnot.

My body just isn't the same for months afterward (so I completely understand).

Anyway...I was going to say this earlier but didn't (sorry). At a girls' night (like a year ago) you asked me if I needed an "intervention" to help get over some of my addictions. I laughed and said that I didn't. But, I think about that conversation all the time and how if I'd just had an open mind about what you meant, or asked you for more details...maybe I would already be past this bad habit. Who knows.

Better late than never, I suppose.

[5ft Diva]

Thanks for the invite, MM, but I'm not sure if I'm the right gal for this. Where you're ready to take the plunge, I'm still gathering useful and helpful information for my eating choices so I can later learn how to apply them. I'm not against the idea of joining you guys, I just don't think it would be all that helpful to be a part of an abstinence group if I'm not abstaining from anything. Does this make sense? Would you agree or disagree? I think I need a different kind of challenge partner, but love the idea of a partner.

[LostnFound]

I would love to join you gals on this. I'm with you MM, there is a point where I have to stop making excuses or delaying what I want to accomplish. It's been years for me I am sad to say that I have wanted to change the same things.

My goals would be to stop drinking soda, drink 8 glasses of water a day, and to walk four times a week in the mornings. My toughest is going to be the soda. I am addicted to Mtn. Dew. I have tried to quit sooooo many times.

I think this group sounds like just the thing I need!!!

[5ft Diva]

I love how you guys are going to replace this w/ something else. Not to get too off subject, but on Sunday in GD we had the olive tree lesson. The instructor taught that we need to cut OUT our wild branches so we can allow the natural ones to grow back in or in some cases we have so many wild branches that we need natural ones grafted in. As I listen to you I picture the addictions as the wild branches and the better food choices as the natural brances. This is exactly what I pictured (replacing bad habits) when he was talking about this concept. Way to go girls! Thanks for the inspiration and motivation to be better and make better choices. I can see it would be so much easier to do this w/ more than just yourself.

Dia, you've created a movement!!

[Meticulous madness]

Originally Posted by 5ft Diva

Thanks for the invite, MM, but I'm not sure if I'm the right gal for this. Where you're ready to take the plunge, I'm still gathering useful and helpful information for my eating choices so I can later learn how to apply them. I'm not against the idea of joining you guys, I just don't think it would be all that helpful to be a part of an abstinence group if I'm not abstaining from anything. Does this make sense? Would you agree or disagree? I think I need a different kind of challenge partner, but love the idea of a partner.

I absolutely LOVE how strategic you are 5D! You have always impressed me with that incredible skill.

As a side note: I have some challenging goals for myself in every aspect of my life right now, not just food-related abstinence (and I'm only clarifying 'food related' because as we speak...I am chuckling over being part of an "abstinence" movement in my post-marriage life ). My day-to-day life style is about to change significantly. So, I just feel like it's a good time to completely revamp the current ME, "out" with the old bad habits and "in" with the new good ones. Some times you just need a fresh start, ya know?

So, anyway...back to my original reason for posting...

When you get ready for a challenge partner of a different sort, 5D, make sure you put it out there. Ya never know! I do think there is power in numbers!

[Meticulous madness]

Originally Posted by LostnFound

I would love to join you gals on this. I'm with you MM, there is a point where I have to stop making excuses or delaying what I want to accomplish. It's been years for me I am sad to say that I have wanted to change the same things.

My goals would be to stop drinking soda, drink 8 glasses of water a day, and to walk four times a week in the mornings. My toughest is going to be the soda. I am addicted to Mtn. Dew. I have tried to quit sooooo many times.

I think this group sounds like just the thing I need!!!

YAY!!!! That will be fun to have you with us, LNF.

Personally, I get a little nervous now that I've committed to it (truly, I'm glad I just jumped in because if I'd given it much thought, I would have chickened out). But the good thing about me is that I'm extremely loyal and dependable when others are counting on me.

Even though I've known forever that I need to fix a few things, I just have a ton of pride. It's very difficult for me to admit the issues I have, and it's difficult to discover that I haven't been able to fix them on my own.

Dia - are we doing this publicly on the forum? Or are we going to do a phone/e-mail private group thing. Just wondering (speaking of pride).

[Dia Minha]

Originally Posted by Meticulous madness

Dia - are we doing this publicly on the forum? Or are we going to do a phone/e-mail private group thing. Just wondering (speaking of pride).

I'm fine with whatever you are comfortable with. What would be really awesome is to have both of you join me at a Weight Watchers meeting every week. However, I realize that might not be possible, so I'm up for anything.

What about you LostnFound? What would work best for you?

[Dia Minha]

Ok, here is the deal. You have to inform me and the other member of our group of your plan. Include what you are going without and when you are going to start.

Just for a little guide, it really does help to start out slow and make it specific. For example: LnF, are you going to start right out giving up ALL soda or just Mountain Dew? I have found that it is easier to give up something as addictive as caffiene if I concentrate on it first, than work on the smaller addiction, which would be sodas. It might be easier to give up the caffiene if you could still have a soda. So your first step could be replacing the Mountain Dew with a non-caffienated soda. After a week or so, when you feel like you have that part down, you can go for ALL soda. Maybe even by switching to diet first. I feel like I'm not being very clear here, so please ask me questions or at least repeat it back so that I know you get it.

On a side note: Giving up caffiene is hard. To avoid any withdrawel symptoms you need to give it up slowly. If you are drinking two a day, try cutting back to just one, for several days and then a half for a couple of days. This will really help with the headaches. You might even notice a change in sleeping patterns so beware of that. If you want to go cold turkey it will take about a week for the headaches to go away and longer to readjust your sleeping patterns. I have done it both ways. For me going cold turkey was the hardest for the first week, but then I was free. Taking the slower method took longer, but with fewer symptoms.

[Dia Minha]

LnF it looks like we are in the same boat. I too have given up caffiene many times. I quit drinking diet Coke a long time ago, but started back up with Crystal Lights energy mixer with caffiene. I was trying to get off the artificial sweetner so when I quit drinking that I started taking an energy vitamin. I didn't realize it had caffiene in it when I bought it. It was several days before I realized it. Then when Elder Ballard talked about not using any substance to help get more done I decided I needed to quit once again. I threw them away that day. It has been almost two weeks and I'm still trying to get back on a sleeping schedule. I struggle throughout the day, because I know that if I could just have one of my little "happy pills" I could get so much more done, but it is getting better. Hey, I got my kitchen cleaned up yesterday. Hasn't happened in weeks. Well, ok, just the surface was clean. Don't you dare look in the fridge or check the window sill, because they are nasty. I need to catch up on all the surfaces, before starting in on those things.

[Dia Minha]

Originally Posted by Meticulous madness

Personally, I get a little nervous now that I've committed to it (truly, I'm glad I just jumped in because if I'd given it much thought, I would have chickened out). But the good thing about me is that I'm extremely loyal and dependable when others are counting on me.

I felt the same way M&M. If you are anything like me, you have tried to just cut back a little at a time. I found it so much easier to just go without. You can do this. You go girl.

[Dia Minha]

Ok confession time. I really meant to start my previously listed plan first thing this morning. However, I forgot to do my little nightly ritual. So, I got up this morning and did the usual and completely flopped. But, I am starting right NOW!

So here is another lesson that hopefully you can learn from me and not have to learn for yourself. It is ok to mess up, but don't let a whole day go by, just so you can have a "fresh" start, tomorrow. You'll end up cutting off you hand and it will be harder to recover. Just do it now.

And for future mistakes or slips. It is ok. Stop and think about why you slipped. Decide how you can prevent it from happening again. Write it down. Move on. When writing your goal, give yourself permission to slip up a number of times and still acheive your winning outcome. In other words something along the following: I will be sugar free for 21 days. I can miss twice the first week, once the second, and by the third week I will be sugar free. (This is something I learned from a book called "The Twelve Week Challenge". It really works.) Then when giving your update, do not report your planned misses as slip ups. You gave yourself permission to do it, so don't count it as a mistake.