April 2024 Add 'em up Goals & Habits Challenge ~All welcome!

[Vantreesta]

Come join us in setting and achieving goals and developing habits to promote your overall wellness! We are a friendly and welcoming group who love to chat when we have time, but please also feel free to join us if you want to just focus on your goals. No pressure here to address everyone; share as little or as much as you want!

We have been doing this challenge for many years now (since 2011, I think). While it is not strictly about fitness goals, we agree that our daily habits work together with our fitness goals to make us happier and more balanced, so we combine them in this challenge. Feel free to join us! You can tailor it to your schedule if you need to take a week off for vacation or only count so many days. Whatever works for you!

Premise: Choose your goals for the month. Every time you complete a goal you get a point. Multiply your number of daily goals by the number of days in the month. This is your max total points. If you choose, reward yourself for reaching a certain percentage of your max possible (I use 90% for my personal goal), multiply by your max to get your total goal points. I also give myself extra credit options.

**Take this challenge however you wish. I used to total my points all the time but have fallen away from that and now just track my goals. There really are no rules, your challenge is your own, we're just here for support and to help each other with accountability. We would love to have you join us!

[Vantreesta]

Vantreesta's April Goals & Habits

Mindfulness. Planning. Commitment. Discipline. Consistency. Mental fortitude. Accomplishment.

Goals for 2024
1. Prioritize sleep
2. Reestablish and maintain a consistent workout routine
3. Make smarter food choices with a focus on cutting back on sugar and eating more veggies
4. Get back to church attendance and Bible study
5. Lose 15 lbs (I know the number on the scales is just a number but it still factors in!)

April habits to work on to support my goals:
1. Get up no later than 8:30 AM (1 pt EC for every 15 min earlier)
2. No eating after 10 PM
3. No phone games or puzzles after 10 PM
4. Turn off TV and head to bed no later than 11 PM
5. PT exercises 3 days/week
6. Workout 70% of the days (21)
7. Meet weekly workout minutes goals (10 pts--EC for every half hour beyond goal)

Extra credit:
1. 7 1/2 hours of sleep (5 pts)
2. 20000 steps
3. 4 miles a day with Cyric


Max possible points: 188 (6.3 avg pts/day)
Points goal (90%): 169 (5.6 avg pts/day)
Reward: personal satisfaction!

April 1-7> 33 pts (out of avg 44) ~ 75%
April 8-14> 49 pts (out of avg 44) ~ 111%
April 15-21> 42 pts (out of avg 44) ~ 95%
April 22-28> pts (out of avg 44) ~ %
April 29-30> pts (out of avg 12) ~ %


total for the month: /188 ~ %

[Vantreesta]

I know I say this every month, but how is it April already???

[Vantreesta]

I woke up Sunday with a bad headache so I went back to sleep. I had planned on going to church but ended up watching online since I didn't have time to shower beforehand. Saturday I made deviled eggs and chai-spiced pumpkin pie so I didn't have to do it on Sunday, and then it didn't matter much anyway. I usually make ham, au gratin potatoes, rolls and deviled eggs for Easter, but I had to spend so much money last week on restocking stuff that I didn't feel like spending more on a ham so we had meatloaf, mashed potatoes and corn and still had rolls and the eggs. The pie is good but it doesn't really taste chai-spiced, so that was disappointing. I am everything chai and pumpkin, all year long!

Saturday I did a short jump rope workout to keep my consecutive-weeks streak going and then stretched on my own. Not much, but it was good and at least smthg after nothing while I was sick.

Looking forward to the movies and supper with my friend tonight. We're going to see Ghostbusters.

Mon 4/1 142 minutes
10 minutes (from Yoga With Kassandra Flexible Body, Flexible Mind 30 Day Morning Yoga Challenge day 23 Reframe, YT) 1st time
10 minutes (from Dr. Bri Pelvic Floor Balance & Impact Challenges At-Home Kegel Camp, Day 23, YT) 1st time
9 minutes (from Crossrope Fast Break Tabatas)
46 minutes (from C. Friedrich STS 2.0 Total Body Super Sets express #4) 1st time
23 minutes (from C. Freidrich STS 2.0 Total Body Stretch)
5 minutes (from PT stretches)
39 minutes (from 3 dog walks 2.44 mi)
Pedometer: 13018 steps, 6.32 mi/Fitbit: 12631 steps, 5.97mi


This was the first time doing premix #4 of Super Sets, which was double supersets. I had only done single supersets before and couldn't understand why people were unhappy with the rest periods. Now I know! In between superset groupings there are 2-minute breaks, but each superset of two exercises are done without a break. When you only do singles, you have 2 minutes between and that seemed like a long time. But when you do two or three sets of groupings without a break, well, that really upped the ante!

I woke up sore already this morning so I did Yoga by Gillian -10 min Morning Yin Yoga - The ULTIMATE way to start your day, which showed up in my feed. It was just lying spinal twist to each side and then reclined butterfly, but it was nice.

I really need to get my butt in gear to get in workouts and shower before I have to leave for my friend's house! It's gonna be tight.

My new goal is to post my workouts regularly on all my check-ins but try to do personals on each one just once a week. Trying to do it on 7 check-ins every time I post is just overwhelming!

[Catahoula Cate]

Just a quick hello! I'll try to get my goals posted tomorrow.

[Vantreesta]

Yesterday I only had time to jump rope and run a couple miles on the treadmill (bc it was kind of wet and icky outside). Jumped off the treadmill into the shower and almost straight from the shower to the car to get to my friend's on time! Today I intended to workout before the 12:10 first pitch, but I couldn't sleep last night and was up till 2:30 this morning so I slept in till almost 9:30 and just didn't get it done. Then I sat down with my crochet when the game started and accomplished nothing else the rest of the day! I made a little squirrel for my hubby.

[Catahoula Cate]

Daily for 1 pt each.
1. supplements/vitamins
2. Daily Devotion
3. Declutter
4. dvd, walk or youtube
5. Keep up with Daily Exercise Chart
6. Gratitude Journal
7. water: 7 glasses
8. 30 min breaks from working on computer.

Extra point for additional walk, dvd, youtube video.
Extra point for Greenhouse work(more like play )

[Catahoula Cate]

I posted my goals just to keep things in mind but I'm not going to keep up with points. It's another very busy month!

I finally found the slant board I want to order. The one I was initially thinking of is made of a dense foam but not adjustable. I've been watching youtube Posture Guy "Mike" and really like the demo they have on the slant board. They sell them on their website....a little pricier than the foam one but I think I'll like having an adjustable better. I'm going to pass on the theracane for now since the slant board is more than I planned on.

Vannie, your crocheted squirrel sounds really cute!

[Vantreesta]

Katie, I was wondering yesterday what slant board you did or were getting. I'll check that one out, thanks!


Thu 4/4 171 minutes
5 minutes (from Cha-Cha Slide)
7 minutes (from L. Holden 30-Day Qi Gong challenge day 23)
10 minutes (from S. Bowen 10MS Pilates Perfect Body -belly)
15 minutes (from C. Jordan -15-Minute Glute Activation Workout, YT)
11 minutes (from B. Bowman GuerrillaZen Fitness 10-min Knee Stability Routine for Bulletproof Knees, YT)
5 minutes (from C. Jordan -Help for Shin Splints Exercises, YT)
5 minutes (from H. Estrada Aztec Athletics -5-Minute Calf Plyometric Workout for Runners, YT)
6 minutes (from Dr. Bri -3-Minute Miracle for Your Pelvic Floor, YT)
31 minutes (from 2.42 mi for ZL 10k trainer wk2 day1)
9 minutes (from H. Clare -Best Exercises for Piriformis Syndrome, YT)
5 minutes (from Dr. Bri -5 Minute Foot, Core, and Pelvic Floor Workout, YT)
4 minutes (from Dr. Bri -Hip Rock-Back: Low Back & Pelvic Mobility Exercise, YT)
3 minutes (from Yoga With Bird -Simple Beginners Yoga Stretch Under 5 Mins! | 30 Day Yoga Challenge 2022 | DAY 23, YT) 1st time
5 minutes (from Dr. Bri -Top 3 Pelvic Floor Stretches for Women and Men | Quick Release, YT)
50 minutes (from 2 dog walks 3.08 mi)
Pedometer: 16714 steps, 7.87 mi/Fitbit: 16876 steps, 8.15 mi

[Leonana]

I’m still not working out, don’t have the energy yet. I get around 4,000 to 5,000 steps at work, plus housework, and that’s all I can do! I get a little better each week, but recovery is slow.