BL COW Week 10

[Raenstoirm]

For those who don’t know the rules about the COWS, I will post a new COW sometime every Thursday. Each challenge week begins 12:01 am Friday morning and runs till midnight Thursday night. I figure posting the COW on Thursday gives you a little time to “plan” out how best to complete the challenge before the clock starts. Please email or PM me your score by Monday morning of the following week. (So tomorrow’s challenge score is “due” the 24th, although I recommend you pm or email it to me on Friday when you email Brenda your weight.)If you chose not to do the COWs at all, or only get around to doing a few items on the list that is perfectly fine. You will not hurt your team. The idea is to get you thinking and doing new things on this road to a new you, not to stress you out.


Please email or PM me your scores from last week beginning Friday. My email is ferretfeet@gmail.com if that is easier. Don’t forget to include your board name, team color and of course your score.


1 Complete 150 minutes of exercise this week (that is only a half hour for 5 days) (2 points for every 10 minutes- max 30)

2 Research a new healthy way to cook a Thanksgiving food and try it. Consider bringing it to the festivities. (15 points)

3 Spend some "me" time this week (take a bath, read a book, whatever you find relaxing)(5 points for every 20 minutes- max 30)

4 Plan a trip or visit with a loved one that lives far away. Make it a point to actually follow through. This may mean planning a summer 2009 visit, but at least they know you want to see them. (10 points)

5 Discuss with the group tips on how you fit in activity every day particularly with everything going on over the holidays (15 points)



This thread is for all losers. Just like the Biggest Loser TV show challenges this is the place where you cheer for people not necessarily on your team. This is the place to get to know the other team’s members and make the whole group a big community. Now of course you still have to return “home” from this little utopia, since after all this is a competition.

So Ladies, let’s have a COW!

 

[Raenstoirm]

The scores for week 8 are in and......

The winning member of week 5 is donac. Way to go!


I am happy to announce participation is up for this week which is great! I would love to see more people try this this week. It is not that hard to get a few points. You get points just for saying how you exercise this week. You are reading this thread anyway, so give us a quick post!

So with that, I would like to say

Congrats Black team. You got 75 points!

Blue came in second with 51 and Red is just behind with 48.

Keep up the good work gang!

 

[dare2dream]

I KNOW I can do this one. I challenge others to get to 100 with me.

 

[njmom23grls]

I'm right there with you! I CAN do this this week

 

[donac]

The scores for week 8 are in and......

The winning member of week 5 is donac. Way to go!


I am happy to announce participation is up for this week which is great! I would love to see more people try this this week. It is not that hard to get a few points. You get points just for saying how you exercise this week. You are reading this thread anyway, so give us a quick post!

So with that, I would like to say

Congrats Black team. You got 75 points!

Blue came in second with 51 and Red is just behind with 48.

Keep up the good work gang!

Thanks I really liked that challenge. I didn't pull a perfect score for this COW but maybe next week.

 

[ohMom]

you're on Brenda -- i need a boost!

 

[dare2dream]

OK I am here to discuss with the group tips on how you fit in activity every day particularly with everything going on over the holidays.

#1 When spending time with loved ones for the day take a walk together. Enjoy the beauty of nature and spend some quality time together.

#2 My personal favorite, exercise while watching TV. I realize that TV viewing may not be a priority with family around but if you are watching get up and move around. Encourage others to join you.

#3 Exercise first, have fun later.

Now I would like to share my experience with Plan a trip or visit with a loved one that lives far away. Make it a point to actually follow through. This may mean planning a summer 2009 visit, but at least they know you want to see them.

Background. I am the oldest of 3 girls. I am the only one married and with kids. I live 2 hours away from the rest of the family. Sisters all live within 45 minutes of mom. Dad died of cancer almost 13 years ago. I had young kids at home and worked full time at the time and could not be there as often as I would have liked. Mom is now 77 and has had heart problems since dad died and once again I could not be there like my sisters. I am the black sheep of the family. My kids have all now left the nest. I have drifted apart from my sisters. Our livestyles are quite different and I have not worked on sustaining our relationships. I talk to mom by phone weekly.

Mom still lives in the three bedroom home I grew up in. When my family was younger we would all come to visit with a place for everyone to sleep. Mom is a packrat and now none of the three extra beds are usable for sleeping. They hold her precious stuff. After my kids left it got to the point that only I could go visit her because she could only clean off a single bed for me. Cleaning the double bed DH and I used to share is no longer an option.

Several years ago mom could not clean off a bed for me to visit. I have tried to do a day trip to visit but four hours of driving makes for a stressful day. My sisters have convinced her that for health reasons it is not safe for her to drive to see me. I do have a guest room she could occupy for overnight visits.

I have not seen mom in a while and wanted to invite her to visit for Thanksgiving. She usually spends the holiday alone. When this item was posted on the challenge I put off my invitation so it could count for the challenge. Here is a synopsis of my Saturday conversation with mom.

Me - What are your Thanksgiving plans?

mom - Nothing much. I'll just be home alone.

Me - I'd love to have you spend the holiday with Ken and I. I will drive up and get you. You can stay in our guest bedroom. We can enjoy a special meal together and you can spend several days with us. We can go to a local crafter's fair on Black Friday and do some local sightseeing. We could even take an overnight girls trip to Pennsylvania if you want. I am so excited to have you come to visit.

mom - I can not be away from home for that long.

Me - Well you can just come for Thanksgiving and I will take you the next day if that is what you want.

mom-I have four Thanksgiving dinners to attend next week with all the senior groups I am a part of.

Me-I would really like you to come here for Thanksgiving.

mom-I don't think I want to do that.

Me-I have not seen you in a really long time. When can I come to visit for the day.

mom-I am too busy working on getting my Christmas cards sent out. (Mom always sends out hundreds of Christmas cards to everyone she has ever know. Each year she also includes copies of her annual Christmas letter. You know the one - this is what I did this year, the kids did that, we are all doing fabulously and Merry Christmas to you by the way.)

Me-OK I see that you are very busy. (Conversation ends abruptly. I hang up and bawl my eyes out.)

In my weekly calls to mom I will listen for the declaration that the Christmas cards are done and I will then demand to know when I can come to visit for the day. On that day I will somehow manage to discuss how devastated I feel about this whole thing. I have offered to help her declutter the house but she is not interested in my help.

Any suggestions ladies??

 

[TammyNC]

Shared my thoughts on our team thread but thought I'd post here too...

Ways to stay fit over the busy holidays...when out shopping, park far away from the doors, every step counts and will help us out. DH & I have also been taking the time to go up to the park and walk (even when it's getting dark and so much colder)...we take the time to discuss Christmas stuff that the kids ears don't need to hear. Since I've been drinking lots more water, I'm in the bathroom a lot more...everytime I go in, I do at least 10 squats, jumping jacks, etc. They add up over the day.

As for taking a dish and making it healthier...I have found a way to change up my mashed potatoes and I'm going to give it a try this week before deciding on if it is a keeper for Thanksgiving.

 

[Raenstoirm]

That's a rough one, Bren. I don't really have any suggestions. One sort of consultation is that you know she is happy, or at least content, with her life. She has friends and hobbies, so at least you cant feel guilty about not making time for her when your kids were young. You said you were not close to your sisters, but maybe a "I'm concerned about mom" conversation may be in order.

Some families just aren't destined to be close knit. I am sorry yours is one of them.