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

Week 12 day 7!!!!!!!

We did it!!!! 

I can't believe it's over... well... NOT QUITE YET!

We are doing one more week of ALL THE WEEKLY (and daily) CHALLENGES IN ONE WEEK!

I can't wait to try this. It's gonna be extra hard because I will be in California for 3 of the 7 days. We'll see how that goes!

Before I finish 12 weeks I have to share what I have learned in the challenge and how it has blessed my life. There is no way to understate how much of a blessing this challenge has been to me. My sister passed away 5 months ago from suicide and I believe that if I hadn't been focused on this challenge and staying on top of my physical, spiritual and emotional health, with about 40 wonderful friends, I would not have come out of this phase of life feeling as peaceful and strong and focused as I feel right now. I have had so many wonderful experiences and have immensely enjoyed reading about all the incredible experiences of the others in this group. They have shared with all of us what they have learned, how they have grown, how their lives and the lives of others around them (both friends and strangers) have been blessed because they are more ready, willing and able to heed the call of the Lord to be his angels. The world needs more angels! Thanks to all who did this with me for your inspiration.

Here is a list of some of the practical things that I have learned about myself and how I work best:

What I have learned from More Fit For the Kingdom!

-       Getting up early and working out is the only way for me to be really happy.

-       I must get my prayers and scripture in the morning as early as possible

-       Taking a nap in the afternoon after I have done all my most important items, is FAR better than sleeping in.

-       Going to the temple once a week is essential.

-       Eating treats does not have to be a daily event and feel better and taste better when done once or twice a week. I CAN DO IT!

-       Exercise does NOT have to be in a gym, really long and difficult or boring.

-       Exercise is best for my overall health when it is outside or with other people.

-       I don’t have to be in exercise clothes to get some exercise!

-       Praying every day to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands brings to pass the greatest experiences and blessings. It is what I am here for- and those that need me as an instrument the most, are my own family. If my day feels disjointed and out of sync, it's because I forgot to pray in the morning. 

-       I CAN work out 6 days a week! (I only missed 2 days of exercise the whole 12 weeks and one day was because I was SICK!)

I CAN DO HARD THINGS because I AM WILLING TO LET THE LORD HELP ME!!!

Thanks to everyone for joinging me on this journey and let's rock this last crazy everything week!!!

Week 8: Day 7

ANGELS-

ONLY 3 WEEKS LEFT! Does that make you happy or sad or scared? Don't worry, that is not a survey question!  Sorry this is so late tonight... I have been flitting around Gilbert being an angel (and playing games with my family which is my favorite thing)!

I would say I hope you had a great week but eating fruit and being an angel, I am pretty sure did lead to some pretty happy days - but still, I hope I am right! Before I give you the survey, I want to share with you the comments from last week's survey about Genealogy and Water. I am soooo happy with all that I read. You had some amazing experiences becoming closer to loved ones on the other side, or recording your own memories for your posterity and much more. That is so inspiring to see what is going on out there with our group. We have done soooo much over these last 9 weeks it really is fun to see and be a part of! Thank you!!

This next week's mystery challenge is in the survey- it is one where you will have to follow your own path, allowing the Spirit to guide you in exactly how to implement it. I really hope you do challenge yourself with this and reap the rewards!

This week's WEEKLY Challenge is to do 50 push ups a day! This can be done in smaller pieces and can be done with your hands on a bench or even against a wall if you have physical limitations that will cause injury or if you need to work into it. You can also do them on your knees for an easier version. If you don't have any physical limitations then GO FOR IT!!!!! My dad does 100 push ups every day and he's not even doing the challenge (he does them on a bench- he is 67!) If our cheerleader for this challenge is still with us and reading this email, will you please send me some info for the group? (I can't find my list).

Here are your responses- 

Thoughts on Genealogy Challenge-

I worked on my life history, by working on a time line of my life.

For the past 6 years I’ve wanted to learn more about my great-great-great-grandfather George Parker Dykes who was buried in the Mesa Cemetery in 1888.  (Almost all of my ancestors are in Utah.)  He served in the Mormon Battalion but was later excommunicated and moved to AZ with one of his wives. Sunday evening I finally called my grandfather’s 93-year-old cousin who is the family history expert.  I have been meaning to call her ever since moving to Mesa 6 years ago.  We spent 45 minutes talking about this specific family line, and she asked me to help her find out some additional information we need.  I emailed her several photos of family headstones at the Mesa Cemetery, which I know she will love.  I feel that one of the reasons I am living in Mesa right now is to help with this family history.  I am grateful for this specific challenge that encouraged me to finally make that phone call and hopefully help solve some family mysteries.  I’m so excited to see what I can find!

I have always wanted to prepare a name for the temple, but this was not the week to do it. Instead, I read the journal of an ancestor. I had a great experience as I participated in our stake youth trek and was able to reflect on the things I read in the journals. I also enjoyed watching my kids get interested in their heritage. Sunday night I found my son on the couch reading his great-great-grandfather's journal like a good novel you can't put down.

I am helping my daughter prepare to be married and sealed in the temple on July 16 the same day of the year her dad and I were married and sealed in the temple.  I guess I am working on the opposite end of genealogy right now.

Good to get back to that part of the gospel. Had fun finding a name for Rustin to do the baptism for! We have already done all the work for the wife and now they are on the road to being sealed!

I didn't get much done in this area other than a couple of discussions with family members and a friend at church...guess it has to start somewhere though!

i have been doing genealogy for my dad's side of the family for about a year now - and it is not easy at all!  with my dad being the only member of the church in his family, and not much information from relatives - it is hard, but very rewarding to make connections to the past!  to aid in the frustration that can come, i am reading the life story of my great-grandma heap, for the second time!  i love love love the stories of my family  -- it is so much more than names . . .it is life!  so grateful for life and its continuation and connection . . . .

Thoughts on Drinking 64 oz Water- week 8:

Drinking water helped me feel hydrated and healthy!

Better than soda!

I LOVE water!

Everything works better with water in the system!  Felt lighter in spite of drinking so much.

I loved the info from the water coach this week.  I learned more about water in one week than in my whole life.  Water is AWESOME!!!

Water has always been my favorite beverage!

I didn't really learn anything new because I've always been a believer in the importance of drinking enough water and why, but I did feel that those beliefs were even more reinforced!

I normally drink about that much water a day.

Being an Angel - Week 9: Day 3

Hello MFFTK angels-

Great job last week and congrats to the 30 people who still reported- 8 of you had perfect weeks!!! That's 26.6 % of us that got 63 points! And... 10 people were in the fifties! No matter what your scores are- I am so glad you are toughing it out to the end!  I hope you are feeling the blessings... I am! 

Are you remembering to pray to be an instrument in the Lord's hands and then watching for ways that the Spirit directs you to help others? Whenever you get a benevolent or charitable hunch or a thought - DO NOT DISMISS IT! Just assume with confidence that that is the Holy Ghost gently guiding you to those in need. "Angel-ing" comes in many forms... a phone call, a visit, a smile, an email, a shoulder to cry on, helping someone financially, praying for someone who is facing a trial, sharing your testimony with someone... or just being a loving person in whatever capacity you serve. Please check out this recent article from the AZ Republic about Ralph, an earthly angel who works at the drive-through at the McDonald's near my house. 4 months ago he made such an impact on me that I wrote about him in my journal and he was a total stranger!!! His simple and pure love of Christ and others has made him a bright and shining example of charity that many people besides myself have noticed. http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert/articles/2011/05/23/20110523gilbert-mcdonalds-popular-drive-through-worker-ralph.html

Four days after my sister, Liza's, funeral, I was wearing one of her shirts my mother had given me and I had never worn it before. I drove through McDonald's to get my kids a snack and there was Ralph, he said "Wow, you are dressed for success!" and I told him thanks, it was my sister's shirt. Then he asked how my weekend was and he was so sweet I felt like telling him the truth, that we had actually just had the funeral of my little sister but that we were doing okay thanks to the prayers of so many people and a feeling of closeness to God. He was so tender in his response, and he said, "Keep being the wonderful you that you are. You radiate with light and it shows. When we lose loved ones we know that they are safe in God's arms. God bless you."  I was blown away. It was music to my ears and made me almost cry. When Liza was alive I worried about her safety almost constantly and it was nice to be reminded that now she was safe in God's arms. I knew that Ralph was being inspired by the Holy Ghost with what he said to me and it was incredibly comforting. He was my angel that day! This is what I want us to be!!!

I love you guys! Have a fantastically fruity week and we will talk again soon!

Sarah

MYSTERY CHALLENGE: Be an angel (Worth 3 points).
	YES! The Lord needs mortal angels and I will be one of them! 29 7% No, it's too much work. 0 0%

How did you feel about the GENEALOGY challenge this week?
	I enjoyed helping family members get one step closer to salvation 7 2% I don't have much experience in this area but took a step in the right direction 12 3% I don't know what I am doing and so I didn't try 1 0% I was too busy to help my ancestors 9 2%

Which daily challenge was the most difficult for you this week?
	Twice daily personal prayer 3 1% Daily personal scripture study 1 0% Not eating after 7:30 2 0% Exercise 6 1% No desserts 12 3% No Soda (or other personal nemesis) 3 1% Drinking 64 oz of water 2 0%

Are you going to incorperate last week's challenge (drink 64 oz WATER) into your daily routine now?
	Absolutely! Hydration feels amazing! 22 5% Somewhat, I will drink more water than I did before but probably not 64 oz each day! 7 2% No. Drinking soda is as close as I will get to drinking water! 0 0% No. I don't like the decor in my bathroom enough. 0 0%

Which of the WEEKLY challenges have improved your health the most?
	No Sweets 18 4% Food Journal- Count Calories 0 0% 7 hours of sleep per night 5 1% Eat Recommended Fiber 2 0% 100 Sit-ups per day 0 0% Write in Journal daily 1 0% 4 servings of veggies a day 3 1%

Rate yourself between 1 and 5 on your effort
	1- I didn't try at all 1 0% 2- I tried a little but can do much better 9 2% 3- I put a decent amount of effort into it 4 1% 4- I wasn't perfect but worked hard 10 2% 5- I gave it all I had this week! 5 1%

Would you be interested in a party at the end of this challenge?
	Yes 20 5% No 9 2%

--
Lots of love-

Sarah Crawford

480-236-2326

www.MoreSaviorLikeThee.blogspot.com