Anyone up for a challenge?

Full disclosure: I'm typing this while licking peanut butter off the back of a spoon.

I hope my post on the artificial sweeteners didn't make anyone feel judged. That certainly wasn't my intention. It was more of a "first we couldn't drink regular soda because of the HFCS; now we can't drink diet; soon they won't even let us drink water" grouse.

Did any of you guys see this article in The Onion this week (for those of you not in the US, The Onion is a fake weekly newspaper): Study: Use of Phrase 'Don't Skimp On The' Linked to Heart Disease Read it first, then read the rest of this post.

If you read the whole Times article, the author of one of the studies did bring up the idea that the study showed correlation, not causation. (Which is why I didn't specifically mention it--it was in the article).

But for me, at least, correlation or causation doesn't make a difference in what I'm going to do with the information that there's some kind of link, in terms of my own behavior.

I thought Catherine's comment was brilliant. If artificial sweeteners cause metabolic changes, then obviously we should stop using them. But Catherine's comment points out that it could just be a correlation, but that that still points to a problem, just a different one.

From a public health standpoint, I hope that it turns out that there isn't a causal link, because it would mean that we've been effectively poisoning ourselves willingly for 20 years. But I actually think that a behavioral link (as Catherine put it) is more interesting to me, and I'm guessing to you.

Have you ever gone on a low-sugar or low-carb diet? You feel like you are literally going to die of the cravings for the first week. And sweet is such a cultural force. Witness the comments to my Valentine's Day rant, when people were outraged that I didn't want my son to have candy. (Which, again, I'm fine with candy, just not every week in school. I'm all for Halloween and Easter as candy ground zeros, but I resist candy just for the sake of candy, or as a boredom reliever.) It's almost as if we're supposed to have something sweet and comforting in our mouths to help us manage the stresses of daily life. And artificial sweet is so meaningless and disposable, so it doesn't matter. Which is cool on one hand, but alienating on the other.

Did you guys read the Little House books? I'm thinking about the scene in one of the middle books--Plum Creek, maybe--in which Ma gets hold of some white sugar and makes some white cakes for Laura's birthday. And how special they were. I wonder what it would be like to live without having sweet tastes at our disposal so easily.

So I was thinking about how useless all these musings were, and how they aren't helping anyone, and then realized that we could actually all be helping each other. I believe, without a doubt, that the reason so many of us are so stressed and tired and stretched out and unhappy with ourselves is that we're eating the typical Western diets and living the post-post-modern lifestyle.

So I'm going to propose a challenge. 60 days, starting next Wednesday, Feb 27 (so we have time to figure out what we're going to do and to have a last hurrah) and running until April 26. Do three things to improve your health, whether that means giving something up (ahem, diet soda) or doing something new (ahem, T-Tapp Basic Workout Plus) and stick with it as well as you can during those 60 days.

Everyone who "finishes" will get some sort of prize, which I haven't determined yet, and which will undoubtedly have no actual value. "Finishing" will mean that you're still doing it on April 26 and haven't given up, even if you slip up a bunch of times during those 60 days. Consistency, not perfection.

Here are some suggestions of things you could do to improve your health:

Switch out your coffee for green tea.
Stop drinking diet soda (or Crystal Light) and drink water instead.
Actually start drinking 64+ ounces of water a day.
Take Omega 3s every day.
Cut out refined sugar.
Switch from refined carbs to whole grains.
Start reading all labels and not using anything with high-fructose corn syrup.
Exercise for 15-25 minutes a day.
Start running (the 60-day Challenge will end just about the time all the summer 5Ks start). (Read's DoctorMama's post on how to start here.)
Take up T-Tapp (read Summer's post on how to start here.)
Eat 5+ servings of vegetables every day.
Take the stairs every time.
Walk/bike to work.
Go to bed at a decent time.

Please suggest more in the comments. Next Wednesday on the official start, we can all post what our three things are going to be. (I know what mine will be already: Switch out my delicious, delicious coffee for green tea, eat 5+ servings of vegetables a day, and go to bed at 10 pm every night.)

Is anyone else interested in the challenge? Or is it going to be me doing it alone?

Comments

[Shandra]

I'm in!

1. Gym 3 times a week
2. More sex
3. 1 hr of pleasure reading a week (mens sana in corpore sano and all that)

On the soda question - I used to crave sweets. A lot. Constant battle. Then I stopped drinking anything but water, milk, tea or coffee (without sweetener). Now I still LIKE sweets but I do not crave them. I truly believe I was training my body and self to crave that sweet hit.

[caramama]

Erin - Congrats on your son! And if he doesn't like the stroller, may I suggest some sort of backpack? This works well for my sis and her 24 month old. I'm getting a Beko (second hand is much cheaper).

Sarah - I have a friend who's supply went down whenever they did any exercise, but I know plenty of others who were just fine. Why don't you try it and see if there is any affect? If there is, then stop.

Shirky - hehe. We all seem to be thirsty and in need of sex.

[Jess]

Here are my three, tho' I've already been working on these for a couple of weeks:

1. Cutting out coffee; I don't think coffee is evil, I just don't like being so dependent on it. Plus, I finally realized that the yeast infection in my nipples was really irritated by coffee... not having my nipples on fire whilst nursing has been great motivation to stay off the sauce. I'll go back to coffee someday; but I think a break is in order.

2. Cutting down sweets. I don't even have a big sweet tooth, but I have a sweets habit: it seems I can't get through the day without little chocolate in the afternoon, or some cocoa or ice cream after dinner. My goal for the next few weeks is to replace the sweets with fruit.

3. Getting back into daily exercise. Since giving birth 11 months ago, my exercise has been sporadic. My goal now is to do something (walk, run, yoga, dance, whatever) for 20+ minutes every day.

[Amy H]

Please count me in. I need a challenge to get me going. I know 2 of the 3 things, so I will have to decide what the other one is.

Thanks for doing this Moxie!

Amy H

[BroadwayBabyMom]

Ok-Instead of lurking-I'm in. I'm already taking my Omega 3's (so that's out). But, here are my big 3:
1-5 a day on fruit and veggies. My WW will love this.
2-Water instead of tea and diet soda (I make my tea with Splenda, so I am very sad. Sweet tea IS the house wine of the south.)
3-cook more and eat out less. We've already been doing this to a degree and McDonald's just doesn't taste as good to us anymore.
Good luck everyone.

[andrea]

I'm a lurker, but I'm in on this. I think a Yahoo group would be a good idea for accountability. People can always make a new "fake" email address if they are that adament about not giving out their real personal info/email address.

With that said, my three will be:
1) More sex - my son was born almost 10 months ago and I can count the number of times we've had sex since then on one hand.
2) Get rid of soda, replace with water. I dont drink much anymore anyway, might as well completely kick it to the curb.
3) Work out 3x a week. I've got a membership to a gym, I just never actually go. Time to stop with the excuses and lose those 5 remaining pounds of baby weight, and a bit more.

[JB]

I'm in!

1) eat mindfully, not thinking about the 43 billion important things I have to do in the next ten minutes
2) some form of exercise at least 3x weekly
3) drink 64oz water a day.

I also plan to start taking my multivitamin again. Silly not to. But I put on a TON of weight while pregnant, and my son is now 4 months old and I've lost only 12 pounds of it. I need to stop with the body loathing and just get healthier, not try to force being thinner.

[JB]

p.s. @Erin -- congratulations on your new baby! Our daughter is adopted and it is the most wonderful way to build your family.

[Kristen]

I'm in too! We've actually already started doing this in my house so I'm happy to continue it and perhaps add something else. I quit my full-time job on Tuesday to take a part-time job and stay home with my 9 month old. So I hope to do this more.

I'm going to
1. cut out soda & drink more green tea
2. eat 5 servings of veggies
3. drink more water

I may try a few others but we'll see how those go first.

[Nessa]

I'm in! This is perfect timing too.
My three things:
1. Give up diet Dr. P. - This makes me so very, very sad.
2. Work out at least 3 times per week
3. Take a multi - I stopped once it became obvious we weren't going to be getting knocked up any time soon.

And can someone please tell me what HFCS's are? I'm afraid I don't have any idea what you all are talking about.

[caramama]

Nessa - HFCS = High Fructose Corn Syrup. There was a discussion a few days ago on Ask Moxie where people were discussing it, as well as artificial sweetners.

[libraryhead]

This is just what I needed, though I had a hard time keeping it to three. I've already been working on these a bit, but I'm not as consistent as I'd like.

1. no Diet Coke; drink water instead
2. no HFCS; make baby steps toward cutting down sugar and refined starches; eat whole grains and unprocessed fruit/veggies instead
3. exercise for at least 45 min Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays

Sounds totally doable, right?

[sam]

Mmmm, I defo need to do something healthy. I'm in a total slump (6 months with little sleep) and as a result I stuff my face with crap in a mindless kind of way. I'll be kind to myself though, as I want to avoid the feeling of failure that would result in my eating yet more crap. I'm going to think about 3 things that will really make a difference to my feeling of well being.

[Aurora]

I'm in.
1. I will love the body I'm in, no matter what it weighs, whether if fits into "real" clothes or not, no matter how long it has been since I had my baby, no matter how much I eat or how much I exercise. I will really love it, and appreciate all it does for me so well. I will not ask it to change to fit some arbitrary number; scale, BMI, pre-pregancy, before I was 30, anything. I will love it. Now.
2. I will not judge others about their weight. I cannot walk in their shoes and I will not compare myself; up or down. I will appreciate the amazing job that other bodies do for those who inhabit them.
3. I will exercise because it makes me feel good, I will eat what tastes good when I am hungry, and I will drink what tastes good when I am thirsty. I will stop when I am not hungry or thirsty.

[Eve]

Me, too!

1,) I'm going to get back in the habit of taking my vitamins and extra calcium. I need extra B vitamins because I have MTHFR, plus I have a strong family history of osteoporosis, so I really should get back on this. But as a PP said, as soon as I wasn't pregnant anymore, it just seemed more optional, even though I'm still nursing.

2.) Floss every day. I'm really going to try.

3.) Stop biting my nails. I'm completely over-the-top compulsive about food safety and handwashing, and yet I chew on my germy, gross fingernails all the time. (The cold I'm currently struggling with, though? That one comes from my 14-month-old prying open my mouth and then SNEEZING INTO IT!)

Oh, and I'm seconding the hug to Ruby's mama -- both because it sounds like she has a lot going on and because I am also a Ruby's mama. I've loved that name since I was a little girl.

[Slim]

I'm in, too.

1) Eat only real food.
2) Use the abdominal wheel every night.
3) Get to bed by 10 (for whatever reason) more nights than not.

[Kate]

What I think I want to do but can't wrap my head around: exercise almost daily (need to find a weather proof/child proof way to do this) and give up meat/poultry (would have to totally rearrange my menus for Shabbat, plus we're not at home for Passover).

What I will do:

1. Floss. Every damn day. I am 32 years old and it is just time to be a grownup about it.
2. Be much more careful about things like HFCS, trans/saturated fat, artificial colors/flavors. (I am stricter with my kids about this than I am with myself.)
3. Eat a decent breakfast every day. This should be a no-brainer, but there are so many days when I either don't eat anything until my little one is napping (4-5 hours after I get up!) or eat terrible things (Dunkin' Donuts) because I am hungry but "don't have time." I will figure out a way to spend these 10 minutes on myself.

[JB]

Aurora, I'm borrowing yours! I like them better than mine :)

[Louis]

Great idea!
1) More time with the love of my life talking- about important stuff, not so important stuff, but more time together talking. We spend every possible moment together now, but, as she suggests, perhaps two nights or more per week without the TV (we no longer have cable, but we watch Netflix movies.) Our talking may lead to "talking" but nothing wrong with that....

2) Improve my listening skills. My wife knows so much and I would learn so much if I would only sharpen my focus on listening. I have improved but I have much more to do. Too often I realize that she has known the better way to resolve whatever challenge that springs before us, but sadly I still regress into my "Problem...must fix... find big hammer.... when less demanding answers are available.

3) Execise/lose 20 pounds.

[Louis]

Sweet-10

In the early 1960's Pillsbury created and marketed the artificial sweetener "Sweet-10". Sweet-10 was a commercial success. My grandfather loved the stuff. He was an Iowa farmer, owned and worked on his dairy farm until he was 75, and had a very simple diet-pot roast from which he would eat only the fat, two eggs in some form at every meal, Wheat Chex for breakfast on which he poured the cream from last night's milking, and ice tea.

On his Wheat Chex and his ice he poured the Sweet-10. I worked on his farm as a boy, and the Sweet-10 was Grandpa's only extravangance. This was a man who had two outfits for wearing around the house- his winter outfit, which consisted of a Big Mac chambray shirt and a pair of bib overalls, and his summer outfit, which was just the bib overalls. This was not a man who expected or wanted pampering, but he was addicted to his Sweet-10.

In 1969 the FDA banned the sale of Sweet-10 due to cyclamates, a substance believed to cause cancer. Grandpa was nearly 70 when the product was banned. I doubt that the ingestion of Sweet-10 would have caused him problems because of his age, but I recall the day that Grandma cleaned her pantry of the stuff, must have been 50 bottles in that bag I hauled to the "ditch" (every farm had a "ditch" where all the household garbage was taken, a spot far from the house and usually in a slough where nothing could be grown. Periodically the debris was burned with gasoline and then buried with dirt.)

So Grandpa quit the Sweet-10 and Grandma began buying sugar by the ten pound bag. Grandpa tired of the multiple teaspoons he had to shovel unto his cereal and into his ice tea, so Grandma purchased a restaurant style sugar dispenser.
Grandpa lived to be 83, when either the two eggs at every meal all his life, or the Sweet-10, or the sugar, finally killed him. Frankly, I think he was bored, after selling the farm when he was 75 and then moving into town.

[Aurora]

Kate, you're welcome to them! :-)

[Sarah V.]

Ack. My first thought when I read this was how much I hate you. Because this challenge is making me face something I don't want to face - how dubious I am as to whether I can really do it. Even though I know the things I should do are not particularly strenuous on the face of it. Even though all you're asking is that I make the effort for 60 days. I'm still really scared of saying "Yes, I'll do it", because I really feel there's a high chance I'll fail.

So... I guess that means I really *need* to do it. At least try. At least I have a few days to try to nerve myself up to it... and reading the comments here will hopefully inspire me. Dammit...

[JenG]

I am a relatively new lurker to Moxie. I must say I adore your parenting advice and am still pouring through the older posts and messages and comments. But I am also now trying to keep up with the current stuff too.

I am curious how we are going to keep tabs with each other on this challenge. I love my yahoo groups - but agree that the amount of e-mail can be overwhelming.

I am not sure what my 3 things will be. Some kind of exercise, more water drinking, eating better, probably trying to play with the kids more -- less TV viewing and mindless internet surfing. We'll see what I narrow it down to.

[JMH]

I am de-lurking to join this challenge. I started TTapp about a month ago and I am down one pant size so I want to keep going:

1. T-Tapp 3 to 4 days per week

2. No "s" on Mon.-Fridays (sweets, snacks or seconds)

3. Initiate sex with DH once a week (he'll be shocked!)

[Toni]

Okay, here are my three:

1) Half of my plate will be veggies and fruits - not just a little part of it.

2) I will take my vitamins every day.

3) No more chocolate. I can't buy it - eat it - or sneak it. No more.

[Julie]

Argh....I'm so glad that t-tapp is working for people. I've been doing it since december and while I feel great, my posture MUCH improved, my abs feeling solid and whatnot, I have not shrunk at ALL. My pants still fit the same (some are still snug). Gr. I suppose part of that is b/c around the same time I fell in love with t-tapp I also rekindled my lifelong romance with hotdogs. Ya, I know. They're gross. But I love them and other high-fat meat products. So part of my 3 is going to be some kind of eating thing. I want to combine some form of 5 fruits/veggies per day with Theresa Tapps Man-Made/God Made diet plan....I really think I can do it successfully for 60 days. I think. Or get close enough to feel mostly successful. I'm really glad Moxie gave us the heads-up a week in advance because truly I think that I needed a week to think carefully about what I'd want to do.

I am really looking forward to Weds!

[WireGryphon]

Okay, I am SO in.

1) vitamins + fish oil every day
2) flossing every day
3) no more diet soda

I totally need to get "consistency, not perfection" tattooed backward on my forehead so I see it everytime I look in the mirror... Heh.

Yes, lots of big things I really need to change, but maybe if I can actually accomplish these three little things for 60 days I can use the momentum to work on the big stuff.

[Theresa Timlin]

I'm in.
1) No soda; drink that water
2) No candy in the office
3) Vegetable or fruit at every meal.

[mary]

I love this! I am going to make the switch from Diet Coke to water or at least sparkling water, stop snacking in between meals and exercise at least 20 minutes a day. This is going to be hard.

[eric]

You know, the 64 oz a day of water has been proven to be a myth.

There was a big article on it in the ny times, entitled 'medical myths even doctors believe' ; here's the link-

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/medical-myths-even-doctors-believe/?st=cse&sq=64+oz+of+water+a+day&scp=7

I sure appreciate your blog!

[hedra]

Okay, working my way back down the posts...

I just ADDED coffee to my life, so I'm not taking it out. Not not not.

But,

1) eating mindfully (just read this, so... yeah. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080215103153.htm)

2) Using the exercise machine (need a plan, so I know when)

Not sure yet on 3. I'd like an item that prevents the previous two weeks. In which my DH broke his ankle, B's cat was in the vet's on emergency for two days (whee, having the 'your pet may die' talk, plus the 'if your cat continues to have health issues like this, we may have to euthanize him' talk), plus all four kids down with influenza (two of them BAD)... Nobody died, and it wasn't even total hell, really. Just want to avoid a repeat. Any ideas? Will eating more chocolate help with that one? (Please?)

[sam]

Okay, I will be kind to myself;

(1) Cut out chocolate M-F and then eat good quality stuff at the weekend,

(2) Get 30 mins of exercise a day,

(3) Also, I don't know if this counts, but I want to make sure that I am doing some nice things for myself (getting a hair cut, having a relaxing bath once a week, getting a massage to ease the backache from constant nursing for e.g). I know this one sounds a bit easy but I feel a bit of a wreck at the mo, so it would be good to make sure I do something that goes towards making myself feel attractive again.

I will continue to drink plenty of water and take my omega 3's.

[sam]

Hedra, just read your comment. Big hugs for a NASTY fortnight. I think good quality chocolate (like Green & Blacks) is EXACTLY what the doctor ordered. So check my number 1 for a possible number 3.

[Julie]

@Hedra....right there with you on the pet thing. My dog of 15 years (MY dog MINE MINE MINE) started falling over last Monday. Bought all the Dog Dying books in preparation for THAT TALK with Alex.....and thank goodness she's mostly fine now (some kind of geriatric dizzy disease that pretty much goes away).....but caring for a 15 year old dog like she's a baby - cupping water in your hand so she will stay hydrated, cooking up steak - yes STEAK - so she will eat......in addition to caring for a husband and child(ren) AND working full time.......yes. I feel your pain. I hope B's kitty is going to be okay. BTW, Cynthia Rylant also writes "Cat Heaven" which is just like her "Dog Heaven" book which I found to be lovely and comforting reading during our "death trial run" last week.

:)

[hedra]

Is it okay if I eat a whole bar? Because I ate a whole bar. Or is that violating the mindfulness thing? Dang, I think I'll be starting again on item 1 tomorrow. But it was yummy... maybe that means I was mindful. Ish. Sigh. Well, we didn't have to be perfect, per Moxie. Just working on it.

[hedra]

Oh, and thanks for the pet heaven book info.

[la folle maman]

Boy do I need a challenge to get me motivated to do something! I guess New Year's wasn't enough of a motivator.

I'm going to:

1. Go to bed earlier and hopefully get more sleep!
2. Go to yoga at least once a week, if not twice.
3. Drink more water.

[Mommy-O]

Thanks for the challenge, Moxie. My son is just turning 3 months old and this is exactly what I need to attempt my remaining healthy goals. I have already been drinking my water, taking my vitamins (thanks Moxie for the tip about Vitamin B Complex and Omega 3s - really gets me through the day), switching the coffees for white tea and going for massages.
Here are my goals for the challenge:
1)Exercise 15 - 20 min a day (just ordered my T Tapp)
2)More veggies & fruit
3)More sexy stuff (been renting Sex & the City from the library and it reminded me that intercourse isn't the only sexual activity)
4)Trying to go to bed earlier which will help with goal #3

Good luck everyone!!!

[onehappycow]

I, too, have been pondering, but since mid-January have also been trying to do better by myself. My positive changes are also more like categories - I have started on some but really want the motivation to continue:

1. Eat healthfully and mindfully (no HFCS, trans fats or artificial sweeteners, minus the 2 splenda in the occasional cup of coffee, limit fast food and sweets); Eat 5-9 svgs fruit and veggies, drink water, take multi-vitamin and omega 3 (will be adding Calcium to the list as I HATE milk), drink green tea, cook nutritious meals. Write every bite to remain accountable.

2. MOVE my body! Have been going to the gym but need to come up with a plan for when that doesn't happen and the weather is bad and you have a napless baby. My goal is at the minimum 30 mins 4x/week. Hopefully more. That could be walking, yoga, swimming, T-Tapp (once I figure it out, have the book), or even just stretching.

3. ME! Go to bed by 10-1030pm every night, (again with the mindless internet stuff). Wash my face and brush before hand (should add flossing, but that is a whole challenge for me in and of itself). Do something I enjoy - stitching, hypnosis, professional learning, reading, etc to wind down. Sex!

These 3 are broad and a lot - but as I mentioned, I have been doing pretty well, but want even more accountability. Good luck to everyone and thanks, Moxie, for your site and all the good you do. I hope your Karma is amazing!