Health Month superheroes July 27, 2011 9:25 AM Subscribe
The MeFits over at Health Month are gearing up for another month, and we want you! Join our rag-tag band of good-habit-making superheroes (costumes not included).
In July, we had over 100 people on the MetaFilter Health Month team, each of whom was following from 3 to 31 (!!!) rules. This gave us approximately 700 life points, to make us the top team on the site (also the largest)!
Do not fear that you will fail! Your team is made up of many lawful good clerics with mad healing powers. In June we brought someone back from the depths of negative triple digit life points, donating 328 fruit for 158 life points to bring them to a positive total of 45. Can MeFight Club claim an act of healing even close to that? I doubt it. (NOT MEFIGHT-CLUB-IST)
People are reading books, exercising more, losing weight, drinking water like the world was gatting warmer, shaving minutes off their run times, and being more mindful and healthier overall. One person went from drinking at least 2 liters of diet soda a day to having had only 2 bottles of diet soda in the entire month!
Many many thanks to web-goddess who has been an excellent Team Leader. New players: You can play for free with three rules or fewer. More than 3 rules is $5, or some of us have sponsorship chips if you want to play but don't have the cash. You can go here to fill out a sponsorship request (make sure you put that you are from Metafilter), then let us know in the thread and someone will likely sponsor you.
In July, we had over 100 people on the MetaFilter Health Month team, each of whom was following from 3 to 31 (!!!) rules. This gave us approximately 700 life points, to make us the top team on the site (also the largest)!
Do not fear that you will fail! Your team is made up of many lawful good clerics with mad healing powers. In June we brought someone back from the depths of negative triple digit life points, donating 328 fruit for 158 life points to bring them to a positive total of 45. Can MeFight Club claim an act of healing even close to that? I doubt it. (NOT MEFIGHT-CLUB-IST)
People are reading books, exercising more, losing weight, drinking water like the world was gatting warmer, shaving minutes off their run times, and being more mindful and healthier overall. One person went from drinking at least 2 liters of diet soda a day to having had only 2 bottles of diet soda in the entire month!
Many many thanks to web-goddess who has been an excellent Team Leader. New players: You can play for free with three rules or fewer. More than 3 rules is $5, or some of us have sponsorship chips if you want to play but don't have the cash. You can go here to fill out a sponsorship request (make sure you put that you are from Metafilter), then let us know in the thread and someone will likely sponsor you.
Can you remind me how this works again? Last time I looked at this, it seemed as complicated as Call of Cthulu: Arkham Horror.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:33 AM on July 27, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:33 AM on July 27, 2011 [3 favorites]
Admiral Haddock: You sign up, join the team, then make your rules. Rules can be just about anything. For each rule, you say how often per week you want to do that rule (I.E.: exercise 60 minutes 5 days a week).
Then, beginning the first of the month, you start with your rules and 10 life points. You check in on the site each day to say whether you followed each rule on the previous day. You get points for each rule you follow (points vary depending on how hard the rule is). If you follow all your rules appropriately, you get a piece of fruit. If you don't follow your rules, you lose a lifepoint. Fruit can be spent to heal yourself (and others) of their life points. The goal is to end the month with 1 or more life points.
That's the basic game mechanic. We're happy to help you out on the site, as it's not very intuitive.
posted by sarahnade at 9:46 AM on July 27, 2011
Then, beginning the first of the month, you start with your rules and 10 life points. You check in on the site each day to say whether you followed each rule on the previous day. You get points for each rule you follow (points vary depending on how hard the rule is). If you follow all your rules appropriately, you get a piece of fruit. If you don't follow your rules, you lose a lifepoint. Fruit can be spent to heal yourself (and others) of their life points. The goal is to end the month with 1 or more life points.
That's the basic game mechanic. We're happy to help you out on the site, as it's not very intuitive.
posted by sarahnade at 9:46 AM on July 27, 2011
All right, I'm going to try this again.
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 9:54 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 9:54 AM on July 27, 2011
Absolutely in again. It's going to be a big month for me personally and I need the support of my MeFits to keep on track through all the changes!
posted by immlass at 9:58 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by immlass at 9:58 AM on July 27, 2011
Oh hey, I'm the one who stopped drinking diet soda (I'm drinking seltzer as we speak), and I've gotta say that it is almost FREAKY how painless it was to do. There is some kind of magic mojo going on with making habit forming into a team game.
What I also appreciate about it is that I was initially intimidated, thinking that everyone else would be super athletes and my modest goals would look pathetic, but everyone supports everyone else's progress, no matter what their goals are.
(And the flossing! I can't believe I'm flossing regularly!)
posted by Neely O'Hara at 10:03 AM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
What I also appreciate about it is that I was initially intimidated, thinking that everyone else would be super athletes and my modest goals would look pathetic, but everyone supports everyone else's progress, no matter what their goals are.
(And the flossing! I can't believe I'm flossing regularly!)
posted by Neely O'Hara at 10:03 AM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
I need to figure out next month's rules. I fell completely apart rule-wise this month, to the point where I stopped tracking my rules. I suspect what I saw as easier rules for a summer month were actually over ambitious. ThePinkSuperhero, I totally should have listened to you and gone with an "eat ice cream" rule. :) I think the problem was that I set goals for things I felt I should want to do, and not goals I was actually already attempting. That, and the total lack of a regular schedule. On the other hand, I've achieved some unofficial goals and some long term goals this month that past Health Months have instrumental in.
6 great months, 1 tough but educational month - not bad, overall. On to Health Month #8!
posted by booksherpa at 10:06 AM on July 27, 2011
6 great months, 1 tough but educational month - not bad, overall. On to Health Month #8!
posted by booksherpa at 10:06 AM on July 27, 2011
Having completely flubbed this in the past, I am back for another run, motivated afresh by the fact that in August I turn (dear god) 58, and my lifetime degrees of freedom for flubbing it w/r/t health are steadily shrinking (unlike, say, my ass).
posted by Kat Allison at 10:14 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by Kat Allison at 10:14 AM on July 27, 2011
I found it really useful this month - my first one - in keeping me on the rails with tasks that I had already started. Next month I'm going to step it up a bit. I'd recommend it.
posted by handee at 10:15 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by handee at 10:15 AM on July 27, 2011
In :) YAY! I love stuff like this.
posted by whitetigereyes at 10:43 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by whitetigereyes at 10:43 AM on July 27, 2011
I'm in again, but still continuing to have trouble getting an email letting me know we're doing this. (No, it is not in my spam filter.)
posted by Kitteh at 10:47 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by Kitteh at 10:47 AM on July 27, 2011
I just talked to Buster, the creator of Healthmonth, and gave him $200 credit towards MeFi Healthmonth sponsorships, so we'll be able to give a bunch of people full accounts.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:47 AM on July 27, 2011 [24 favorites]
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:47 AM on July 27, 2011 [24 favorites]
This sounds awesome - but does one have to be in for the whole month? I'm probably going to be away from the internet for the last third of August!
posted by mdonley at 10:51 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by mdonley at 10:51 AM on July 27, 2011
Aw, I keep creating new teams, having so enjoyed the metafilter health month experience, and they're SO not as awesome. If this latest team shrinks again next month, I'm giving up on evangelizing and rejoining the mefi healthmonth team!
posted by ldthomps at 10:51 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by ldthomps at 10:51 AM on July 27, 2011
mdonley, you can "go back" and play a certain number of turns retroactively, but I think it's only about a week's worth - otherwise the days just get written off. If that works for you, though, give it a shot!
posted by ldthomps at 10:52 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by ldthomps at 10:52 AM on July 27, 2011
mathowie is the best!!!
posted by sarahnade at 10:54 AM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by sarahnade at 10:54 AM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
ThePinkSuperhero, I totally should have listened to you and gone with an "eat ice cream" rule. :)
Hehehe, next month you can do it!
I only have 3 rules set for next month- I'll be traveling for part of the month, not sure I want to take on anything too crazy.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:01 AM on July 27, 2011
Hehehe, next month you can do it!
I only have 3 rules set for next month- I'll be traveling for part of the month, not sure I want to take on anything too crazy.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:01 AM on July 27, 2011
I'm in again. The system seems kind of byzantine on how it awards points but it is cool none the less.
posted by Mitheral at 11:02 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by Mitheral at 11:02 AM on July 27, 2011
Alright, I joined a new gym on Saturday and brought my gear to work today so I can go straight after work. I guess this is a good kick in the ass to keep it up so I'm in.
posted by Sophie1 at 11:02 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by Sophie1 at 11:02 AM on July 27, 2011
Oh, and I'm the one who has 31 rules this month. I'm finding that it's too many — even though a number of them are things that I pretty much have dialed in as habits, I'm finding that having to track them is causing a loss of focus. So for next month I'm dropping a number of them and choosing only rules that I'm actively working on.
posted by Lexica at 11:12 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by Lexica at 11:12 AM on July 27, 2011
Health Month is sneakily brilliant. Incremental change + a supportive team makes for excellent results over time.
Example: although never an explicit rule, I've lost 15 pounds since starting Health Month.
posted by ambrosia at 11:22 AM on July 27, 2011
Example: although never an explicit rule, I've lost 15 pounds since starting Health Month.
posted by ambrosia at 11:22 AM on July 27, 2011
yay, we now officially have 75 sponsorships for August if anyone wants to use more than 3 rules, just follow the link on the sidebar of the healthmonth page to ask for one.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:23 AM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:23 AM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yay mathowie! I'm a Health Month regular and will vouch for the power of the collective support. I've added two rules for August that scare the pants off me but I'll never meet my goals if I don't set them. I'll be traveling way off the grid the last ten days of August and the first week of September so I'll be MIA for a while, but Health Month is too important to me to skip.
posted by workerant at 11:29 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by workerant at 11:29 AM on July 27, 2011
OK, I'm in! If I don't do some consistent work on my hamstrings, I'm afraid I'll end up permanently right-angled.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:33 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:33 AM on July 27, 2011
Yay Health Month! Yay mathowie! Yay flossing!
posted by epersonae at 11:35 AM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by epersonae at 11:35 AM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm going to have to fill the rest out at home as my office does not like the platform but I'm on there as Sophie One. Please add me to the team. I'm looking forward to this!
posted by Sophie1 at 11:54 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by Sophie1 at 11:54 AM on July 27, 2011
I'm in again, as Health Month is completely awesome on the MetaFilter team. Have six sponsorships available and very happy to provide to anyone who wants.
posted by bearwife at 11:54 AM on July 27, 2011
posted by bearwife at 11:54 AM on July 27, 2011
I'm in. I need something to be responsible to!
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 12:11 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 12:11 PM on July 27, 2011
I will do this. I need to lose a chunk of weight, and I'm hoping that my work's new location a 20-minute walk each way (as opposed to riding the bus as I used to do) will kickstart this. Additional motivation through HealthMonth will hopefully help with the process.
One question - do rules have to be observed daily or can they be along the lines of 'I will not eat ice cream more than 3 days this week'?
posted by valleys at 12:17 PM on July 27, 2011
One question - do rules have to be observed daily or can they be along the lines of 'I will not eat ice cream more than 3 days this week'?
posted by valleys at 12:17 PM on July 27, 2011
I'm in again. Thanks to the sponsorship I received from Web-Goddess, I can add a rule or two.
posted by scottymac at 12:17 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by scottymac at 12:17 PM on July 27, 2011
Valleys, That kind of rule works well. Will be glad to see you there.
posted by scottymac at 12:19 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by scottymac at 12:19 PM on July 27, 2011
I've loved Health Month. The thing that worked best for me was only making 6 day a week rules, like avoiding white flour for six days out of seven instead of 'No white flour at all' . Six days I can do. A lifetime would just depress me.
If you wound up with points at the end of the month, do they let you back in for free or do you have to ask for sponsorship again?
posted by A Terrible Llama at 12:27 PM on July 27, 2011
If you wound up with points at the end of the month, do they let you back in for free or do you have to ask for sponsorship again?
posted by A Terrible Llama at 12:27 PM on July 27, 2011
I'm back in, but one of my Health Month rules needs to be "do Health Month," because my big flaw is that I'll just not do it for 4-5 days and then there's this huge freakin' backlog and spinning that damn wheel takes forever but I can't not do it because I might get fruit.
posted by Shepherd at 12:35 PM on July 27, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Shepherd at 12:35 PM on July 27, 2011 [2 favorites]
Llama: you need to re-up every month you have more than three rules. Apparently free sponsorships abound grace à mathowie, and I have a bunch from signing up for a year, so I wouldn't worry about it too much if you want to ask for sponshorship.
posted by Shepherd at 12:36 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by Shepherd at 12:36 PM on July 27, 2011
Ok, I feel dumb -- I can't figure out where I'm supposed to click on the sponsorship page to request sponsorship. I assume this is how my mom feels every time she accesses Facebook.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:06 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:06 PM on July 27, 2011
Man, I need to try again. I haven't even logged in for a few days so I think I'm in the negative double digits by now. It's definitely made me more mindful of what I'm not doing, so there's that.
posted by desjardins at 1:18 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by desjardins at 1:18 PM on July 27, 2011
also please save me or I have to donate to Scott Walker's campaign
posted by desjardins at 1:21 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by desjardins at 1:21 PM on July 27, 2011
You have to set up your rules before you can request sponsorship.
posted by epersonae at 1:34 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by epersonae at 1:34 PM on July 27, 2011
desjardins- request fruit on the game wall! a lot of folks are saying they have extra fruit to give out. you can do it before you finish entering all your turns.
posted by sarahnade at 1:36 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by sarahnade at 1:36 PM on July 27, 2011
desjardins, I have fruit! (ok, maybe not enough to get out of negative double digits.)
posted by epersonae at 1:37 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by epersonae at 1:37 PM on July 27, 2011
I was surprised at how the kindness and support of the Metafilter team boosted my goals for my first month, so I'm adding more goals now for August, and have requested sponsorship.
It's funny trying to shoehorn personal rules into the default ones on offer -- for a rule like "spend time with my sister", I file it under "quality time with the kids", and for keeping a sketchbook, I'm practising the musical instrument "pencil" every day.
posted by rollick at 1:37 PM on July 27, 2011
It's funny trying to shoehorn personal rules into the default ones on offer -- for a rule like "spend time with my sister", I file it under "quality time with the kids", and for keeping a sketchbook, I'm practising the musical instrument "pencil" every day.
posted by rollick at 1:37 PM on July 27, 2011
And I have lots of fruit that I didn't realise expired at month's end, so I can help out anyone in trouble too!
posted by rollick at 1:38 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by rollick at 1:38 PM on July 27, 2011
Thanks guys! I will log in later and make my pleas on the game wall. I see from my email that some of you have already helped out. It's much appreciated.
rollick - you can create custom rules IIRC.
posted by desjardins at 2:03 PM on July 27, 2011
rollick - you can create custom rules IIRC.
posted by desjardins at 2:03 PM on July 27, 2011
Woke up this morning to 36 emails on the iPhone, and I thought to myself: "I bet sarahnade put the HM post on MeTa..." Yep.
I'll be working through approving the new folks for the team today. (Yay, I saw Jessamyn's name in there!) Please remember to make it obvious that you're a MeFite. We do get randoms trying to get on our team, mostly so they can then spam people for sponsorships. Just put your MeFi name in your HM profile, or send me a MeMail over here. (Few people have done that.)
I also had an email from Buster about the sponsorships mathowie purchased. They're not granted to my account or anything; they're something that resides with the team. If you want to use one, there's a special link I can give you. (I don't want to post it in public.) Not sure how it works if you've already set up your rules? But Buster has probably covered that. If you want one, send me a MeMail and I'll reply with the link.
In terms of my own Health Month success... I had a my 6-month dentist checkup last week. Thanks to HM and all the flossing I've done in the past 5 months, I was in and out of the chair in less than 20 minutes. That was BRILLIANT!
posted by web-goddess at 2:12 PM on July 27, 2011
I'll be working through approving the new folks for the team today. (Yay, I saw Jessamyn's name in there!) Please remember to make it obvious that you're a MeFite. We do get randoms trying to get on our team, mostly so they can then spam people for sponsorships. Just put your MeFi name in your HM profile, or send me a MeMail over here. (Few people have done that.)
I also had an email from Buster about the sponsorships mathowie purchased. They're not granted to my account or anything; they're something that resides with the team. If you want to use one, there's a special link I can give you. (I don't want to post it in public.) Not sure how it works if you've already set up your rules? But Buster has probably covered that. If you want one, send me a MeMail and I'll reply with the link.
In terms of my own Health Month success... I had a my 6-month dentist checkup last week. Thanks to HM and all the flossing I've done in the past 5 months, I was in and out of the chair in less than 20 minutes. That was BRILLIANT!
posted by web-goddess at 2:12 PM on July 27, 2011
Hold up! Buster has emailed to say he can just grant me the sponsorship chips instead. That way I can just go though the sponsorship wall and hit all the folks that I know are MeFites. So if you want sponsored, just make sure you're on the wall and I know about it!
posted by web-goddess at 2:28 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by web-goddess at 2:28 PM on July 27, 2011
OK. I requested a sponsorship! I think I struggled with this last month too. Yeesh.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:59 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:59 PM on July 27, 2011
I signed up with three rules after a hiatus last month... if there are lots of extra sponsorships around though, I'll go add some more rules. All month I've been telling myself, "get back on the wagon next month; don't get used to slacking off." Time to make good and lose this vacation-weight.
posted by booknerd at 3:14 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by booknerd at 3:14 PM on July 27, 2011
YAY I am so in! Sponsor me!
posted by joshuaconner at 3:40 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by joshuaconner at 3:40 PM on July 27, 2011
I signed up last month, couldn't figure out how to work the website on my iPad and promptly forgot about it, let's try to do better this month!
posted by Another Fine Product From The Nonsense Factory at 4:18 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by Another Fine Product From The Nonsense Factory at 4:18 PM on July 27, 2011
My knees hurt just thinking about all the 30 Day Shred I just signed up for.
posted by bleep at 4:20 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by bleep at 4:20 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Kitteh, did you apply for sponsorship? Just checked the Healthmonth site looking for you without success.
And joshuaconner, you're sponsored!
posted by bearwife at 4:39 PM on July 27, 2011
And joshuaconner, you're sponsored!
posted by bearwife at 4:39 PM on July 27, 2011
There are plenty of sponsorships left - I think I've only given out 5 of Matt's so far. Here's the thing though: We can only sponsor you AFTER you've set up more than 3 rules. You've got to go in, create more than 3 rules, and then the final step will be to pay or request sponsorship. Only then do we get the magic link to hook you up with a chip!
posted by web-goddess at 4:41 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by web-goddess at 4:41 PM on July 27, 2011
Anyone know how to add rules after you'v already signed up? I signed up for august in the wee hours of this morning and now I can't figure out how to add more rules to initiate the sponsorship process.
posted by Mitheral at 5:22 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by Mitheral at 5:22 PM on July 27, 2011
Mitheral - I just clicked on another rule and it allowed me too. Filled out the requisite form and then it leads you to a place to ask for sponsorship.
Also, does anyone know how to make a custom rule?
Thanks!
posted by Sophie1 at 5:28 PM on July 27, 2011
Also, does anyone know how to make a custom rule?
Thanks!
posted by Sophie1 at 5:28 PM on July 27, 2011
Go to "all do rules" or "all don't rules" and one of the last ones is "Custom Do/Don't Rule."
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 5:30 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 5:30 PM on July 27, 2011
Maude help me, did I actually write "too" instead of "to"? I'm fucking mortified!!!!!
Thanks restless_nomad. I'll try that.
posted by Sophie1 at 6:05 PM on July 27, 2011
Thanks restless_nomad. I'll try that.
posted by Sophie1 at 6:05 PM on July 27, 2011
I joined last month and then proceeded to completely ignore my rules for the entire month. Maybe August will be better.
posted by Memo at 7:07 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by Memo at 7:07 PM on July 27, 2011
Figuring out the Custom Don't rules can be tricky (especially setting a 7-day-a-week allow-never one — which makes my brain hurt so I'm sticking with 6 days a week).
I just set up my rules and applied for sponsorship. Down to a mere 19 rules this month, and they're all things I'm already doing but need to work on making more routine and regular.
In case it would be useful to anyone, this is my tracking sheet (without which keeping track of this many rules would be impossible), based on the one that DevilsAdvocate posted about here. This is the third month I've used it, and I've been adjusting it each month based on the previous month's experience. It's in Excel, so you can modify it to fit your own rules. (The hearts at the top of each week's section are to keep track of your life points. You start out with 10 filled in; cross one off for each life point you lose and fill in one of the empty ones for each life point that gets healed.)
posted by Lexica at 7:13 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
I just set up my rules and applied for sponsorship. Down to a mere 19 rules this month, and they're all things I'm already doing but need to work on making more routine and regular.
In case it would be useful to anyone, this is my tracking sheet (without which keeping track of this many rules would be impossible), based on the one that DevilsAdvocate posted about here. This is the third month I've used it, and I've been adjusting it each month based on the previous month's experience. It's in Excel, so you can modify it to fit your own rules. (The hearts at the top of each week's section are to keep track of your life points. You start out with 10 filled in; cross one off for each life point you lose and fill in one of the empty ones for each life point that gets healed.)
posted by Lexica at 7:13 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Thanks everyone for the encouragement! I did Health Month in November and gave myself tons of super-strict rules and didn't join a team. Because of this thread I'm going to give it another try with more realistic rules and hopefully some team support.
My last day of my soul-killing office job is 8/3, and I have August off (!) to get my new life and healthier, better self started.
Yay!
posted by elvissa at 7:19 PM on July 27, 2011
My last day of my soul-killing office job is 8/3, and I have August off (!) to get my new life and healthier, better self started.
Yay!
posted by elvissa at 7:19 PM on July 27, 2011
Just sponsored and approved a bunch more people. (Elvissa - I think you need to "confirm" - maybe via email? - before it will let me sponsor you.)
And does anybody know Devin Dawson? He's the only person right now I can't confirm as a MeFite...
posted by web-goddess at 7:51 PM on July 27, 2011
And does anybody know Devin Dawson? He's the only person right now I can't confirm as a MeFite...
posted by web-goddess at 7:51 PM on July 27, 2011
I tried Health Month on my own in the past and it never really stuck. Finding a great team to join pushes it into something really great, though. I love you guys, man...
posted by Andrhia at 8:01 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by Andrhia at 8:01 PM on July 27, 2011
I'll be back again for August!
Question about the whole "following" thing. Does anyone else have random people following and commenting on their HM posts? There's someone who's always commenting on mine, but the person doesn't post to the team wall, so I assume it's someone totally random. That weirds me out a bit for some reason...
posted by Terriniski at 8:09 PM on July 27, 2011
Question about the whole "following" thing. Does anyone else have random people following and commenting on their HM posts? There's someone who's always commenting on mine, but the person doesn't post to the team wall, so I assume it's someone totally random. That weirds me out a bit for some reason...
posted by Terriniski at 8:09 PM on July 27, 2011
Terriniski, I've had a couple of random people give me fruit for "being a nice person" or something, and they didn't appear to be on the MeFi team, either. This did, in fact, creep me out a little bit.
posted by Andrhia at 8:17 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by Andrhia at 8:17 PM on July 27, 2011
Health Month has been so awesome. I got a ton of good advice for insomnia troubles from fellow MeFites and it didn't even cost me an AskMe. :)
posted by so_gracefully at 9:44 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by so_gracefully at 9:44 PM on July 27, 2011
I'm back in!
And to answer a question...
One question - do rules have to be observed daily or can they be along the lines of 'I will not eat ice cream more than 3 days this week'?
I, honest to God and to mathowie, have this exact rule on my HealthMonth this month. You can set it up to where you won't do Thing X more than Y days a week. When setting up this kind of rule, HM asks you how much you love, say, ice cream, and how beneficial would it be to give it up. It then asks you how many days you consume ice cream, and how many days you want to reduce it to.
When the month kicks in, you then have a 'limit'; from one Friday to the next you only have 3 days to have the ice cream. Any more than that and you lose a life point.
And yes. I am eating a lot less ice cream overall. It is my serious indulgence. And I'm brushing my teeth more.
posted by spinifex23 at 11:35 PM on July 27, 2011
And to answer a question...
One question - do rules have to be observed daily or can they be along the lines of 'I will not eat ice cream more than 3 days this week'?
I, honest to God and to mathowie, have this exact rule on my HealthMonth this month. You can set it up to where you won't do Thing X more than Y days a week. When setting up this kind of rule, HM asks you how much you love, say, ice cream, and how beneficial would it be to give it up. It then asks you how many days you consume ice cream, and how many days you want to reduce it to.
When the month kicks in, you then have a 'limit'; from one Friday to the next you only have 3 days to have the ice cream. Any more than that and you lose a life point.
And yes. I am eating a lot less ice cream overall. It is my serious indulgence. And I'm brushing my teeth more.
posted by spinifex23 at 11:35 PM on July 27, 2011
Sophie1 writes "I just clicked on another rule and it allowed me too. Filled out the requisite form and then it leads you to a place to ask for sponsorship."
This was erroring out for me but I clicked on "rules" on the bottom bar and somehow managed to reset my next month rules. So ruled up and waiting for shipping.
posted by Mitheral at 11:43 PM on July 27, 2011
This was erroring out for me but I clicked on "rules" on the bottom bar and somehow managed to reset my next month rules. So ruled up and waiting for shipping.
posted by Mitheral at 11:43 PM on July 27, 2011
Happy to be back for August with a LOT more rules, thanks to sarahnade!
posted by flex at 7:39 AM on July 28, 2011
posted by flex at 7:39 AM on July 28, 2011
I am definitely in for this.
posted by shiu mai baby at 7:48 AM on July 28, 2011
posted by shiu mai baby at 7:48 AM on July 28, 2011
If I create a rule limiting non-essential internet access, is there a way to vary the hours per day? For example, Monday-Thursday might be 2 hrs/day, but I have Fridays off, so I'd like to increase it to 4 hours.
If that's not possible, and I need to set a weekly goal (say 15 hours for the week), what would be the best way to keep track of that? I use Chrome mostly, but I have FF installed. I'm on Win XP.
posted by desjardins at 8:22 AM on July 28, 2011
If that's not possible, and I need to set a weekly goal (say 15 hours for the week), what would be the best way to keep track of that? I use Chrome mostly, but I have FF installed. I'm on Win XP.
posted by desjardins at 8:22 AM on July 28, 2011
I figured out how to set a weekly goal, but I'd appreciate help in tracking my internet usage. The problem is that husband also uses the computer with the same browser, so we've got to differentiate somehow (preferably without separate profiles, as we use the same Netflix account, etc).
posted by desjardins at 9:37 AM on July 28, 2011
posted by desjardins at 9:37 AM on July 28, 2011
desjardins, worst-case you could do it manually, with a stopwatch (or stopwatch-like application.)
posted by Andrhia at 9:57 AM on July 28, 2011
posted by Andrhia at 9:57 AM on July 28, 2011
Not sure I'm up to setting/meeting goals at the moment, but maybe the supportive atmosphere is just what I need.
posted by moira at 10:15 AM on July 28, 2011
posted by moira at 10:15 AM on July 28, 2011
moira, you can set up easy goals, or reinforce current habits. This month for me is mostly going to be about reinforcing habits I've been trying to build for a while instead of adding new things.
posted by immlass at 10:27 AM on July 28, 2011
posted by immlass at 10:27 AM on July 28, 2011
Ok, I signed up for next month. Starting out kinda easy with 3 rules. One of which I may already do 99% of the time.
posted by grapesaresour at 12:20 PM on July 28, 2011
posted by grapesaresour at 12:20 PM on July 28, 2011
I could really use a sponsor! I already put in the request (complete with silly joke!)
posted by youcancallmeal at 1:46 PM on July 28, 2011
posted by youcancallmeal at 1:46 PM on July 28, 2011
Just took care of that, youcancallmeal!
We have 62 of Mathowie's sponsorships left. There were a couple MeFites I went to sponsor only to find out somebody else had gotten there first! We have a very philanthropic team, it seems.
Looks like we'll have plenty of sponsorships next month as well...
posted by web-goddess at 2:37 PM on July 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
We have 62 of Mathowie's sponsorships left. There were a couple MeFites I went to sponsor only to find out somebody else had gotten there first! We have a very philanthropic team, it seems.
Looks like we'll have plenty of sponsorships next month as well...
posted by web-goddess at 2:37 PM on July 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Thanks for sponsoring me, anonymous! I will try to make you proud.
posted by bleep at 5:14 PM on July 28, 2011
posted by bleep at 5:14 PM on July 28, 2011
Just signed up, and given the availability of sponsorships on the team, I've applied for sponsorship. Thanks all for the communal support!
posted by Terriniski at 7:50 PM on July 28, 2011
posted by Terriniski at 7:50 PM on July 28, 2011
Just signed up again; thanks for the sponsorship.
One unexpected benefit of Health Month (that I've only just noticed after several games) is that I've started to think longer and harder about what my priorities are, and whether the rules I choose will help those goals. And the reason I'm able to do that is because of successfully starting some good habits through past months' play (and group feedback). Now that some old problems have been replaced by good habits, big-picture things are a little clearer.
After picking a few rules last month that I followed way too easily, it became clear that I was looking for a cheap reward and avoiding some larger issues in my life by not putting them in as rules. This month I've decided to make better use of the Custom Rules and state outright what I was avoiding in the past. So Structuring my days and Planning my weeks are on the list this time.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 11:41 PM on July 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
One unexpected benefit of Health Month (that I've only just noticed after several games) is that I've started to think longer and harder about what my priorities are, and whether the rules I choose will help those goals. And the reason I'm able to do that is because of successfully starting some good habits through past months' play (and group feedback). Now that some old problems have been replaced by good habits, big-picture things are a little clearer.
After picking a few rules last month that I followed way too easily, it became clear that I was looking for a cheap reward and avoiding some larger issues in my life by not putting them in as rules. This month I've decided to make better use of the Custom Rules and state outright what I was avoiding in the past. So Structuring my days and Planning my weeks are on the list this time.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 11:41 PM on July 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
I re-enlisted and applied for sponsorship!
One unexpected benefit of Health Month (that I've only just noticed after several games) is that I've started to think longer and harder about what my priorities are, and whether the rules I choose will help those goals.
Me, too. I have much a better sense of what I can do now.
posted by ignignokt at 5:54 AM on July 29, 2011
One unexpected benefit of Health Month (that I've only just noticed after several games) is that I've started to think longer and harder about what my priorities are, and whether the rules I choose will help those goals.
Me, too. I have much a better sense of what I can do now.
posted by ignignokt at 5:54 AM on July 29, 2011
Does anyone else find that the custom Do and custom Don't buttons....disappear? I added a custom rule, went to add another, and can't see the button. I think I'm on the right pages (all Do rules or all Don't rules).
I actually haven't seen a custom Don't button for a couple of days, so I wound up rephrasing a Don't as a Do.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:01 AM on July 29, 2011
I actually haven't seen a custom Don't button for a couple of days, so I wound up rephrasing a Don't as a Do.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:01 AM on July 29, 2011
At this point I think you only get one custom "Do" and one custom "Don't" rule. It's something that has been suggested to Buster to change.
posted by ambrosia at 6:12 AM on July 29, 2011
posted by ambrosia at 6:12 AM on July 29, 2011
Thanks. I'll just try to shoehorn it into a non-custom rule.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:24 AM on July 29, 2011
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:24 AM on July 29, 2011
I'm in, but only with 3 rules so I don't need a sponsorship for August. Maybe in September.
I was a very lame Health Monther this month so I dialed it waaaaaaay down for next month.
posted by shiny blue object at 9:06 AM on July 29, 2011
I was a very lame Health Monther this month so I dialed it waaaaaaay down for next month.
posted by shiny blue object at 9:06 AM on July 29, 2011
I signed up! Yay cross-promotion! Here's my sponsorship application.
posted by grobstein at 9:54 AM on July 29, 2011
posted by grobstein at 9:54 AM on July 29, 2011
Folks - we are officially at 106 members on the MeFi team for August. We are by far the biggest team over at Health Month. :)
Anybody else need to be sponsored? I looked for some of you but I can see that other team members have already gotten to them. We've still got 61 left. If they don't get used, I'll save 'em for next month!
posted by web-goddess at 7:24 PM on July 29, 2011
Anybody else need to be sponsored? I looked for some of you but I can see that other team members have already gotten to them. We've still got 61 left. If they don't get used, I'll save 'em for next month!
posted by web-goddess at 7:24 PM on July 29, 2011
I'd love to be sponsored--thanks Matt! And thanks web-goddess for all the legwork!
posted by mollymayhem at 11:39 PM on July 29, 2011
posted by mollymayhem at 11:39 PM on July 29, 2011
In for August. Really hope I can live up to the rules I set.
posted by wowbobwow at 11:11 AM on July 30, 2011
posted by wowbobwow at 11:11 AM on July 30, 2011
Ok, I would like to try this out...may I have a sponsorship? Thanks!
posted by lemonade at 9:19 PM on July 31, 2011
posted by lemonade at 9:19 PM on July 31, 2011
I'll ask for a sponsorship next month if I make it through this month. Establishing habits is really hard for me, so I'm starting off slow.
posted by luckynerd at 11:14 PM on July 31, 2011
posted by luckynerd at 11:14 PM on July 31, 2011
I just heard about this and it sounds fantastic. If I'm sponsored this round I'll sign myself up and sponsor a needy MeFite in the future. Thanks MeFites!
posted by zomg at 1:30 PM on August 1, 2011
posted by zomg at 1:30 PM on August 1, 2011
I'm going to try this again this month and would appreciate a sponsorship. I've been unable to come up with a truly motivating reward that will make me stick with the game to the end of the month recently, so I'm crossing my fingers that knowing someone else paid for me will do the trick this time around.
posted by des at 5:09 PM on August 1, 2011
posted by des at 5:09 PM on August 1, 2011
I've signed up again, and even got sponsored by Team MetaFilter, but I'm not sure that I've been signed up as part of Team Metafilter on Health Month this month. Can anybody help? I'm Lulu68 in both places. Thanks!
posted by lulu68 at 8:15 AM on August 2, 2011
posted by lulu68 at 8:15 AM on August 2, 2011
Lulu68 - you're NOT on the Metafilter team for August. Check out your profile page - you don't have a team showing for August. Did you request to be on the team? You have to redo it every month; it doesn't happen automatically. The link is here. Just request to join for August and I'll approve you...
(And I'm not sure who sponsored you, but I don't think it was Mathowie (via me)! I've been putting that in as the sponsor's name whenever I give someone a chip. That's not showing on yours. Must have been a random act of kindness?)
posted by web-goddess at 2:40 PM on August 2, 2011
(And I'm not sure who sponsored you, but I don't think it was Mathowie (via me)! I've been putting that in as the sponsor's name whenever I give someone a chip. That's not showing on yours. Must have been a random act of kindness?)
posted by web-goddess at 2:40 PM on August 2, 2011
Hat tip to immlass: Health Month is giving away a limited number of free games here. No excuses for September, people!
posted by ambrosia at 11:24 AM on August 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by ambrosia at 11:24 AM on August 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
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posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:31 AM on July 27, 2011