It's The Most Healthiest Time Of The Year

November 30, 2011 10:05 AM

December's Health Month is starting up! Come join (or rejoin) the MeFi team and meet some of those goals you've been meaning to get around to. Lots of sponsorship chips are floating around for those who need them.

Previously, previouslier, previouslierer, oh you get the idea.

posted by moira to MetaFilter-Related at 10:05 AM (20 comments total)

OK, I'm BACK IN. Must admit to missing Health Month for the past couple of months when I was away on vacation too much to be participating.
posted by bearwife at 11:32 AM on November 30, 2011

Beat the rush for New Years resolutions!

Actually, one of the thing I like about HM is that it's sort of making New Month resolutions. And at the end of the month you can evaluate whether you want to keep that up (or try it again, if you didn't completely succeed) for another month, or not. I think many people fail at New Years resolutions because keeping up a new habit for a year just seems an overwhelming length of time; in contrast, a month seems doable.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:40 AM on November 30, 2011

I rejoined, and decided not to boycott it this month, like I did last month.
posted by spinifex23 at 12:31 PM on November 30, 2011

Don't be shy about requesting sponsorship. I've still got 45 chips from Mathowie to give away! To use one, just set up more than 3 rules. When it asks you to pay, look for the option to request sponsorship. Once you're on the "Wall", I'll see it and hook you up. (Or - as often as not - one of the other MeFites will see it and hook you up, and I'll be stuck with these chips FOREVER.)
posted by web-goddess at 12:58 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'm back in, after October went sideways (yay headcold on vacation!) and I didn't have the gumption to try for November (instead: another cold! back spasms! car crash!), down to just three rules again. (Exercise, flossing, and the back stretches my doc assigned.)

I'm looking forward to getting a boost into the new year. ::fingers crossed::
posted by epersonae at 12:59 PM on November 30, 2011

Health Month is a good thing. Though I failed epically at it this time. And the time before that I'm convinced we all caught each others' bugs on the game wall. But really, it is a good thing. It makes one think much more clearly about health and life goals.
posted by paduasoy at 2:40 PM on November 30, 2011

I'm back, too. I've had a baaaad couple of months and am hoping this will help. :D
posted by zomg at 3:42 PM on November 30, 2011

This looks awesome, and timely because I just found out I need to quit smoking like seriously right now (life situation, not health). Health Month rated that challenge as "low", and I disagree wholeheartedly.

Thanks for helping me find some accountability!
posted by Perthuz at 7:13 PM on November 30, 2011

i am in! cool! =D
posted by xiaolongbao at 7:23 PM on November 30, 2011

If you find the penalty-based Health Month system incompatible with your psyche, we've got invites to the Fitocracy MeFi group too. (Blue post, original MeTa.)
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 7:25 PM on November 30, 2011

If you find the penalty-based Health Month system incompatible with your psyche, we've got invites to the Fitocracy MeFi group too.

I really like the no-penalty aspect. Too bad it's limited to exercise.
posted by moira at 8:33 PM on November 30, 2011

Yay! I fudged waaaaay too much in November (darn you vacation!), but I'm feeling optimistic about December :)
posted by Mouse Army at 7:03 AM on December 1, 2011

I've been doing this since August, and it's been terrific. I'm down a total of 12 pounds since then, which is a pretty amazing thing to write out, especially since I feel like my weight loss has been incremental at best. Anyway, Health Month is wonderful. So glad we have a team!
posted by shiu mai baby at 7:12 AM on December 1, 2011

I've signed up to HealthMonth just to see what it was like, and was going to make a team of family and friends next year if it went well. Is it possible to be on more than one team?
posted by harriet vane at 11:10 PM on December 1, 2011

No, only one team.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 4:37 AM on December 2, 2011

Although you can have people outside your team that you follow, and view game wall posts by the people you follow whether they're on your team or not, and I believe heal them with fruit if they request it, etc.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 4:45 AM on December 2, 2011

Question: is there any easy way to access the 'team wall'? Also, I forgot to request sponsorship, is there a way to do that after signing up and playing a few turns? Yay health month, OMG IT'S WORKING :o) Did a mefite make this? Whom can I thank for discovering it?
posted by xiaolongbao at 8:04 AM on December 3, 2011

There's a "Your Game Wall" link in green script at the top of most or all pages, and additional "Visit the Game Wall" type buttons on the home page and at the bottom of the turn-just-played page.

I'm not sure about sponsorship, but if you're already signed up and playing, it sounds like you picked three or fewer rules and no private rules? If that's the case, you're playing a free game and don't need a sponsorship chip.
posted by moira at 8:53 AM on December 3, 2011

Thanks for the tips, moira. I did indeed choose just three rules, and that's probably enough anyway! Free game it is. I guess I can request sponsorship next month?

I think the issue with my not being able to navigate to the Game Wall may be that I've not been accepted to the team, *gasp*! If I go to the page MeFi Team, it asks do I want to 'Ask to join this team late'. But I asked to join the team when I signed up, should I do it again?

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP, I'M REAL and I crave community :'o(!
posted by xiaolongbao at 1:29 PM on December 4, 2011

Just to clarify - I've sorted out xiaolongbao. You actually have to click the link on the team page to request to join. There's no way as admin for me to manually add people, so simply commenting on MeTa that you want to join the team doesn't do anything. Once you've requested to join on Health Month, I can approve you for the team.
posted by web-goddess at 3:28 PM on December 4, 2011