System change

[seitosilver]

I get a lot of points on l_points, but looking at the breakdown, 90% of it is points from calesthenics. Though calesthenics are important, they won't save my health if I'm eating junk food and staying up all night. To remedy this, jenn1224 has thought up a new point system, one that I think is fabulous and well balanced

Comments

[gwailinwe]

That seems... really complicated.

[jenn1224]

What in particular seems complicated? The sliding scale for exercise and calisthenics? I was thinking that if we had an official spreadsheet, then no one would have to worry about doing the calculations themself, instead people would just type in how much of everything they did, and let the spreadsheet calculate the points. In that case, I don't think it would actually be that much more complicated than it is now.

I know that was a lot of... stuff, all at once. I spent a long time thinking it through, but it's probably overwhelming all at once. I might have made it more complicated when I added all the examples, I really just wasn't sure if it would make sense to anyone except me. If you need clarification on anything, please let me know.

Alternatively, is there anything that you can think of that would make it less complicated while still keeping the scoring balanced?

[gwailinwe]

It seems like a flat amount of points would be easier to keep track of. Also, the current system almost seems kind of backwards to me in that you can earn more points for the first 100 calisthenics and half hour of exercise, but fewer if you do more when doing more is much more difficult and demands a fitter person. In fact, if there were to be a difference in points, it would make more sense to reward those who did the backside-kicking workout. Thus, all things considered, I think a flat rate makes more sense.

I do like the bonus points for posting on the same day, as it might get me to move my lazy butt from the couch to the gym and then to the computer all in the same day.

[jenn1224]

I understand what you're saying. But the problem that I really wanted to address is that under the current system, you can eat junk all day and not get any sleep and do no exercise and still get spectacular points for take a half-hour to do tons of calisthenics. It doesn't seem to me that that person is any "fitter" than the person who eats healthy meals and runs for an hour

[serpentpixie]

But no negative points? I like! I think that was the absolute killer for me not really doing it before, although strangely I have been healthier. I really hate the idea of 'losing' points, it makes it all seem sort of pointless.

I think everyone would need a spreadsheet though. Simply because the way I see it, is that the time spent adding up the points could be spent on exercise. (I said could...!). It needs to remain simple.

I also think that if people don't want to totally comply with the points sysyem and just have motivation from it, then that should be alright. Like a weekly motivational post. I know that if you didn't have time to do that, then I certainly would be willing to help out. Even if it's just to give myself the motivation to do it!

Have you seen flylady.com? It's all a bit middle-class-american but the principles behind it are really great. It certainly made me reconsider my values regarding myself, as it were.

[jenn1224]

I intentionally didn't have any deductions. I think it's so much more rewarding to earn points than it is to lose them.

And I definitely agree that a spreadsheet would be helpful. With a spreadsheet to do the calculations, it's really no more complicated than the current system.

[serpentpixie]

Personally it's so much more motivating - I'm one of those slightly neurotic, Monica-ish people, so losing points does demoralise me. *points to comment below*

It isn't complicated so much as time consuming. To do all the calculations, it needs to be as simple as possible, I think.

[jenn1224]

Obviously the sliding scale takes a little getting used to (with a spreadsheet though it wouldn't take any longer). Once we get use to that, though, I think that this might be a little simpler, because there are fewer bonuses to worry about (although I fully admit, it might seem simpler to me since I came up with it).