Christmas 2016 to Valentine's Day 2017 Challenge

[Bobbinyc]

Welcome all Challengers!  What an amazing group we have!

Let's all continue together to take off the excess pounds and keep getting healthier.

This challenge will begin on Christmas and finish on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14. 

All you need to join this challenge is to post your stats regarding your weight, and check in weekly or as often as you'd like. We are a great support group and enjoy keeping up with each other and being there for our ups and downs.  Generally we have found that the more we check in and offer support, tips, info,  and ideas to others, the more we get for ourselves.

We list our weight, as well as any other goals we might have related to being healthy (such as increase water, more active minutes, etc).  Developing good health habits is primary.

A little rundown of terminology for anyone who is new.

USW- Ultimate Starting Weight

CSW- Current Starting Weight (for this challenge)

GW- Goal Weight   (for Feb 14)

UGW- Ultimate Goal Weight   (what your healthy target weight is)

PW- Previous Weight

CW- Current Weight

MFP- My Fitness Pal

List as much info as you like.  Some people include age, gender, height....whatever seems relevant to you.

We keep it as serious or light as we feel, but we always keep it focused on being as healthy as possible, while we support each other kindly.  We can do this together!!

[Bogdel]

Late, but I'm back in. Just came back from a month long vacation that extended from mid-december to mid-January. I am concerned about the weight that I gained back during this time. Although winter makes walking a bit more difficult, I'll do my best to reclaim my preferred life-style and burn those extra pounds of detestable, sickenning, damaging fat. I simply do not want that on my body! So, here we go:

USW- 183 lbs

CSW- 162

GW- 152  (for Feb 14)

UGW- 140  (what your healthy target weight is)

PW- 143

CW- 162

To achieve this, I will log my food intake every day, and do some king of daily physical activity every day (walking or working out in the gym).

[Bobbinyc]

@HeartBiller  When I started exercising again, and I was in awful shape with a lot of muscle atrophy, I did the basics.  I couldn't do regular pushups, so I did them against a wall.  Easy enough, and it got the muscles to kind of wake up.  You have to be aware of all the tiny muscles and tendons, not just the big muscles, so it's good to be easy and gentle at first.  After that, I did pushups against a  heavy table, then the sofa arm, etc, working my way to the floor.  Everything can be modified and should be to begin with.  You can always progress faster if you feel ready.

I was told to do one pushing excercise (pushups) one pulling, one squat type, one lunge type, one stabilizing and then just mix it up and add on. Squats and lunges require no equipment.  Make sure your form on squats is good (sit in a chair and get up, repeat).  You can do modified planks - elbows on floor.  Just hold them longer and longer each time you are able to.  Great for the core.

The list from A_Lurker is great, though again, modify as needed and start slowly.

Almost_where has great tips on using some equipment.

I have an Swiss ball that I love, very light weights for my shoulders, and 5 and 10 lb weights.  

I went very slowly and managed to go from totally frail and atrophied, to using weights at a gym and able to really push myself.  I think going slowly those first months made the difference - no injuries at all.  

Once you get into it, there is an amazing variety of things you can do.  Just play!  Make it fun.  Enjoy feeling your body get strong.  I just started ballet, and I do some belly dancing.  It feels great.  

[em.kz]

Today has been a challenging day for me in the way of activity. At the moment I am at 6,800 steps and with the last few hours I have in the day, I am determined to make it to my goal of 9,000. Today was a challenge in particular because I was taking a 6-hour online defensive driving course in order to lower my insurance rates. Unfortunately this meant that I was idle for far longer than normal and I couldn't get out much to get steps elsewhere as I was stuck at home. On the plus side, today I was able to get 10 out of 10 active hours for the first time in a while. Wish me luck for these last three hours! Regardless of where I end up today, tomorrow will be better.

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_  I am so touched that Canadian's are also marching.  I have been trying to help out with the marches in New York and Philadelphia.  I'm planning to go to Washington.  It's been so long since I've done anything like this - but I was there for Martin Luther King and for the big anti-war protest.  So I guess it's time again.  I love that you are knitting hats.  

[Bobbinyc]

@dancefoxtrot  Welcome back!  And with a weight loss too!  Hope it was wonderful.

[em.kz]

I did it! I pushed myself and got to 9,000, then decided I might as well get to 10,000 so I kept walking. I will now be happily getting some sleep.

[Glenda]

                                    HeartBiller,  You only have 3 days left on the Daniel Fast.  It might be interesting if you actually count all the calories you eat.  The Daniel Fast is expected to AUTOMATICALLY reduce the number of calories eaten by eliminating all animal products and sugar, but by so severely restricting the protein sources it might be so unsatisfying you would need to eat more calories as a result.  There are lots of calories in nuts,avacados,starches (bread,grains, corn, rice,peas )  bananas and any oils allowed.  I think I would count just to know  if their assumption was right or not.  You could have done it perfectly and not lowered the calories.   I never count calories in low calorie stuff like celery or  bell peppers that I bulk up an eggwhite omlet with but the protein makes it so satisfying I don't get hungry for a long time.  If you don't lose weight it will be dissapointing but not your fault.

[Chocobo9]

@A_Lurker I'm eating somewhere between 1,100 - 1,200 cal/day. I have been doing that since last July. I do have snacks in between each meal. Meal time: Breakfast at 7, snack at 10 (fruit), lunch at 12:30-13, snack 2 around 17 (milk + almonds or oat biscuit or protein bar), then I go to the gym and do 15min treadmill (HIIT), 30 min elliptical + 1hr resistance training then when I get back home I have lunch most often something light like a sandwich. 

I never used to have cravings after a workout before it just recently started after my last period. Normally I would not be hungry at all after a long workout. But I would still eat something. 

I normally also sleep min of 8 hrs. 

@Bobbinyc Before I never used to get cravings after a workout. It actually was the opposite. After a workout, I used to not want to eat anything but I still did because skipping on dinner wouldn't have been healthy. I normally don't feel like eating any sweets but when I occasionally do I limit myself to jut eating half a bar of chocolate or a couple of crisps but no more than that. I also only drink water no frizzy drinks apart when I occasionally go out to eat with friends/family then I would only have one glass of zero coke. 

I'm getting really frustrated with my body and don't know what to do anymore. The drastic change in my body are making me kind of depressed 

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc  It's happening all over the world. There's a map showing all the cities internationally that are participating in solidarity with American women. The closest one to me is 3 hour car drive away. I don't have anyone to take me so I'd have to bus there (4 hours), spend two nights in a hotel, train back (4 hours). I'd go and do it by myself, since I have old friends who will be there and I haven't seen them in years, but it's a lot of money and time committed when I have two dogs at home. My daughter would be responsible for them and she's working 8 hour shifts those two days.

I'm struggling with making a hat though, phew. I didn't have enough yarn of one colour to complete a hat, so I had to integrate another colour, but that means I have to match the pattern when I flip the hat over. I'm NOT an experienced knitter so it's getting difficult. I'll manage.

[BLLingg]

Regarding my Previous Posting# 565.

Well, the USDA Site has a lot of neat stuff in it.  But all it pulls from FitBit is the Walking and maybe other Exercises logged.  It doesn't pull the Food logged.  So either I have to enter my Food in 2 Places or it's not worth it.  Furthermore, they don't have the versatility that FitBit has on logging Food.  I went to log a 6 oz Container of Yoplait's Low Fat Key Lime Yogurt and I had to stop to convert oz to cups.  Worse yet, they didn't even have the Key Lime so I ended up selecting Lemon.  Nor do they have a variety of Fish Sticks.  When I was done entering my Breakfast, the USDA had 585 Calories while FitBit has 385.  Since my FitBit Data is Vendor specific, I'm not going to worry about the USDA anymore.

Dern it!  It looked so promising!!!

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc !!! I just found out there's a march organized for my city!!!! I've got some knitting to do now!! I invited all my female friends on facebook and hoping to get some interest going. I just haven't seen this advertised. People won't know it's happening! I'm heading over to my sister's house to knit all day. She is working on a rainbow hat and I've got two pink ones planned.I'll have to figure out how to do some steps while knitting. Hahaha. It's a very long walk from the mall to get there but that might be a good thing to get in my exercise. 

I had 4 seizures overnight though, so that's another reason I want to go spend the day with family. To have someone around. 

I dropped 3lb this week (yay me) so I'm feeling good.

[Brujita]

@HeartBiller yep im 28 yrs old. My girls are 9 &10. so yes young. I have an huge family as well but We live a ways from our family, so no real big get togethers on our part. Our family is all on the west coast, minus my brother who lives off the KY/TN border. If i'm being honest I think that's what has contributed to my weight gain. We moved to IL back in jan 2014 and my weight also moved in the wrong direction. no family here and not much in the way of friends. The only time I get out is for my girls school or sport functions. Kind of a hermit. Winter and the hot humid summer doesnt help. 

That's fantastic that your husband is your cheerleader and support. So is mine, he just hasnt joined me in my endeavors in relation to health and fitness. He did get me a bicycle for christmas with an attachment so that my dog can run alongside. but its been to icy/cold to do that. 

as for the jiggly, i think a lot of others have provided great information. Start slow and focus on form. no use in straining yourself. What are your plans for after the daniel fast? I do weekly goals. so week 1 was making sure i exercised 5+days, week 2 add stratching on top of that. since i didnt manage to stretch each time i will work on that until it becomes a norm then i will add another thing. 

[Bobbinyc]

@Brujita  I remember from previous challenges, you were always determined and methodical.  I love looking at the dashboard post you do.  I then look at mine (yikes!) and decide to increase my level of activity.

I know how hard it is to raise kids away from a supportive family.  It really does take a village.  I can be a bit of a hermit too.   I did find that getting involved in the school meant meeting other parents as we shared activities.  I was able to become friends with a few, and sometimes that was a huge help.  I'm still friends with some of those women, decades later.  

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_  First off, congrats on the weight loss (yay you!)  You are like a machine with this - nothing stops you.

I've told people here (U.S.) that Canada is marching too and everyone is so  moved by that.  

Please don't get annoyed with me, but are you sure you should be doing that?  I'm worrying about the cold and the seizures.  Your health comes first.  

I'll pretend I'm wearing one of your hats and keep you in my thoughts.  You are always inspiring.

[sierradreamin17]

My husband's doctor told him today that he has a "fatty liver".  He said his enzymes are elevated, it is dangerous, and can lead to cancer and other diseases.  The doctor said that since my husband rarely drinks, it is from diet.  A diet of soda, sugar, white bread and pasta is slowly damaging him.  He was told to cut out all of that and be re-tested in 3 months.  And he's not even that overweight.  He just eats poorly.

It's ironic cause he was giving me such a hard time about going sugar free for one week.   Maybe now he'll start listening to me!  Yeah, I know.  He probably won't listen anyway.  

[A_Lurker]

@Chocobo9- I went back and told your post where you gave your information.  With your height, weight, age, gender, etc. I put your information into a BMR calculator and got the information below.  I suspect you are under-eating for your activity level.  If you were doing no exercise on 1100-1200 calories I wouldn't say much.  However, you may be taxing your system (it's fighting back with the hunger cues).  The catch is that you've been eating at this level for 6 months and your body has likely adjusted to this new normal.  ie. where you may have been burning more calories you body has gotten used to these new lower calories.  You likely aren't at the stage where you need a metabolism reset (http://eatmore2weighless.com/the-metabolism-reset-guide/) but you might want to slowly (over weeks really) raise you calories until you're at the 1400 calorie level at a minimum.  Usually it is suggested that you don't eat below your BMR for a long period of time (ie. a day here and there, no issues).

Custom BMR Calculation

Entered information: 29 year old female, 171 cm tall, weighing 59.5 kg.

From the information that you entered, you'd like to weigh 54 kg.

Harris-Benedict Formula

There are a few different methods to calculating yourbasal metabolic rate (BMR). One of the most popular, developed in the early 1900's is called the Harris-Benedict formula. Based on this formula, your current BMR is 1405 calories.

How Many Calories Should I Eat?

Based on your goal weight, the following chart was generated. The chart shows the number of calories that you should eat on a daily basis to reach your goal weight. At Fat 2 Fit Tools, we advocate eating like the thin, healthy person that you want to become. The calorie levels you see in the chart are not extreme, but they do create that all important caloric deficit that is required to get you to your goal weight in a safe manner. Once you reach your goal weight, you will continue eating the same number of calories for the rest of your life to maintain that weight. You'll never be on a diet again.

Based on how much activity you do on an average day, the calories in the right column will be the number of calories that you will be able to eat at your goal weight. If you start eating those calories right now (eating like the thinner you), you will eventually become that thinner person. As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point.

Activity Level Daily Calories

Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job)	1622
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)	1859
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)	2096
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)	2332
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)	2569

NOTE: Please remember that this calculation is just a guideline. Your metabolism may be higher or lower based on the amount of lean muscle you have. Use these numbers a a starting point and tweak them up or down based on your weight loss or gain. It may take a couple weeks to get your exact calorie level.

[A_Lurker]

@sierradreamin17- people have to come to a new way of eating for their own reasons.  However, since you've improved your eating maybe this will help your husband as well.  I can't help but compare my own health with my father's.  We were both diagnosed diabetic (or unacceptably high A1C levels) at pretty much the same age.  Our doctors started us down the same path - control your diet and take pills.  I couldn't tolerate the pills so I decided to work on my weight.  My father took the pills and continued to eat poorly.  My mother tried to help him, but he would buy his own junk food out of the house.

We had very different results.  My A1Cs are back to normal levels (and my weight loss journey continues).  My father's health declined and after numerous health problems died just a few years after he turned 60.  So, two people with the same diagnosis, different paths and different results (at least for the immediate I suppose).

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc  I can't let this condition control my life and stop me from doing things. I'll be around a lot of people, friends, family, so I'm comfortable going. It's better than sitting around home. There is no physical march, people are simply gathering at City Hall. The weather is supposed to be right around the freezing mark, so not cold. When I messaged the organizer earlier today there were only 8 people confirmed as going! After I shared the event and invited friends, and my sister did the same, the number jumped dramatically. I just don't think it was promoted so people didn't know much about it.

I have one hat completed, working on a second one. Now, after being at my sister's house most of the day I got home with only 2400 steps! By 5pm! So, I put my stitches on my knitting needles and did my steps and marched while knitting in front of the tv! Haha. Talk about multi-tasking. I got to my 10,000 steps completely distracted, with sweat and good heart rate. Success!

That three pounds I lost this week has officially put me at 40lb lost. And one of the best things is that my mom is now hooked on tracking her food and movement with fitbit, and she LOVES that she can see how much she can eat. I think she just always cut cut cut and wasn't aware of how little she was eating and it was probably sabotaging her. She's lost 5lbs! I think having the fitbit really encourages her to move, not that she's sedentary, but gives her that extra oophm. 

We gather once a month for breakfast at her house, my sisters, myself, my cousin. And that's tomorrow morning. Always healthy, good company. 

Time to knit then go to bed. Have a good night everyone!

[dancefoxtrot]

Wow @Bobbinyc

You are going to Wash DC for women's march. That is amazingly cool and I wish I was walking with you. I hope the weather is good for you there.

If it is not raining here I'm going to a rally and march in Santa Rosa, Ca. I can do that as long as I don't raise my pulse too high for my wound to heal. 

That is neat that people are rallying in Canada too.

Best,

Barbara G

[DJC_63]

I've been absent for awhile. My Fitbit Charge HR broke so I was without one for a little while. I exchanged it and upgraded to the new Charge 2. They changed the charging cable and the design of the face plate so I think this one will be more durable. I went through about 5 or 6 of the Charges because they fell apart.

So, anyhow, I hope everyone is doing well. I did gain a few pounds (2 or 3) over the holidays so I have to work a little harder to get rid of those now. I've been so depressed about world circumstances and some of my own, though, and it's hard not to keep eating chocolate to make myself feel better.

SW- 194 as of 1/19/17