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!!

[almost_where]

Christmas Weight = 267

Sunday-1 - 270 -  (01/01)
Sunday-2 - 269 -  (01/08) (Weigh in was on 1/10 due to no scale avail)
Sunday-3 - 264 -  (01/15)
Sunday-4 - 262 -  (01/22)
Sunday-5 - 268 - (01/29)
Sunday-6 - 260 - (02/05)
Sunday-7 - (02/12)
Valentine's Day Goal 255

-8 lbs

Well last weeks binge/sodium/junk food is gone. Gonna try to make February the month to remember.

[IdahoSandy]

Weekly weigh-in:

USW 208 lbs (5/22/16)
CSW 181.9 (1/1/17)
PW 177.7 (1/8/17)
PW 177.5 (1/15/17)
PW 174.7 (1/22/17)
PW 173.6 (1/29/17)
CW 172.5 (2/5/17)
GW 169.9 (by 2/14/17)
UGW 158 (5/22/17)

I have 9 days to lose 2.6 pounds.  Wish me luck!  

[_Lilac_]

I feel horribly fat today. It's like I gained 50lbs overnight. Went walking with Mom at the mall then we decided to stop for coffee because it's 'roll up the rim' at Tim's (Canadians will get it), and I bought a muffin. Now, really, I think it's just cake in muffin form, but I can eat a bunch of calories because of the amount I burn, and I thought it would be ok to have a carrot muffin today. I walked it back to the table and told Mom that I don't get enough calories so it was ok. You should have seen the face of the person I passed when I said it. He GAWKED at me...I guess he could not believe that a 310lb+ woman wasn't getting enough calories. So I hastily had to say that I burn at least 4000 calories a day and a 300 calorie muffin isn't gonna break me. And I looked in the glass window by the door and I looked massive, like I'd swollen up into this big roll of bread dough still rising. Puffy, expanding. I know it was the glass making me look like that. But it's how I felt in that moment too. I had my delicious muffin, drank my coffee with real cream and sugar, knowing I'd burned all those calories already in my walk with Mom earlier. I was still sweating from our workout. 

I don't usually have those moments of feeling like that. I normally revel in how much work I've done, the success I've had. I don't consider having a muffin as breaking my diet, because it fits into my tracker and I accomodate for it. That guy doesn't know where I've come from, that I've lost 44lbs since August, that I used to be 380lbs a few years ago. He doesn't know the amount of steps I do, how much I sweat. So why does his gawking face matter to me? 

I think I just have to take out my feelings on my shoes. It's super cold again so I won't be walking the dogs (maybe up the block and back), so I'll get on my treadmill or do a video or two and prove to myself (and the gawking dude) that I'm NOT what he thinks I am. I'm not lazy and I don't overeat and I don't binge or any of the other stereotypes. I need to get a bit angry and dismiss those thoughts and that image from my brain. I need to be happy with myself and my efforts.

[Julia_G]

@_Lilac_ I started reading through this thread when I noticed that you were rated as one of the most helpful people in the Community this week, and I wanted to know a little more about this amazingly helpful person...

Since then, I have read every post, and I have been both inspired and impressed.  

All I can say for now about the Disapproving Muffin Man is, he ought to walk a mile in your shoes (as the saying goes) before even his eyes presume to judge you.

You go, girl!

[_Lilac_]

@Julia_G  I don't know how helpful or inspiring I am, I just blab a lot. Haha. It helps me process what's going on in my mind. We all struggle and work hard. I would hope my posts help everyone here know they are not alone. I have so far to go and need a forum like this to help my accountability and motivation. I'm glad you've joined us. The more the merrier!

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

I'm LOL about your dream and then the orange veggie association. Goons sounding alarms about you. I agree, too much negative US news is creeping into your dreams. It is an embarrassing circus for me and for a break, I'm watching Nat Geographic Wild life live program now.  

Glad that you are doing so well with your steps and burning calories.

Best,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

I like Julie's response to the surprised gawker episode.  Other people's judgement is often reflected in a part of us.  I love your response since he doesn't have a clue how you work hard and that you have lost 70 lbs.  There is so much judgement about being overweight. Glad that your walked off your annoyance. 

Barbara G

[BLLingg]

@_Lilac_, I don't know if this will help or not, but in the Challenges, my Favorite is "Goal Day."  I believe it evens out the Playing Field. Those who can't walk very far and have smaller Goals still have a chance to come out on top, ahead of others who can and have higher Goals.

In it, you are playing against yourself first, trying to meet your Goal.  I see it as me being the Cake and the other Competitors as the Frosting on the Cake.  (And a few of my Friends are like Candles on it!)  Outsiders, like that ignorant Gawker, aren't a part of the Cake and don't belong in it, on it, or even near it.  He's more like an Ant, trying to steal some of the Cake.  So just flick him off as you would an Ant.  And keep your Eyes upon you and your Goal, and your Friends. 

I know what you mean, though.  It's really hard to not "see" ourselves thorough the Eyes of those Outsiders!  Worse yet, as we think those Outsider see us!!!

[BLLingg]

Another Roller Coaster Week.    I was down all the way to 173.8 on Thursday  then back up to 176.6 on Saturday!   I'm getting dizzy from all this up and down!!!  But at least my downs exceed my ups!!!

28 July 2010 - PW - 280.8  (My highest known.)
06 June 2016 - USW (in FitBit) - 216
27 Dec - CSW - 183.4
02 Jan - Goal - 182.2 - PW 182.6
09 Jan - Goal - 181.0 - PW 181.0
16 Jan - Goal - 179.8 - PW 178.2
23 Jan - Goal - 178.6 - PW 175.4
30 Jan - Goal - 177.4 - PW 175.4
06 Feb - Goal - 176.2 - CW 174.6 
13 Feb - Goal - 175
14 Feb - GW - 175
22 May - 1st UGW - (but not a "Healthy" BMI) - 150

I just gotta stop having those Bad Girl Days!!!  Granted, I'm ahead of the Game right now.  But to reach my 22 May Goal, I have to do better than 8# in 7 Weeks!

Are we going to have another Round?  I hope so!!  Y'all are so good for me!!!  I was thinkin' April 15th.  Then we can either Fast or Feast on the 16th! 

[GettingfitinSC]

SW/USW= 235 (Christmas 2016)

GW= 225 (2/14/2017)

PW= 224.2 (Met Goal Weight!)

CW= 224.8 (up a little but maintained 1st goal weight)

UGW= 125

I changed my goal weight last week to 220 because I was all excited about getting to 225. I don't think I'll make that new goal, but I'll keep trying. I definitely want to lose a couple more pounds this week. 

I did great on steps this week. I met 10,000 steps all week until yesterday when I only got 6700. I'm okay with that though, because after church, we were really busy cleaning out a building, moving tubs, sorting through stuff, and going to the store to trade in old books. I feel good about what was accomplished even though I missed my step goal. 

I didn't do the strength workouts like I hoped. I only did one day instead of my goal of 3 days. I'll work on that again this week. 

Hope everyone is doing great! 

[DJC_63]

@almost_where you're doing great! I'm envious

[DJC_63]

@_Lilac_  So sorry that you had that experience. You're right, he didn't know how hard you work or how far you've come. And he doesn't matter at all. I understand how it is to see yourself through someone else's eyes and not like what you see. But please, don't let that have any more influence on you than possible. You know that there was absolutely nothing wrong with you having that muffin. You know YOU. You would know if you were eating too much, or not doing enough, or not taking care of yourself. You are doing great, and you should be nothing but proud.

[_Lilac_]

I'm forcing myself into a rest day today. I got over that gawking muffin man. I ended up with almost 14,000 steps yesterday (three workouts including 38 min walking dogs and 33 min aerobics in livingroom) and 4300 calorie burn for the day. I've been going non-stop for ages and I'm having another pain day so that's it. Rest. I don't want to hurt myself. I'll walk the dogs and do some tasks around here but mostly just veg. 

Thanks for all the encouraging words. I've had a lifetime of dismissing peoples' ideas of me. It makes me realize how much I might do of it myself, ya know? The smoker outside the office building (maybe she quit 22 times), the cabby who won't help carry a bag (maybe he's had back surgery), the store employee who sees you coming to ask a question and takes off (maybe it's quitting time and their kid is sick at home)...we just don't know about anyone else. I'm just the fat chick who ordered a muffin. I didn't order a donut. I didn't order 6 of them! It's all about perspective. 

I realized last night that it's a month exactly til I turn 48yrs old. Ugh. How did this happen? haha. Life sneaks up on ya, as reliably as all those pounds do!! I can't shed the years but I can shed this fat. I'll make it happen. At my 50th birthday I'll be a very different looking person. 

Ok, off to relax. I might have to check in often to remain sane.

[Bobbinyc]

re @_Lilac_'s experience with the muffin man - Haven't we all experienced some version of that?

It's up to us to decide how to feel inside, and how to respond.  And of course Lilac always bounces back so fast.

Eleanor Roosevelt:   "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent".

[Bobbinyc]

I'm still 2 pounds down at 184!!!

3 weeks of 184 so I'm happy - the weight did not go back up.

I know to anyone who doesn't know me this sounds nuts. But it took 6 months to lose 2 pounds despite major effort and I was afraid it would just bounce back up again.

This is despite a great birthday celebration that included some amazing restaurants.  I'm proud of myself because one was a French place where I did not order dessert - a first.  And I chose the others and either had fish and salad or was in a new vegetarian place.  Also saw the Alvin Ailey Dance Co. - amazing as always; at least for me though not so much for the two men I was with.

And I have been to the gym daily.

For me, the number of steps doesn't seem to help as much as the amount of heart pumping activity, so I'm gradually increasing that.  Nice to see the stamina improve.

My goal for this challenge was a one pound loss and I did that.  I'm actually  hoping for another pound to come off.  

At this rate, I'll be, oh, about 93 years old when I reach a normal weight!!

[Annabel398]

12/25 | (start) 134.2

1/1      ███▌-0.7

1/8     ██████████ -1.9 (goal -1.4)

1/15    ██████████▌-1.6 (goal -2.1)

1/22   ██████████████ -2.0 (goal -2.8)

1/29   █████████████████▌-3.2 (goal -3.5)

2/5     ██████████████████████▌ -4.5 (goal -4.2)

2/12    ████████████████████████▌-4.9

2/14    █████████████████████████▌ goal: 129.1 (-5.1)

Woohoo!  I (briefly) dipped below 130 yesterday (shhh, don't tell, it's back up this morning).

It is the last week of my StepBet challenge and I'm still in the running. The payout is up to $47.35 (on a bet of $40). If it continues at the current rate, payout should be about $49 by the end of the challenge. $9 interest in 6 weeks on a $40 bet--as someone pointed out, that's a pretty good return when you think about what it would add up to annually!

How's everyone else doing? 

[_Lilac_]

Having a mini-disaster here. I spent the morning cleaning. I've got laundry in, scoured the kitchen, tidying surfaces, etc etc. I sat to rest a bit and heard a strange noise. I had seen the shadow of a crow in my roof gutters so I thought the tap tapping was the crow, but then I looked to my picture window and noticed water running down my wall underneath it. From the top of my window frame is a steady row of drips falling to the sill. I had to run and get a towel because it's causing big damage. The snow and ice on my roof is melting and going INTO my window housing. This is $$$$ to fix. My drywall is now buckling some. I have no idea what to do really or who to call.

The dogs are begging to go out so I might take them for their walks then call a window replacement place for an estimate. I didn't need this! My deductible for my house insurance isn't small, and not sure if it would cover something like this anyway.

Alright, walking off my stress... 

[Tybokitty]

@Bobbinyc  Way to go!!!!!  

[HeartBiller]

@_Lilac_I am sorry to hear of your Window issue. I am struggling with a home issue as well.. I do believe my heat unit has went out. It hasn't worked what I feel is adequate all winter, but my husband kept saying it was just me.... UNTIL last night when we got in from church and the house was like ice... Now imagine that he says that he thinks is isn't working right... lol. HUMMMMM wish I had said that 2 months ago. So we have a man coming in the morning to see if ours can be repaired or if it has officially died... Neither of which are in my budget at this time... SO who knows what is going to happen with this mess... BUT my favorite phrase.. God's Got this! So I shall "try" not to panic too much!

Okay so for the main subject .... Weight... I do not think I am doing very well on it. It was a rough weekend for me. I ate several things I shouldn't have and I did not get my steps in. So I am probably not headed to close to my goal. However I am at this point praying to maintain where I am. I would be really happy to get back to 165. I have to get my rear in gear... I am slacking. Oh well tomorrow is my official weigh day, so I will be back tomorrow with "hopefully" at least a few ounces down....

[GershonSurge]

@HeartBiller,

If you have an electronic thermostat, try changing the batteries.

Check to see if the pilot light is lit.