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!!

[dancefoxtrot]

 @Kelsie49 

Easy to learn with youtube now since you can google how to knit and find videos.  I made a scarf at Christmas and reviewed basic knit and purl stitiches.

Best,

Barb 

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

Brrrr. I feel cold when it is in the 30-40's F.  Hope the folks in your area get their electricity back soon.  Take it easy when walking on slippery ice. 

You really persevere in getting your steps in.  

Are you knitting pussycat hats still?

Best,

Barbara 

[dancefoxtrot]

@Bobbinyc

Hi Bobbi

I LOL when I read " I just hope those pounds don't find me again." I saw you running away from them so they couldn't catch you. What a funny sight. Hopefully the scale is not returning them to you. 

Really love that you switched doctor's after being told not to worry about a pre-diabetic reading. "Take action now so you avoid the damage to your organs" the docs should be saying. Any news on the Thyroid levels yet or is that next week?

Love reading your caring and suppotive posts.

I went in to teach my class since the sub cancelled due to flu.  Couldn't keep my pulse below 100 so taking tomorrow off.  Nose would healing well and I got a Hyaluronic Acid Gel in my knee to help rebuild the cartilege in my left knee.  The series of 3 shots have helped in the past so I'm hopeful that it will help.

Now I'm trying to get myself to focus on my taxes. I have reduced my step goal to 5000  since I need to keep my pulse low for wound healing. It is amazing how quickly walking can make my pulse hit 100+. 

Well off to walk and call my sister. 

Hugs,

Barbara G

Barbara 

[dancefoxtrot]

@nightswimming

Maybe watch your sodium intake as that is related to storing water. Processed foods have high sodium levels so you may want to read labels. 75% of sodium comes from processed foods. I keep my sodium levels below 1500 mgs a day and I believe the Heart Assn. says the upper limit should be less than 2300 mgs. Water retention goes up and down with exercise and weather temp. too.

Take care,

Barbara G

[Bobbinyc]

@dancefoxtrot  Thank you for all of your support.  When I first joined these challenges, you were the one setting the tone for caring, supportive messages, that also contained great information, advice, and wisdom.  I think these challenges still carry your tone, and that's why we love them.

I'm glad the image of me running from the scale makes you laugh.  Thanks a lot, friend! 

Well, today for the first time in years I didn't weigh myself.  I just want to enjoy the 2 pound loss awhile, even if it turns out to have been a dream.  I mean...2 pounds in 6 months - I want a few days of joy.

I am glad you are taking care of your wound.  The steps can wait until you are healed.  I assume it is healing ok., yes?  Hope your knee feels better.  Our bodies get so pesky as we get a bit older.  And we are so lucky it is nothing worse.

Good luck with the paper work.

I attack mine next week.  Ugh.  I don't think I've ever done taxes without chocolate!  

Time to walk - I avoided the Philadelphia protest today, so I will go walk  in my neighborhood now (and run from those pounds before they find me!)

Hugs to you too, my friend

Bobbi

[_Lilac_]

@dancefoxtrot  I've moved on to other knitting projects since there are no scheduled, local, upcoming events for which I'd need the pussyhats. I'd like to get better at it and tackle a sweater for my larger dog at some point. 

The power has been restored to most people in cities but for some it was longer than 24 hrs. The restaurant up the street was lucky, as I was, in that it didn't lose power. Apparently, it was the busiest day they'd ever had. People waited in line 45 min to get in then it took almost as long to get food. But there was nowhere else to go. Even all the Tim Horton's, (which is the cat's meow in Canada and my city alone has 27 of them and known as the Tim's capital of Canada!!!), had no power and it's their coffee that the country runs on, forget fossil fuels. The Prime Minister offered federal help for my province if it was requested, but we are kinda used to this sort of thing and people just chug along and laugh about it later, "Oh, remember the ice of 2017?" People get the day off work or school and carry on. 

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc  I am forcing myself to rest. I haven't taken the dogs out walking (playing fetch down the hall will have to be enough), I had a long afternoon nap, and I didn't do my 30-40 min workout tonight. I'm in jammies, under a blanket in my chair, knitting and trying to beat this mild fever that keeps creeping in on me. Hot tea, lozenges and breakfast for supper is my plan. 

Tomorrow is a new day and I hope my energy returns.

[Patickles]

Almost 3 weeks since I signed up for the challenge and I have dropped 5 punds, I am half way to my goal for Valentine's Day!!!!

[_Lilac_]

I'm a failure. I couldn't stop from feeling the need to move and a sub-10,000 step count was nagging at me, so after the dogs bugged and bugged, I took them out. I thought it would help clear my head a bit to get fresh air and I was right. We didn't go far but it was enough that they are now crashed on the couch. And I feel better for not having lazed about too much. I started out celebrating when I'd get 4000-5000 steps a day (that was a lot!) and moved it up gradually to finally consistantly get to10,000. I worked so hard at it over the last 6 months that now I just can't look at the numbers and be able to sit. Obsession? I dunno. The next few days I'll feel worse with the cold, and I will likely not care about the numbers. 

My food wasn't great today. I didn't have breakfast but went walking and to the dentist without eating. I stopped and got a club sandwich for take-out and when I got it home I found a huge pile of fries on top. I got rid of most of those but ate a few (the first fries I've had in 6 months). The sandwich had 3 bread in it (I usually have only 1 piece per day) so I was way over on carbs. Sodium was probably high. Supper was yogurt and granola. My calories were under goal but the quality of the food wasn't the best. I think I'll make a super-nutrient charged soup, with some spicy heat, tomorrow to help with my cold. 

Ok, not the greatest day but tomorrow will be better. It's almost the weekend! Anybody got some fun plans?

[dancefoxtrot]

  @Bobbinyc

Hi Bobbi

Glad that you kept your joy going today. I imagine it could be scary to get near that nasty scale.  

I swept, vacuumed, took a short walk, and I'm washing clothes right now. Rachael is on and my legs are up on an end table. I manage to avoid all paperwork today. Tomorrow I get to earn 1 ceu for watching a talk on Opioid  Dependence Treatment. 

Ought to be interesting. 

That Phila get together got huge 5000 peeps and continued after dark as well.

My weight is rising slowly so it is time to cut cals since I can't raise my heart rate for another week or so. Kinda difficult to slow walk that is for sure. 

Thanks for all your support and caring my East Coast sis.

Warm regards,

Barbara 

[dancefoxtrot]

@Gayle1018

Wow you are just .6 from your V Day goal. What great progress you have made. 

Hope you can sort out your Medical Ins. issue. Take it easy and get sleep so the root canals can heal.

Stay inspired.

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

@Bogdel

Way to go!  Right back on track. Congrats on a quick 5 lb.

loss.

Barbara 

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

Hi Canadian neighbor

Glad your haven't frozen yet. Your message needs editing please.  Change the word failure to human.

You are getting right back on the low carb wagon and eating super soup tonight.

Best,

Barb

[dancefoxtrot]

@Patickles

Excellent progress. That is a lot to loose in 3 weeks.

Barb

[Jeff2017]

USW- 235lbs

CSW- 227 (weighed at midnite on New Years Eve)

GW- 215   (for Feb 14)

UGW- 180

PW- 240 (highest weight)

CW- 221

[Bogdel]

@dancefoxtrot Thanks Barbara! You are always such an encourager. So far, it seams like I am loosing 1 lb in two days . I hope it will continue this way, at least until I reach my perfect weight again. It's very cold in Colorado these days, which makes walking outside a bit challenging. Hope it will warm up a bit so I can walk again. 

Best wishes to you!

Ellie

[_Lilac_]

@dancefoxtrot  My failure comment was specifically directed at my previous attempt at 'resting'.  I failed at that. The other parts of my post I don't consider a failure. I guess I should have added a 'haha' after my 'failure' note. 

Yes, I'm human. I work really hard at doing my best so I have no reason to feel bad. 

[BLLingg]

I know exactly what you mean in your Message# 749, @_Lilac_!   I'm a Failure just like you!! 

There are so many Days when I start the Day thinking (and feeling) that I just can't do it today.  I tell myself that it's ok to take a Day off.  I felt that way when we had our Snow.  I felt that way after the ER.  Heck, I felt that way before the ER!  But I failed.

I haven't always made my Goals.  I've had Days when I barely got in 8K Steps.  But almost never have I finished the Day without having tried.

Ain't it GLORIOUS to be a Failure???    I look back to when I started and to where I am now and I am totally flabbergasted!  I was a Couch Potato for over 20 Years.  That's almost a third of my Life!  But in less than a Year, I'm up to 5 Miles almost every Day and over 6 on most! 

I admire you so much, @_Lilac_!  My occasional Trials & Tribulations are miniscule compared with those you have to deal with every Day!!  You really ARE a Role Model!!! 

[GettingfitinSC]

Well...When I set my goal, I made it for 225, which is -10 lbs in the 7 weeks from Christmas to Valentine's. This may be premature because it's not officially weighin day, but as of this morning, I weigh 225.3. It's been dropping a lot each day this week. I really hope it continues. It I meet my goal early, I'll make a new goal to work on by Valentines! I contribute a lot of it to the support I get on here. Thanks everyone! 

[Bobbinyc]

@dancefoxtrot  Thanks as always for the way you support and encourage everyone here.

I hope your nose and knee are mending well.  I know it is frustrating not to be able to walk much, or dance, but it is for a short time.  Hang in there.

Yes, Philadelphia has quickly gone from a very passive community to active.  Part of the march, relevant to people here, was a group protesting the way "fat" people are being insulted, and the talk of letting insurance companies charge more or not cover them, as they do with smokers.  Some of the women who were insulted and called names for being "fat" were in a very healthy weight range.