Easter to Memorial Day Challenge 2016

[awood08]

Welcome to the next challenge!!!

Our challenge starts Easter March 27th through Memorial Day May 30th. (USA holiday)

To be part of the challenge you start by posting your initial weight stats and what you would like to achieve by the end of the challenge. You can then check in as often as you'd like with a weight update, to share a story from your week or start a conversation about a topic you'd like some advice on.

Welcome to all our new members, old timers, and anyone who is just following our challenge! Let's continue to work hard, meet our goals, and most important, give each other the encouragement and positive thoughts to keep all our spirits up!

Thanks to @saraj91 for the last challenge! Hope to see you again in here 🙂

 
A little rundown of terminology for anyone who is new: 

USW- Ultimate Starting Weight

CSW- Current Starting Weight

GW- Goal Weight

UGW- Ultimate Goal Weight

PW- Previous Weight

CW- Current Weight

MFP- My Fitness Pal

Here is a link for our group! Thanks @Brujita

https://www.fitbit.com/group/22KZ7F

[Bogdel]

@lusry, even if you didn't do as well as you wanted last time, you did move in the right direction and lost weight. That's good! As far as doing better, I believe that we can do anything we can set our mind to. Even though I reached my weight goal in the last two challenges, I want to improve my step count in this challenge. Best wishes on the new challenge. 

Ellie

[Bogdel]

@dianenyc, I am watching your step count, and I see that you beat me (wink). I missed a day, and I'm trying to catch up. In addition, I had to work harder to loose what I gained at Easter (had some delicious pie, and more food than I needed). Today is my B-day, and I am back to my Easter goal. Time to move down towards my Memorial Day goal. I am not doing as well on my water intake, but you inspire me, and I am going to work on that, as well. I did  reach 12,000+ steps yesterday, and have a few more to reach today's 10,000 steps

Thanks for your friendship and challenge to do better. 

Blessings!

Ellie

[RubyH]

Happy Birthday @Bogdel, and keep your good work and positive attitude .

[JENAKK]

Starting a little late....

I have a weight goal in mind....but a number is just a number to me. It will ultimately be about how I feel, how my clothes fit, etc. and not the number on the scale. I remember feeling my best 10 years ago when I weighed 132lbs. I'm guessing I'll feel pretty good if I get back into the same ballpark.

CSW- Current Starting Weight - 150lbs (3/23/16)

GW- Goal Weight - 135lbs

[CMThurman]

USW- Ultimate Starting Weight CSW- Current Starting Weight 143

GW- Goal Weight 120

UGW- Ultimate Goal Weight

PW- Previous Weight 143

CW- Current Weight 140

[Brujita]

@awood08 I dont mind answering at all. Clothing wise in general I'm a M and sometimes a S. I currently fit into some size 8 pants. it depends on the make. I hate clothes shopping for this reason... I can try on 5 different pants in size 8-10 to only have 1 or if im lucky 2 fit. I mostly wear leggings/sweats though. my current measurements (3/31) are as follows-  Waist: 29.5 & Hips: 40.5

This is me currently (3/28). Im wearing a joggers in Juniors M and an adult unisex S t-shirt.

With my exercise routine I now have muscles i've never seen. ha i have "guns" now, my quads are showing, and my core feels hard even if it is covered in what my kids call "our baby fat" i have that "pooch" left over from two kids.... ha my oldest will be 10 next week and the "baby" is 8 so i should really stop using that excuse but even after having them and at my smallest (130lbs/2011)  i've had the little pooch. 

Im always curious too and amazed at how different people carry their weight especially when their stats are similiar. What about you size wise?

[DJC_63]

I'm like you, the weight loss is slow but the inches are pretty major. That keeps me going. Plus winter is the hardest time to lose weight, I usually gain in the winter so losing anything is good. And you have made it to ONEderland, which has to feel good! I know it's hard to have to stop due to surgery, maybe there are exercises you could do at home that would be allowed? Walking in place, arm lifts, leg lifts, etc?

Sent from my iPad

[DJC_63]

That last post was for Elle, btw. It's not my official weigh-in day, but I'm so excited because a) my results from the biopsy came back all good, and b) I weighed myself yesterday and today and got 191 both times. I haven't been this low for so long. I believe I will get to the 180's soon, which will be amazing. It is great to see the fat going away from all of the little places on my body. I'm starting to feel my old confidence coming back. 😃

[Brujita]

@scottie0714 Whats working for me is being consistant. Consistantly logging my food on MyFitnessPal and consistantly making sure to workout/move about 5x a week. I started 1/1/16 on my "journey" I did the insanity program for 2 months and completed it (few weeks back) since then i've gone jogging 2-3x/week, do weights 2-3x and if i  dont do either one I jump on the eliptical. I dont go to a gym, everything is here at home or outside. oh and stretching helps me tremendously so that im not as sore or tired.  something i saw on a website i frequent was "Loving Movement"   The author writes that you should be good to yourself and see it as loving movement, loving yourself to take care of yourself. its something nice to remember instead of seeing it as a chore.

Also as I mentioned in the last challenge, not enough sleep impacts my weight negatively. I also drink a minimum of 64oz of water but my fitbit goal is 128oz (a gallon). some days i reach some days i dont. I drag my water bottle with me everywhere. 

[Brujita]

Happy Birthday @Bogdel!!  

One day at a time is what I remind myself frequently. I too want this to be a lifelong commitment. My 6 year dog, Morticia, is 70lbs and is starting to make it throught the whole mile so I suppose her stamina is building up too. My younger dog, Augustus, has so much energy he could go forever. Some days I just go for the Mile jog to see how fast I can finish it, so far my best this week was 11M34S. Other days I do almost 3 miles. Really depends on the time of day and weather. lately its been rain and wind so those have been the mile runs. 

Virtual Strides is more about doing a virtual 5k/10k. you sign up, do the distance on your own time, even if its broken up, submit it and they send you a race medal. The fee you pay goes to whatever charity is behind the 5k. So this months theme is "One Tough Mother Runner Virtual Run" and the Charity is Family Lives On who "provides ongoing support tools to these children, who are at much greater risk for psychological and behavioral problems than their non-bereaved peers."  I havent done one yet but I plan to soon. I mean I'm already doing the distance weekly,  so why not get "race bling"  for it as well as supporting a cause

thank you , i also enjoy reading your kind words. 

[Brujita]

@HelenKr Dogs are so helpful.  My younger one (almost 2yro miniature english bulldog) is good at reminding me its been too long since our last run  I started with walking and slowly started incorperating 30 seconds of jogging and added more. The last run I did was 11:34/mile and I jogged most of it. So proud of myself as it was my best time and my dogs for keeping up. Good for me and good for them. 

[Bogdel]

Thanks for the B-day Wishes, @Brujita! I don't run, but I am working on building up my brisk walk. Angel, my six-year-old Yorkie, keeps up with me. Last night it was 30 F outside, so I went to the gym. So far, I kept my commitment of doing 10,000 + steps. Having friends who do that here keeps me motivated. 

After reaching my Easter goal in the last challenge, I gained a couple of pounds (Easter dinner). I just got back to my before-Easter weight, and begin to work on my new goal. It's amazing how easy it is to gain and how long it takes to lose a couple of pounds, when we indulge. 

So, let's continue to encourage one another as we move toward our perfect weight. 

[HelenKr]

Happy Birthday @Bogdel! 

[HelenKr]

@Brujita Congrats on moving from walking to running!  Sounds like you're doing great!  I have been planning to move to running with some jogging spurts also, but it isn't happening. Maybe I'll get there some day. 

[Bogdel]

Thanks, @HelenKr! That's so sweet of you! 

God Bless!

Ellie

[bluenose1962]

Decided to post this a day earlier than normal, as phase 2 starts tomorrow and I have an evaluation with PT at the gym later today.

I would be lying if I denied that I was looking forward to this weigh in as much as I would xmas morning.

No movement from yesterday, but I have the exact same weight on both sets of scales so it must be right. (was hoping for the 30 lbs weight loss badge)

The other big positive is that I start work in a new position on Monday, which will be less office and desk based, with more site work. I had a survey yesterday and completed 15k steps without any supplementary walking. This may not be a typical day, but I could almost find myself being paid to lose the weight.

In summary, it has taken 10 weeks to lose 29.5 lbs, of which the last 5 weeks have involved gym work of cardio and weights with classes included where time allows.

It has not all been easy though, as I said to my PT, he is tryimg to make me the "fittest guy in the graveyard" with the effort he expects fro me.

Phase 2 is another 4 weeks of no alcohol, 2 PT sessions per week, walking and classes, all in the hope to get to 150lbs, which will probable result in a re-evaluation of my UGW, depending on BMI at that point.

Phase 3 will then be 12 weeks of 1 PT session per week, on a Saturday morning to maintain and stay focused.

I had to smile yesterday when I left work as when I joined the company on 5th Jan 2015 I was 160.8 lbs, and due to the driving etc. my weight increased to 190 lbs, so I am back to my "new job weight"

I have decided to put my earlier fitbit flex and charge on an auction site as I am very happy with the surge that I invested in.

Overall, I like the look of the Aria scales, but would I buy them again, I am uncertain, as I always take 2 readings just to be sure, as they can have the occasional "off day", and they don't like to be moved frequently.

Very optimistic about the next month, and should I have the desire at the time I have decided that I may have a beer or a glass of wine on the May day holiday weekend.

PW - 190 25/1/16

CW - 163 27/3/16 160.5 02/4/16

UGW - 145 (subject to revision based on BMI)

Bring it on !

[lusry]

I forgot to weigh myself this morning before I ate, so I'm using my weight from yesterday for my weigh in today. Yesterday we were finally able to get out and explore. I've lived in Colorado for 3 weeks and it had snowed almost every other day so I haven't been able to get out of the house. Yesterday me, my husband, and our 6 year old labradoodle Babar went on a short hike to a waterfall. It's supposed to be nice this weekend and this upcoming week so we are hoping to get out and do a bit more hiking. I'm down a little more than a pound this week. 

USW: April 2015 - 185lbs

CSW: 3/27/16 - 176.9lbs

CW: 4/1/16 - 175.7lbs

GW: 5/31/16 - 165lbs

UGW: 120-125lbs

[tiffy79]

Lost a pound.  Happy I'm going in the right direction.  I'm working out at Orange Theory.  Really great high intensity interval training workouts.

USW- 187

CSW- 180

GW- 160

UGW- 135

PW- 180

CW- 179

[OCDOC]

Week 1 Check-in (give or take a day...)

USW 246

CSW 212

Today 211.2

CGW 200

UGW 200

Observations:

1) My weight is the same as an excellent Rush album (2112) which was released 40 years ago yesterday. I'm not sure what the karma is for this, but I WILL play the entire thing (on vinyl of course 😉 ) for today's cardio.

2) I was away on business the end of the week, and I used monstrous willpower to avoid the beers-and-wings the group shared on Thursday at a pub...I made up an excuse as I drank Pellegrino..

3) I expected my monstrous willpower to reward me w better than a 0.8 pound improvement..these last 12 pounds will indeed be a dog from hades to lose! 

Good luck and continued success to all in the group..time to spin "The Temples of Syrinx" and tread the mill 🙂  Rob K

[almost_where]

First Day Starting Weight - 363

Easter Day Starting Weight - 353

Memorial Day Goal Weight - 333

CW (4/3/16) - 351

-2 lb