Halloween to Thanksgiving (U.S.) Challenge 2016

[Bobbinyc]

Hello everyone! Welcome to the Halloween to Thanksgiving Challenge!!!

This challenge will begin on Halloween October 31st and finish on Thanksgiving (U.S.) November 24th. This is a little less than 4 weeks!  It helps us be realistic about weight loss goals and practice good habits before the next set of  holidays.

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 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 Nov. 24)

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]

Just got back from my trip and had a chance to finally weigh in. This weigh in came immediately after a binge so it might skewed a bit, but I said I would post it when I got back.

CSW = 293

Gonna let the dust settle and re configure this challenge goals in the next couple days. Good luck everyone.

[SunsetRunner]

Bought a new Fitbit Alta yesterday on-line.  Should have it in a day or so. I always had my One on, so feel a little strange without being able to check it or it to buzz me. I'm doing super on my walking etc. and wish I could see my daily progress. 

Lilac's "pixie" paid me a visit yesterday evening.  I was feeling pretty tired yesterday after a full day of many kinds of chores, but that nagging "pixie" kicked me out of the house and around several blocks for a sunset walk. She gets around, doesn't she?  

Have a great day everyone!

[klan7044]

Joining in again.

USW- 207

CSW- 170

GW- 163

UGW- 140

Having trouble getting steps in lately as I have started Pilates back up. Hoping it will balance out and get me some results still. 🙂 Maybe a push for 163 but my weight is on the higher side today.

[lonestarlesa]

I would LOVE to join!

USW- 330

CSW- 158

GW- 155  (for Nov. 24)

UGW- 145

PW- Previous Weight

CW- Current Weight

I have just moved from a strict diet to a maintenance stage, and gained back 6 pounds. I decided at that point, I want to lower my UGW to 145, so my flux weight range will hopefully keep me under 150.

[Bobbinyc]

@almost_where Good to see you!  I've been missing the snippets of wisdom/humor/perspective you posted.  I had more than my share of getting way off track.  I'm thinking that a short challenge is a good time to be totally focused and get back to our good habits and make them stronger.  Are you still doing that amazing food prep?  I thought of you when I did my grocery shopping this morning and baked some extra chicken to freeze.  I made two healthy sauces to go with them and froze small amounts of them too, to defrost with the chicken.  Now I have no excuses for "there's nothing to eat so I'll grab junk".

Thanks for your inspiration and ideas.

[Bobbinyc]

@hannahbebrave You really are  off to a great start.  Don't let anyone  hold you back.  

I have travelled through areas that are economically depressed because they depended on one industry for generations and then that industry  died.  I've seen what that does to people.  In a rural area there aren't many alternatives.  People who worked hard have to go on unemployment or welfare while they try to figure it out.  People whose families, for generations, worked together, suddenly lose that.  It's a very hard economic, social, cultural loss.  I've seen whole towns be depressed and the young people end up leaving to try to find a life.  It's so sad.  In Pennsylvania it happened around the strip mining.  There are whole mountains that were just bared.  And then there were areas with underground fires.  Ecologically insane.  So people are left with a horrid environment, no work, no social structure.  In coal mining areas, huge numbers of people became ill, and died, and then the mines closed...same thing.  I don't know where you are but it reminds me of what I have seen.  Some towns do come back, though.  It takes time, but people can be resilient and figure out a new way.  

I'm glad you can rise above and take care of yourself.  You never know the effect your energy and determination can have on others.

[Gayle1018]

great idea, need something to get me re-motivated and accountable!!!

 

USW- Ultimate Starting Weight  196.6

CSW- Current Starting Weight (for this challenge) 162.8

GW- Goal Weight   (for Nov. 24)   157

UGW- Ultimate Goal Weight   (what your healthy target weight is)  145

[KateZimm]

CSW: 165.8

GW: 159

UGW: 132

PW: 181 as of 9/23/16

I bought a fitbit HR in September, and since then, have made some huge changes with fitness and eating healthy (smaller portion sizes, tracking what I eat, drinking more water, no eating out).  We have a step challenge at work with $60 for the grand prize and $20 for the most steps in a 7 week period.  I am hoping to win the grand prize and continue my journey. I am now running again, and feel so good physically. 

[_Lilac_]

Week 1 Day 3:

Walked a bunch today in the mall then over to a huge shop to buy winter boots, ones that have great treads, are waterproof and light enough that I don't feel like I'm clunking around. I haven't had a decent pair of boots in forever and I am going to be walking on ice and in snow since I am in Canada and go to the natural parks. They will last me years. By the time I got home from shopping I'd put in 7400 steps! 

I went to the doctor and found my blood pressure...*drum roll*...normal...*insert fanfare here*  My doctor was happy. She said my potassium levels are normal (as of 2 weeks ago) so she's sending me to ear-nose-throat dude to see if my dizziness and almost falling could be vertigo. Sigh. I know it isn't. Something else is going on. Maybe it's my weight loss, maybe it's not eating as much as I used to, maybe I still can't hit target with my deficit (A_Lurker is gonna smack me around), maybe it's something else completely, but geez. At least I have energy to move and walk and I haven't lost my motivation. I walked home from the doc and hit my 10k steps for today. I still have too many calories to eat and it's close to 9pm!! Gonna watch Survivor and have granola maybe. That should help. Hot cup of tea, granola, banana, yogurt. I might hit it. 

[EmeraldBC]

I'm happy to report that, according to my Fitbit, I've had three days of balanced eating, considering the amount of activity over those days.  I know it may not sound like much, but even three days in a row is reason to give myself a pat on the back.  Thanks for the challenge!  I think it's helping.  

[A_Lurker]

@_Lilac_ - I won't smack you, but I will encourage you to eat more earlier in the day.  I myself am very bad about this.  Once I've got my mother settled in 10 days (not that I'm counting) my plan is to try and get up a little earlier and make a point to have a breakfast.  I'm also going to do a little more planning so that I'm not really low at night.  I already know if I come home with less calories burned I can make it up.

[hannahbebrave]

@Bobbinyc oh my oh my.  You hit it on the head.  Coal mining was big here for many years.  Sad thing is that so many died or became horribly ill.  It's not just black lung.  Many throughout the area got emphysema, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and pneumonia.  Even young people who weren't in the mines.  The air smelled. Now they say it came in on miners clothes and hair and effected the whole family.  It was awful.  And still some folks say to bring back the coal mining so there's work.  Work isn't supposed to kill or debilitate you.  I can't believe there is no other way.  You are so right about people getting depressed when there is no work.  There is no hope so they smoke (we have lung problems!) and drink and do nothing.  

I can't live without seeing how I want my life to be.  Even when I'm not sure, I just know I want something better.  I need to know there is something ahead for me and that I can make it happen somehow.  

[Bobbinyc]

@EmeraldBC  3 days of balanced eating is terrific and definitely deserves a *cheer*.  Yay!   You can do this.

[EmeraldBC]

[Bobbinyc]

@A_Lurker and @_Lilac_   From what I've read, more calories earlier in the day is healthier as it provides ongoing energy to the body.  Too close to bedtime and the calories sit there overnight.  I don't know if this is true or not.  I do know I went from dinner being my biggest meal to lunch being big and that has made a huge difference in my afternoon energy.  I don't mean too big a meal, just a lot of good nutrition.  I also found it easier to control my eating when I began eating bigger breakfasts, but I know not everyone can eat  breakfast.  Also, if I eat a really good breakfast and lunch, I rarely think about food during the day.  Maybe it's worth a try.  

Also, I have started drinking a lot of water in the morning.  I tend to drink very little, and this helped me stay very hydrated and not have to pee all night.  

[A_Lurker]

@Bobbinyc - I should definitely be heading this way.  In the beginning I didn't want to end the day with too few calories.  I'm past that point now (ie. I know what I'm going to burn each day, and can make up the value if I'm  low), however, it's still a rough habit to break.  Eating a lot at night hasn't affected my weight loss (to my knowledge) but there are some nights where I eat to make up calories.  I bought some nice multi-seed crisps and individual hummus cups at Costco.  Together they are a 300 calorie snack.  I took one in to work today but went into a 3pm meeting and didn't take them with me.  Today it wasn't such a big deal as I logged a high calorie lunch (went out, so it's a guess), but I do have to make more of an effort.

[mhdozier1]

USW- 225

CSW- 202

GW- 195   (for Nov. 24)

UGW- 155 (Aug 7, 2017 -- back to healthy weight before my baby turns 1!)

I have no idea what I'm doing but I will take the accountability! I got my FitBit as a baby gift and she is almost 3 months old, so it's time to start wearing it and actively getting fit. I have 5 kids, am in school full time and work 30 hr/week -- it truly seems like I don't have time for working out, but tracking my intake and at least going for the 10,000 steps is a start! I am open to any suggestions or tips. 

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc and @A_Lurker I eat! LOL. I have breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, supper, snack. And tons of water. Sometimes my snacks make me delay my next meal 'cuz I just don't feel hungry yet. That's kind of what happened today, and all my walking around disrupted my schedule.

I promise I'll do better tomorrow. I'll even tell you what I eat and when! I get to the evening and find I have 1000 calories left to eat to meet my deficit so I have to decide, "Do I eat too late or do I just not eat enough?" Ugh. Yeah, the trials and tribulations of it all. 

Almost time for bed. Pool in the morning!

[A_Lurker]

@_Lilac_ - I wouldn't sweat it now and then, but a couple of ounces of unsalted nuts can add up, and full fat salad dressing can help.  They are easy things to drop later on when you'll need to.

[_Lilac_]

@A_Lurker I don't use anything that is reduced fat, low cal, no sugar, lite, etc etc etc. I know a lot of people would panic to eat that way (my MOM for one) but I think we are  ruining our metabolisms and adding chemicals to our food that we don't need to. So if I have salad dressing I eat the real stuff. I actually make my own with oil and vinegar, herbs, sugar, lime, etc. But if I had some nuts in the house....phew...I would have a problem just having a few to make up some calories. I'd be EATING them with a hard time to control myself. So I just don't keep them in the house. Oh, and they don't digest well. But thanks for the suggestion. I'll find something that is a higher calorie but good nutrition that I can use as a boost if I need it.