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!!

[Bobbinyc]

@A_Lurker and @_Lilac_  You guys log every day?  Every thing you eat?  And you have to watch the deficit?  Well, that's not the problem I'm having  I have never had to make up calories at night.  Time to up my game.  I think I'll get back to logging daily for this challenge and see how I'm doing.  When I started logging it was more to make sure I was in a healthy range because I had changed the way I was eating.  I'd better check it again.  You have both been such champions at weight loss and being active - great inspirations.  I'm gonna get that darn scale to move yet!

[A_Lurker]

@Bobbinyc - yes, I log everything.  My problem when dieting is not eating enough.   Bad diets and/or too low calories have landed me with serious medical issues twice.  I now understand that I cannot burn 3500 calories a day and do well on say 1500 calories.  Although the numbers would imply faster weight loss it ends up back firing for me with a compromised immune system.    I know it's weird, but I mainly track at the moment to make sure I'm eating enough.  I'm sure at some point it will switch to make sure I'm not eating too much.

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc  Well, being this weight, 331 lb, and doing a lot of steps/calorie burning, I sometimes have to eat 2800- 3000 calories a day (??!!) just to meet my 1000 calorie deficit.  So tracking everything every day is important so I don't under-eat and get sick (again). Not everybody is going to have this sort of problem! It will go away and get difficult as I lose, so don't hate me. I keep track so I know what's happening in my daily life. It's important to me to keep my interest and motivation going.

[Bobbinyc]

@A_Lurker  No, it's not weird at all.  No more than anything else with losing weight and being healthy.  Some of it is just tricky, especially when it's new to us.  I'd be a basket case with a large deficit, certainly with 2,000 calories daily.  Right now, I'd be thrilled with losing one pound weekly.  I've had health issues this year and am mostly focusing on eating as healthy as possible.  I think that has become fairly routine for me now.  But it would sure be nice to lose some of this weight already.  So, even though I find it annoying, I'll start logging tomorrow.  I don't buy packaged food - I'm eating as natural as possible - so logging is tedious - I have to do each ingredient separately.  ok, time to stop complaining.  I do harder things all the time.  

I'm glad you are making sure you eat enough, and get the nutrition you need.  This is really about health.

I know you have had a lot of stress recently; so your body needs good nutrition even more.  You've worked hard to find the right  balance for yourself.  I have to do the same.

Thank you.

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_ Hate you?? Heavens no!! You have my utmost respect and admiration.  We have to work at figuring out the plan that is best for our bodies, and that changes over time.   I think I have been too easy on myself. I have been so worried about another cancer scare, that I have been focusing on getting a lot of good  nutrition.  Which is great.  But I haven't focused as much on losing the weight, which I really need to do.  I kept thinking that if I eat well and am active, the weight will come off.  It turns out I'm not 20 any more!!  At my age, it takes a lot more work than it used to.  It's time for me do more and that starts with logging tomorrow.  

Thanks for the inspiration and nudge.

[lonestarlesa]

Good morning! I hit the 10,000 steps yesterday...but I lost my mind with my food.

I decided to track everything that I tasted.... man that adds up quick.

I want to increase my steps today, so I will be mindful of my movement. I work in an office, and there is no need to be "off the computer" so I have to make myself get up and move....and then endure the questioning glances of my co-workers trying to figure out why I am out of my office 😛

[EmeraldBC]

It's really tough when you sit at a computer all day. I did that for 2.5 years and felt bad. I applaude your determination!

[Gayle1018]

Great to see the posts of folks similar to my situtation  I too sit at a computer 9 hours a day!  no place to walk around outside the office.  (and now it's raining)   Love the Challenge.  Started yesterday and for the 1st time in about a week tracked everything, and made sure I got my goal steps in (poor dog had to go on 3 walks last night).

Keep up the great work everyone.   Planning for another successful day!

[Bobbinyc]

Plan for today (maybe if I put it here I'll feel more accountable)

log all food.

wake up and do yoga  - gentle, small amount  to get the juices flowing  DONE

walk 10,000 - with at least 30 consecutive minutes at cardio rate

20 flights stairs

set alarm for every hour to move and drink water - and do it at least 8 times

1/2 hour of another physical activity 

[_Lilac_]

@Gayle1018 @EmeraldBC @lonestarlesa  Ok, so I worked in a call center. Cubicles, computers, few breaks, lots of stress and snacks and vending machines everywhere. They even had a shop downstairs that sold food! One girl came in one day with a contraption she put under her desk. It was bike pedals! (no wheels of course). People thought she was nuts but she would pedal under her desk and get a workout. She wasn't disturbing anyone else because it made no sound and if she got a call she'd just stop pedalling. I checked them out and found them at a pharmacy that sold things for physiotherapy or home health care. I got one for my desk at home because I was a terrible gamer at night (yes, I'd come home from work and hit World of Warcraft for the rest of my day). Maybe this is something you could get for your work desk at the office. They are short, take up little room, and silent. The one problem I found was that my chair wanted to roll backward so I had to find some way to stabilize my chair, and my big belly would hit my legs as they came up but that happens with every type of cycling. These items range from $20 US and up. I got the cheapy one $45 Cdn. 

Oh, it wasn't long before our company decided obesity and poor health conditions were causing people to miss work and affect their bottom line so they purchased fitbits for all the employees (hundreds and hundreds) and encouraged physical activity. One dude was racking up 400k steps in a day so we think he was attaching it to a fan or an animal or something! Maybe a preschooler...hahahaha. Sorry, I slip off into side stories. 

[EmeraldBC]

 Very funny!  And thanks for sharing your experience.  I eventually quit that job and now work from home, mostly.  I have a tread desk (homemade) and when I use it, I can rack up some nice step counts.  Lately I've gotten out of the habit of using it, but this challenge is reminding me of its benefits.

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc 

Plan:

Got up for the pool. 2 eggs, one bread, greek yogurt, banana, coffee with eggnog (about 1/4 cup as creamer) STUFFED. 

32 ounces of water during my water aerobics class and blueberry muffin as morning snack. 

Mom is picking me up at 1pm for our 4k step walk at the park. Before that though, I have to take the dogs out for their walks. They are bouncing off the walls. I still have 1800 calories to eat today BEFORE my walks. It will be much more than that when I get home. Defrosting some chicken breasts.

[Bobbinyc]

My aunt used one of those under-the-chair pedal thingys for decades.  She swore by it.  She was still using it until her death at 94.  So how come I never thought of it??

Last week I had to give a health talk at a large company.  There were a lot of complaints about not being able to leave their desks, take breaks - no chance to get up and move.  When we had a break in my talk, everyone got up for coffee, a large number of people went outside.  When they came back 15 min. later, I asked what they had been up to and they all said "smoking".  So how is it that people can find a break, even go outside in storms or freezing weather for a cigarette, but we never think of it for a quick walk?  During the next break, we put on music and everyone either danced, did jumping jacks or marched in place.  

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_  Wow.  That's a lot of food.  Though until last year I always ate at least that much.  With a lot more carbs and junk thrown in.

I'm very impressed with the way you take care of yourself.  You are so focused on making healthy choices and figuring out what will work best for you.  Not an easy thing to do.

Thank you for all you share here.  

[catjackmc]

USW- 208

CSW- 196

GW- 190

UGW- 180 

PW- Previous Weight

CW- 195.8

54 years old - female

Happy Holidays!!! Woot Woot - let the challenge begin.  

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc So far: 11,460 steps  and 2462 calories left to eat and that's after the 1000 deficit to lose 2lb/week. I've burned 3400 so far just existing and exercising at this weight. 

I have a skinless, boneless chicken breast in the oven with a full 8 oz of butternut squash (I weighed it). I'll steam up 3-4 cups of spinach (it shrinks a lot), and probably bake a medium potato out of my neighbour's garden. My afternoon snack will follow about 2 hours later. I'm likely going to have an apple and an ounce of cheese. 

Supper will be a steak that is sliced in strips, an entire 8 oz container of fresh mushrooms fried up with the steak, 2 cups of fresh string beans and I have NO IDEA WHAT ELSE..*sob*..It's so much food. I don't want to expand my stomach, I want to shrink it! haha.

And I don't want to lighten up on the exercise either. I want my body to feel normal when I get 10k steps. And it does. I'm no longer in pain, I'm no longer exhausted. I feel antsy when I don't get up and move. 

I'm going to take it easy the rest of the day since I've had a lot of exercise today already and it's only 2pm. I'll do some writing and watch a little tv. I have some bananas that need to be made into muffins. I could work on that later too. I might nap!

Someone was talking about working full time, taking classes, kids, etc etc. I wouldn't be able to do what I do if that was me. I can focus all of my time, or as much as I want to, on my healthy habits. I have no one else to take care of and no time clock to adhere to. I'm thankful for that. Maybe the stresses of LIFE have been in my way before and I didn't have the ability to work around them. 

I hope everyone has a lowered stress day, take some time for yourself, be good to yourself. 

[Bobbinyc]

A Sticker for @_Lilac_

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     *****   YOU ARE A STAR!!  ******

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[A_Lurker]

@Gayle1018 - I've been pretty successful with walking about the house in the morning before having a shower.  I'm not co-ordinated for the treadmill at that hour, but 4 circuits around my basement (in and out everywhere I can walk) is ~1000 steps.  I'm hoping to change up my routine in the near future, but it works for now.

[A_Lurker]

@_Lilac_ - you are doing much better with food than I am today.  Up at 6am so I could get the garbage out and get to work a little early (as I was taking my mother to the doctor and for tests).  Her home care didn't come so left here at 10am to make sure she had eaten and taken her pills - and help her get dressed.

Doctor's appt, then brought her home to give her lunch.  Oops, I hadn't eaten.

3 eggs in non-stick skillet with 2 slices of cheese  (373 calories)

I had planned to add something else, but my stove which had an alarm maybe a month ago started beeping and the reset didn't work, so I had to go out and throw the breaker.  25 yr-old stove, so I suspect I'm buying a new one tonight.

Back to hospital for the tests, then back home, then back to work.  Knowing I hadn't taken many calories I made a point to take the snack I brought yesterday.

single-serving hummus with multi-seed crisps (270 calories)

Hmmm... still too low, don't want anything out of the vending machine, and since I've been out 4 hours I decided not to go out for anything.

protein bar (280 calories)

I keep a box in my desk as an emergency, slept in, and didn't make breakfast kind of thing.  The catch is that I specifically ate the protein bar because I know I was seriously low on calories.  Even if I wasn't on maintenance this week I've been known to go home with only 500-600 calories in the tank.  This is what gets me into trouble.  Dinner tonight will be limited because... duh... I have no oven.  I think I have an impulse purchase from Costco of Chicken Tortilla Soup that could be microwaved and served with a side of toasted cheese.  However, if I went home and just had the soup, didn't have the protein bar, etc. I could easily have ended today under 1000 calories.

Now, I'm not saying if you have a day like this every now and again it's a bad thing - but for me it's just not enough.  Also at this point I haven't had any fruits/veggies (my fault as I meant to grab an apple and an orange while home).

[Bobbinyc]

@A_Lurker  It's amazing what a struggle it can be sometimes, especially when our routine is off.

If I have under 1000 calories, I'm definitely ready to pass out.  Sorry to hear about your stove.  Would some kind of take out food that is relatively healthy work for you?  I also keep peanut or almond butter on hand, and avocados, to use when I am too far under.  They are more dense with healthy fats and vitamins.

You really do have too much stress.  I hope you have a little time to do something pleasant this evening.