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]

7:00 a.m. Plan for today:

log all food. 

go birding, get in 10,000 with 30 minutes at a good pace

stretch, physical therapy exercises

feel good about reaching goals

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc  Great job tracking and meeting goals!

My goals today are to walk downtown: 1.75 miles. 

Get groceries and eat well

I'll have to find more goals as the day goes on...too early. haha

[Gayle1018]

Got my honey do list of things to get done. Plus goals to walk 4 miles today. So off I go!

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_  Thanks Lilac.  I'm tracking the goals, but meeting them still needs a bit of work.

Had an amazing walk in beautiful weather today.  Bird migration is not quite over and that was great.  Over 4 miles..I know, just routine for you.  

[RubyH]

Greetings all and especially to @Bobbinyc and @_Lilac_, you girls really hold onto your positivity as it will get you where you want to be, you are both inspirations as is @A_Lurker, and many more , keep up the good work !

64, f, 5'1"

USW 84kg (185.2 lbs)

CSW 54.7kg (120.6 lbs)

CW   54.8kg (120.8 lbs)

Goal is to stay around 54-55kg.

My activity is lower than I'd hoped for this week as I am battling a croopy chest which affects my breathing but I am doing as much as I can. Still logging everything food, water and exercise so as to keep an eagle eye on everything, most especially how much I burn and what I eat, after all weight loss and maintenance is 80% what goes in your mouth and 20% exercise. Planned to do some circuits on my bike but the legs weren't up to it after this weeks workouts, lots of knots and cramps so I did some weeding instead to try to stretch out the knots lol and I needed to do that as well, surprising how fast they grow after some rain and more is on the way. We are looking at a very steamy summer here this year which will hamper biking and walking some but I will when I can. I am learning new skills at gym and my bone density has improved by 1%. Many exercises I have not managed yet but I know I can given the practice and persistance they require. Nothing is impossible, can't only means you haven't practiced enough. Can means you keep trying unti you achieve it. Anything and Everything is possible.

Best wishes all.

[_Lilac_]

My walks are always eventful. I was about to leave the house this morning to go downtown to the writers group at the library when my dogs gave me the wiggles and expectant faces. So, even though I was running late, I took them around the block before I officially left for downtown. I DIDN'T hop on the bus to make up time. I picked up my pace and halfway there I saw a man walking four big dogs. I thought I struggled wrangling two! And all four were bigger than my boxer mix, Buster. So as they are walking along, they start barking at a car going by. Suddenly, out of the window of the car, bounds another dog! The man is trying with all his might and body weight to hold his four dogs back but 'Diesel' runs right in amongst them. His person jumps out of the car to retrieve him but he runs away, across a busy street. He's blocking traffic with his car (left the door open too) and he finally catches Diesel but Diesel isn't wearing a collar so has to be dragged back by the scruff of his neck. Four dogs still waiting at the sidewalk. What a ruckus! Hint for the day..if you take your dog in the car or outside at all, make sure they are wearing a collar with id/proof of shots tags. 

By the time I got home I had 6k steps. I had a nap but now I'm going to go meet my daughter who is coming home from work. I should get a few more thousand. 

My sister wants me to come visit tomorrow for a while to do some art/painting. I think I'll do one of autumn. The leaves are stunning right now. Walking through them is so great. Kick kick kick causes crispy clouds of yellow and orange and red around you. 

Enjoy the weather while it lasts. Up north we'll be buried in white soon enough.

[_Lilac_]

@RubyH Croopy chests are the worst. You just can't get your breath when moving and then you hack/honk and hack/honk and sound like a dying walrus. You've done so well. And....I'm adding this to my quote wall..."Nothing is impossible, can't only means you haven't practiced enough. Can means you keep trying until you achieve it." You got that quote, @Bobbinyc?

[_Lilac_]

@hannahbebrave How are you doing? I think about you and hope you are getting out there and enjoying your walking. Our weather has been crappy but I still go, although when I can't get all my activity outside, I do a lot of marching and walking in the house. Yes, it looks stupid to someone driving by, but I'm sweating and having fun and feeling great about myself for sticking with it. 

Let us know how you are and how much fun you are having!

[RubyH]

Thanks @Lilac

[_Lilac_]

Sigh, it's 1:20 am AFTER the time change (so it's 2:20am the old time) and I can't sleep. I mistakenly had some coffee this evening. I rarely ever have trouble sleeping. 

Goals for tomorrow (Sunday): Go to the gym with my daughter. Now, this is depending on what time she gets up. She has to work for 11am so I'm not sure we'll fit it in. But you know what, there's no reason I can't go by myself, right?? 

Take the dogs for an extended walk. 

Go to do art/painting at sister's place. 

Not yet sure what else!

[A_Lurker]

@_Lilac_ I'm also still up.  I'm hit and miss with sleep at times.  I got up and did some steps since I likely won't be super enthusiastic in the morning.  If this was next week I'd likely get dressed, go do my shopping and then nap in the afternoon.  Oh well, will try closing my eyes again.

[A_Lurker]

---

@A_Lurker wrote:

I'm in, although not sure with a maintenance week how I'll do.

USW: 407.0
CSW: 360.0 (Feb 2016)
CW: 272.0   <-- 10/28
GW: 265.6   (Thanksgiving)
LT: 2.26 lbs/week for 39 weeks  <--running goal, keep this average above 2.00 for as long as I can

---

A quick post today.  I'm running on way too little sleep and I couldn't sleep in.  I'm going to go do the shopping, do some food prep, clean the pool, finish the laundry and maybe fit in a nap somewhere along the way.  I did 8 days of maintenance eating.  I was going to do 10, but didn't eat enough yesterday during the day for my activity level so decided to call it a day.

USW: 407.0

CSW: 360.0 (Feb 2016)
PW: 272.0 (10/28/16)
CW: 271.8 (-0.2)
GW: 265.6 (Thanksgiving)
LT: 2.22 lbs/week for 40 weeks

[_Lilac_]

Well, I've injured my ankle somehow. I was up super late and it wasn't sore during my multiple trips to the bathroom, but when I got up this morning, it was super sore and difficult to walk on. I thought it might go away as I moved around but it hasn't. Truthfully, I haven't walked around much at all, so that would be a good reason why. Super lazy morning. I'll test it a bit more and hope it goes away. I can't stop moving now!! I have stuff to do! There are 10k steps calling my name!

I'm hungry today, which is completely unusual. I think it's my internal monster yelling because what I'm doing is working and it's trying to force me into maintaining or gaining back. So, I'm going to drink more, ignore him, listen up for my pixie voice that encourages me, and remember I'm winning this battle. Stupid monster!

[almost_where]

Week 1 - 283 - (11/06) - Starting Weight - CW

Week 2 - - - (11/13)

Week 3 - - - (11/20)

Turkey Day Goal 277 lbs.

[A_Lurker]

@_Lilac_ - it's not always easy to do, but you need to figure out the difference between just a little sore and injured.  Sometimes stiff and sore in the morning goes aways with a little movement or the heat of the shower (not talking about ankles, but just in general).  Unless you're sure there's no shame in a rest day to ensure you don't do more damage.  Take care and have a great day.

[Cele21]

USW = 215

SW =211.8 (Labor day 2016)

LW = 214.2 (Last weigh-in weight)

CW = 214.2

GW = 210.0

UGW = 140

No gain - no loss. I'll take it.

[_Lilac_]

@A_Lurker  Yep, I got off my lazy butt and walked around the house, changed from jammies to clothes, did some walking/marching in the livingroom to test it out. It felt ok. Once in a while I'd get a sharp stabbing pain in the joint but generally it was perfectly ok and I felt nothing. So, out we went for a walk and I planned on doing a 4000 step trek with the dogs but Buster wasn't behaving well on the leash (he has his good and bad days like all of us), I brought them home after 2800 steps. I might go by myself up to the bank and back. It will give me a chance to go at a good pace and not stop at every tree and bush and pole in the neighbourhood.

I have to do as much as I can now because I'll be going to my sister's for the rest of the afternoon/evening and she's making dinner and I will likely be sedentary since we'll be painting. I can imagine slapping paint on a canvas while marching. Hey, that might be a great experiment in creativity. It might improve my art! One stroke with a kick, another stroke with a lunge, another stroke with side-steps. I'll let everyone know how it turns out!

[Bobbinyc]

@RubyH  I hope you are feeling better.  I love your attitude.  

For myself, and maybe it's being in my 60s, I find that exercise gets me as far as food.  I had been eating well and not losing a pound until I raised my activity level.  I think when we are young we get away with a  lot (or think we do - maybe it catches up to us later).  But as we age, we have to be more vigilant about all aspects of our health.

A cardiologist I know, who is very fit and athletic looking, told me she used to run 3 miles daily and eat well to stay in shape.  But after 45, she ate the same way and had to run 5 miles daily to not gain weight.  She said that unless we work hard daily, the metabolism slows and the muscles atrophy.  

yikes- i'm going for another walk!

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_ Not only do you have wonderful adventures, but you make everything sound interesting with your descriptions.

And yes, this fall weather is just amazing.  Nothing energizes me more, the air feels so clean, animals are migrating and preparing for winter, - so many interesting life changes all around.

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_ Hope your ankle is feeling better.  Ice and or warm might help.  Elevation too.  I'd say rest, but suspect you won't   As our bodies change and we expect more of them, sometimes the little muscles and tendons complain.  They really are weak, so be careful of them.  I was sidelined for a long long time with tendon problems - you don't want that.  That said, you'll know by the level of pain if it is serious.  You haven't said your feet hurt in a long time so I assume they are better.  Wonderful!  Maybe while painting you can keep your ankle rested.  

I love how creative you are.  I think we need those outlets for our soul.