Halloween to Winter Holidays Challenge

[_Lilac_]

Hello everyone and welcome to the Halloween to Winter Holidays Challenge!! We'll tally up Dec 31 and start the New Year running! (or walking, or swimming, or biking, etc). There are many people who kinda disappear during holidays so I want to cover as much ground as we can while we can and be here over the next 8 weeks for these trying times!! 

We can post (daily/weekly) about our weight and non-scale successes, share helpful tips, support each other and talk about our ups and downs.  The following abbreviations can be helpful to use:

USW - Ultimate start weight

SW - starting weight for the challenge

CW - current weight 

PW - previous week's weight

GW - goal weight for the challenge

UGW- ultimate goal weight

To join, please simply post and you are in! Have a great time, let's get this going!

[_Lilac_]

I am still in the hospital. I got 10,000 steps friday, 11,000 saturday and then yesterday I had a seizure while out for a walk so I returned at 7500 steps. I've had 4700 today and thought I'd be stuck at that but I had to go for a test and won't be hooked up to the limiting wires again til morning. I'll go for laps around the ward this evening. I know it's strange to say this, but I bet I've gained weight since being here. I did use the scale a few days after arriving and I'd gained 2 lbs. The food is set at about a 1200 calorie diet so how would I gain? I guess it's the sodium and quality of the food. Nothing is really fresh. Maybe I'm just stuck in this silly plateau still. Good news is that the 70 lbs I've lost has done it's job...I was able to fit into the MRI machine! WOOHOO!!

Ok, I'm doing fine. Hope to be home soon. One more test to go. 

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi all,

@_Lilac_  I hope they figure out how to stop the seizures. 

Today I got my Fitbit in the mail and charged it. I'm pleased. 

Off to sleep. Stay strong as we approach the holidays.

Barbara G

[March55]

12/12/17

Walking is becoming sporadic this week, but I'm doing what I can.  Trying to keep a better eye on my food choices. Scale is slowly moving down and I'm glad especially with all the things that go on in December.  Have a good week everyone!

USW - Ultimate start weight - (Previous challenge was 204)

SW - starting weight for the challenge (203)

CW - current weight  (200) - down 1 pd

PW - previous week's weight (201)

GW - goal weight for the challenge (197)

UGW- ultimate goal weight (180)

[_Lilac_]

Tomorrow I am finally being released from the hospital and will be on my way home. I've met some great people and it's certainly been an experience, but it's time to GO. I have not lost any weight at all. It's still the same. Sigh. I had hoped that the change in routine, change in food, change in activity would bump my plateau a bit. No change. When I get home, maybe I'll see it, but I'm not counting on it. 

My son also arrives for his holiday visit tomorrow. I have many things to do to prepare, but I have to think about myself a bit and not over-worry or stress. I've been in the flippin' hospital! Others can take care of a few things. 

I hope everyone is having a good week. It's been very quiet on this forum. I know it's a busy time for everyone. Take care of yourselves. 

[dancefoxtrot]

hI all,

@_Lilac_

Hope that your hospital stay found you some help for the seizures. Rushing about for work, and Christmas. Weight going the wrong way as I eat more when I'm cold. 148.6 today but started a little lower than that. Now my focus needs to be on completing work, Christmas shopping and cleaning up my home.

Stay strong everyone. Wishing you the Merriest of Christmases. 

Best,

Barbara G

[_Lilac_]

@dancefoxtrot  I'm home and haven't done a lot in the way of getting ready for the holidays. The big family dinner is being hosted by my sister and mother tomorrow, so I have little to prepare. I don't have the energy for it anyway. I did go out today to socialize with my writers' group.

We are having freezing rain right now and a snowstorm on Monday, with 20cm of snow expected. My daughter and I are watching Christmas movies and just hanging out with the dogs.

I will have a follow-up appointment with the doctors in the new year to go over the results of all the tests and to find out if I'm a candidate for brain surgery. *shudder*. One of my roommates from the hospital was told he couldn't be helped by surgery. It would be too dangerous. It all depends what part of the brain (and how deep) the seizures originate. He's already almost died twice during his seizures and he's only 19yrs old. Poor kid. 

I haven't had enough exercise since returning home so I need to get a good walk in tomorrow if I can. Between the ice and the snowstorm and the family dinner. 

Ok, off to make some cookies for the dinner tomorrow.

[RachelShrinks]

Hi everyone!

I'm back again, after a long, long time away. I'm very excited to see everyone—familiar names and not. 

I've gained back most of the weight I lost at the beginning of the year, but I'm going to try this again. Heck, it took me four tries to quit smoking, right?

Anyway, here goes....

USW- 194

CW - 188

GW- 187

UGW- 145

(I know, I know, the challenge is nearly done—but I'm starting where I start)

[_Lilac_]

Hi all. I haven't been posting much over the last week...hoping to catch up a bit now. I've been really sick with asthma and a chest/head cold since last Saturday so I've been blah. And it is soooo cold out. We had that snowstorm on Christmas Day and then we got a deep freeze. It was -36C/-33F with the wind today. Having said that, I have to admit that I haven't taken the dogs for their walks or gone for my own walks, even though I did throughout winter last year. I'm just too sick. My dogs are suffering from severe cabin fever. I'm harassed non-stop because they are so bored and have energy. There's only so much 'hallway fetch' they will tolerate. So, after a particularly difficult evening, I'm hiding in my room. I MUST get out of the house soon. I think I'll take down the tree tomorrow and drag the treadmill out of the corner, where it is stuffed behind the couch. Cold weather is no excuse for not exercising. I can be doing Leslie Sansone videos on youtube, I can be treadmilling, I can be doing all sorts of things. I could even get my Mom to come get me and walk in that dreaded mall on those horrible floors. I'd rather not.

I've been wearing my fitbit each day, even without many steps, but I let the battery almost die completely. I need to get back in here, track everything, get focus again. 

Ok, got a plan. 

[_Libella_]

I hope the tests went well.

[Bobbinyc]

Hi everyone,

It's been ages, and I've missed everyone!  Life got a bit overwhelming, but nothing too bad.  

I hope you are all good and enjoying holidays.  This year instead of

New Year Resolutions, I'm focusing on making plans, in detail to achieve a number

of goals, with weight loss and increased strength high up on the list.

I want to wish everyone a year of peace, health, joy, and fulfillment.

Have a great start to the new  year, be safe, and take good care of yourselves.

See you soon!

Bobbi

[Cele21]

USW- 215.0 (2/4/14)

1stCSW- 211.4 (2/14/17) First Challenge Starting Weight

2ndCSW - 210.8 (4/18/17) Second Challenge Starting Weight

3rdCSW - 212.0 (5/31/17) Third Challenge Starting Weight

4thCSW - 209.8 (7/4/17) Fourth Challenge Starting Weight

LSW - 209.0 (9/04/17) Last Challenge Starting Weight

CSW- 206.4 (10/31/17)

LW- 209.0

CW- 212.4

GW- 200.0 (January1st)

UGW- 150

So I ended this challenge in the absolute wrong direction. I've got lots of reasons and excuses but I'm not giving up. I hurt too much, sleep too little and have to start again to reach a point where I'm comfortable in my own body.

Happy New Year and looking forward to the next challenge (has anyone started one yet?)!

[_Lilac_]

@Cele21  I'll start one now. Thanks for the reminder.

[Cele21]

Thanks @_Lilac_!

The new challenge is 'New Year 2018 to Valentine's Day Challenge'