July 4, 2017 challenge

[Bobbinyc]

Welcome to the next Challenge!

This one will start today, May 30 and go to July 4th.  That gives us 5 weeks to work toward our next set of goals as we try to lose weight or maintain in a healthy way.  

Everyone is welcome to join this terrific group. You can post once weekly or every day - whatever you like - to share your journey, give and get support, offer advice, get some tips.  We have celebrated each other's successes, and empathized with the setbacks.  I personally found, the more I respond to others, the easier it is for me to focus on my own journey in a positive way.  We have seen great progress in previous challenges, in weight loss, health, learning, and non-scale success, because we are in it together and focusing on being healthier and living better lives.

Some of the terms used to report our weight:

USW - ultimate starting weight - the heaviest weight when you began to lose

SW - starting weight for this challenge

CW - current weight for the day you report in

GW - goal weight for this challenge, for Halloween

UGW - ultimate goal weight that you intend to reach eventually

Some people also include their height, their age, their BMI.  

All  you need to do to join, is start posting, usually with some of the weight information.

I do find this to be an amazing group of smart, wise, kind, and determined people.  I look forward to this next challenge, and sharing this journey and all we learn with each of you.

Bobbi

[Wilson22]

Hello all weighed in this morning and have lost 1.5lbs my weight now is 10.4.5lbs. Its a start although wanted to lose two pounds but still have a chance of meeting my goal of 7lbs by the end of this challenge. Just need to keep working hard.

[_Lilac_]

Well, we had a freak storm! 7000 people in the area are without power. The winds were 80km/hr with gusts 102km/hr. The gazebo on my deck has sustained some damage (bent metal frame) and there is leaf and branch debris all over the neighbourhood. Things kept hitting my house. And then suddenly...the roaring wind just stopped. So eerie. 

Trying to drink more water to battle swollen ankles. I had a store-prepared salad so there must have been a lot of salt in it (I don't eat dressings because they always make me hungry). I just can't seem to get away from the stuff (sodium). Tomorrow I will take great efforts to rid my system of the excess. 

Alright, that's it for my check-in. I hope everyone is doing well.

[joylendragon]

Good morning all. Just checking in. Weight down to 237, working it. Am keeping a daily journal and it helps. Been really busy packing as i am moving, so am getting plenty of exercise, lol. Weather here has been very nice, having my morning coffee outside with my puppy for company. Not much new. 

  Have a great day, eat healthy and balanced.

Dance like no ones watching

[joylendragon]

Good job wilson, losing any amount is an accomplishment. One step at a time does the trick.

[joylendragon]

dancefoxtrot,  when i had lost the first 10 lbs i gave all my BIG sized clothes to the homeless shelter . No going back now.

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi all,

Struggling with weight and doing my back taxes right now.

Hit 144 for 2 days but bounced back up and after one stupid party at a friends house where I consumed a glass of pinot noir, a half backed potato and a slice of princess on top of appetizers and salad and flank steak. That shot me up to 147.8 over night yesterday morning!!! Well this morning back to 145.6 so aiming for 144 again. Hate how easy it is to sabotage a couple weeks of eating low carb and low sugar.  Well good reminder that it is not worth it for a slice of cake, that is for sure. 

Now signing off to attack these difficult taxes. 

Stay on track. being strong folks 

Best,

Barbara G

[Wilson22]

Wow just a piece of cake! Very depressing are you saying never again can we enjoy the wine cake and food we love? 

[dancefoxtrot]

Wow @_Lilac_

What an intense storm.  Must have been a bit scary.  Even 50 mph wind makes a racket and blows leaves and small branches every which way. Glad not too much damage.  What a pain to go out to eat, only get a salad and end up retaining water. We only need less than 1500 mg of sodium a day and that comes from food without added salt usually.

Happy water aerobics.

Barbara G

[_Lilac_]

Worn out!!

40 min walk in the forested park this morning. Then early afternoon I mowed the yards. I've never been able to do both the back and front yards one after the other (even on the same day with a break wasn't possible). My sister called just as I was getting ready to relax and invited us to the beach!!! My daughter and I packed up the dogs and went to the ocean (20 min drive away) and had a really nice time. I have almost 13,000 steps so far. I need to have supper still and I will have to call my late morning snack my lunch because I missed a real lunch altogether. 

Productive and great day. Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend.

[GettingfitinSC]

@Wilson22 Yes, extra calories/sweets/salty food makes weight go up quickly. However, speaking for myself, 'junk' food has been a main part of my diet most of my life, instead of just an extra treat once or twice a week. That has caused me to be obese. The lifestyle changes I'm making now, as others have/are, mean that the cakes, salty foods, etc are truly treats, not an everyday staple. Therefore, as @dancefoxtrot said, the weight may shoot up if you indulge, but if you plan for it and work it back off, the weight will come back down as hers did the next day. The problem is- sometimes we have another 'treat' the next day, sooo the weight doesn't come off. Then- we have pizza or burger/fries the next day, sooo a little more adds on, and... you get the picture. If you balance yourself, you can have these treats and then go back to eating healthier and keep your weight balanced. Sounds simple in theory, but simple isn't always easy. 🙂 

[Wilson22]

Treats only then! I am trying like all of us to make the changes but know I will slip occasionally and good to know that if I am careful there will not be ever lasting damage thanks 

[_Lilac_]

Well, today is the big day. It's 1 year exactly since my husband passed away. I opened facebook and saw a blurb from his Mom immediately. I think I might just stay away from facebook for a bit. I realized yesterday that I haven't seen or heard from any of his family (except his parents) and many friends in that year. I'm awkward when it comes to niceties and keeping in touch with people. Maybe no one has my number or something, and I haven't made much effort either. I should reach out and say hi, I guess.

My plans for the day are to go with my Mom to get soil and mulch, probably walk in the park, do some planting with a sister, but generally stay out of the expected heat. My joints ache from my activities yesterday and I had a horrible time trying to sleep with my dogs pressed up against me. They were exhausted from running in the sand and water and wanted to cuddle extra hard in the night but I need to move around a lot to comfort sore hips. 

I might go have a hot drink on my deck this morning and listen to the birds. Speaking of which, I got a picture of a cormorant the other day at the park. He was chillin' with some ducks at the lake. I'm not a bird person typically but my notes here sure have included a lot of them lately. 

Alright, time to get this party started...have a great Sunday everyone. Take time to relax as well as have fun and move your butts. 

[almost_where]

Memorial Day Starting Weight - 243 

  Sunday1 -251- (06/04) 243 Target

  Sunday2 -242- (06/11) 242 Target 
  Sunday3 -000- (06/18) 241 Target 
  Sunday4 -000- (06/25) 240 Target 

  Sunday5 -000- (07/02) 239 Target 

July 4th Goal Weight - 239

- 9 lbs

Going +8 and then -9 feels like I'm trying to digest cement directly. Even though today is my cheat day I'm going to try to make it a sweetless one and stick to the savory.  Have a good week everyone.

[Gayle1018]

Great vacation week. Sadly have to back to work tomorrow. I plan to retire next year -so I have something to look forward too.  Weather here has been fantastic my dog feels much better  so getting a lot of walking in. 

Last week 155.4

today 153.6 

challenge goal 148

[dbalge]

My weight loss has tapered off, usually lose 3-5 pounds a week, but as I am so close, I think I'm now down to 1-2 pounds a week. Still, it is losing and not gaining. Some of that may be due to a blister I got on my foot and I haven't been able to do my usual 17 miles+ walking each day, though I have done about 10 each day, but it has been a struggle. It did seem better this morning as I did 5 miles before getting ready for church.

USW 295 February 2015

SW - 189.8 June 1

CW 186.9 June 11

GW 175

UGW 175

[OrionNebula]

I've had a very busy couple of days getting papers and grading done for the end of the term at school. I didn't quite meet my step goal on Friday and Saturday (short by about 2,000 steps each day), but I plan to make up for it today and tomorrow with some hiking. My body finally decided to stop hanging onto the weight, and I'm now down two pounds. Hurray! I was beginning to worry that my fitbit was really overestimating my calorie burn. I chose to do a 1,000 calorie deficit, but I've been aiming for a 1,500 deficit according to my fitbit calorie burn in case it's off. There was even a day or two that I was at a 2,000 calorie deficit. 

USW - 330

SW - 316.5 June 2

CW - 314.2 June 11

GW - 305 July 4

UGW - 195

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_  Thinking of you.  That first anniversary can be so so hard.  Sometimes people are very awkward about reaching out after a death.  They don't want to intrude, they don't know what to say, they have their own feelings about loss.  

I hope the day and the week go easy for you.

[Bobbinyc]

@almost_where  Are you serious? -9??  Wow.  Talk about getting back on track.  You never cease to amaze me.  

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi all,

Doing taxes, past years, so not walking and have less than 600 steps today.  Glad to be doing it. I'm losing muscle I believe.  If i get the 2 back years done I'll dance a jig.  Back to it now.

Stay strong, eat healthy and keep moving,

Barb G

[BigRigGuy]

Guess I will give this a shot.   Have had this fitbit for over a year and just can't seem to stick with doing anything to improve my healthstyle.   I am a big guy at 6'3" and everyone says I carry my weight well (code words for a "Tall fat guy")  I have always been able to loose weight fast in the past but can't seem to keep it off.  (Getting older and harder to lose it now)  Wish me luck!

USW:    305lbs

SW:      305lbs

CW:      305lbs

GW:      290lbs

UGW:   250lbs