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

[dancefoxtrot]

@Bobbinyc

Hey there, I've seen tricycles for adults around here.  I learned to ride a bike on the sidewalk in the West Side Story neighborhood and then would take bike to Central Park.

 Riding on busy street far too dangerous.   

Hope that you are doing well.

Barbara G

[DJC_63]

@awood08  Cutting out lunch has some good things, some bad. If I eat enough for breakfast I don't notice it, but if not, I tend to not have as much energy as I need. I've been trying to cut out snacks, too. I've noticed that I tend to snack if I'm hungry but don't feel like making a meal. Knowing that, I've gotten better at making sure there is a meal that I can make quickly if I don't feel like cooking.

[DJC_63]

@Gayle1018 I can really relate to the stress eating thing. Especially when you can't talk to anyone at the time when the stress is worst.  I used to smoke at those times and I think when I quit I substituted food for the cigarette. You sound like you're doing well so far, though. Kudos to you!  

For me it's key to have something I like that I can just grab and eat, and make sure it's healthy. My go to is Pomegranite Arils.  They're expensive, but I love them so I can make myself eat that rather than something that's not good for me. I just try to make sure I always have some on hand.

[DJC_63]

@mmt421   Congrats!! That is quite an accomplishment! I'm not sure I could do that while on vacation.

[DJC_63]

@_Lilac_  Congratulations!! You just keep hitting one milestone after another. I have to admit, I'm envious! I know that you're working very hard to hit those milestones, though.

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_  Eeeks!  Apologies for my mis-type.  But not mis-typing about the congratulations superwoman part.

[Bobbinyc]

@dancefoxtrot  We have to get you out from under those taxes and walking more.  Enjoy your knees being ok while you can.  Nice to see you on here again.  You are missed when you are away.

[_Lilac_]

Well, during the night my hips were hurting so badly and I awoke with an aching lower back. I looked outside and YUP...the weather changed to damp and humid. It happens every time. Stupid old wives tales that are true...

Mom had cancelled walking last night anyway since she was in need of a rest day. I had planned to go swimming but didn't want to go in the rain. Sooo...sitting around the house today. Maybe I'll work on a few indoor things and take up a new crochet project. I have a back porch I need to get under control.

Not sure about a lot of steps today but we'll see how that goes. 

[dancefoxtrot]

@BigRigGuy

Welcome. I laughed at your translation of the code words.  Lower carbs and sugars will do it. Do you get enough exercise to burn up what you eat and a little more from your fat cells?

Helps to do this together,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

They say the joints feel the drop in barometric pressure when it gets damp outside especially before a storm. As b. pressure drops it causes more internal joint swelling and therefore pain. Below is googled info.. Old wives tales are sometimes right on. 

Predict your joint pain level based on the local weather. A study from Tufts University in 2007 found that every 10-degree drop in temperature corresponded with an incremental increase in arthritis pain. In addition, relatively low barometric pressure, low temperatures and precipitation can increase pain.

Best,

Barbara G

Arthritis Weather Index | Arthritis Pain and Weather - Arthritis Foundation

www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/tools-resources/weather/

[almost_where]

Memorial Day Starting Weight - 243 

  Sunday1 -251- (06/04) 243 Target

  Sunday2 -242- (06/11) 242 Target 
  Sunday3 -247- (06/18) 241 Target 
  Sunday4 -244- (06/25) 240 Target 

  Sunday5 -242- (07/02) 239 Target 

July 4th Goal Weight - 239

- 2 lbs

My goal for 2 days is to maintain this weight and get through this July 4th weekend. Enjoy your weekend everyone.

[Bobbinyc]

Memorial Day Starting Weight 186

After holding at 186, no matter what I tried, I have now been at 183 for awhile.  Sounds like on odd thing to be happy about, but that number 186 was starting to drive me nuts.  Weird thing is I dropped the 3 pounds in the 2 weeks I was most sedentary, sitting at my desk and not moving at all.  I also gave up dairy.  I thought it might have been muscle weight.  Some of it clearly was, as I couldn't lift the same weights as before.  Amazing how much strength you can lose in 2 weeks, especially as you get older!  But I have been doing weights and pilates and the muscle is back, but I didn't gain back the 3 pounds! Yippeee.  

I'll be at a vacation/conference this week which will involve too much sitting again, and all vegetarian food.  Who knows what my body will do this time!

A happy, safe and healthy holiday to all.  

[_Lilac_]

We had our Canada Day BBQ at my sister's house. I brought a salad and a chicken breast for me. A big spread of unhealthy snacks was laid out but there were two dips I wanted to try. They were homemade (artichoke and something else) and a tbsp of each wasn't gonna kill me. No veggies were prepared for dipping. Just chips. So I asked for some, as the hostess admitted she hadn't even thought of it. Sat with my meal and was very happy. Oh, and I got in the pool and did water jogging and marching for 30 min or so. 

I had slept maybe three hours last night when I awoke with severe intestinal cramping and it sounded like my insides were playing the Didgeridoo. Five hours of discomfort and I was finally able to go back to sleep around 8am. I'm still not normal but can function somewhat. I'll have to find out if anyone else was affected. The dips are probably the only thing I would have had to cause this. Anyway...I avoided all the junk food.

It's overcast and humid today. More fireworks for tonight. It's Canada's 150th birthday (official signing of confederation) so it's a big hooplah. I'll avoid the crowds and traffic and stay home. I need to get in some exercise though, if I can get my belly to cooperate. I'm afraid to go out anywhere.

[dbalge]

With one more day, I weighed this morning at 181.0, I won't make my goal of 175 but that's okay. I have achieved normal weight (184.3 for my 6'00" height)  for the first time in my 61 years and I'm still losing. I'm losing even with eating birthday cake and ice cream since my wife's birthday on Friday. I figured I would gain this morning after eating hot dogs and cookies at our church cookout yesterday after worship service, then had cake and ice cream after supper last night but was pleasantly surprised losing the 0.1 pound from yesterday.

USW 295 Feb 2015

SW 189.8 June 1

CW 181.0 July 3

GW 175

UGW 175

[dancefoxtrot]

@Bobbinyc 

Congrats on the 3 lb loss.  I remember when you were at 189 for a while.  Hope that the veggie food and lack of stress will be wonderful for your body. 

Only 1 day until July 4th and I'm above where I began this AM !!  Being extra careful today so tomorrow I can record at least maintenance. 

I'm making a huge salad in a few minutes and plan to have a salmon patty tonight.

Enjoy your vacation.

Best,

Barbara

[dancefoxtrot]

Happy Birthday Canada,

Hope prime minister is so sane and sensible. You are a great northern neighbor.

@_Lilac_

Good to hear that you asked for veggies.  It is so strange that people don't think of veggies when they are so healthy.  

Hope your gut feels better today. 

Best,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

Okay, last day until weigh in. Let's try extra hard for a good morning weigh in.  

Hope that you are in good spirits today.

Barbara G

Up and off to water my veggie plants.

[GettingfitinSC]

USW= 235; BMI= 46 (Christmas 2016)

CSW= 212.1; BMI= 41 (May 30, 2017)

CW= 214.7

GW= 207

UGW= 125

Total lost sinceMay 30 = +2.6 😞

38/F/5'0"

Summer isn't going so great for weight loss. I'm a teacher, so I'm off for the summer and the lack of schedule makes it very difficult for me to stick to my goals. It's pretty discouraging to see the scale go back up, but I just don't make myself stick to the goals. I'll start out good in the morning, but it doesn't last long. I've been a little better the last few days, so maybe July will be show a weight loss. 

Hope everyone else has had better results for this challenge! 

[DJC_63]

Last weigh in. I didn't set a goal this time because I was tired of never reaching it! Things are going better as far as my weight, albeit very slowly! I always eat less when the temperature is hot, and I've been doing much better at cutting back on snacks. I'm logging every day, too.  That said, I let myself have a little mini pizza tonight for dinner, and it was so good!! I haven't had pizza since the end of October. Hopefully my weight won't shoot up tomorrow.  I hope everyone else had good results today and that those in the U.S. had a nice Fourth of July!

July 4th challenge:

USW - 207.5

SW - 196.3

PW - 195.7

PW - 196.1

PW - 195.7 (6/18)

PW - 195.6

PW - 195.5 (7/2)

CW - 195.4 - July 4th

[DJC_63]

For whomever is interested, I started the next challenge. I made it the Labor Day challenge since that's what we've been doing. That will give us 2 months to (hopefully) lose a lot of weight!  Here's a link:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Manage-Weight/Labor-Day-challenge-2017/m-p/2076101#M57444