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

[dbalge]

Well, starting my 3rd month completely soft drink free. I think it was in February and had bought a 12 pack of Mountain Dew and drank most of them, then saw how much I weighed. I stopped drinking them except for the rare times that I might get choked and need a swallow of something and my wife always has a Coke Zero around close by. I usually drink water, flavored by some of the sugar free on the go packs you can get at Walmart or Dollar General. My personal favorite is Tang, lots of Vitamin C and sugar free and 5 calories. 

On the 1st, I got just under 190 for the first time in a while, then gained a half pound yesterday, but back to the weight I started the month today. Today is going to be a rest day, hope to get my 20K steps in today then no more. I usually walk in the high 30's or 40's or more during the week and sometimes on the weekend. I've felt tired the last few days so need to rest. 

[almost_where]

Well I officially hit the one week in a rut mark. During this past week I have gone from having my (walking, lifting, nutrition and junk food) in control to not in control. Things did not just fall away over night they have kinda fallen off one at a time. I am mirroring the same daily routine that I was in when I was 363 pounds (except I am still logging food). During the past 15 months I have had bad days but have been able to pull myself out usually the following day.

I think for me personally what makes weight loss so difficult is that it is not rocket science. Instead it is a combination of a lot of simple decisions that need to happen together. If any of these simple decisions are made incorrectly or not made at all then it can throw everything off and effect future simple decisions. Then when we look back at failures we tend to lump all the failed simple decisions as one big complicated problem. For example, this 1 week rut I am in now all leads back to a couple incorrect decisions I made a week ago;

--making a full cup pancake instead of normal 2/3rds
--getting 3 slices of pizza instead of 2 on my cheat day.
--buying a small single cannoli (180 cals) at the grocery store a week ago.
--drinking a 6 pack instead of 1 or 2
--eating the extra half burger for dinner.
--passing on the evening walk after feeling sick from all the food above
--eating a huge slice of pie instead of a normal size.
Up until this point, I have recovered the following day but this time the small failed simple decisions continued throughout the week now im looking where everything is off track.
--cheat pizza meal on a non cheat day
--no morning walk
--no lifting
--no greens, fruit or fiber

When I think about it, the decision to have greens or a salad is a simple decision. Instead my mind is locked in on all these prior simple decision screw ups so I'm tricking myself into making another incorrect simple decision. Feeling crappy from eating wrong foods, oversleeping doesn't help either.

Time to get on the right path.

[kaye82]

@_Lilac_   You are awesome! Thanks for sharing your story. I'm new to Fitbit and on a new weight loss journey, this has given me a boost 😄 

Warm regards xx

[kaye82]

Eekkk! I'm new to Fitbit and my first time joining you lovelies 😄 

Joining late but here I go.. 

USW :: 238lb

SW :: 236lb

GW :: 230lb

UGW :: 182lb 

[Wilson22]

That happens to all of us. This sometimes is so hard. The thing is not to punish yourself just try to remember why you started all of this and then the motivation will come back. Your human!

[Cele21]

USW- 215.0 (2/4/14)

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

LCSW - 210.8 (4/18/17) Last Challenge Starting Weight

CSW - 212.0 (5/31/17)

LW- 212.0

CW- 209.2

GW- 207.0 (July 4th)

UGW- 150

Last week I went overboard with eating out/fast food. This week I pulled it back and while my water intake slowed I ate more home cooking and the weight dropped. So happy!

[_Lilac_]

@kaye82  It's great to have you join us. And new to Fitbit!! So many new people. The more the merrier. I hope you have a fantastic time improving your life!

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi Donna,

What sound is your car making? Did you check water, oil, brake and transmission fluid and tire pressure?  Where is noise coming from? Do you hear it on idle when parked or do you hear it only when driving? Do you hear it only as you turn the wheel?  Get info then call your car service guy and tell him over the phone what it sounds like and ask if you should drive it.  Sometimes on line you can get ideas from car guys.  Just make sure it is not something under the seat or in the trunk rattling around.   

Glad that you turned your feelings into steps! 

Best,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

@joylendragon

Just jump in and share.

Set your realistic goal for better health and/or weight loss for July 4th.  We will root for you.

Best,

Barbara G

[_Lilac_]

Well, what a day yesterday!! I went with my daughter to her apartment to pack up some of her things in preparation to move home with me. 7500 steps. We then walked to the mall to pick up a few things and then bused home. 4000 steps more. Went to my sister's for a BBQ and a few drinks before heading out to a pub (inside a casino) to watch a local cover band. 

Story/sidetrack. BBQ at my sister's always involves lots of food. Carby, salty, sugary food. I took chicken breasts for myself and sister #2, and had green salad and a few pickles. No cake that was passed around, no macaroni salad or potato salad or any of the other stuff. I said I just wanted a small plate when they were bringing out the big plates. Someone said, "It doesn't matter the size of the plate, it just matters the amount of food you put on it." And I replied, "But I'm not putting a lot of food on it so why would I need a big plate??"  I NEVER eat off a dinner plate. It helps me control my portions. I had always said this to my mom and everyone rolls their eyes at me in disbelief but then Mom read a study some nutritionists had done that asked people to put food on different sized plates for their meals. The portions on the big plates were consistently 30% larger, without the person realizing. I had my meal (small compared to everyone else's) and I was perfectly satisfied. 

Anyway...we went to listen to the band and I danced a little bit and wandered around the place because I got restless and they had free drinks (soda, coffee, water) so I'd dip into that. By midnight I was at 14,000 steps and then another 1300 after midnight. Phew. 

Today is a rest-ish kind of day. Walked the dogs, did a few chores, but generally not overdoing it. I have a recovering knee so I don't want to push it. 

Yay me for a good day yesterday. I'm going to have a healthy supper and watch the hockey game tonight (yes, I'm Canadian) and celebrate the non-scale victories I'm having lately. My daughter told me I'm looking half the size I was, my thighs have shrunk a lot. I know they have because I can now feel the cellulite. Yes, all that extra padding on a woman over 300lbs doesn't allow us to feel the hard cellulite lumps, but I feel them now. It's a weird thing to celebrate but it means the fat is coming off. I wore a 2X top out last night and so many people commented how much I've lost. Wearing draping 3X and 4X kinda hides the losses. I'm hoping to go walking with Mom tomorrow but not on those mall floors!!! 

Ok, I've chatted enough. Feeling really good. I hope everyone is having a great day/weekend. Keep track of the small successes as they bloom into big success!! 

[dancefoxtrot]

@mmt421

Hi and welcome,

I eat mostly veggies. salmon, eggs (free range) and a little cheese.  You can eat really healthfully as a vegan.  Advice: read the labels on the vegan treats as there are some high carb and calorie products. What tends to work is log all foods and see how many calories you are consuming. Non starchy veggies are low in calories and you can fill up on them. 

Enjoy,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

@WalkingLisa

Good start Lisa. Drink lots of water on those long walks.  I found that low carb eating works wonders for health and weight loss.  If you have Diabetes 2 stay on top of meds. with your MD since some folks who change their diet also most lower meds to avoid super lows in blood sugar levels.  Sounds great that you check in with your MD each week.  

We are rooting for you. Welcome,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

@TT_is_me

I remembering sobbing as I drove home after therapy.  Sometimes I would write in my car after therapy to help sort out my feelings.  It was very help though. Keep taking care of yourself.

Maybe your husband can go workout with you sometimes. 

Good luck,

Barbara G

[GettingfitinSC]

@_Lilac_ Congrats on resisting temptation yesterday! I'm going to have to look that up about cellulite lumps. I haven't heard that, and I've been noticing lumps in my thighs and wondering what it's from. I've also noticed a few curves around my hips/ thighs that look like a new 'roll' starting. I've gotten upset that once I started losing weight, I get a new 'roll'. But maybe that's from fat loss and it's just falling differently. 🙂 I've also had a few people mention lately that they can tell I"ve lost weight. It makes me want to lose even more faster. 🙂

[Daithílocha]

@dbalge well done with the soft drinks.  I quit my beloved wine 2 years ago and miss that relationship terribly but I actually found it more difficult to give up soft drinks.  They are full of such crap its unbelievable  I will have an occasional one but mostly sparkling water this weather.  

[dancefoxtrot]

@Ava_

Hi Ava,

Wow another night eater.  I was famished last night having had only scrambled eggs with cheese about 2:30 pm so when I returned home at 11:30 pm I thought I would just go to sleep. I was too awake and ended up eating greek yogurt 80 calories, guacamole probably 120 cals and about 100cals of almonds.  Well that still left it under my daily cal level.  I wonder if it would help to know why we each eat.  Maybe coming here with a glass of water writing about what we are feeling instead of eating like a maniac can help.  I'll try that.  I think that the disturbing news like Manchester bombing and today's London Bridge incident makes me anxious and then I feel like eating. The news, which I watch most days, is mostly disturbing. I end up feeling exasperated with public officials lying and acting like idiots.   Probably trying to calm my anxiety with food.  I think I'll try walking around my room as well.

Sometimes it feels hard to tell what is causing this feeling of hunger late at night.  At least I can ask that question.  

Hope that we can create a list of why we eat too much late at night.  It may help us do things like change the channel to a happier place.  Maybe shut the darned TV off and turn on music. Maybe read something uplifting.  Maybe write in a journal to discover what is driving me. 

Going to sleep helps too since 8 hours of sleep helps us feel good and loose weight both.

Best,

Barbara G 

[Rozekara]

I am a night eater too! I think I eat more out of habit than anything else.  I also use food as a reward. Had a bad day ...eat a cupcake, fight with the husband ....have a cupcake, work really hard on the job...have a cupcake.I can't say enough about how logging my food intake has helped me. Having this group for support is also helpful! 

[Daithílocha]

@Rozekara you could be talking about me there!  I find it so hard to separate food from emotions. I have lost weight lots of times in my life but what always seems to get me is emotional issues. Food is such a reward so this time round gonna try and deal with that.  

[dancefoxtrot]

@Rozekara

Kick the junk food to the curb maybe. Ban the poison cupcakes. 

Sometimes having only healthy food to eat makes the late night munch out or hard times solace eating less deadly. 

Struggling to watch the terrible terrorist attack news again without eating.  Okay water. 

So very sad to see such tragedy. Innocent lives taken.  Changing channel to Saturday Night Live. 

Stay strong,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

So cool that you were so clear about what you ate and small plates. It is clear that people act like experts on your eating and are soooo wrong.  Of course smaller plates help and I'm glad there is research to prove it.

You are killing it girl.  Hope the band was good.

Best,

Barbara G