July 4th to Labor Day Challenge 2016

[dancefoxtrot]

Welcome one and all to our next challenge for better health and weight loss or maintenence.

We gather here to support each other, cheering and empathizing with the process of life style

change to improve our health and quality of life.

Set reasonable goals so you can feel success.

USW= heaviest weight when you began to lose

SW=starting weight

CW=current weight

GW=goal weight for Labor Day

UGW = Ultimate goal weight - long term healthy weight goal

Some people include their BMI = Body Mass Index, and some add their height as well. 

You can stop by once a week and post your progress or every day to get and give ideas and support. 

Most people track their food intake as well as steps to make sure you burn at least 500 to 750 more calories than you consume. Remember eat healthy food and portions in a way that you can maintain.

We can do this together. We have seen great progress over the last 7 challenges. 

Welcome.

Barbara G

[Bobbinyc]

@scottie0714 Glad you are feeling better.  And congrats on losing 2 more. That's great! How is your food prep going?  What are you doing to prep?

[Cele21]

USW= 215

SW= 214.8

LW= 214.0 (Last weigh-in weight)

CW= 211.0

GW= 207.0

UGW = 140.0

I'm trying to give up fast food (my biggest roadblock both for health and financially) for a month. I started on August 2nd and so far I am 13 days fast food free. Some side effects that I didn't consider is less soda consumption and I wasn't even thinking about the sides (would you like fries with that? DUH! Of course!).

I am now down 3 lbs. in a week, I am sleeping better and accomplishing more in a day. It's not as difficult to make meals and I am happy to take leftovers for lunch. Onward and downward!

[MandaPanda2853]

Down 13 pounds!!

USW= 285.6

SW=285.6

CW=271.4

GW=260

UGW = 145

[Bobbinyc]

@Cele21  What a great experiment!  We know in our heads that putting healthier food in our bodies makes us feel better, but doing that is sometimes difficult.  Looks like your experiment is working beautifully.  And quickly too.

[Bobbinyc]

@MandaPanda2853 Wow.  How long did that take?  What an accomplishment!

[alegria16]

Not really any change for the past couple of weeks. I didn't do very well on the exercise front. I've been opting for more sleep, because I seem to need it right now. The weather changes have really been setting off migraines, too; they've been almost daily over the past couple of weeks. I so despise summer. The neurologist just put me on verapamil to see if that helps with prevention. This should be fun, because my blood pressure tends to run low (verapamil lowers BP). LOL

USW 6/19/16) = 204 lbs

SW (6/27/16) = 200

Week 1 (7/4/16) = 198

Week 2 (7/11/16) = 196

Week 3 (7/18/16) = 195

Week 4 (7/25/16) = 196

Week 5 (8/1/16) = 192

Week 6 (8/8/16) = 192

Week 7 (8/15/16) = 192

GW (9/5/16) = 188

UGW = 155

[DJC_63]

@Cele21  That's wonderful!! I almost never eat fast food, and if I had to I think it would bother me because I know how bad it is for you (I assume you're talking about places that you drive through).  It's pretty cool how your mind can change over time.  Last month I was out with my brother, niece and nephew, and since they ate before I met them, my only option for a "meal" was something from a convenience store.  What a struggle I had with that! I ended up with a bag of Bugles (which were really good).

It sounds like you're doing great already not missing those meals. Someday soon you'll probably be like me and think "Ew, I can't eat that". It just becomes a habit.

[DJC_63]

@alegria16  I know what you mean about summer! I hate the very hot, humid weather. It makes being outside so unpleasant that everyone near me has been hiding indoors. I hope that some medicine helps, altho what your Doctor gave you sounds not so good.  Have you tried other medicines?

[DJC_63]

Things are a little better this week, I got a little more exercise (altho still not enough, the weather has been too bad to do anything outside), and I'm down 2 pounds from last week's average.  I so want to get down into the 180's, just to be in a range where I haven't been for a long time!  I hope everyone is having a good start to their week.

as of 8/14:

USW - 207.5 (1/14/15)

CSW - 202 (1/1/16)

PW - 192.2 (7/31/16)

PW - 192.6 (8/7/16)

CW - 190.6

GW - 185.00

UGW - 160.00

[nmroadrunner]

Hi everyone,
We're still enjoying the cooler temperatures and evening, and sometimes all day, rain showers. Am getting in lots of walking and reading. Happy to report another loss.

USW. 199.0
CSW. 181.8
CW. 176.2
GW. 176.8
UGW. <150

Did you see that? I'm under my goal weight for this challenge! 😁

If I can do it, you can too. Keep on stepping! 💃

[khreed]

@DJC_63  I love following your progress, as we are so close. It hasn't been the best week. We drove 4600 miles in 12 days. My daughter anticipated that even if I didn't gain weight (which I didn't) that it would be harder to lose weight initially because of a change in muscle mass. She was right -- according to my scale, I lost muscle mass and worked really hard to lose this past week without success. Of course, I overreacted to this lack of progress. Yesterday I sat in my recliner feeling sorry for myself and didn't even get 1000 steps. How is that possible? At any rate, today is going to be a better day. I just want to get back on track.

USW - 201 4/20/16)

CW - 189.4

GW - 188 by Labor Day

UGW - 175 and then to be reassessed.

I have had very moderate goals compared to many of you on this thread. I'll be happy to start moving off of this plateau.

[Rick0502]

USW= 208 (April 24)

SW=193 13.4% (July 4)

CW=182 11.1% (Aug 15)

GW=? 9.5-10%

UGW =? 9.5-10%

So I'm 38 and 6"0' tall. Today I weighed in at 182.5 and 11.1%. It's hard for me to have a weight loss goal, it's more of a body percentage thing with me. I'm just looking to lose about 2-3lbs of fat (1-1.5% body fat). I know I need to do more cardio, but finding the time is hard. I've been hitting the weights really hard since April and can really see a difference in my body.

[Bobbinyc]

@alegria16  Migraines are such an awful thing to go through.  Sorry you have to deal with that.

I know a number of people really struggling with this weather or just staying indoors with a lot of air conditioning.  You've gotten a great start on losing weight and when you get through this period, you will continue your journey.  We do get sidetracked sometimes, but you can do this.

[Bobbinyc]

@DJC_63 Glad to hear things are a bit better.  And that you have gotten to do some exercise.  Losing 2 pounds is great.  You'll get where you want to be; you've got this.  

I hope the stress continues to ease bit by bit.

[Bobbinyc]

@nmroadrunner You did it!  Congrats.  Must feel great.  You are lucky to be some place cooler in the evenings.  It's been a bit relentless here.

Great work.

[scottie0714]

@Bobbinyc food prep is going well.  This week, I only prepped for dinner. I roasted chicken and did lots of veggies for sides.  For lunch, I'm either eating a healthy choice or a tuna salad, or soup (depends on what I'm feeling).  And for breakfast, I have boiled egg whites, oatmeal (or 2 slices of bacon). 

How is your eating plan going?  I started back working out today - only 30 minutes, but I got it in.

[Bobbinyc]

@khreed  Wow! That is a lot of driving.  I hope the trip was wonderful.  I've always dreamed of taking a road trip across the country (but with a lot more than 12 days)  That must have been amazing.

I think you did an amazing job if you didn't gain weight.  If I look at a restaurant I gain 2 pounds. The muscle will come back fairly quickly - it hasn't been long.  That said, enough feeling bad and start moving a bit.  (bossy, aren't I?)  

You are doing this.

[Cele21]

@Bobbinyc and@DJC_63 - Thanks for the ego boosts. I have more than 30 fast food places within 20 minutes of my house, multiple McDonalds, multiple Burger Kings, multiple Subways, multiple KFCs, etc.

It's not all drive through with me, could be anything, carry out pizza, Panda Express, Jersey Mikes or Taco Bell. I am a fast food addict. It became a go to thing whenever I didn't plan ahead, or was tired, or just had a taste for it. With my husband being ill, it was an even easier excuse and of course my kids never complained.

After looking at my weight and my bank account it finally clicked. I have now made it two weeks and I'm not missing it like I thought I would. My family is behind me and if the kids want it, they go get it and pay for it themselves. I eat something else.

I did 'eat out' this Saturday but I am not counting either one as 'fast food' - went to a Japanese mall and had a pork bowl - thin sliced pork, sticky rice and pickled vegetables - something I would make at home. Then we went to the zoo which was open late and I had a tuna melt on dark rye with swiss with a few kettle chips, again, something I would make at home.

I guess I'm just surprised that it's not as hard as I was expecting and I'm enjoying cooking again.

[Bobbinyc]

@scottie0714  I've slacked off on the meal prep a bit.  I am enjoying the things I had prepped and froze.  Today I'm having a hearty soup I had frozen.  I just don't feel like cooking in this weather.  Lots of salads with some kind of protein thrown in.  Eggs for breakfast.  I'll have to get back on track soon.  There is a limit to how much I can eat yogurt and berries and smoothies.  And the freezer is almost empty.  Maybe later this week.

[Bobbinyc]

@Cele21 That is so great that you are doing this, and I'm glad it isn't too too hard.  When I gave up sweets, all I saw was bakeries, snack aisles in the market, etc.  For me it was also about health and budget.  Junk is so expensive!  But once I gave it up I really lost my taste for it.  I try to think my way through temptation, really focus on health and the money.  I remember telling my son that this is what I buy, this is what I make, if you want junk you can pay for it, but it doesn't come into the house.  I just wasn't going to offer him something bad for him.  He got over it fast, and now he is fairly health conscious.

I also found that meal prepped made it much easier.