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

[getnailedbymel]

How do you join please?

[sculptedbody]

Hi,I am new to this group and want to join the challenge . Do not know how to join the challenge. please do let me know. 

[lovu_moore]

I would like to join.

[mommo77]

Okay, I'm in.  I'll post my stats when I see others have begun to.  (Maybe I'll lose a pound or 4 by then lol)

mommo

[debb21]

Well, I lost one pound in the last challenge, want to lose 5 lbs, so that I don't have to worry about going over 140! I guess I will have to do better the next challenge!!!  I like to eat!!!

I am 61 years old, and will be celebrating 10 years breast cancer survivor in August!!  I lost 50 lbs last year on ww and walking.  I still can't believe I did that, because it's not my style.  I jog 2.5 miles and walk at least 1 mile 6 days a week.  I will do zumba on Sat sometimes.  Don't be intimidated at zumba.  There are all different ages and abilities.  I don't know how to dance, but I love music, so I get into the music and have fun.  I keep saying that I am going to do some different training, but I don't like working hard and I am really focused on what I do.

I like reading all the stories here, and it keeps me focused.  Good luck everyone!!!

[MandaPanda2853]

I would like to join. I would like to lose about 30 pounds over the next 3 months. I have a long way to go and need as much support as possible. Today I stayed on plan. And worked out. 

[iMike]

I'm in.  This will only be about the millionth time I've tried one of these challenges; I always flake out.  However, this time I'm in it.  What makes this time different? 

1. I turn 38 on July 16th ... I'm still nearly 100lbs overweight, just like I was a year ago.  Only now the excess weight is starting to take its toll on my body.  My feet hurt - a lot.  My legs hurt.  I have severe sleep apnea (I know that sleep apnea is not always weight gain-induced, but I never even used to snore before packing on the pounds) and I only average 3-4 hours of sleep per night.  I know that my aerobic ability has severely diminished as I tire very easily.  Last year I had my annual physical - while my sugar levels were well within acceptable parameters, my cholesterol and triglyceride levels were not good.  I have my annual physical coming up on July 20th.  Since I've not really lost a significant amt of weight in the last year I have a feeling my doctor is going to yell at me and probably put me on some medication.

2. I was chatting with a friend from high school the other day ... we graduated in June 1996 and it kind of hit me like a ton of bricks that I graduated high school twenty years ago.  I'm almost 38 (when the eff did that happen?!?!?).  So the longer I put off this journey, the harder it's going to be and I face more potential health risks.

The past few months have produced some major life changes.  I'm single for the first time in six years (this is not a bad thing it was actually a very friendly, amicable break-up and we're still close friends) and living alone for the first time in five years.  I'm in a new apartment in a much more walkable neighborhood with two large parks.  The apartment itself is very small and the kitchen is basically a closet (while it his a 3/4 size fridge and 3/4 size stove there is literally no space for cooking or food prep).  So I'm learning to live alone again.

The tiny fridge forces me to buy fresh food every other day.  I do buy a lot of frozen veggies that you steam in the microwave, and fresh cut chicken and turkey from the deli.  We'll see how long this goes, but so far I'm actually spending less on food because I have to think about each and every thing I bring in.

So now that I've babbled on ... here are my stats:

Age: 37 (I turn 38 on July 16th)

Height: 5'6" (with shoes on, so probably a half inch shorter?)

USW: 268lbs (as of May 1st, 2016)

CW: 255lbs (this morning, after just getting up)

GW (at Labor Day): 240lbs

UGW: 160-ish lbs (obviously a very long term goal)

Happy Stepping and I hope everyone has a fantastic summer!

[CynC]

I'm in. Have two more lbs to UG. THANKS!

[Angie_kl]

Good luck; sounds like you are off to a wonderful, new, and exciting new chapter!

[almost_where]

USW-363 - March 9

Independence Day Weight - 314

Week 1 - *** 

Week 2 - ***  

Week 3 - ***

Week 4 - ***

Week 5 - *** half time goal = 300 lbs

Week 6 - ***

Week 7 - ***

Week 8 - ***

Labor Day Goal - 290 lbs

Other Goals - Taken a break from logging food. If I have two consecutive non-loss weigh-ins then I WILL go back to logging food. Maintain lifting schedule. Shoot for 10K+ plus steps during week and 6K+ weekends.

Please invite me if you are looking for anyone else for workweek hustle challenges because i'm always game or send me friend requests.  Before the starting pistol goes off tonight at midnight try to envision everything you're gonna have to do to reach that GW this challenge. Remind yourself what worked in previous challenges and what triggers threw you off in the past. How do you plan on dealing with those triggers?  For me personally, I remind myself that even though I'm taking this test, I am the one that gets to to make the test beforehand by adding options. If I know I'm going to have a family/friend gathering in a couple days, bring fruit as an option for dessert. If I know they are going to make a dinner with umpteen calories then get in on the dinner prep converation beforehand and add options. If I absolutlely dislike going for 2000 step walks after dinner then park at the end of the parking lot througout the day 4 times and earn 500 steps each day.  Good luck out there.

[mommo77]

Alright, let's do this!

HW:  212

SW:  199 (when I got my Zip)

CW:  178

UGW:  135

Interim goal (my Fitbip goal) 150

I'd love to lose 10 lbs. in the next 6 weeks by the time I go back to work.  Not impossible, but will be a challenge.  But hey, that's what we're here for, right? 

mommo

p.s.  almost where,  love your ultimate goal! 

[scottie0714]

So this will be my 3rd challenge with this group and I can't wait to get started. I'm currently on vacation. I'm getting my steps in, but only 1 work out so far. As for eating, I'm trying to make smart choices, but sometimes it's not worth the stress. Never thought I'd rather be home than on vacation.
🙄
On a positive note, I've lost 21 lbs since starting this Fitbit journey in Jan 2016. I know I can reach my goal of another 15- 20 lbs by the end of the year. With that said, here are my beginning stats. I'm trying for a realistic goal of 10 lbs.

USW - 213 (1/14/16)
SW -191.1 (7/3/16)
GW - 181 (Labor Day)
UGW - 175ish

[Bobbinyc]

@getnailedbymel  You join by just leaving a message.  Most people start with posting their starting weight (SW) and goal weight for the end of the challenge (GW) and ultimate goal weight (UGW).  Then you can update every week.  No rules. There are some other options listed in the first message of the challenge.  You don't need to do anything special.  Just post whenever you wish, ask for support or ideas, offer the same.  We have shared suggestions on everything from how to drink more water, exercise programs, food ideas, and handling setbacks.  

[Bobbinyc]

@almost_where  As always, you are incredibly helpful and inspiring.  I also love your Ultimate Goal.  Thanks for all you share.

[CynC]

Oh. I forgot to state the stats:

CW: 127
UGW: 125

Still walking a minimum of 10,000 steps daily, plus doing abs/strength/cardio workouts six days a week, switching them out to give each muscle group recovery time.

[bluenose1962]

I'm in - looking forward to this challenge for lots of reasons.

The last 2 weeks have been difficult, as I have known about this hernia operation for 2 months, so probably set myself up for a fall.

Lost all motivation the last 2 weeks as the days, hours and sleeps counted down. 1 sleep to go, and I will be under anaesthetic in around 12 hours.

I wish on reflection that I could have been nil by mouth for 2 weeks and I would have met my target.

I did the last 5k in a PB, so I am taking that with me into this challenge, along with the PT sessions that I have carried over for when I am back on my feet.

I am at risk of boring people with my recovery, as I can't spend hours at the gym, and I will have a weigh in tomorrow and assess the damage.

Game on !

[saraj91]

@dancefoxtrot thank you for setting up this next challenge! 

I'm definitely in! I would love to reach my UGW by Labor Day as I will just be starting my teacher training course & it would be great to reach my UGW before/around then! 

Eat better & move more... will try & stick to that way of thinking over the coming weeks! 

So, here are my stats...

USW 23/3/15: 186

CSW 4/7: 133

GW 5/9: 130

UGW 5/9/16: 130

[CynC]

@dancefoxtrot, you are really getting it done! Good for you.

[Bobbinyc]

@bluenose1962  Wishing you the very best with the surgery and recuperation.  Seems like you did a great job getting your body as healthy as possible before hand.  I know it's all scary.  You should know you are being thought of.  Keep us posted.