Labor Day Challenge 2015

[GoneForARun]

Hello and welcome to the Labor Day Challenge 2015. 

We welcome all newbies and the awesome achievers from our 4th of July Challenge. 

This new challenge starts on July 5th and ends on Labor Day, Sept 7th.  So please feel free to post your Labor Day weight loss goals here and we'll be sure to provide lots of encourgament and support along the way.  I've listed my goals below.  Hoping to ready for my Labor Day Disney vacation.  For the newbies, here is a short key: SW = Starting Weight, CW = Current Weight, GW = Goal Weight, UGW = Ultimate Goal Weight.

SW: 200 (Jan 5)

CW: 173.3

GW: 159 (Labor Day)

UGW: 150 (Oct 13th, Wedding Anniversary!)

Trish

[Shortsbysummer]

Sadly, with their obesity epidemic catching up to the US's, the BBC is becoming a good place to find obesity, weight loss and food industry documentaries. Supersize vs Superskinny, The Truth About Food, Fast Food Babies, Fat Doctor, Old Before My Time - Obesity, Why Are Thin People Not Fat People, Weight Loss Ward.  It's sad thought that so many of these shows exist.  I wish we could all just say no to the aisles, and aisles of package and boxed non-food and get back to eating things that grow in the ground.  

[dancefoxtrot]

we can and the more of us who buy or grow produce and eat whole grain the more will join us. 

/barb

[dancefoxtrot]

wow Bobbinyc. You hit the nail on the head. Changing our thinking and emotional eating habits to find satisfaction and emotional comfort without over indulging in food. 

When we over look motives we miss important info. about our unmet needs or fears etc..

Back from Seattle visit to a friend. Forgot to pack my fitbit charger and she was without a scale, Might have gain a bit but will see in the AM. 

Glad to be back home, watering plants and going to a class and dance in 1/2 hr.

Hi all,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

Another awesome Bobbi post. And the scale know nothing about mood, energy level or health.

Love it,

Barbara G

awood- you are losing a lot of weight quickly. We sometimes forget our bodies are designed to do the right thing for our survival. It is a biological process, not a mechanical one. We do not have that level of control over every tiny bit. The scale is only one measure of how you are doing, and it isnt the best. You can measure yourself, look at blood pressure, blood sugar nos., look at your energy level and mood, etc. Sometimes if we cut back too far on calories, or eliminating fat, it takes our bodies while to figure out what makes sense - hold on to fat? Lower metabolism? If we eat some salt, or if the weather is very hot, or if pur food has too many chemicals, that all effects us. So do hormones. I sometimes forget to focus on the big picture: as I eat healthier and become more active, everything else will fall into line. That is the best i can do for myself, and then all the biological processes will respond.
Medically, they say the best weight loss is about 1-2 pounds weekly.
You are developing great healthy habits and changing your relationship with food. That takes a lot of stength and is a major success. And the scale doesnt even know that.

[dancefoxtrot]

wannabeme

great progress. Keep it up as you are getting closer.

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

word whimsy

You are sure doing it. Kick that 160 in the butt and enjoy the 150's as you watch them shrink. 

Barbara G

[Bobbinyc]

Shortsbysummer, I agree about the endless aisles of packaged foods. When I first changed how I eat, I had a rule that i would never go down those aisles. It wasnt easy for a sugar addict with no time to cook, but I did it. I still never go near those aisles, but now it is because they are a waste of time.
About a year ago a small group of mothers initially 5) in my neighborhood posted on the local markets facebook page that they wanted organic food for their families and were willing to drive to other markets to get it. They sent copies of their messages to local papers. And the "boycott" was on. First that store replied about high cost, poor quality, how organic produce doesnt look good or last. The mothers came back strong, joined by more people. That store now has a growing organic section. We vote with our purchases, and we are heard in numbers.

[Bobbinyc]

Barbara, welcome back from vacation. Hope it was fun, relaxing, interesting, satisfying. And leave it to you to fly in and be off to a dance class! You are unstoppable. (Your scale doesn't know that about you)!

[dancefoxtrot]

Bobbinyc

What an inspiring story of the boycott working and involving the press. Organic produce looks fine and tastes way better I think and all neighborhood deserve that options. Health matters. The only use for most of the junk on the inner aisle is to walk past it to get in more steps. I buy Wasa whole grain rye crackers for hummus sometimes but most of the stuff is empty carbs and sugar and unhealthy type fat. Uggh. 

The scale doesn't know it but we are getting healthier. 

Oh, I need to share and I hope you don't mind. A 8 time latin dance champion,( winning many years ago when he was younger) chose me as his partner to demonstrate in the Night Club 2 step class and said "You follow so well."  You know I was on cloud nine.  He encouraged me to come to Hawaii  mid- October to compete in a competition that he is putting on. Hmmm. I don't even fit in the ball gown from 2005 or 6. The zipper is 2 inches from closing and that is a puzzle as I think that I was only 6 lbs. lighter. It was tight then and I need sleeves. 

So I tried on used ball gowns for sale at the studio and I found 2 that are somewhat possible if I could wear it over a long sleeved body suit and lose the 5 lbs. 

More motivation for Labor Day. Eating carefully today to make the scale smile at me with 138 not 139.9 post vacation. 

Vacation set me back a bit as my friend Gloria, wanted to watch DVD movies and eat air popped popcorn with liquid aminos on them. She is Vegan so the food was healthy. Quinoa pasta has protein and carbs even mixed with power greens.  Less active = lbs. 

Today I danced for hours so I burned some calories for sure. Now to steam some chard from the garden, sprinkle on a little parmesan cheese, and get the heck away from the frig.

Thanks for reading my long ramblings.

Be strong and determined as we have 3 weeks and 1 day to go for this challenge. We can do this.

All the very best,

Barbara 

[dancefoxtrot]

Shorts

On Facebook, 

I copied and pasted your info about Fitbit cutting out tracking and asked them not to do that. 

Hope if they get enough feedback that they will reconsider.

Good night,

Barbara G

[Bobbinyc]

Barbara, that is so exciting! You are going to have to share details- I want to hear all about it as the time gets closer. This may not be relevant to your older gown issue, but i know tht as i age, my body changes in some odd ways. My shoe size is 1/2 size bigger, my shoulders a tiny bit broader, and i can't get to the same muscle definition I had. The first time I noticed it, it was really odd/scary. But it isn't noticeable...i'm just one size bigger, regardless of weight.
I also know that 5 pounds doesnt stand a chance with you. You are determined, active, eating healthy, taking good care of yourself...look out Hawaii!

[dancefoxtrot]

Bobbinyc,

Thank you so much for your support. I used to be 5'8" and now am barely 5'7" due to less puffy discs I think. Weird.  My feet are longer by about 1/2-1" also but are not flat. They say we lose our arches especially if we are not exercising our feet and are burdening them with too much weight. Shorter, wider and one heck of a lot looser skin creating wrinkles, but healthy and still dancing. I count my blessing more now and your support is among them. Thank you so much.

The unknowing (love that concept) scale said 138.3 this AM, woo hoo, so 3.3 lbs to burn in 3 weeks and 1 day. This is doable. Let's stick with this and lose some more weight by healthy activity and eating.

Happy Sunday. Sending you a big hug and lots of support for making progress toward your goals.

We are on a healthy journey and we are making progress. 

Warm regards,

Barbara G

[Barb55]

Coming in late to the challenge as I just started with my fitbit on August 8th, but will give it a go.

SW   177.8

CW   174.2

GW   168

UGW 139

[dancefoxtrot]

welcome Barb55

Never too late to get healthier. We will probably create another challenge like a Thanksgiving or even a Halloween  challenge. Jump aboard and eating only healthy food to nourish yourself.

Barbara 

[Bobbinyc]

Barbara- You are the one is consistently reaching out to others with information, support, encouragement. If anything i say is helpful to you, I am thrilled. You deserve a lot of support and encouragement back. And, like I said, 5 pounds didn't stand a chance against your determination.
Thank you for inspiring me.

[Bobbinyc]

barb55- welcome. You aren't late at all. Your timing is perfect. This is your time to get healthier, more energetic, and, oh yeah, thinner too.

[megslosinit]

Absolutely agree. Just found a podcast about exactly that. Very sensible weight loss advise. Check it out at the link below. Good luck!

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/category/podcast/

[kmme]

Good Morning All ,

A big welcome to all the new challenge starters , this week as well:)  Usually this is my favourite day of the week , however last week my body did not want to drop the weight ( Although i did end up with a loss , i fought hard for it)! Only down 1.5 this week...however i think my plateau has broken so hoping for better results next week. Here are the stats

Challenge SW ( July 20) 173

CW-156.5

GW(revised from 155) 148

UGW- 135

Keep fighting the battle everyone , in the end it is all worth it! Hope everyone has a good week:)

Kim

[nyx425]

SW: 260 (June 16, 2015)

CW: 231

GW: 210 (Labor Day)

UGW: 140 by April 25 for my birthday

Total loss so far: 29 lbs and 91 left to go! (way better than 120 left..)

4 pounds in a week and a half, which is nice to see!  I go on vacation on Friday, so that will be nice.  I am down a pants size and shirt size, which is nice.  A lot of nice things this week!! haha 

Two more pounds and I get a haircut as a reward 🙂  I'm hoping they come off before I leave for vacation, since it would be nice to sport my new cut for our cabin stay... I will work hard this week!

[wannabeme]

Weekly check in.  Bummed to say no movement in the scale needle this week.  Still hopeful and shedding it by Labor Day.

SW  159.6

CW  145.9

GW   138

UGW 128