Labor Day to Halloween Challenge 2016

[Bobbinyc]

Welcome to the next Challenge!

This one will start on Labor Day and continue to Halloween, 2016.  That gives us 8 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, 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'm very excited about continuing with this wonderful group of people and meeting some new folks too.

Thanks to dancefoxtrot for starting the last challenge.

See you here on Labor Day!

[A_Lurker]

@_Lilac_- when you weigh in is up to you.  Most people have a day of the week that they weigh in.  Posting once a week, up or down, can help keep you on track.

[AndyDandyPandy]

@_Lilac_ Most of the time for beginners is that they get too obsessed with the scale. When they don't see the number they desire at the end of the week on the scale they get discouraged. The scale is a great tool to guide you with weight loss so don't be scared of it. If you are scared when weighing in or get discouraged when you see weight fluctuations, I suggest avoid it and measure your body instead to see results until you can live with knowing that some week you won't lose anything or may gain a lb or 2. 

But if you're on the heavier side, as long as you have a calorie deficit and do normal exercise routine, you'll always see massive weight loss until you reach a certain point. Atleast that was my experience.

[A_Lurker]

@AndyDandyPandy - your experience is NOT common, unless you're a fan of shows like the biggest loser.  Also, women lose weight differently than men do.  I know you're trying to be helpful, but here's how some people are going to interpret your post.

"If I don't drop a huge amount of weight quickly I'm doing it wrong." 

This can be daunting to someone who changes their eating, increases the exercising and only drops one or two pounds.  I say this because you often see people complaining that they only dropped a small amount.  They miss entirely that they've lost what most people do.  I do believe in doing daily weights and using trendweight.com to keep an eye on the progress.  Any downward trend is a good thing, no matter what the weekly loss is.

The suggestion to keep measurements was good though.  

[AndyDandyPandy]

@A_Lurker I don't know how you narrowed down my comment to that interpretation but okay.

And to be honest I sure do love losing weight quick and it is my goal but I'm not recommending anyone to follow my footstep because it may be too tough(JK). 

[_Lilac_]

Day 7: 

SW 347.6

CW 344.8

Phew. My greatest success was not the lbs lost (although that looks nice), it was MOVING more than I had in a long time. Just a few months ago, if I did the activity I did on ANY day this week I'd need a day to recover. Now, I can do the same amount of movement EACH day and not need to take a day off to binge on netflix. Mid-week I did get very tired and felt like I needed a break, and I did lighter movement but I still moved. 

I'm looking forward to this upcoming week. I think to myself, 'What am I going to do this week that I've not done yet, something that will make me feel great?' I have some goals in mind...walk all the way to the grocery store (they are all far), go to the riverside walking trail to see the tidal river rush in (it's amazing), or take a hike in a natural park with the smells and sounds of the forest. 

Please, take a few minutes this upcoming week to do something that will make you feel great too!

[A_Lurker]

@AndyDandyPandy - your last words were "But if you're on the heavier side, as long as you have a calorie deficit and do normal exercise routine, you'll always see massive weight loss until you reach a certain point. At least that was my experience."

More than one person here told you that you were undereating and/or overexecising.  Except for companies trying to sell quick weight loss junk pretty much every reasonable medical professional will tell you that 1 to 2 pounds a week is the best weight loss.  (Fast weight loss: What's wrong with it? - Mayo Clinic )  The exception would be doctor monitored weight loss, although there's a bit of a quack around where I used to live who feeds people around 500-800 calories a day and pumps them full of vitamins, with staff scolding people who don't lose enough.  They did manage to hush up the fact that someone died doing their program.  I say hush up as I used to be able to find a link to it, but couldn't today.

---

@AndyDandyPandy wrote:

@A_Lurker I don't know how you narrowed down my comment to that interpretation but okay.

And to be honest I sure do love losing weight quick and it is my goal but I'm not recommending anyone to follow my footstep because it may be too tough(JK). 

---

Even with your JK you keep up the attitude that everyone should be able to drop weight quickly, or they don't want to put the effort in.  Because if they just put the effort in everything would be fine.  Again, not true.  Fast weight loss affect lean body mass as the body will take more of it than fat as a response to fast loss.  This may be okay for men (don't believe so) but could be even worse for women.  Osteoporis affects women far more than men, and doing weight bearing exercises, including lifting weights is often recommended as a preventive measure.  Although there hasn't been a lot of study on it, rapid weight loss in women shows faster bone loss overall.  (http://jn.nutrition.org/content/136/6/1453.full)

[A_Lurker]

@_Lilac_ - I vote for the riverside walking trail or the nature park.  One of the guys I work with decided to walk to get his groceries, not truly considering that he would have to lug them all home.  He went without bags too, so had to carry them home with the plastic handles digging into his hands. 

Spring and fall next year I could probably walk to get mine.  If I do I'm going to get one of those carts to use with mine (no matter how it looks).

[AndyDandyPandy]

True, I put the extra effort in to lose more weight. I just follow my own order and listen to myself rather than some thing read from the internet and I'm having good results so far. New things are learned because people try new things or do the opposite which can lead to good or bad. I will be the example because i sense many doubters.

[A_Lurker]

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@A_Lurker wrote:

Okay, I usually avoid short-term goals, but having just figured out that 1.6/week is reasonable for what I'm eating and what I'm burning, I'm in.

USW: 407.0

CSW: 288.6 (Labour Day)

CW: 288.6 (same)

GW: 275.8 (this is 8 weeks x 1.6 pounds)

UGW: Who knows

---

So, a little more weight loss than expected this week.  Again, not looking at the ups and downs, but overall trends.  I tried to do a rest day yesterday but still ended up making a point to burn a certain amount and walk a certain number of steps.  This goes back to my all or nothing attitude.  I can't seem to hit in between.  Today I got up at 5am and ended up going back to sleep, so I'm not even up to 500 steps at noon.  I'm going to try and balance the day with doing something, but not doing steps around the basement to make them up.  Of course, this also means a very low cal day.  So, off to make a breakfast of eggs/egg whites and maybe a small amount of cheese and some fruit on the side.

USW: 407.0

CSW: 288.6 (Labour Day)

PW: 288.6 (9/4/16)

CW: 286.0 (-2.6)

GW: 275.8

UGW: Who knows

[professorpete]

As a general guideline, I think it is a poor idea to recommend supplements here.  Many people are here because they are genuinely trying to be healthier and are struggling with difficult histories and circumstances.  Many also have medical problems that complicate issues.  Supplements are rarely researched well, and not with different ages, different medications, etc.

Someone in this forum wrote:

"By the way, Melatonin is non-addictive, natural, has no side-effects, and it can be found in 5 mg, if you need more. You may want to check with your doctor, and see what he thinks." 

Everything you put into your  body has an effect.  Melatonin is a hormone.  Although it is sometimes recommended in very small doses (up to 1 1/2mg) for particular types of sleep problems, it is always recommended for up to 3 weeks only.  Long term, or in larger doses, it can stop your body from producing its own melatonin.  That is not a good way to go.  It is best used rarely, for instances such as jet lag, where it is used one time.  If you have a shortage of natural melatonin, your doctor can talk to you about things to do.

Sleep issues are rarely caused by that, though it is more common in the elderly.

I agree that checking with a doctor is always critical before trying supplements.  They all have side effects and interact with medication.

They are not regulated by FDA and they often do not contain the ingredients they say they have.  When tested independently, some have been found to contain lead or arsenic, particularly those bottled overseas.  The FDA does not have the authority to remove supplements from the market for being dangerous or ineffective.  Until people die from it.

I like that this forum focus on encouragement, sharing tips that are healthy and make success easier, and is very focused on not taking the easy way out, but doing the work to be healthier.

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

What an inspiring idea that exercise can be a celebration of what your body can do! It fits perfectly with my dancing that I love doing. I like what you shared and it is not too long or rambling. Many of us post to get motivated to get up and move or eat sensibly and healthy. Something about saying outloud to our community helps.

Post as often as you like. Many of us post our weight once a week but do what works for you. I share when the spirit moves me. 

Congrats on letting no junk touch your lips as that is a huge choice at a party.

Barb G

[A_Lurker]

---

@AndyDandyPandy wrote:
True, I put the extra effort in to lose more weight. I just follow my own order and listen to myself rather than some thing read from the internet and I'm having good results so far. New things are learned because people try new things or do the opposite which can lead to good or bad. I will be the example because i sense many doubters.

---

I feel you are ignoring my links as things I read on the internet.  The Mayo Clinic is a well respected institution in the US (I'm in Canada) .  The peer reviewed nutrition link I gave is from a group that has been in existance in one form or another since 1928.  Although thoughts on nutrition change often, the fact that items are peer reviewed gives their postings slightly more credibility than some people out there offering easy weight loss for just $29.99

I do sincerely hope your chosen path leads to permanent weight loss with no medical repercussions.  My sample size of one showed that lots of exercise on very little food led to illness.  Neither your sample size of one, or my sample size of one, is not likely representative of the population as a whole.

[SunsetRunner]

Wow, what a week!  Some ups, but mostly sharp downs, and I certainly did not get in the steps I planned.  Oh well, my mantra is "I can do it!", so onto the next week with better efforts and results.  At least there is lots of time to catch up.  Not sure how I did it, but I lost a pound this week, probably stress. Yea me, ... I think?   On to a better week!!

Here's my 1st week count for the Challenge:

SW     164

CW     163

GW     154

[SunsetRunner]

Good thing last week is behind us, isn't it? So sorry to hear about your brother. I do admire your perseverence and attitude.  On the brighter side, there's a better, more productive week coming up, I can feel it! Hang in there!

[dancefoxtrot]

@professorpete

The FDA does a lousy job of protecting us from some dishonest drug companies that have resulted in many unnecessary deaths. Really feel quite distrustful of their vigilence to keep us safe. So yes we need an agency that will sample the ingredients in supplements so we are getting only what is on the label without arsenic.  I have taken vitamin and mineral supplements all my life and trust the some good companies that make them, more than the large pharma cos.. Unfortunately wealthy lobbies influence laws made and consequences for betraying the public trust.  

I agree that people's medical conditions, like kidney disease, can necessitate different mineral levels. 

Most MDs only get 6 weeks of nutrition in med. school and my cardiologist son was taught that the Standard American Diet is adequate and that is blatantly untrue. Most of us agree that junk food, processed food with addictive is not a good idea. 

Of course, checking with your MD is wise, and we can change to a MD that actually has taken an interest and is knowledgeable about nutrition. I like Dr. Mark Hymen, MD and Joel Fuhrman, MD's nutritional advice since they stay on top of current research in US and Europe. 

I agree that taking Melantonin for just a couple days for jet lag insomnia makes sense. I take 1.5 mg Melantonin only once in a while when I can't fall asleep for hours. Making the room dark allows the body make Melantonin to help us sleep. 

Stay strong and eat very healthy food in the right portion for your body challengers.

Best,

Barb G

[dancefoxtrot]

@Bogdel

Yes I loved that book the End to Diabetes and Joel Fuhman. MD,s website. Found him on PBS at a pledge break. I got the book and DVDs by pledging and learned a lot. I increased my veggie intake and reduced my meat, especially red meat, intake and eat more salmon now. 

I take only 1.5 mg Melantonin only occasionally and it works.

Best,

Barb

[dancefoxtrot]

@lusry

Wonderful news that you are pregnant. Glad that you came back here. 2 reasons to eat healthy food and keep moving. Enjoy the process.

Barbara G

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_ Congrats on the weight loss. Even more wonderful (to me) is the increase in energy and strength.  I think each one of your posts has had a quote I find inspiring.  

A tidal river vs a forest-like park?  Wow.  How nice to have that in your life readily available.  

[dancefoxtrot]

@Bobbinyc

Thanks for the dance video request and I'm very happy to share it here. That is in another 5 weeks away so I have time to burn up some more belly fat.  I made it to 147.7 as of this morning after working all day yesterday with 2 and sometime 3 men from a construction company. I brought out my chop saw and measuring tape and cut the siding to the needed sizes. It was so much fun to be part of the team. 

I burned up enough to lose .8 of a lb.. Now to keep it off and lose more today or at least maintain.

Hey healthy breakfast at the inn begins with dessert???? Are they crazy?  So glad that you were able to

maintain through hiking.  I remember NY state as being hilly and green. I loved summer camp near Newburg.

In spite of not being able to charge my Fitbit now that it is broken, I'm not going to be MIA.  I'm very happy to see so many people supporting each other again.  

Okay my friend I have to watch a video on how to change my leaking kitchen cartridge as I have it part way apart.

See you  

[almost_where]

@dancefoxtrot

Are there any particular stretching routines that you do for dancing? Btw, I think a video would be awesome 🙂