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!

[almost_where]

Labor Day - 290

Week 1 - 290

Week 2 - 287

Week 3 - 286 - CW

Halloween Goal -275

-1 lbs

Battled the choco chip cookie ghosts this week, hopefully got rid of them

[Bobbinyc]

@almost_where  Good job getting rid of those ghosts.  I know, because they came to my place. 

[Bobbinyc]

@TatiG Thanks for posting about how to find the summary. I have 3 devices, including a laptop, and two have apps. All 3 look totally different.  If you don't mind my asking, what are you using - app? or webpage?

I like the graphic of yours, but don't see it on any of mine.  Thanks.

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_  You make me laugh so much.  I suspect it isn't your scale that is amazing - just you.

I have found with my own monster- they thrive on attention.  The more I paid attention to it, even just listening, the stronger it became.  The more I listened to the pixie, the strong the pixie became.

I think your pixie has been waiting for you and the two of you are going to have a grand time.

[A_Lurker]

---

@bluenose1962 wrote:

https://www.fitbit.com/group/22YFDT

I just clicked on the link, thinking I may have a go at that, as I once managed 245k steps a week, but circumstances were different.

My eyes nearly popped out - Is there a $1m prize or something ?

I may join next week !

---

Those steps are for the month, not the week.  I'm in a couple of groups where I know I will never be first.  However, on one I'm in the top 25 (there are 600+) on active minutes.  Maybe as I continue I might sneak into the top 25 for steps.

[A_Lurker]

---

@A_Lurker wrote:

USW: 407.0

CSW: 288.6 (Labour Day)

PW: 286.0 (9/11/16)

CW: 291.8 (+5.8)

GW: 275.8

UGW: Who knows

---

So, as expected, the weight gain from last week slid off this week.  I think this is what I like about the daily weighing.  I know that fluctuations up and down are normal.  I also knew last week that the huge jump was almost certainly salt related, or at least a large percentage of it.  It's also an indicator of how much salt there is in restaurant food (even the more expensive meals).  Also, since I still did the chinese food lunch this week, a single meal doesn't matter as much.

USW: 407.0

CSW: 288.6 (Labour Day)

PW: 291.8 (9/18/16)

CW: 282.2 (-9.6) <-- this is (-3.8 for the past 2 weeks)

GW: 275.8

Anyway, I vegged out yesterday and only truly motivated myself to get up and do things at 4pm.  I let a sore back and a headache derail me from the work I needed to do.  I ended up only planting 90 crocus, so today it's on to more bulbs.  I did get one of the beds ready so it won't be so tough.  It's still fairly cool out at the moment, so I might wait until the sun is on the front garden before I start working out there.  There's possibly a little rain coming tomorrow, but we're still a little above seasonal temps for this time of year, so that's nice.

[debb21]

No prize, just a way to see how you rank with everyone else.  Once you join, your steps show up, and you don't have to do anything else.

[A_Lurker]

@almost_where and @Bobbinyc - I'm not sure if this would work for you, but for a while I had little frozen cookie balls in the freezer.  They were ginger snaps, but any cookie would do.  Mix up your favourite cookie weigh the dough and then roll them into balls.  I hate to say this, but I use a food scale, most of my cookies are 18g each.  It makes them easier to cook if they are all the same size.  Freeze them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  When frozen, put them into a container, layer if needed with wax paper in between.  I vacuum seal them in sets of 18, but that's just because I have one, and if I want to make a full tray of them that's what fits on my cookie sheet.

Put them back in the freezer and when you have the oven on for dinner take a known portion out of the freezer and bake them up.  I've found from 325 to 375 will work, most of the cookies I make tell you to bake at 350F.  My two ginger snaps were 150 calories, but if you weigh your dough you could maybe work it out that you could bake a single 100 calorie cookie.  And the decedance of a single, still warm, home baked cookie is much better than purchased items.

This reminds me that I have to start mixing and freezing.  I will take cookies to the plant in December again this year.  Sadly I found out about the freezing afterwards.  This year it should be much easier.

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

Thanks for sharing your inner dialog of standing up to the monster. Hope that you enjoyed your water exercise and cup of tea. Great work 5 days this week.

Barb G

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

A pixie for the loving, healthy supportive voice- what a nice image. I'm glad that your mom is supportive as well and goes walking with you. 

You have inspired me since I ended up with only 1500 so far and it is 5:30 pm. Time for a walk since it is finally cooling down. 

Made my 10k yesterday though.

Barb G

[_Lilac_]

Thanks @dancefoxtrot I did enjoy! 

Week 3 Day7:

My mom had a scare today when she was walking alone on trails in back of her subdivision. A man was approaching and would stop and stare at nothing, kept looking up both ways of the path, when she crossed to another area he followed her and then she rushed off and he chased her. She RAN. He RAN after her. She got to safety but she now says she's not going to walk without me or someone else. So we have plans to go again tomorrow to a park. Maybe I'll encourage her to get a walking stick. She rarely takes her cell with her because it's awkward but I think she'll be more willing now. Just aiming it at someone to take his picture might unsettle them. 

I took my dogs for a walk today and did shopping at two different stores. I got over 7000 steps. I tried to organize a pile of wood in the backyard but underestimated how much effort it would require and tweaked my back. So, I'll go to the pool tomorrow and maybe get into their heated therapy pool for a bit. Then we walk! I made a great homemade chili with spinach, celery and mushrooms in it chopped up finely. The tomatos and beans had no added salt. Yay me. And I didn't add any either. 

I'm very pleased with my week. Had fun and got to share it all with you guys. Onto the next week and more successes for everyone! 

[A_Lurker]

@_Lilac_ - sorry to hear about your mother's scare.  I used to do a lot of walking and never had any issues.  Most people out walking, running, biking, etc. will either not acknowledge or nod / smile and / or say hello.  Sorry she had such an experience.

On the chili powder, check your variety as some have a lot of salt (if you're concerned about such things).  Most don't have a lot, but you can also google no-salt chili powder.  http://www.food.com/recipe/no-salt-chili-powder-38558

Overall, glad you had a great week. 

[_Lilac_]

@A_Lurker you are so right. But those are the name brand Chili mixes, like Old El Paso or something. I use chili powder from the spice section. Mine has 30mg of sodium. I did use half a mix because it was open in the cabinet, but not next time. And I can tell it was too much because last night was the first night of my journey that I didn't get awakened in the night having to go. And my fingers are a little swollen this morning. I'll have to drink extra water and sweat extra hard today. I think some of this is the bit of popcorn I had the other night, which left my stomach upset anyway.

Hope you have a great day! Keep up the great step count.

[_Lilac_]

SW 347.5

Week 1 344

Week 2 343

Week 3 339

GW 333

This is with rounding up or down to the closest lb. Here I come, goal weight!!! I'm closing in!!!

[klan7044]

Last week is when I started. Had a bumpy road this week with celebrating a 9 year anniversary dinner at Texas De Brazil (Best buffett ever in my opinion). But I did bounce back and achieve 35k+ steps the next day. Weight is down from last monday. Here is my stats:

USW: 206

PW/SW: 181.6

CW: 177.6

GW:170 or below (Depends on how the rest of the following weeks go)

UGW: 130

[klan7044]

 @almost_whereI have some of those too from a cookout yesterday. Everyone left their desserts here (they took their other stuff home I could eat haha). Had my fiance take some of them to work to lift the spirits of his co-workers. lol

[SunsetRunner]

Week 3 Complete...

-2.8 lbs for the week down -6.9 lbs from the start.

USW 154.7

SW 153.2

CW 146.3

GW 137.2

UGW 130.0

SBF: 23.4%

CBF: 21.8%

5'5", M, 40y

I had seven workouts. 3 easy runs of 2, 3, and 4 miles and a 10 mile leisure bike ride with my wife. I also did my 3 stronglifts 5x5 workouts (squat, bench, overhead press, row, and deadlift.) but the last of which was limited due to an intercostal muscle pull (feels like a side stich over your ribs) that happened mid-week while doing heavy squats. I will be limited in lifting next week as this heals. 

Total calories burned were 17,153 and total calories eaten ended up at 10,068 (1,438 per day) for a total deficit of 7,085 which in theory should have created a loss of 2.02 lbs but I actually lost -2.8 lbs instead mainly due to being pretty bloated at the week 2 weigh in.

I'm pretty happy with my eating this week, my goal was to average 1400 calories and I fell short by a tiny amount and could have eaten more nutritent rich food (more protein in particular) as I waste my limited calories on too many empty calorie coffee drinks etc. I'm back on track for my goal which to reach I will now need to lose 1.82 lbs per week having averaged 2.3 lbs per week so far.

Good luck everyone!

[Cele21]

USW= 215

SW= 211.8

LW= 212.8 (Last weigh-in weight)

CW= 215.0

GW= 205.0

UGW = 140.0

Bad choices and little movement = start right back at the beginning.

So am starting over today. Wish me luck!

[nmroadrunner]

Hi Everyone!

It sure is starting to feel like Fall around here. I even had to have a heater on the other night. It looks as though it will be great weather for the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque. I had a pretty good week  and am down another pound and my smaller jeans are already getting loose and that's not a bad thing. I may have to get out and shop for new ones.

USW  199.0

CSW  177.8

CW     173.4

GW     170

UGW <150

[Bogdel]

@SunsetRunner, I am always so impressed with your weekly reports and accomplishments. Hope your intercostal muscle pull heals soon. Keep it up!