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!

[Bogdel]

Week 3:

USW -  183.5 (1/8/16)

SW -  150 (9/5/16)

Week 1 -  148.5 (9/12/16) -1.5 lbs

Week 2 - 147.8 (9/19/16) - 0.7 lbs, Total loss for this challenge: 2.2 lbs.

Week 3 - 146.6 (9/26/16) - 1.2 lbs lost this week. Total loss for the challenge: 3.4 lbs

GW - 140

UGW - 140 

I did a better job on walking this week. However, yesterday morning I did something totally unusual for me: I had a couple of chocolate chip cookies at church! Typically, I don't go for things like these, but this time they were sinfully delicious! In the future I will make sure I have my healthy breakfast before I go to church, to avoid any craving for junk food. Keep it up and keep it healthy, everyone. Have a victorious week this week. 

[TT_is_me]

USW - 315

SW -   274

Week 1 -  269.5  -4.5 lbs

Week 2 - 267.2  -2.3 lbs ( -6.8 total)

GW -  260

UGW - 160

Guys, just 2 more lbs to lose and I'll be down 50 lbs!!! I'm pumped!

[TT_is_me]

@Bogdel -  I DID THE SAME THING except mine was a donut instead of cookies at church. I stayed up too late on Saturday and didn't get breakfast in before and it's hard to avoid a donut on an empty stomach. Shoot! They are hard to avoid on a full stomach 🙂

[SunsetRunner]

Finally back from my Mom's.  She's on the mend from her accident, and I am exhausted.  Unfortunately, I was unable to post my weight loss last week. I thought I would have dropped a lot from the endless list of daily jobs while there, but sadly only dropped a pound.  I am happy though that I am losing something.  I know it's probably that I don't get enough steps in daily.  Now that the desert weather is cooling off a bit, I am able to start my daily walks again.  " I can do it"!

Starting Weight 164       Goal Weight 154

Week 1:  163

Week 2:   no post

Week 3:   162

[AndyDandyPandy]

Update: Week 1: 4 lb loss

              Week 2: 3.4 lb loss

              Week 3: 0.8 lb loss

USW: 292 lb

SW: 236 lb

PW: 228.6 lb 

CW: 227.8 lb 

GW: 210 lb

UGW: 170 lb

(Life)GW: 150 lb

Feeling down so I haven't been sticking to my routine for the past days. **ahem** happens. Still not gaining weight is better than nothing. I have no appetite when I'm down.

[DJC_63]

@Bobbinyc. I did get my lab results just a few days ago. My glucose levels are in the normal range, actually they're lower than they were 8 years ago. Yay! Of course that means that there is some other reason for the slow weight loss, but I'll take slow weight loss over diabetes. My cholesterol is in a normal range but still a bit higher than I'd like. My HDL is very good, again better than 8 years ago, as well as my triglycerides. That I know is due to exercise. My LDL (aka the "bad" cholesterol is not bad but I'd like to see it lower. I've already looked up ways to lower it. Thx so much for asking. How were your results?

[Bogdel]

@TT_is_me. Looks like those people at church want to get us to heaven sooner by giving us all those things that are bad for us, LOL. My husband usually helps himself with donuts. I need to make sure he eats at home, too, before we go to church. Let's have a victorious, junk free week this week. 🙂

Spoiler

[Bogdel]

Congratulations! Isn't it encouraging to see that scale go down? What's your secret, @TT_is_me? 

[DJC_63]

My weekly check-in... I've been having trouble sleeping and have been very tired so I missed the last post, but I'm still weighing and working out. I'm back to doing all of the lawn work and cleaning for my Mom (she didn't like anyone she hired) but I'm getting better at balancing it with my needs. Her lawn tractor won't start, which is good and bad. It means I can't mow the lawn but since she doesn't seem too concerned with getting it fixed or getting anyone else to cut it I've been trying to figure out how to fix it. Anyhow, I'm ever so SLOWLY going down in weight. The shorter days are making it hard for me to go for walks at home. I love fall but hate the shorter daylight.
As of 9/25:
USW - 207.5 (1/14/15)
CSW - 189.5 (9/3 average)
PW - 188.9 (weekly avg)
PW - 190.8
CW - 187.9
GW - 185.00
UGW - 160.00

[dancefoxtrot]

@SunsetRunner

Welcome back. 1/2 lb a week is just fine so you did well. Glad your mom is healing. 

Barbara G

[Bogdel]

@mommo77, I just went back and read some posts that I missed in the past. I am amazed at your progress. Congratulation on your 50 lbs loss and best wishes on reaching your ideal weight. You are an inspiration to all of us. Keep it up. @mommo77. Blessings and strength!

[Bogdel]

@TatiG, Did you get the answer to your question about the weekly deficit? I get mine by email every week. Check your settings and make sure you get it, too. 

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

Did your mom report this man to the authorities? They can patrol that area more closely and maybe send an undercover woman police agent to see if he approaches her. Isn't your mom over 65 yrs old? She was able to out run this dude?  This guy is scary and weird sounding and needs to be found and questioned, in my humble opinion.  Both of you stay safe, please. 

Glad that you are doing so well managing the monster. 

Keep up the good progress.

Barbara G

[Bogdel]

@_Lilac_, Thanks for sharing this experience! You are a very good writer and show  great deal of self-awareness. Best wishes to you as you continue to defeat that monster and encourage the good friendly voice that encourages to health and fitness. KEEP IT UP, FRIEND!

[DJC_63]

Something I did this weekend might be helpful for some of you, esp those who can't lose weight easily like me. I measure myself once a month, and this month I decided to look back to last year at this time to compare. What a difference! I've lost 3 1/2 inches from my hips and several inches from my legs. The waist is a little less but still smaller. (For those of you under 50, that seems to be the norm at my age.)
When I get frustrated by slow numerical loss on the scale Im going to look at these other numbers.

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi all

Keep up your good progress.

Bouncing between 147.1 and back down to 145.9 this morning.  

SW 150

CW 145.9 

GW 143

UGW 135 

This is good and hopefully I can make it a bit lower by check in day tomorrow. That is - 4.1 lbs in 3 wks. 

5892 steps so far to so I better move more before sitting down to watch the debate. 

Best to everyone,

Barbara G 

[_Lilac_]

@dancefoxtrot Yes, she's 69. She said she took two bursts of running and got to a place where she could wave down cars on a busy road if she had to. He disappeared into the trees when she looked back. And she didn't report the incident but my sister and her husband went back to try to get a photo of him or some identifying information but he was long gone. There were 4 of us walking together today in a park across the city. I'm thinking about getting a safety whistle for all the walking women in my family.

[Bobbinyc]

Am watching the debate and made sure there is no junk food around.  But the stress of this and worry about our future sure makes me want chocolate.

[DJC_63]

@Bobbinyc The first time that I tried the elliptical machine I could only do it for 5 minutes. I looked at the others doing it for 30 and wondered how they could do it. That was in 2000, I think. I kept doing it, just 5 or 10 minutes, whatever I could do. Try that. Set the slope down to 5 (not 10) and the resistance to 1.
It also depends on which elliptical you use. The ones where you have to push with your arms are harder. There were some in my gym in SoCal that were too hard for me. I stick with the same kind that I've been using since 2000. I just increase my slope, the resistance, and my time.
The big plus for me is the low-impact of the elliptical. My orthopedic Doctors always okay it. @_Lilac_ it can hurt the knees if you have a knee problem, especially if you lean forward too much. Keep your body straight and that will lessen pressure n the knees.

[DJC_63]

@Cele21, don't look at it as starting over, it was just a zig on the zig zag of losing weight. For me it's never linear. I wish it was, but it's not. As long as you don't quit you're still on the journey to your goal. 😊