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!

[dancefoxtrot]

Welcome all late comers. Glad you have joined us.

Well added 1/2 lb this week darn it. 

Been good today so far. 

Off to work,

Barb G

[_Lilac_]

Week 5 Day 3:

I just got home from a tremendous walk. This morning I couldn't go to the pool because it's 'that time', and although I go in the pool on those days, today wasn't one of those that I could. So instead, I knew I had to get some movement in and decided to take a hike to the stationary/business store, Staples, to get a clip for my YMCA card. It's quite a long walk for me so I knew it would help me get my steps in. I went there, then up Main St to the library, stopped at Subway for a 6 inch sandwich for lunch (no salty processed meats), then got the bus home. 8480 steps!! 

I saw a large man with a plastic container the size of a dinner plate. It looked like a whole pie or fried chicken pieces or something brown-ish in it. He was just picking pieces out of it and eating. It reminded me of a time when I was in university and walked into a KFC. Ahead of me was an obese man ordering a 4 piece lunch. I wondered how he could eat four pieces for his lunch. But I eventually became him. A year ago, if my husband and I were getting some sort of chicken meal, we'd be ordering four pieces each. Now, I bake a chicken leg (drum and thigh) and don't even finish it. I share it with my dogs. I don't eat the skin at all. How could I have let myself get to that? 

When I turned the corner to enter Staples a woman about 60yrs old was getting out of a car. She was using a cane and could barely walk. She was probably 300lbs or more. That would be me. It would be me if I hadn't smartened up and got my butt moving. I've now dropped 22lbs officially and I can't believe how different I feel. Yes, my feet and ankles ache after a walk like today's. But the energy and determination are HERE.  I just can't harm myself anymore. 22lbs isn't much, really. Not for someone my size, but I've gone from 355 to 333 in just over a month. I'm doing this.

I promised myself I wouldn't be a burden on others. I can't become lame at such a young age forcing someone to take care of me. If my daughter had asked me just a few months ago to go for a walk a fifth of the distance I walked today, I'd have told her I physically couldn't do it. And look what I've done today! I need to get myself some of those stickers elementary teachers give to students. 'Great job' 'You are special' 'You are a star' 'Fantastic'. I want to share them with everyone here too. 

One of my happiness goals this week is to go to a creative writers' group that meets every Saturday. I've been putting off going because I'm shy like that. But it will be a great WALK to get there. Maybe hit the farmers' market afterward. Ok, it's a plan.

[Cele21]

USW = 215 SW =211.8 LW = 215.0 (Last weigh-in weight) CW = 214.0 GW = 205.0 UGW = 140 Back on track this week despite life getting in the way 🙂

[dancefoxtrot]

Love your plan to go to the writer's group. I like the stickers too. Way to go girl. 

It is inspiring how well you are doing with such a determined attitude. What is so wonderful is the more you lose the less your feet will hurt on your walks. 

Best,

Barb G

[Bobbinyc]

   @_Lilac_

    You Are Amazing!!!!

          Great Job!!!

                    *******************

             ******You Are A Star ****

                     ******************

Thank you for inspiring so many people.

[dancefoxtrot]

Update for today while poor eastern coast of FL and the Caribbean Islands suffer a Cat. 4 hurricane. It is sunny and mild here. I weighed in at 146.5 so that's a relief since the scale coughed up 148.8 yesterday. Since I'm performing a Waltz on Sat. night I certainly want to lose not gain. Definitely need to watch every morsel I put in me for the next 3 days. Had whole grain Kashi cereal, almond milk and a few almonds so far and taking vitamins & mineral supplements with Tumeric tea. Made my 10,000 steps yesterday and have only one dance class at 7 PM today so note to self get up and take a walk after physical therapy. 

Hope that you are doing well and enjoying the journey. I know that you can find a way to eat healthy and the right portions and get your steps in too. What is more important than our health? Certainly not sitting on our bottoms for hours at a time. 

Best,

Barbara G

[Bobbinyc]

@dancefoxtrot Barb, I am so glad the scale was kind to you today.  I just love the idea of you dancing he Waltz this weekend.  Pure elegance.  My inner dancer lives through you.

I gained about a pound since Tuesday's feasting.  My body is so not used to red meat.  I am walking a lot more and drinking a lot more water than I have been, and eating lots of veggies and legumes.  After the initial 5 pounds finally came off I seem to be stuck again.  Well, we are fortunate to have perfect weather here, so it is time to go for a long walk.

Hope everyone is taking good care of themselves today.

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc Thanks for the stickers! Haha. 

Kind of a boring day today. I went to the pool, took the boys for a good walk. Got in 8000+ steps but I also lazed around. I'll be in the pool tomorrow morning too. I also have to get groceries so I might walk to the store and bus home. Fun stuff being able to do things I haven't for so long. 

My neighbour and her husband have been doing weight watchers for several months and it is so noticeable that they've lost pounds. I'm happy to see her 50lb loss. Before her efforts, I was worried about all the swelling in her legs and how much work it was to do things in the yard. It seems everyone around me is on the same path. It helps knowing there is support wherever I turn. Her husband called out, "You two will be going jogging soon." Haha. It's going to be a LONG time before I can do anything like that, but it's something I wouldn't mind trying if I can get to a weight that it wouldn't kill my joints. My dogs would LOVE it, especially the bigger one.

I once saw an article about a man who was told by his doctor to get a dog, one that was like him. So he went to a local shelter and found a middle-aged, overweight dog. They started walking. Both slimmed down. They needed each other. That's how I see my guys, especially after the death of my husband. They are my constant companions and force me to get out on that sidewalk, because if I don't take them they are wild things with built-up energy. 

Anyway, enough stalling. I have stuff to do and can't seem to get anything done!! 

Friday tomorrow! Get moving. Just a few days til Week 6!!

[Bobbinyc]

To any of our challengers who might be in the path of the hurricane - my thoughts are with you.  Be safe.

[dbalge]

I don't think I've posted since the start of the challenge. Well, I lost my job but I'm ok. I'm being well paid for the next few months so I've spent a lot of time working on my weight and fitness, which is why I haven't posted. I've been spending 3-5 hours a day just on fitness, pushing towards 15 miles a day at a minimum. I've had to change my diet so I have the energy to do this much and I've lost about 5 pounds this week! 

USW - 295

SW - 206

CW - 193

GW - 185

UGW - 177

[Bobbinyc]

@dbalge  Sorry about your job.  How do you keep up that pace?  Mind sharing details, either of diet or exercise?   My energy level isn't any where near that.  Yet.

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi all

Looks like Charleston, SC may get hit hard with the hurricane. So many lives lost in Haiti. 

Hope all friends and family are safe. Manage to get to 146.1 this AM so down 4.9 since Labor Day. Just can hardly eat much so I ate a pile of veggies yesterday in veggies broth since low cal & carb but filling. 

Trying hard to be conscious as I hope to lose at least another few ozs in 2 days. 

Best to all of you whether coasting forward or struggling. Let's burn it not store it on us.

Barb G

[dancefoxtrot]

@Bobbinyc

Good to hear of your increased activity to kick out the holiday lb.. Good weather is so welcomed. For me it is my motivation to get out of my arm chair and go walking. This am I have 2 classes to teach so off I go to get about 6400. I'm plateauing too do to my sitting too much some days.

Glad to know that your spirit will be dancing with me.

Best,

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

@dbalge

Welcome back. Hope that your next job is better. Sounds like you are really working out. 

Barb G

[Bobbinyc]

@dancefoxtrot Down 5 since Labor Day is great!  I love that the scale is being kind and recognizing how hard you are working.

[Bobbinyc]

I'm back down a pound.  It's so annoying that one or two meals undoes the progress, and then it takes days to take the weight back off again. Very frustrating.  Like my scale is back to being a trampoline - down one, up one, down one, up two, etc.  I really need to be a lot more mindful of my eating 100% of the time for now.  Maybe when I'm in better shape and a lot more active it won't matter quite as much.

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi @Bobbinyc

Good then we are tied with -5 lbs.  I truly can not even eat 1 or 2 high calorie meals without gaining weight. I mean 800 calories instead of 380 not 2000 cals. I could eat so much more until I was 34 yrs old.

Now I gain so quickly and need to consume less than 1250 cals a day and be moving most of the day!

We are in this together with many challengers for support so we will get to a healthy weight.

Best,

Barbara G

[_Lilac_]

Week 5 Day 5:

Well, I spent the day in the hospital! I felt crappy since I got up this morning. I felt drugged. I went to aquafit class and I had to leave a few min. early because I felt so bad. I got home and dropped into bed for a while. I had to go grocery shopping so my daughter and I decided to walk downtown for lunch and then bus to the store. I ate and then felt even worse. I tried to go to the bathroom but knew I couldn't make it. I returned to my seat after having to hold onto things to stop from falling. I then had a major seizure and even passed out (that doesn't happen to me) while sitting in my chair. She had to hold me up and they called an ambulance. The tests showed I had a critically low level of potassium. They treated me and by midnight I'm home. The doc thinks it was caused by the diuretic I take for my former swelling in my feet, but since I've been exercising and eating well and losing weight I haven't had the swelling. It might not be needed anymore. He thinks it's drained me of potassium. But what a scary day!! I'm going to rest the next few days. It's Thanksgiving here in Canada on Monday so there is no aquafit class. I'll still take the dogs for walks (with supervision) and do things around the house. 

So, for the funny bit (maybe not so funny), they were strapping me into the gurney and I urgently told my daughter to take my purse and pay for our lunch (I was aware enough to make sure we were good customers, haha). The owner wouldn't take the money and said not to worry about it. They wanted her to call though and tell her I'm ok. Then the EMT's were rolling me out of the restaurant on the gurney and they dropped me! One wheel went off the curb at an angle and the whole thing fell over sideways. When I get the ambulance bill, I'm going to call and tell them I was dropped. Hopefully they just write it off. 

So, ya. That was my day. Unfortunately I won't be going to the writers' group tomorrow. And I'm exhausted, but feeling so much better. I didn't eat much today because of all this. I'm going to have a snack and go to bed. 

Please be aware, if you are taking a diuretic you might have issues with your electrolytes! 

Have a good night all.

[TatiG]

Down 15 lbs out of 20 lbs for my Halloween goal - hit 245 lbs yesterday.

[_Lilac_]

@TatiG Yay!! Congratulations!!