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!

[kmme]

Good Morning All , checking in again , yes i am late..life is crazy busy have not even had time to work out,,seems i have plateaued again. My body fights for every pound again. I need to get over to the 130's i've been stuck at 140-141 for awhile now..

USW- 197 ( 2015)

CSW - 149 - Sept

PW-  142.8 Oct 10

CW- 140.4 Oct 17th

CGW - 135

UGW - 120?

Hope everyone else is doing well

Hoping to up the excercise again this week i have been very lazy and it shows:)

[SusiequeTX]

Here's my Update

USW   248.6

SW      232.5

GW      220 by Halloween.  Almost there!   YEA 

UGW   131

Challenge weeks.

Week 1    229.4

Week 2    225.2

Week 3    221.1

[nmroadrunner]

Hi All!

Well, the temperatures here in NM are very warm for this time of year--in the 80's the past week! Sure hope it cools down pretty soon as Hubby has to shut down the A/C tomorrow as he is having eye surgery Wednesday and won't be able to get up on the roof for several months. We've spent the time since our month in the mountains trying to get the outside work done and I can work on the inside while he's out of commission. He's having a cataract removal with lens implant plus a corneal transplant in the same eye. He had the same procedures done on his other eye in April with great results and we hope this one will go as well. 

This past week was quite good weight-wise and it looks as though I'll be very close to my goal by the end of this challenge.

USW  199

CSW   178.8

CW      173.0

GW      170

UGS   <150

Down one pound!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week.  Keep on stepping!

c

[jadedkisses]

USW - 235.4 

SW - 225.0 

CW - 225.0

Week 1-ish- 223.6 (-1.4) Sept 14

Week 2- 220.8 (-2.80 & - 4.2 "Total") Sept 19

Week 3- 219.6 (-1.20 & -5.4 "Total") Sept 26 Just a wee bit posting!

Week 4- 217.6 (-2.00 & -7.4 "Total") Oct 3

Week 5- 215.8 (-1.80 & -9.20 "Total") Oct 10

Week 6- 214 (-1.80 & -11.00 "Total") Oct 17 GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GW - 215.0 

Modified GW- 212.00

UGW - 180.0

Well I reached my goal weight with still 2 weeks to go so I feel accomplished.  I am going to modify my goal now and just keep on the downward slope momentum I have going on.  I finished my first 5k run this past Saturday so I am recovering from that so probably will not be working out as hard this upcoming week.

[_Lilac_]

@jadedkisses congrats on the 5k!!! Someday I'll do that too. A woman I knew in university got that app for her phone called Zombie Go! and it gets you from the couch to running 5k in a short time. I'm too big for it, as I have to take my activity in moderation, but I'd love to start it sometime when I can without killing my ankles and feet. She has a lot of fun. 

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc Out of curiousity, are you doing a Halloween to New Years challenge?

[AndyDandyPandy]

Update: Week 1: 4 lb loss

              Week 2: 3.4 lb loss

              Week 3: 0.8 lb loss

              Week 4: 3.4 lb loss

              Week 5: 3.2 lb loss

              Week 6: 1.2 lb loss

              Total loss: 16 lb

USW: 292 

SW: 236 lb

PW: 221.2 lb 

CW: 220 lb 

GW: 210 lb

UGW: 170 lb

(Life)GW: 150 lb

Didn't do much last week. Very sedentary. Felt great. Getting too comfortable that my body is starting to feel lazy and tired again. Had Pizza and Beer. And some more beer with freshly killed raw beef. 

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_  I hope we are all doing the next challenge (Halloween to Thanksgiving sound right?)

I can't take credit for the original idea. I've been part of it for over a year now.  People who reach goal find it very helpful for maintaining.  So, let's all do it!  We can accomplish our goals together!

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc I should have written, 'Are you initiating a Halloween to New Years challenge". I will definitely join whatever challenge there is next. I was a little confused at first when you said Halloween to Thanksgiving, since Canada has already had Thanksgiving (hahaha) but I caught on eventually. 

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_ I apologize.  I should not have said Thanksgiving.  Last year that was what people had wanted and I wasn't thinking.  It doesn't matter at all to me.  Some have said they prefer shorter time periods.  Whatever the group wants.

[hannahbebrave]

I am hoping to join the next challenge and am getting ready.  I have found people to help out with all of the family obligations I was involved in.  That was too too hard.  I intend to focus on myself and my health.  I had a fitbit from a cousin, briefly, but as soon as I talked about how much it motivated me and how I use it, she asked for it back.  I am saving up for one now.  Meanwhile I am gradually changing the way I eat and some other habits.  I have given up soda pop and now drink water even though I still don't like it.

I follow this forum and learn so much from  everyone here.  There are so many people who struggle and find a solution.  That has gotten me to thinking about how to not give up on myself and be more active in creating the life I want.  Those of you who write so much about your thoughts and feelings have been like guides for me.  Thank you.

[hannahbebrave]

I can use some help with something. I guess it's like a survey of people  here.  I live in a town where most folks are obese and never walk. They wouldn't walk one block from one store to another.  I have no sense of how much exercise people do to lose weight.  I know it varies for everyone but if I walk 3 blocks it feels like a tremendous amount because it is so much more than anyone I know.  It also takes me so long!  Those of you who do 10,000 steps is that real?  That is about 5 miles!  How long does that take?  It would take me the entire day.  People really do that?  I probably sound like a wimp.  It would  help to have a sense of whether I'm working hard enough and what i should set my sights on.  People who are losing weight, do you do other exercises to?  what kind?  How do you know if you are doing too much?

Sorry to bother everyone and thanks for your answers.

[A_Lurker]

@hannahbebrave - When I first bought my Charge HR last year I certainly didn't do 10,000 steps a day.  I just looked back and my 28-day average for Dec was 4,150 steps.  My 28-day average now is 13,228 steps.  I had to work on it.  I'm also lucky that some days I can come home with lots of steps and less to do.  You start with the 250 steps and hour and work your way up.  I started tracking those for 14 hours (the time I'm usually up and about).  Eventually I got to the point where I would do 500 steps each hour.  Now I aim for 1000 steps each hour.  I find it easier to keep up than catch up.  I started doing 2000 steps recently in the morning, before I get into the shower.  I walk circuits of my basement.  This winter I'm going to work on doing longer time periods at a time.  It's a process that most people can't go from few steps to many all at once.

[_Lilac_]

@hannahbebrave When I started out, it was an effort to walk up my street, which is only 8-10 houses long (set close together). If I took my dog for a walk around the entire block I would arrive home with sore feet and ankles, my lower back would ache, I'd be out of breath. It was difficult. I began by getting into the local pool at the YMCA, as it got me away from gravity! They have water aerobics classes. Water jogging or water skiing is good too. After doing that for a few days I had more stamina and was able to go around the block a little easier. After a week of that, I took the dogs down an extra block, over and back home. Or I took them TWICE in one day. There are some videos on youtube made by Leslie Sansone, one that is 15 min long called the happy walk, that you can do in the privacy of your livingroom or office or bedroom, wherever your computer is. Do it at your own pace! If it hurts, just do what is comfortable. Do 5 min if you can't do the 15. Do a little bit more every day until you can finish it. That 15 minutes is ONE MILE of walking. Awesome! If you are watching a tv program you like, stand and do a bit of marching in place. Do little kicks in place. I get 2000 steps doing that and it doesn't take long at all! Find somewhere nice in your town to do a stroll. Maybe around the perimeter of a park. Our local shopping mall has a walking club. They open the doors early, before the stores are open and let people walk around. It's free. I'm sure other people here can give you examples of how to get some activity and steps into your routine. I looked at that 10000 number with disbelief and horror when I first started. 5000 was a huge accomplishment for me. I celebrated when I hit that. You really can do it. Start out with what is comfortable. If you walk half a block one day, walk to 3/4 the next time, etc. You will actually be surprised with how fast you will get stamina and it will become easier and easier. I promise!! 

[debb21]

@hannahbebrave  I started with my fitbit in Jan. 2015.  My goal was 2000 steps a day.  I was in a sling, so I would dance around the house with my granddaughter.  One song is about  500 steps.   Then I started walking at the Y in Feb and I walked 2 miles slowly.  Then I made my goal 5000 steps, and then 10,000 steps.  In Sept 2015, I slowly started jogging because just walking was taking too long!!  It took me to Dec to get to jogging 2 miles and walking 2 miles and that is where I am now and will be staying.  I took it very slow, and I ended up losing 50 lbs with ww and walking.  It has been a year since I reached my goal.  A few lbs have creeped back, so I am trying to lose those 3 and then I decided to lose 5 more.  Good luck and take your time exercising.

[AndyDandyPandy]

@hannahbebraveSimplest way. Get a treadmil. Start walking. Increase speed and distance as you progress. Don't worry about steps and just do it. Many people including me underestimate ourselves and make excuses, but you never know until you try. You're more capable than what you think unless you have some conditions. I am only 5'8 and was over 300 lb once and I did the workout program P90X which was totally not recommended for me but I still did it. I am not saying workyourass off but don't put yourself down because you haven't done anything physically in years or decades. If you want to lose weight, work on your diet first. There's plenty of helpful info on the web. Do your research and good luck. 

[jadedkisses]

@_Lilac_ Thank you, It was hard as hell but a lot of fun.  I haven't tried that game but it sounds fun! I am going to keep training so I can do it in a shorter amount of time and next year I want to do a 10k at some point!

[_Lilac_]

@AndyDandyPandy and @hannahbebrave A treadmill isn't necessarily the easiest way to get movement. They have a weight limit, so depending on your size, you can't use them. They are expensive, even used ones. They are bulky and take up a tremendous amount of room. For people with balance issues, they are scary. They are exceptional clothing hangers though. Treadmills are also much too easy to hit 'stop' and then you are done and can sit down. For a lot of people they cause shin pain (I guess shin splints?) If you are out somewhere walking, you still have to get BACK to your car, BACK to your house, etc. And when you make it back you have a real sense of accomplishment "Oh, I went further than I thought I could." A treadmill is BORING, unless you have one of those ones that have a tv onboard, or computer onboard so you can play solitaire, but again $$$ and all you think about is the effort it's taking and 'when can I quit this **ahem** thing'. 

Being out in nature or just outside, where your attention is on stuff around you, it gives a whole different sense of accomplishment. Hannahbebrave would be a pioneer in her town of couch potatoes. There's AIR out there. There's sun, there's a moon, there are curbs to go down and up, there are stupid drivers to avoid, you don't focus on shopping lists or errands you need to do or problems you are having at work or your kid's misbehaviour or this or that. You can melt into what's around you and just go. It's  like therapy. Even if it's just 5 minutes around your backyard or A_Lurker's basement, or to the closest fire hydrant and back. Next time go to the 2nd closest fire hydrant and back. Who needs a treadmill when we have a whole freakin' world out there! Okay, ya. Rain, snow, ice, hurricanes....dress for it!

[jadedkisses]

I use the treadmill only as a last resort option, I just find it incredibly boring and you are right @_Lilac_ that I am constantly thinking about when can I stop...I much prefer to be outside 🙂

[AndyDandyPandy]

You really hate treadmill lol. Musta been a bad experience. I guess we all should boycot treadmill better yet gyms. How could i have not known it was so evil. Bastards, they got me, I shouldve known better. I guess ill just burn mine lol.