Labor Day to Halloween Challenge 2017

[_Lilac_]

Hello everyone and welcome to the Labor Day to Halloween Day challenge.

We can post (daily/weekly) about our weight and non-scale successes, share helpful tips, support each other and talk about our ups and downs.  The following abbreviations can be helpful to use:

USW - Ultimate start weight

SW - starting weight for the challenge

CW - current weight 

PW - previous week's weight

GW - goal weight for the challenge

UGW- ultimate goal weight

To join, please simply post and you are in! Have a great time, let's get this going!

[TT_is_me]

USW 315 (Dec 2015)
GW 205
9/5 - 213.6 

9/12 - 213.4  |  -.2 LBS

[March55]

This is my first time I'm doing a challenge, so not sure what to expect.

USW - Ultimate start weight - 203

SW - starting weight for the challenge - 201

CW - current weight  - 201

PW - previous week's weight - didn't weigh

GW - goal weight for the challenge - 195

UGW- ultimate goal weight - 160

[_Lilac_]

Hi everyone! I'm glad there are people joining the challenge. The more the merrier.

Well, I've had a rough few weeks but hopefully things are coming together. I've dropped two of the five pounds that tried to stick back onto me. I'm giving them the nasty eye and insisting they leave...so far so good with compliance. Pounds evicted! Increased the intensity of my steps and getting my heart rate up a bit. My feet are hurting though. There is such a fine balance between working as hard as you need to but not hurting yourself when you are my weight. It's not as easy as, "Just go work out." 

I just learned my son is coming home for a week or two in December and he hasn't seen me since LAST December. It will be exciting to see his reaction to his thinner and more active Mom. And his thinner and more active grandmother. My mom (70yrs old) got 17,500 steps yesterday. She's a machine. 

Has anyone done the 'Body Groove' workouts? I saw an ad on facebook and looked at the site and some sample videos. I'm not a dancer by nature so traditional aerobic workouts are tough for me because I can't match the steps but this might be good. Free movement. With my livingroom being cleared out for the window repair, I'm trying to force myself to do it...though there are no curtains on the window and ...I'm embarrassed! I'm not too proud to admit it! I suppose I could thumbtack a sheet up. Haha.

ok, off to do some things. I hope everyone is safe (Florida and Georgia and South Carolina, Texas and everywhere else affected) and staying on track. We've sent some help down from Canada. Our guys are experts at recovery and getting power lines up, since we get ice storms and blizzards. We got your back!

[Phantom.Glitter]

@_Lilac_ My sister and I have had much success by following the Just Dance game series. It's available for the xbox 360 and the playstation 3, I think. My sister kept the console and games, but I still do the routines by following videos of it on youtube. Just type in "just dance" and you'll find entire playlists of popular and funny songs with zumba-esque choreographies. You follow along with the person dancing, and they also present you with cues for what moves are coming up next. It's a great workout!

I usually shut my boyfriend's office door while I do it though, because it's true that it can feel a little embarrassing. But you're making a positive change for yourself and the people who care about you will support it (and maybe join in!), and the others don't matter. 

Hope this helps. 🙂

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_ I'm glad the weight is going down again.

I watched a program that said our bodies/metabolism has a set point.  If you lose too quickly, your body doesn't know everything is ok and tries to get back to "normal"  Even when you lose more slowly, according to this program, you reach plateaus because your body is trying to stabilize.  He did say that over time, your body gets used to a new set point, whether it's higher or lower.   I fell asleep before hearing what the answer is!  But I'm not sure the man talking was right.  I'm trying to do some research on my own.  

Anyone know about set points and plateaus and regaining?  Since my scale has been incredibly stubborn, I'd love to learn what to do.

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_  Also meant to say, I'm so glad you are going to see your son!  Yayy!

And how is the hole in your living room coming?  

[MNSunshine]

USW: 255

SW: 248.5

GW: 240

UGW: 170

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc  Look!! I have to fix up the drywall and paint the entire room, but the window is in and he's repaired the gutters that caused the leaking. Oh, and I need new baseboards. 

[_Lilac_]

I didn't walk with Mom today. I pulled something in my lower back last night tidying up and it still hurt this morning. Pain pill then walked the dogs around the neighbourhood. I had a doc appointment this afternoon so I power walked it..getting great heart rate. I have only 7500 steps so I'm going to go out again. Had lots of veggies today. I love squash! I tried growing some but we had such a dry summer and very short growing season. 

Ok, off to finish my 10,000 steps. Have a great day everyone!!

[LIFESGOALS]

USW - 232

SW -232

CW - 229.8 ( -2.20 LBS)

PW - 232

GW -   215

UGW - 160

[Gayle1018]

@_Lilac_  thank you so much for posting your journey!!  very inspirational!!!!

I'd like to share mine,   1 1/2 years ago i reached 200 for a 5'1-2" person.  pretty much a couch potato, no motivation, depressed with various issues everywhere (work, personal life and loss etc)

Decided need to get my act together so bought a fit bit and discovered community.  I'm now down 45 lb. - just had my physical - no longer a diabetic 2, and no longer have high cholesterol 

Need to loose an additional 15 - but haven't had the drive to watch the calories and eating. So trying to get re-started on goals,  I am staying active -- 

feeling very good, and looking forward to retirement next year.  

I love the community support - knowing I'm not alone, but to keep trying verse giving up as I have in the past....   Thank you all for your sharing and inspirations.

Boo!June 2017

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_ What a great window!  It's such a great size!  And so much work!  Is  your kitchen done?  You are certainly juggling quite a bit.  

[_Lilac_]

@Bobbinyc  The kitchen is kinda done. The cabinets and counter tops and sink are in. I haven't got the walls painted yet or new curtains in the windows. At least it's clean and bright and new. This will be the last of the home repairs/renos for a while since I'm now officially out of money haha, but it's made a big difference in my home and life. 

I dropped another 2 lbs by this morning...so that's 4 of the 5 that I had 'found' over the last few weeks. I'm making a great effort in increasing the intensity of my workouts and I think that's helping. Ten thousand steps at a snail's pace is very different than ten thousand steps that make you sweat! I hate sweating but gee I hate fat even more!

Mom and I see people on our walks along the river every morning. One woman stopped and talked to us, saying she'd lost 30 lbs. There are two other women who go to 'walk' but we see them walk to a certain bench and then they sit for a while then 'walk' back to the car. Haha. 

I need 2800 more steps today but I think I need a nap too. Gotta love naps!

[alleganygirl]

I'm at the see-saw stage of my journey  Down some, Up some, Down some, .................

Weighed in on Tuesday & was up 2lbs 😞 but just stepped on the scale & am back down 🙂

I'm not unhappy but would still like to get to 140 or even 135 - which is not unrealistic for a chick 5'4"

I've lost interest in the Y but am slowly getting back into the grove - have gone 2 days this week & am shooting for tomorrow also. Doesn't help that my hubby has stopped going also, we both need to go & get in better shape. Skipped the Y yesterday but went for a 8 mile bike ride because it was so nice outside.

I had blood work done today for work so i'll know within a few days if there has been changes in my cholesterol & sodium from last year -- they were pretty good but had room for improvement 

It's nice to read that I'm not the only one who is like this.

@bobbyinyc I'd be interested in this also - sounds like it may makes some sense & could be why the scales aren't moving for us 🙂 (I'm sure it has nothing to do with Merlot!) i'll do some digging into it too

keep at it everyone -- together we can get thru this

[Gayle1018]

heading out camping this weekend-- looks like it should be a nice fall weekend - can't wait to see my friend- (we get together once a year  camp and play backgammon and hike).

gonna pass on the s'mores this time.

Hope your weekend is pretty and nice for everyone..   see you on Monday!

"Everything is a gift of the universe--even joy, anger, jealously, frustration, or separateness. Everything is perfect either for our growth or our enjoyment." Ken Keyes Jr.

[Gayle1018]

[Bobbinyc]

@Gayle1018 I love that last post.  It had me really laughing out loud, as did everyone I have shared it with.  Where did you find that?  

Have a great weekend camping.

[Cele21]

USW- 215.0 (2/4/14)

1stCSW- 211.4 (2/14/17) First Challenge Starting Weight

2ndCSW - 210.8 (4/18/17) Second Challenge Starting Weight

3rdCSW - 212.0 (5/31/17) Third Challenge Starting Weight

LCSW - 209.8 (7/4/17) Last Challenge Starting Weight

CSW - 209.0 (9/04/17)

LW- 208.6

CW- 208.0

GW- 205.0 (October 31st)

UGW- 150

Ever soooooo slowly but I won't complain as long as it keeps going DOWN!

[_Lilac_]

Friday night my brother in law texted me asking what I was doing that evening. I'm never doing anything so I told him so. Friends are in a band and they were playing in the pub at the local casino, so he asked if I wanted to go because my sister was too tired. "I'll pick you up in 40 min," he said. 

Off we went. He got food but I didn't. I did have a few beer (which put me at my calorie limit for the day). I'm always well under, so I thought a little splurge putting me within my goal won't kill me. We had fun. I didn't have enough beer to cause me to dance though. I should have danced but it's not in my nature, always having been the largest person in any establishment and too shy/embarrassed. There were no bigger people on the dance floor, which is quite telling, isn't it? Gotta do the movement to get thinner in the first place. Such a crappy cycle of self-destruction. That's why the 'body groove' exercise program was interesting to me (I mentioned it earlier this week). It might make me more comfortable with moving to music and when I do go out to watch the band I'll feel like dancing and not worry about how awkward I look. 

I went walking with mom this morning, have about 5800 steps. Need to do laundry and some housework. I'd like to try some of that dancing (youtube has some videos) and maybe do some writing. 

My daughter has asked me to cook for her. Now, she's 22 and usually feeds herself, but all she buys lately is junk processed meals and snacks. Being a full time student, she doesn't have the time or energy to make good food. So, Mom to the rescue, she's asking me to make an extra portion of what I eat. I am happy to do it to wean her off the junk. Young people have so many problems lately and food choices play such a huge role in mental and physical health. 

Ok, I think that's my update. Everyone take time for themselves today to relax or do something fun. Drink your water! Laugh.

[Bobbinyc]

@_Lilac_  I totally get the not getting up and dancing thing.  I used to dance all the time, and am now self-conscious.  But it does sadden me to hear you say it.  I have such high regard for you and all  you have accomplished.  It would be hard to find someone on the dance floor who has achieved what you have and has such spirit too.  Now one of my favorite songs  "I Hope You Dance" is in my head.

I hope we all start dancing - alone, in public, for our health, to celebrate that we can.