Memorial Day Challenge

[Bobbinyc]

Welcome to the next Challenge!

This one will start on April 18 and continue to Memorial Day (May 29th) 2017.   That gives us 6 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.

[_Lilac_]

Ok, so I found some pics. The first one is me about 380lb with my son when he was graduating from high school. The second is from a dinner my husband's family gave when he was sick. I was about 350lb. The last picture was taken today at 296lb. 

The last picture was taken at around 9000 steps today and I have 13,000 so far. My clothes are hanging off me and I need a better bra!!! 

[Esya]

@Nora58

Rule number 1: Do not panic!

Just catch your breath. You are where you are and you can start (again) from there. We can all only start from where we are and being our best version coming from that place. Remember it is not a sprint. Those 7 lbs might sound like a big number, but you can overcome it.

[Esya]

@_Lilac_

Love the pics!

[HeartBiller]

@_Lilac_  Wow.. Great pic's. It is so great to watch the transformation. I know you have to be excited.

@Bogdel  My husbands diabetes is actually what got us started on this journey. He was diagnosed in Nov. of 15, I believe. He didn't take it seriously until his A1C slowly climbed up to 7.2 and the doctor wanted to start medication. He then got nervous when he seen how fast if went from 6.0 to 7.2 and decided he did not want to be on insulin. So he was the one who decided we were going to make a life style change.. It was April 25th of last year that we started this journey. He just slacked off a lot over the past few months. He is well improved, but not as improved as he was 6 months ago. I was telling him that he is headed back in wrong direction. His A1C was 5.8 when tested in March. He has to be retested in June so I guess we will see what he does between now and then. I am sure hoping he does take it more seriously like he did when we first started last year.

@TT_is_me  Anytime... I am here anytime you just want to chat, vent, whatever.

[dancefoxtrot]

Rhonda

Tell your hubbie about complications of loss of eyesight, kidney failure and dialysis, heart disease and painful neuropathy in his feet. Don't buy any empty carbs, desserts, etc and bring them home.

Tell him now is the time because it gets harder to reverse diabetes the longer you have it.  The beta cells in the pancreas won't function over time.

Be the model and stick to your healthy diet. 

Best,

Barbara G

[SunsetRunner]

@HeartBiller. Congratulations!!! Awesome job! 🎉🎉🎉

[SunsetRunner]

@_Lilac_ Great pictures.  You look wonderful! Keep up the good work! 

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

Good progress. You can see more of the bones in your pretty face.  You are doing it.

Congrats.

Barbara G

[mondoruby]

Thx! I'm realistic and want to meet my goals at a healthy rate so my goal for this challenge is 20lbs

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi all

Gained 2.2 lbs since 4/18

4/27 146.6 

Darn it.  Logging fewer steps. 

Just read lots of posts and congrats on all the wins.

Barb G

[IdahoSandy]

Okay I'm in. I plateaued on the last challenge and I got frustrated. My goal this time is to lose 5+ pounds.

5/22/16 207.9 (the day I bought my Fitbit)

4/28/17 166.5 SW

5/28/17  161.5 GW

[_Lilac_]

@IdahoSandy  Wow, it will be your anniversary very soon and look how far you've come!! We will have to have a party like we did for @HeartBiller

[_Lilac_]

Today is going to be a bit different in that I'm not starting it out walking with Mom. She didn't sleep well and has a bunch of laundry to do, so she's taking a 'rest' day. I've had my breakfast and have hot tea in hand. My plan for today is to go down to that office room and clean up, which means there's piles of folded bedding that will need to be washed and donated. Boxes of old books, photos, some of my husband's things. It might take me a week but I'll start working on it today!

It's kinda rainy so I'm not sure I'll get out for a walk, but I have my treadmill and I could always do a Leslie Sansone video. After doing 15,000+ steps yesterday I might be up for a rest day too.

Mom's birthday party is tomorrow. The venue is 5k away and I'm thinking of walking there. I'm not telling anyone in advance because then I'll get the "Oh no, that's too far. We'll find someone to drive you!" and the "Don't you have bus fare?" and the "I'll come get you"...when I just want to walk, ya know? I've done the walk before (both ways in one evening) and it's nice. I get to cross the river on a bridge even. I'm going to keep it quiet and then just walk. It might take me just over an hour but I need a  goal to accomplish and a victory this week. 

Off to start my day! What is your mountain to climb??

[HeartBiller]

YAY!! It is Friday again.. This work week is almost over. lol. I hope all is has a wonderful Friday.

@dancefoxtrot  Trust me he gets lots of lectures at home...lol. I do give him credit, he has come a long way, just not as fast as I may have hoped, but timing isn't the same for us all. He has improved his A1C greatly and continues to. I just don't want him to go back in the other direction. He does much better at home with me, than he does at work with the guys..lol. BUT he says he more start making even more changes and I believe he will. I guess time will tell.

@SunsetRunner  Thanks so much!

@mondoruby  Welcome aboard! This is an awesome group! I am sure you will love it!

@IdahoSandy  YAY, it is almost your one year anniversary too. You have done amazing! Keep up the good work!

I guess I better get this FRIDAY started. For me it is considered the last day of the month, so have to get everything done and sent in.. YAY! lol. Oh and today is my daughters 30th birthday .. WOW.. it  is hard to believe I have a 30 year old child....lol. Getting older, but better & healthier..lol.

[IdahoSandy]

 That's my cat Kevin begging for a piece of my breakfast. I finally broke the forty pound mark after being stuck at 38.9 pounds for weeks. -41.5 pounds!  Have a good weekend everyone!

[mondoruby]

Weight gain is not always bad. It's the fat weight gain we'd like avoid. Other physical activities can cause muscle increase/gain. Just keep on moving! 🙂

[mondoruby]

Milestones!! 🙂

[TT_is_me]

Hahahaha your cat is adorable! Congrats on the new badge! That's awesome. 

[ThatGreen]

I feel like I have very little to say, but wanted to send out some good vibes to everyone, whatever you're going through whether you're struggling with something or accomplished something.

Hope you're all having a great day!

In my case, I'm very happy about reaching my Fitbit goals consistenly for the first time in a long time and feeling more at peace with myself mentally and like things are moving forward.

However, I wish I could just skip next week altogether. I have multiple appointments with multiple people and I have an exam on Wednesday I'm not looking forward to at all. I have barely opened my 400+ page book (classic procrastinator) and I can't reach the people I need to talk to to clarify things about one possibly crucial part of the exam.

There's also a thing I'm attending on Sunday, which will definitely involve half a tonne of food and cake and a bunch of people. I'm not particularly worried about overeating or anything like that, but there's a high possiblilty of limited choices (overcomable) and someone commenting on my food choices (plain annoying and rude).

Also a bit annoyed at the fact that people who weigh in to Fitbit using pounds get 25% more badges than us that weigh in using kilos. I want more badges...

[em.kz]

Weekly Weigh-In!

USW - 161.6 (12/25/16)

SW - 149.2 (4/18/17)

CW - 149.4 (4/21/17)

CW - 147.2 (4/28/17)

CW - (5/5/17)

CW - (5/12/17)

FW#1 -  -- GW #1 - 146.6 (5/17/17) 

CW - (5/19/17)

CW - (5/26/17)

FW#2 -  -- GW #2 - 145.0 (Memorial Day)

UGW #1 - 140

UGW #2 - 135

Wow! This is the first time I have lost this much in one week, very exciting! Unfortunately, I don't feel great today. I'm a bit under the weather. Earlier I ate some pineapple which didn't agree with my stomach and I haven't felt well since. I slept through most of the day and just took my temperature at 99.0 degrees. Considering my usual temperature is lower than average, that's high for me so I'm gonna take it easy and hope it's nothing.