Mother's Day Challenge. Lose 20 by Mother's Day! Who is with me?

[Shelley]

Being involved in a challenge helps keep me motivated and it seems like it works for others too.  It also helps to have a goal and a deadline to get there.  Let's all get healthier for ourselves and for our families.  Let's do this for our kids, or our grandkids, or for our own mothers as well as for ourselves.  Come join me and let's do this!

[formerlyfit]

Thanks for the comments regarding my aunt.  And yes, I have been pushing myself so hard (at work) not necessarily at the gym that I ended up sick while I was away.  The brain and the body definitely needed a break.  It gave me time to refocus and think about what is important.  It's health. 

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@Shelley wrote:

Being involved in a challenge helps keep me motivated and it seems like it works for others too.  It also helps to have a goal and a deadline to get there.  Let's all get healthier for ourselves and for our families.  Let's do this for our kids, or our grandkids, or for our own mothers as well as for ourselves.  Come join me and let's do this!

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[redheart]

Doing really well this week on my plan.  Hope I see some progress in the morning at weigh in.  My walking is stronger and I am starting to do elliptical.  3 minutes is my goal for now.  I am doing it.  Anyone know of any problems doing elliptical? 

[rubbyrose3]

Could I please join in this group I have about 12kilo sorry I only know kilos I am Aussie Helen

[Shelley]

You go, Redheart!  Good to hear things are going good!  I don't know of any problems with elyptical although I am not the expert on that.  Not sure what kind of fitbit you have but I think I heard that some do not register the elyptical steps.  If you have a One or a Zip, put it on your bra.  If you have the Force or Flex, might try putting it on your shoe.  With the Force and Flex, if you are holding onto handlebars they don't register steps.  You have to be moving your arms to get it to count the steps.  You can always log the activity manually and count the calories even if you don't show the steps.  

I have been sick all week with a bad cold and not getting better yet.  I tried to go back to work yesterday and I am worse now for it.  So, I am staying home and continuing to conserve my energy to go towards fighting off the bad bugs.  My steps are going to be way down this week.   I made some homemade mushroom soup because mushrooms are supposed to be good for the immune system.  I hope this helps!  Meanwhile, I am cheering you all on from the sidelines.  I will be back out there getting my steps soon!

[Always-Creative]

It is great challenge.
I know I'm not loosing the extra 17kg wight what ever I do of workout and calorie counting for long time + weight increasing.
But what i want to become healthier, active, and motivated.
Count me in, please.

[Shelley]

Welcome Helen!  Happy to have you join us!  We are using the USA date of Mother's day which is May 11th.  I think 9 kg is about 20 pounds.  Many of us have more to lose than 20 pounds but May 11th is the deadline for the 20.  I know I will be working on more weight loss over the summer but need to have some milestones to celebrate along the way!  Jump on in and keep us posted on how you are doing with things!  Some of us just started posting our weekly stats when we get those emails if you want to do that too for accountability.

[Shelley]

And welcome to Always Creative too!  Didn't mean to miss you!  Your post came in while I was still typing the other one.  Hope you will jump right in too!

[RMN]

It is so good to be part of this group. Everytime I stop eating right or exercising reading your posts inspires me to come back to the fold. Hopefully after years of yoyoing this will be the one where I actually lose all the weight and keep it off instead of getting to the half way point and then gaining it all back.

[Shelley]

RMN, I hear ya!  I am hoping the same thing.  Thanks for posting!

[Shelley]

It is Friday and my weigh in day.  Evidently Mushroom soup is not only good for immune system but weight loss too.  I lost 1.8 pounds from last Friday and the Aria scale says that my body fat percentage went down too.  I haven't been exercising this week at all because of being sick so I am glad I haven't gained.  I hope I can maintain the loss and it isn't just one of those temporary things because I was sick.  We will see what happens next Friday! :0)

[amyb68]

Can I have the recipe for this magical soup?  🙂  I threw my back out on Wed. so my steps have been low the last two days.  I'm feeling better today so going to try to ease back in.  I'm frustrated!  I was doing pretty well!  Oh well, get back up on the horse, right?  I like this group too - I've never really been big on posting into discussion groups, but I'm finding it very motivating!  Thanks all!

[Shelley]

Amy, you can get the recipe at this link

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1879152

A couple of things:  I thought this was a rather labor intensive soup to make because it has so many ingredients and steps to it and used a lot of pans.  For me, it was about three out of five stars as far as flavor.  But I substited low sodium vegetable broth for the carrot juice and I didn't have any leeks so I left them out.  Also, Dr. Fuhrman is no fan of salt and if you don't eat salt, you will pick up more of the natural flavors from all the ingredients but if you are a salt eater, it will taste bland and you will need to add salt, which could then impact results on weight loss.  Salt makes you retain water and also turns on release of Dopamine which makes you want to eat more food!  I went the middle road and added a tiny bit of Himalayan pink salt to my individual serving and still managed to lose.  Let me know if you try it!

[Ladyeliz]

Yeah! Ive lost 8 pounds since the start. Its been slow but I am no longer in it for the starvation diets. Been there done that and know they dont work in the long term. I have tried to change my eating habits for the better and exercise more. Ive decreased my bad carb and sugar intake drastically. Ive also discoverd that for me sugar can = hot flash! One more reason to cut the chocolate, which I adore.:( Many days I dont get to 10,000 steps but am conciouslly trying to be being more active. Even with this brutal winter weather I am snow shoeing and skating when I can, on top of my regular gym time and hot yoga. The days I slip from tracking are the worst so thank-you fitbit and community!

[Shelley]

Whew hoo, Ladyeliz!  You are doing awesome!  Almost halfway there and it is only February!  And you are so right about starvation diets!  That is not the way to do it.  Healthy activity and healthy nutritious meals are the lifestyle we need to learn to embrace or else we will just yo yo and end up heavier than before.  I have done that now several times but am determined to learn from my mistakes and not keep that pattern going!

One of my favorite parts of the dashboard is the weight tile where it is turning green and shows the percentage of the 20# I have lost and how many more pounds to go.  I need to lose more than 20 but I changed the Weight goal to be 20 so I can see myself progressing toward this goal.  Right now it says 15.8 more to go.  Do you all use that til too?  

[Greentree]

THanks for the recipe Shelley! Sorry to hear you have been sick! Feel better soon!

I wonder what I could use besides the nuts? DH is allergic. Maybe I will just leave them out.

Nancy

[Shelley]

Nancy, the nuts just make it a little creamier.  You can leave them out and it should be fine.

[Lizann]

I am in.. I want to follow through this time. I have probably lost well over 100 lbs through the years... meaning lost 10, gained 15, lost 10, gained 20, lost 5, gained 8.  I am tired of this.  I need help to stay motivated.  I want to be successful at SOMETHING athletic, even if it is just making exercise a daily habit.

20 pounds by Mother's Day is doable. 

Thanks for starting this!

[Elansc]

finally the scale moves down -- lost 1.2 lbs this week.  Only difference is the addition of the mason jar salads for lunch -- so they are keepers!     Met my step goal each day too. 

Since the scale was not moving the last few weeks, I started to pay more attention to how my clothes fit and I realized that a few pairs of pants (size 16) that I bought in the fall are very loose -- almost getting frumpy but there is no way I am buying new clothes until the spring and I am really hoping that they will be size 12.  Tried on my size 12 goal pants and I still have a way to go before I can do them up but I am getting there -- think I will try them on every 2-3 weeks.

Shelley -- Glad you are feeling better.  The mushroom soup looks great.  I am bit behind on my recipe trying -- today I am making the butternut squash soup from a few weeks ago -- in the crock pot already.  It is way below zero here today and definitely a hot soup day!

Hope everyone is well and shrinking!

2.7 down 17.3 to go before Mother's day

[Shelley]

Welcome Lizann!  I am with you!  I have gained and lost lots of times as well.  We have to make exercise a habit!!  And not just to look good but to feel good, to stay healthy!  It is essential!  That is what I love about the Fitbit, is the power it has to motivate!!  Glad you will be joining us!  

Elansc, now see there is that loss!  It just showed up a few days later than the email!!  What you are doing is working!  Keep measuring!  You are doing great!

[rubbyrose3]

Thank you Shelley for the welcome ,so 9kg is 20pound I will look on my scales for pound then I will use them .I think I put on this week I have a very sweet tooth but I am not eating anythink sweet I get very hunger so I drink water will have to work harder Helen