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!

[sassils]

Hi Shelley,

Thanks for enlightening me regarding the discrepancy between the two Fitbit reading over the same distance. I would love to join the Challenge. When is Mother's Day celebrated in the US? I am only just realizing how far you have to walk to make 10000 steps! Still, I am motivated to lose these extra 13kg I am dragging around with me. So, onwards I say

[Cmoore]

I'm only a month late, but can I join your challenge? I got my Fitbit a couple weeks ago and it's definitely helped me move more. Mother's Day, here we come!

[Shelley]

Welcome to all new folks!  Glad to have you aboard!

Sassils, Mother's Day in USA is May 11th.

Wishing everyone success.  We still have a decent amount of time for losing 20 pounds.  Thanks to all who are posting and letting us know how it is going.  When people report on how it is going it is helpful to everyone to know we are not alone.  Sometimes I only want to post when it is going good.  When the scale is not going down, I don't want to say anything.  But I think that can leave people feeling like they are the only ones struggling if we only hear about successes.  January is almost over and I think I will have lost 5 pounds but most of that was re-losing weight I had already lost and put back on over the holidays.  I am not that pleased about myself right now.  But like I said there is still plenty of time and I am not giving in.  Today I walked for one hour and twenty minutes and ended the day with over a 1,000 calorie deficit.  I stuck mostly to diet but did enjoy a glass of red wine without going over calories.  I am expecting to be down some tomorrow and will be dissapointed and confused if that doesn't happen.   I haven't really been paying such close attention to the calories but in a review of last week had several days I was over my calorie budget.  So maybe I need to watch that closer if I expect to not be stuck.  

[mary_1997]

There are a few of us joining late. But I think there is still plenty of time to get to our goal.i think this will make me more accountable at least that's what I hope. I did get all my steps in yesterday now it starts again today.

Sent from my iPad

[Kelsothonto]

Hey everyone! I'm just checking in for today I weighed myself and have seen my hard work is paying off. However I am just now at my pre-holiday weight, but I still see it as a win to keep my motivation going. I'm enjoying seeing everyone's post for I do gain ideas of what I can do to change my habits or even get some yummy recipes. I have learned that I really enjoy going to fitness clasess for I feel the time goes by so much quicker in an hour with a group than doing weights alone. The one change I had to do was to stop staying late at work. I stay until 6 these days and then I'm out of the office. It is a challenge on some days but I just tell my co-workers I have to go for I have my gym classes that I will miss. And I have also been drinking more water. I think its funny how at first your bladder couldn't handle the intake but then adjusts within a week.

But other than that, I'm so glad I joined this challenge and look forward to reading everyone's posts.

[Greentree]

Would it be helpful to compare our weekly summaries?

I have been getting in a LOT of steps, but not losing weight, so I am just not getting on the scale. I will check it in March, and see what happens. I have been measuring my waist, and it is down 1/2 inch.
A POSITIVE sign, even if the scale is not, right!?

I remember that Fit for Life diet from high school. Or was that the one by a guy named Diamond?

Nancy

[stacey444]

I would like to join this challenge too.  This will help me stay focused and on track.

~ Stacey

[MicheleH]

Hi - I would love to do this challenge.  Sounds like a great way to stay motivated!   I'm a little late to it, but looking forward to doing my best!

[sassils]

Have been using the Fitbit and getting a little obsessive about watching my steps but in a good way I think. The scales tell me that I've only lost .8 of a KG. Don't know what that is in Lbs and Ozs but not much for a week really. Decided to only weigh myself once a week. The exercise is coming on well. Love my 2 aqua aerobic classes each week. ( It's very hot where I live) Hope everyone is going well too. Not sure I'll make the 20lbs by May at the rate I'm currently losing but will just keep going anyway.

[Carol59]

I'm a late starter too, but would love to join in!  I just got my Fitbit a couple of weeks ago.  Warmer weather would help here, but I get out when I can.

[mary_1997]

I get more of my steps done inside since its so cold.i do a lot of walking around from kitchen to livingroom just to get my steps in. My dog thinks I am crazy but she follows right along with me.lol

[stacey444]

Sassils ~ where do you live that it is hot?  I want to move there!!!

You also gave me something to look into when you mentioned the Aqua Aerobic classes.  I have had total knee replacement on both knees in the last 2 years and my aerobic activity is limited.  I will check to see if they offer any of those classes locally.  Great idea.  ~ THANKS

~Stacey (in freezing cold Ohio)

[stacey444]

Just wanted to mention for anyone having a hard time coming up with tasty menu items that are low in calories ~ that (3) times this week I have used recipes from the "Betty Crocker 300 Calorie Cook Book" and ALL OF THEM tasted fabulous, were easy to make and did not require "never heard of before" or hard to find ingredients.  My Fiance even loved all of them.

I was getting to the point where I just could not come up with any more low calorie meal ideas and I was getting sick of just salads.  Give it a try!

~Stacey

[amyb68]

Thanks Stacey!  I will look into that.  I'm always looking for new, healthy recipes that are easy to throw together.  I don't have a set schedule - it changes from week to week depending on the shoots that I have.  It's challenging to eat well because I'm not always able to cook every meal.  Earlier this week I made the zucchini soup recipe given here a few days ago and it was easy and delicious.  I made a big batch and have some in the fridge for those days when I get home late and don't feel like cooking.

[jcsmocha]

going through the menopause thing so weight has gone up 6 lbs, this challenge is for me!

[MellowCrunch]

This week has been pretty encouraging to me. I made a goal on Monday to eat a salad for lunch every day and work out in some way everyday. So far I've met both of those goals 3 out of 4 days. I dont' weigh myself every day but I'm expecing to see some movment on the scale at the end of the week.

I find that when I'm home, playing with the kids, doing housework, etc. I can get my 10,000 steps in. But on the days I go to work (3 days a week) I only get around 3,000! Crazy! So I've been working on getting more steps in on my work days and getting extra on my non work days to make up for it.

Also, I made 'salad in a jar' for lunches. Ever see that? I found it on Pinterist. You layer all the parts of a salad in a big mason jar and keep in the fridge for up to a week. So far I love it! I made simple dressings from olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar or whatever depending on what type of salad I'm making. That goes right in the bottom, then toppings, then letuce/greens, so when you dump it out the whole salad is complete. I made one for every weekday so I can just grab it for lunch. Easy peasy. I think I'll start bringing a hard boiled egg too, though, because I find I'm still quite hungry by mid afternoon.  Here is the link I used from Pinterist to get started (note, she used a pint size jar but I definitely wanted the biggest jar I could find):

http://www.blessthismessplease.com/2014/01/salad-in-a-jar.html

[Shelley]

Mary, I have been walking inside too for the past three days because it has been too cold for me outdoors.  I turn on Pandora radio and get some good dance music going and walk fast or jog a loop through the house.  One day I actually did this for an hour and 20 minutes and the the other two days I did it for one full hour each day.  The music makes it easy.  I have actually been sore from the jogging!  I was alternating five minutes of jogging 5 minutes of walking.  I think tomorrow will be nice and I can walk outside again which I do prefer to walking indoors but I am so glad I have the option to walk inside and not miss getting my steps when it is freezing outdoors.  

[Shelley]

Greentree, I think sharing weekly summaries sounds like a great idea.  I am in another group where some people share them and other's do not.  So those that want to do it, can jump in and those that do not want to don't have to do it.  It is okay either way!  

[Greentree]

Shelley, does everyone get theirs on Tuesday?

jcmocha, we need to stick together!! I am (finally, I think) menopausal! I have had a couple of stops and starts over the past couple of years, but now I am having hot flashes at night, so maybe this is it!

I decided since I cannot seem to get more steps in, I would try to increase the speed of my steps, so now I am walking REALLY fast bringing the horses in and out, and some of them are complaining, LOL!!

The GOOD news....the scale actually went down to where I started on Christmas Day, which was my first day with Fitbit. Maybe there is HOPE for 20 by Mother's Day!

Today is my son's 28th birthday!

Nancy

[Leslie52372]

I am in. Just got the aria scale and thought it would be a great idea to join a challenge as well.