New Year 2018 to Valentine's Day Challenge

[_Lilac_]

Welcome to the newest challenge! We are celebrating our scaled and non-scaled victories and progress. Following are some acronyms typically used by those who post. Some of us also track body fat or measurements, please add those as you wish.

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

I hope everyone had successful and fun winter holidays. Many of us are continuing on or beginning again or newly starting our healthy journeys. Big reminders...have FUN, enjoy life, laugh every day, stay positive, drink your water, move your butt, come share with us.

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

[Coracora]

Hi all!  I didn’t post results on Monday, because I yet again have no change.  I keep vacillating between the same 2 pounds.  And I track everything!  Water, calories, etc... so I mentioned I’ve changed up the diet slightly, this week I’m increasing cardio.  More interval training, more spin, also I’m on the dreaded elliptical machine!  We will see if that breaks this plateau.  But I do feel great!  More energy, and strength.  

@erinwdesign I hate, hate when that happens.  I had the same thing over the holidays, and I was religious about tracking, even my cheats.  I let myself eat at maintainence cals and gained 6 pounds.  No where near enough cals to equal that gain.  However looking at the macros I was eating a lot more carbs then normal.  My nutritionist had told me to cut fat and increase the carbs, and boy did that not work for me.  When I went back to my 30-40-30 split those 6 pounds went away.  I’m not suggesting you cut carbs, I believe everyone needs to find the macro ratio that works for them.  Just saying that I’m finding as I age and deal w Med issues my body is more sensitive to what type of calories I eat.  

[MackieMesser]

OK steady progress. Down 2 pounds.

SW:250

CW:233

[ucan2]

Congrats on the 4 lb weight loss!

[ucan2]

Thanks for the info. I also forget to put on my fitbit when I put it on the charger.
Lisa

[_Lilac_]

Plateau busting day 3:

"Did you eat some of my Reisen's?" 

"Did you eat some of my sour gummy worms?"

No, my dear daughter, I didn't eat your junk. I did two workouts today at 45-50 min each. I wore my fitbit on my wrist for the first one and it said I'd only done an 18 min workout with no cardio minutes and low minutes in the fat burning zone. This is impossible...I was sweating and huffing and puffing. For the second workout I wore the fitbit (Blaze) in my sock at my ankle. It showed only 21 min in fat burning and 8 in the cardio zone but had the correct length of time for the workout. Again, I was sweating and working at it. 

I haven't eaten enough today, less than 1000 calories over three meals, so I'm entitled to a snack and to sit on my butt for a little bit. 

I am planning to walk to the library tomorrow and then home. My daughter will also want to take the dogs to the park for a walk in the woods. 

I hope everyone is ready for the weekend and gets a chance to move that booty a bit.

[Newt123]

I have reduced carbs and cut out the wine 🍷 well most days I have cut out the wine. I am pleased with the results

SW 145

CW 134.5

Only 1.5Ib to my first goal but I will set another goal for 126Ib before my holiday to Sri Lanka in mid April

[_Lilac_]

I missed doing my daily report yesterday so I'll do it today.

Plateau Busting day 4:

I walked to the library for a writer's group meeting. It was snowy and a bit slippery but it was 5000 steps so I didn't want to waste that away by taking the bus. It began to freezing rain just before I was to return home so I called my daughter to come pick me up in her new car. We got home, I had a light lunch and then about an hour later we had to rush to the ER for an urgency with my daughter. We were there a few hours and came home. I had some food and went to bed. 9580 steps for the day.

Day 5: Today, I'm exhausted. My belly is upset and I'm having seizures. I think I'm reacting to the stress but everything seems to hurt. I'm taking it as a rest and recover day. Watching some Olympic coverage. My lunch is stir fry with shrimp. If I feel a bit better later, I'll do one of my livingroom workouts, but I'm not promising myself. I put a lot of pressure on myself to work out EVERY day. We all need a break sometime, I guess. Okay...off to put on a big pot of hot tea and sink into it.

[Cele21]

@_Lilac_ good for you, you really do deserve a 'rest and recharge' day. Hope all is well with your daughter.

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

4thCSW - 209.8 (7/4/17) Fourth Challenge Starting Weight

5thCSW - 209.0 (9/04/17) Fifth Challenge Starting Weight

LCSW - 206.4 (10/31/17) Last Challenge Starting Weight

CSW - 212.4 (1/1/18)

LW- 208.4

CW- 208.2

GW- 200.0 (February14th)

UGW- 150

Not going to hit the Valentine's day goal but not going to stop either.

[_Lilac_]

Well, it's almost the last day of the challenge. Made no headway here  on the scale but I'm working on breaking this plateau. 

After stressing about money for a while, and getting shafted by my drug plan this morning (My doctor orders me a 3 month supply of a med but the insurance company wants me to pay the co-pay monthly instead), I went over to the YMCA and officially cancelled my membership until I can manage to pay the fee. They have a subsidized membership grant, so I would qualify for 80% off but even that right now is asking a lot. Since my husband died and the livingroom window almost fell out of the front of my house, I've had large repair bills and just my disability to live on. It's getting tough. Everything is tough, isn't it? My daughter and I have been doing odd jobs proofreading and editing for people, which brings in a few bucks. 

I did get in some good steps today and plan on doing a workout this afternoon.  Hoping this plateau will not be the end of me!! 

[Autumnwinds]

USW - 308

SW - 280

CW - 266

GW - 265

UGW- 148

Missed my Challenge goal by 1 pound!   I have been very sick the past 2 weeks.  Yesterday felt like I may have turned the corner & might be getting better.  Once I am better I can restart my activity and eating plan.

Congratulations to those that met or beat their challenge goal.

Congratulations to those that lost weight, even if you didn't reach your goal. (except those few that might be trying to gain)

[Jasmine333]

Haven't posted for a while as I have been traveling.  Although I am disappointed that I didn't make my goal - I am happy to have lost during this challenge.  

SW: 174

CW - 171.5 - same as last time

GW: 165

UGW: 160  

Are we doing this again - next holiday?  

Thanks everyone!  Doing this challenge did make me a bit more accountable.  

[lynda604]

Hi

All...

I feel great I surpassed my goal of 171, actually did better, I'm 169.2....

Look forward to hearing about others who did the Valentines Day Challenge...

[_Lilac_]

I will start a new challenge tonight that will begin tomorrow and end April Fool's Day, if everyone is okay with that? It will be another 6 week challenge. Not too long or too short. Good luck all!!!

[workingitbaby]

Hi Violet:

You have a great attitude in spite of all your struggles!  Is there any access to a rowing machine where you do your water aerobics?.  It's a great upper body workout and burns aerobically as well.  My friend who is prediabetic and has really bad knees was recommended to do it by the trainer at our gym because she needs to do 30 minutes of weight-bearing exercise a day, besides her water class.  It's good for winter because you can do it inside.  You might even be able to find a home machine for free on line.  Breaking a plateau usually requires shaking up your program somehow and weight bearing exercise is usually a good bet.  Good luck with the new challenge.

[erinwdesign]

Well, V-day is here and I did not make it. 211.8 lbs for me, a couple off of my goal. I'm pretty bummed, I keep having good weeks and then bouncing back by anywhere from 5-8 lbs at a time, seemingly overnight. It's been pretty depressing really, and I'm finding it difficult to keep up my motivation when the work I'm putting in and the results I'm seeing don't seem to correlate. 

[_Lilac_]

@erinwdesign  It's soooo frustrating *scream*...okay, I'll calm down. I hear ya! I have been working on busting this plateau for the past week and I've gone UP 2 lb. But I know it'll come down. It just does. I started the new challenge to make sure I hold myself accountable and I'm able to continue tracking this darned effort. 

One more scream *aaaaahhhhhhhhh* Feel better now.

[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

4thCSW - 209.8 (7/4/17) Fourth Challenge Starting Weight

5thCSW - 209.0 (9/04/17) Fifth Challenge Starting Weight

LCSW - 206.4 (10/31/17) Last Challenge Starting Weight

CSW - 212.4 (1/1/18)

LW- 208.2

CW- 210.2

GW- 200.0 (February14th)

UGW- 150

Bounced up a couple pounds just in time for the end of the challenge. But, I'm still down from my starting point. Going to keep aiming for that elusive 200 mark - maybe it's still a mental block for me to actually get out of my comfort (and comfort eating) zone. Something to think about and work on in the next challenge.

[Coracora]

Sorry I didn’t check in at the end of the challenge, but I’ve had some medical issues and was going through a bunch of doctors visits and tests.  The good news ( ? ) is I just have a torn ab muscle along my surgical incisions.  So not serious, but bed rest and no gym for 2 weeks.  Ugh.

so challenge results

SW 171

CW 168

GW 163

UGW 155

I lost 3 pounds, not nearly what mu goal was, but I’ll take it.  See you in the next challenge!