New Years to Valentine's Day 2016 Challenge

[awood08]

Welcome to the New Year Everyone! This will start January 1, 2016 officially 🙂

If you have seen the posts before this is a challenge that everyone is invited to join to set your own personal weight loss goal for the next 6 weeks. This is all about having a great support system and most importantly feeling great and happy and healthy about yourself. Don't worry if you have bad weeks because we all go through it.

To join the challenge all you need to do is post your weight stats & check in as often as you'd like with an update or just to share a story from your week. This group has some huge inspiration in it and people that give wonderful advice.

Looking forward to catching up with all our friends from the other challenges and anyone who is new!

Thanks @saraj91 for starting up the last challenge!

 
A little rundown of terminology for anyone who is new 🙂

USW- Ultimate Starting Weight

CSW- Current Starting Weight

GW- Goal Weight

UGW- Ultimate Goal Weight

PW- Previous Weight

CW- Current Weight

MFP- My Fitness Pal

[anewyear]

Dear Bogdel

What a great and inspiring effort congratulations

[awood08]

@dianenyc you are also a pinnacle of strength here! You have so much encouragement and positive thoughts and advice that you give to all of us. Thank you for your words, definitely gave me a little boost this morning when I read them.

@JacquelineP & @HelenKr you both are amazing as well! Thanks for all your kind words and helpful advice too!

@saraj91 Congrats on working towards that 10k!!! How exciting 🙂 You are very strong and have a heart of gold. Doing that for your mother is so incredibly sweet. Thanks for sharing the link. I hope you continue to get donations. MS is a awful disease, a family friend has it and to see how debilitating it can be is tragic. Lots of prayers, thoughts and good vibes heading your way!

[healthmom]

Ok well I sound like a broken record. Still sick. I do have antibiotics now so hoping my cough is gone soon. But once again with no appetite I have made progress.
USW 165
CSW 154.3
1/10 152.8
CW 151.1

[LisaKn]

I love the support this group has for one another. I have not shared much but I do read the post. Most times I want to reply but as of now I haven't.
I am struggling with many of the same things as you have been so kind to share.
I also want to be a happier person. I run myself to the ground helping everyone. I am mentally and emotionally exhausted.
I made small goals, drink >64 Oz of water, reduce negative self-talk, rest, increase steps and keep the trend on the scale going down.
Weekends have become very lazy for me. I have decades of rest to catch up with so I am not beating myself up about it. I find if I wait too long to recover, I get depressed and this seems like a better solution.

USW 01/01/16 161.9
CW 01/18/16 157.8
CGW 2/14/16 152
UGW 140

[dianenyc]

Hey Helen -- 

Toe No! -- Couldn't resist.  If it were my toe I'd stay off it and ice it and take an anti-inflammatory until it gets better.

I'm working on getting my legs uncramped -- been drinking  a lot of water 'cause I read online that dehydration can be a cause.  Muscle fatigue was another one -- so I didn't push it to 10,000 yesterday and spent a long time stretching.  Results were -- no cramps last night.

I have off from work today, so I'm sitting in bed moving a hot water bottle on my legs to loosen things up -- then I'm going do my PT exercises (cause my cranky knee's been getting tight where my new ACL was attached last summer) and some more stretching before I go walking.  It's cold here in NYC -- so I may substitute an hour on my elliptical for the walk.  We'll see.

Take good care of yourself, Helen.  It doesn't pay to aggravate an injury -- I used to do that all the time when I was younger.  Just doesn't pay.  Maybe you could try some free weights if you have any and some kind of floor work out just to keep it going.  It's the one thing I don't like about my fitbit is that none of this gets automatically recorded -- but I do see a difference when I work other parts of my body.

Have a great week, my friend.

DianeNYC

[dianenyc]

Hey Jaqcueline,

Wish I'd read your post before I gave Helen pretty much the same advice.  Do our FitBit's really record some steps for arm work -- I'm glad to know that.

Writing to you reminds me that I can also dance around my living room instead of venturing out into the cold!

Have a good one,

DianeNYC

[saraj91]

@awood08 thank you. That really means a lot. 

I'll be sure to post some photos of the race! The MS colours are bright orange so I'm sure I'll stand out haha!

[dianenyc]

Feeling much better, Samalama.  Thanks for asking.  I've actually decided to go really low carb for the next week or two -- ala Atkins.  I'm going to see if that helps.  I know I'm far less hungry when I do this.  We'll see what the results are on Saturday when I weigh in.

By the way, how often do you weigh yourself? I notice a fluctuation day to day -- sometimes nearly three pounds. So I try to do the Weight Watchers thing and just get on the scale once a week at the same time. At least, I only log that number.  Sometimes I get on once more during the week just to check -- like last week when I ate all those carbs.  Anyway, if you're weighing in a lot, that might account for your 1-2 lb. flucation.  Then, if you're anything like me you get frustrated -- and you eat.  Just a thought.

I'll be on the lookout for your posts.  Meanwhile, have a good week -- and be kind to yourself.

Diane NYC 

[JacquelineP]

@dianenyc Yes, on the fitbit catching some arm movements.  Try it out.  I have a Charge HR, so I don't know if that's true for all the devices, but I was doing some upward punches (no weights) one night, while sitting on the couch, and I noticed that it was recording at least some of them.  

I also notice that when I walk the dog and my fitbit arm is holding the leash, I don't get as many steps. Nor when I push a grocery cart or use walking sticks when I hike, nor when I push a lawnmower.  So, arm movement even affects the step count.  I've gotten so I always remove the fitbit from my arm when doing those kind of movements (arm swing is hindered) and put it in my hip pocket, where it continues to act more efficiently as a pedometer.  You might just test these activities by checking your before and after numbers.  Maybe it's just MY fitbit that does that (LOL)!

[swimr12265]

Hi LisaKn,

You sound like me in some ways (about the beating yourself up part, I mean; you are much more altruistic than I 😊). I do a lot of self-deprivation to meet my goals and give myself rewards when I achieve incremental goals. Right now, I am working on a 135# goal (in my mind it should be 130#, but a friend pressured me into changing it to 135...we'll see): if I reach this weight by Friday (my birthday!!), I get to wear a (really cute) new swimsuit I purchased for the occasion. I have about 20 new swimsuits (I am a competitive swimmer) that I am refusing to touch until I reach 130 /135# (I admit I tried one on last week to remind myself why--they're all size 28 or 30--THAT was motivation in itself--ick!!). I refuse to buy clothes that are bigger than what I wore when I was 123#. I am really into fashion, so it's "Reach your goal or be stuck wearing last year's (and earlier) wardrobe over and over and over again...or have your clothes bursting at the seams!!" Noooooooo!

🌻 Swimr

[dianenyc]

Thankful to be in this challenge group with you, awood.  God bless, today.

[dianenyc]

That's amazing, Jacqueline P.  I have the HR charge too.  Never thought of putting it in my pocket.  I'm going to try it out on my elliptical (because I noticed that not all my steps get recorded when I'm using the arms).  I'm going to do it now.  Or right after I stretch.

[LisaKn]

@swimr12265,
I need to learn to be a little selfish. I like that you've set goals and created rewards for yourself. I'm very good at rewarding everyone else but I don't reward myself. Resting is my current reward and I am loving it. I'm also reading a book, The Four Agreements, I will start implementing changes in myself so that I can live.
I was going to make my goal weight 135# but I also decided on 5# higher. I have never weighed this much in my life, not even when I was 9 months pregnant.
I weigh 158 now, I'm only 5'2" but wear a size 8/9.

[JacquelineP]

It may be, @dianenyc, that impact has something to do with it, so you still may not get as many on the elliptical, since it's kind of a smooth motion, but it's worth a try.  Some times I just loop the band through my shoelace, too, if I have that kind of shoe on.  Oh, the things I do to get my steps!  HA!  But that's the point, eh?  I'll be curious to know what you find.

[swimr12265]

Hi dianenyc,
Thanks for the words of advice. I know they are true. It's just knowing and "hearing in my head" are two vastly different things. I am trying to temper my behavior. I am and have always been extremely competitive--albeit mostly with myself--so I have always been very hard on myself, demanding much more of myself than I would ever expect from anyone else. These are very old and entrenched demons. I joined this Discussion Group in an attempt to try to lose the weight in such a way that it will stay off this time (I can be 130 today and 137 tomorrow, and I know that is horrible). I just hope that I will do it right this time so that I can maintain rather than constantly want to lose...

[swimr12265]

Hi Samalama,
Have you tried setting a time that you will not eat after? I find when I don't eat after 7pm, it is much easier to maintain...and even lose. It is probably the most important--and maybe most effective-- of my "5 points" when I am trying to lose weight. The other 4 are 1) drink at least 70 oz of water a day. Do you know the formula? Drink in ounces at least half your weight. This is hard for me in the winter! 2) Drink only water. I have tried to give up all other drinks (except healthy smoothies, which I am currently experimenting with to get valuable nutrients). This one is not that hard for me since I'm not a drinker (I don't like much alcohol at all. I like an occasional Coke, but the tons of research against it and my dentist's warnings about how bad it is for my teeth have almost wiped any desire for it out of me) 3) No junk/low carbs. I am not huge into junk food, but I love pizza. I'm also a college professor. When I grade papers I like to graze--especially on things like Skittles and chewy sweet tarts (used to be called Shockers). Fortunately, I'm not a big chocolate lover--although I have my moments. I'm trying desperately to stay away from these things entirely...but and I love 4) one cheat day a week to satisfy those dastardly desires! I began my "5 point diet" about 7 years ago when I lost weight (got down to 119#) the first time I ever really tried to diet. It was almost easy. I am doing it now and hoping for the same results. I am convinced it's the eating after 7, especially if I do it consistently, that derails my weight. I hope some of this helps.
Swimr

[swimr12265]

Hi again Diane,
Having had surgery on your ACL, you probably know more than I, but I have had lots of leg cramps. Getting one in the middle of a swim set is NOT fun. I drink tons of water and still get them from time to time. Have you ever heard that they stem from a potassium deficiency? I have. I try to eat a fair share of bananas (though research has shown them to not be as good a source of potassium as I thought they were...lol). I wish you Godspeed!
Swimr

[Tumbleina]

Well, at least the number is going in the right direction; I just wish that I was making more progress from week to week!

My activity level has been really great - I take an hour-long brisk (and hilly) walk with my three dogs daily, while pushing a stroller. At night, I usually do 30-45 minutes on the elliptical. I've also been running around like a crazy person keeping my house pristine, as our house is on the market.

I think that I just need to watch my calorie intake. I am just shy of 5'2", so my calorie needs are probably much lower than average, and I think that I must be eating back the calories I burn off in the evenings. I have been logging every morsel, though. My hubby is blessed with the metabolism of a teenager, doesn't gain weight, and usually eats about two dinners and likes to snack in the evening. It is VERY hard for me not to snack around him! Does anyone else struggle with this? Do you have any suggestions?

USW - 141
PW (Jan. 9, 2016) - 136.2
CW - 135.6
GW (Feb. 14, 2016) - 131.4
UGW - 118

[OCDOC]

@Tumbleina

Snacking spouse is a problem; 2 boys (11 and 13) eating freely 24/7 is a disaster! 🙂

The only way I can avoid temptations is to plan every single article of food the day before and stick to the completely. If I talk myself into 'just one McNugget' it's game over.

Moderation might work for some---for me I have to plan ahead and NEVER CHEAT. Gets easier after a while.

Rob

[swimr12265]

Okay, I am making it official (these are all in pounds):

USW- 144 (July 2015)

CSW- 143.8 (January 2, 2016)

GW1- 135 (January 22)

GWC - 130 or less (February 14)

UGW- 115 (by Memorial Day I hope!)

PW- 119 (2008 or 2009; I was down to 123 briefly last August)

CW- 137.6 (January 18)

Btw, I am going to make incremental weekly goals.  I know myself.  I will do better if I take this in steps.

GW2 (133--February 1); GW3 (131--February 8).  

Keep up the good work, everyone, and thank you for the warm welcome.  You all are great!