Thanksgiving to New Years Eve Challenge 2015

[saraj91]

Hi All! 

This is the Thanksgiving to New Years Eve Challenge... Welcome !!

We'll begin on Thanksgiving, November 26th and finish on New Years Eve, December 31st. This gives us 5 weeks for this challenge so set your goals accordingly & don't worry if you don't hit them, it's not all about the numbers, it's about how you feel about your own health & being part of a fun, supportive group. 

To join the challenge all you need to do is post your weight stats & check in as often as you like with an update or just to share a story from your week. This group has proven to be so supportive the last 2 challenges I've been a part of so I hope you find it just as great to be a part of as well.

So, enjoy being part of the group & have fun working towards your goals! 

 
A little rundown of terminology for anyone who is new (thanks @awood08 for this list from the last challenge).

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

[SunsetRunner]

@lisacaven @HelenaFitbit

[HelenaFitbit]

@SunsetRunner Thank you very much Stefan 

[awood08]

@HelenaFitbit

Noooo!!! So sorry to hear that! I hope that you have a speedy recovery before Christmas!

[IamRBrown]

bless your heart!  I've found that black elderberry helps shorten the length of time you keep it... you can get a Zands brand elderberry zinc lozenge on Amazon & they help a lot... I've gotten to where I keep them & give them to my grandbabies when they show the first sign of the sniffles

[IamRBrown]

if you have a ymca near you, you might be able to do some water workouts...  the water supports & minimizes joint pain while exercising...  Wish I had somewhere to do that kind of exercise around where I live -especially when the weather is cold.

[BelindaW]

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@BelindaW wrote:

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@BelindaW wrote:

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@BelindaW wrote:

Will see how I go over the next month...
USW- Ultimate Starting Weight - 112.8 kg - 1 September 2015

CSW- Current Starting Weight - 103.1 kg -26 November 2015

GW- Goal Weight - 100 kg  (more likely to be 101.5 - but still hoping for the nice round number)

UGW- Ultimate Goal Weight - aiming for 80 kg at the moment

Not sure what happened in the last week of the last challenge. I was on my best behaviour, but managed to put a little bit back on.  Lost 1.3kg last challenge though.  Now to make it continue... 🙂

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One week in - 5 December 2015- down to 102.8, only 0.3,, but it's still down.

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Two weeks in - 13 December 2015 - went up to 103.9 - so +0.8 for the challenge..  Could have been a lot worse though. I was on holidays for a week, with croissants for breakfast & buffet (with no calorie information) for dinner. At least I avoided all the soft drink, and most of the snacking between meals. And I was getting lots of extra exercise walking around at theme parks. I wish my fitbit was waterproof - as I am sure I would have had one day with at least 50 flights of stairs from the waterslides. (This same waterpark also mucked up my exercise for the following few days - I managed to burn my feet on the hot concrete paths. Three days later & I can still feel them...)

Will have to really behave myself for the next week with Christmas coming up.

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Nearly 3 weeks in - 17 December 2015 - down to 102.3 Yay!  Discovered that most of the weight I put on while on holidays must have been water.  🙂  So overall down 0.8 kg  for the challenge now  🙂

[lisacaven]

My back is really causing me some issues still. I weighed in at the doctors office today. I am up in weight ( I am crying) to 262. I started this weight loss on November 18, 2015 and with my fitbit on Nov. 28. I want to be at 255 by New Years I have a lot of work to do between now and New Years. Pray for my back to heal quickly. Pain across my lower back and down my leg. On a scale of 0 to 10 most days I am at a 7. No exercise here.

[Aqua671]

@lisacaven
Don't worry. Loosing a lot of weight in a short period of time isn't always a good idea. Keep with the diet and exercise. You don't want to end up with other health problems because of pushing yourself beyond the safe limits.
It's more important to be healthy than a number on the scale.
Just say no to sugars, long - chain fatty acids and say yes to more natural and organic choices. You'll get there. The time tables are different for everyone.

[dancefoxtrot]

lisacraven

get some PT as the pain down your butt and leg may be a pinched sciatic nerve.  There are exercises for this. Also, 80% of weight loss is generally from dietary changes. Sound like you can focus on low carbs, sugar and healthy whole veggies.

Best,

Barb G

[IamRBrown]

Got to report in... just got to...  for 4 months I have not lost/gained...  stayed at 190 give or take a pound (I weigh daily)...  As of this morning, I FINALLY broke that plateau!  Only by one pound, but it is a start...  so... now to not gain that one pound back with goodie day at work, Christmas parties and family dinners!

[jescoleman]

I've really been struggling these last few weeks. Work is crazy right now, basically twelve hour days and I'm finding it difficult to do even the bare minimum when it comes to eating correctly. I eat whatever is closest and rarely venture away from desk. I've been trying to at least get an hour walk in, but even that is difficult some days. Anyone else going through the same thing? And any tips?

[IamRBrown]

My normal week at work is similar.  Here are some strategies I use:

I get most of my steps in at work by taking the long way to get between points... If I have to go talk to someone somewhere in plant, I take the long way to get there...   I drink plenty of water so I have to get up and go to the ladies room more frequently - then use the one further from where I am working... taking the long way to get there.  Before I eat lunch, I try to take a lap around the outer edge of the plant (indoors) and then use the ladies room again before I eat.

I pack my lunch at night when I get home & keep plenty of bite size fruit/veggies to snack on.  I pack fruit & veggies for snacks at work as well.  I allow myself 2 16-oz mugs of coffee a day with 1 sugar/cream per mug.  After that, I go to water.  I have learned to take small bites and chew more - I feel full quicker that way.

For "sweet tooth" cravings, I buy baking chips (chocolate/peanut butter/toffee...etc) and allow myself one tablespoon as a treat - and eat them one at a time allowing them to disolve rather than chewing to make them last longer. 

I have grandbabies that come stay with me every other weekend and school breaks - I keep treats for them that they enjoy, but I don't like enough to grab in place of the healthier (and lower calorie) snacks I have on hand.

If I get home before dark, I walk about 1 mile.  Some days I can get more, some days I can't walk after work.  I usually have 5000+ steps from work and can boost it to 7000+ if I can walk in the evening. 

Good luck!  And keep posting here - it helps us stay focused when we know we will be reporting to "someone" about our success.

[KimShea]

Fist check in - about one week.

USW 235

CSW 178

CW 177.5

CGW 174

UGW 145

Not great.  Scale was actually up today (this is yesterday's numbers.  I refuse to acknowledge todays.)

Gonna have to give up the wine.  Sigh.

[ninjamidget25]

Another check-in

USW- 360

PW - 342 (as of 11-26)

CSW - 337 (as of 12-2)

CW - 334 (as of 12-6)

CW - 329 (as of 12-16)

GW - 320 (1-1-16)

UGW - 220

This marked me hitting my -30lbs badge.  13 pounds in this challenge so far may sound good, but I look at it as I'm half way to my previous high 4 years ago.   You're your own worst critic, I suppose.  Onward!

[Katrice]

Ninjamidget: we criticize ourselves so we don't stop at the first compliment, to keep pushing ourselves past th is hurdle and that hurdle...

[awood08]

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

I'm currently fighting a very nasty flu, I haven't been able to keep anything down all day. My throat is so sore and swollen even if I wanted to eat its very difficult to even swallow. I'm on 3 medications and my fever has stayed at 102.3-103 all day despite fever reducer. I'm hoping the meds I got from my doctor will kick in very fast.
I know a lot of you are having your struggles as well and hope we all can get back to 100%!!

[SunsetRunner]

Eat when your able to @awood08

Hope you recover soon

[saraj91]

@awood08 hope you feel better in time for the holidays!

[Aqua671]

Coming up on the finish line for a work week challenge. Have some serious competitors so I've been logging over 20k steps every day. I'm past my original goal of 165 lbs that I set mid November. USW was 177.9 at that time. CW is 161. I'm thrilled. Lost almost 2 inches at my waist! Now I'm not weight oriented. I am 6'2 so I'm good at weight. Just some belly fat to go. Abs are just barely showing through in the right lighting lol. Has me more motivated than ever. Since its summer year round here on Guam and I'm in the ocean several days a week, it's always a good time to.get that beach bod.

[Gubbi]

Get well soon!