Valentines Day to April 18th

[BLLingg]

@Bobbinyc, I hope it's ok for me to plagerize your Christmas to Valentine's Day Topic Starter but it was absolutely perfect!!!

Welcome all Challengers!  What an amazing group we have!

Let's all continue together to take off the excess pounds and keep getting healthier.

This challenge will begin on Valentine's Day and finish on (American) Tax Day - 18 April 2017.   (Really!  It's the 18th this Year, not the 15th!)

All you need to join this challenge is to post your stats regarding your weight, and check in weekly or as often as you'd like. We are a great support group and enjoy keeping up with each other and being there for our ups and downs.  Generally we have found that the more we check in and offer support, tips, info,  and ideas to others, the more we get for ourselves.

We list our weight, as well as any other goals we might have related to being healthy (such as increase water, more active minutes, etc).  Developing good health habits is primary.

A little rundown of terminology for anyone who is new.

USW- Ultimate Starting Weight

CSW- Current Starting Weight (for this challenge)

GW- Goal Weight   (for Feb 14)

UGW- Ultimate Goal Weight   (what your healthy target weight is)

PW- Previous Weight

CW- Current Weight

MFP- My Fitness Pal

List as much info as you like.  Some people include age, gender, height....whatever seems relevant to you.

We keep it as serious or light as we feel, but we always keep it focused on being as healthy as possible, while we support each other kindly.  We can do this together!!

[Amy_Noelle]

Don't get discouraged! Keep eating healthy and exercise everyday for at least an hour and I promise you that you'll see improvements. At one point last year I was 150 pounds (overweight for my age and height) and like Bobbinyc loved going to the pastry shop and getting my cannoli's. So I joined my high school basketball team....and dropped 20 pounds. I had practice almost everyday after class for at least 2 hours....doing suicides, pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups.....every exercise you could imagine. After the first week I saw I was making improvements. Everyone is different remember that! It took me a month to actually lose some weight even with 3+ hours of intense weight training, and running a mile or two every day. Also try drinking a gallon of water throughout the day...you'll see improvements in your cravings, skin, and overall health. The hard work will pay off I promise you!! After all the hard workouts and dislocations my hard work is paying off by taking my team and school to state playoffs today. Just hang in there!!!

Sorry everyone I just felt like I had to share that, because of health and fitness my life will be forever changed. Yes it's hard sometimes, and you might get hurt along the way but in the end it's worth it! Good luck.

[_Lilac_]

I'm tired!! My fridge was empty this morning. That never happens because I pick up a few things every few days when Mom and I go walking at the mall. Since she's in jury duty I'm missing my shopping trips as well as my normal walking schedule. I decided to walk all the way to a store and it took an hour! Then 15 more min walk to Walmart to get the rest of my stuff. 8500 steps! I realized halfway there that I had forgotten to eat breakfast. Sigh. I had a coffee at McD's while at Walmart, but I refused to eat their junk. When I got home I had a salad, chicken breast and two popsicles. Then I took the dogs for a walk around our neighbourhood. My fitbit buzzed at me when I hit 11,000 steps so I'm cuddled up in my recliner with a dog. Not eating caused me to be weak and tired, even dizzy, during my walk with the dogs. And I'm hungry again soon after that first meal. I really have to be aware of this issue, since I rarely feel like eating when I get up, and I often go out without remembering to eat. Now I'll be having lunch at supper time and supper in the late evening. 

I think A_Lurker is right after all (why did I doubt her in the first place??) in saying that my fitness could be improving so it could be harder for me to reach a higher heart rate (and calories burned) like I was earlier in this journey. It happened so suddenly that I thought that the reason couldn't be that. It doesn't matter the placement of my fitbit, It's reading the same. My newest task is going to be trying to get more strenuous workouts without increasing impact. I can't jog for fear of injuring myself. The treadmill works in getting it higher because I can increase the slope but dang, it's boring. I've been setting my tablet on it and playing solitaire while walking, and watching tv shows. I prefer walking outside though but for some reason I can't seem to maintain a higher speed to keep the calorie burn up. I need to get back in the natural park where there are hills. We have to wait til the trails are cleared.

Ok, off to eat more and rest. I'm at about 3500 calories burned today and ate very little. No wonder I'm feeling so weak. I'll check in later.

[SunsetRunner]

@Lilac If you like to read you could do that on your tablet while on the treadmill. Increasing the font size makes it easier to see and cuts down on the motion while exercising. I get so many books read while on the treadmill or elliptical. Good luck!

[dancefoxtrot]

@Amy_Noelle

Congrats to you and your teammates. Also, being active is a wonderful way to lose weight and get strong. Go team.

Barbara G

[TT_is_me]

USW (1/1/16) = 315 lbs
SW (2/14/17) = 240 lbs

(2/20/17) = 238 lbs -2 lbs

(2/27/17) = 234.2  -3.8 lbs

GW (4/18/17) = 229 lbs (-11lbs)
UGW = 160 lbs

Another really good week. I had a fierce competition (though I lost) with @almost_where. BUT I got my 30K badge in the process yesterday. I honestly didn't think I would ever be able to get that high. Just can't wait for spring to come around so I could possibly shoot for 35k.

[Amy_Noelle]

@dancefoxtrot Thank you so much! As of about 30 minutes ago we are state champs! I guess hard work does pay off 🤔

[GettingfitinSC]

USW= 235 (Christmas 2016)

CSW= 224.3 (Valentine's Day 2016)

PW=221.2

CW= 219.5 (-1.7 lbs this week)

GW= 210

UGW= 125

38/F/5'0"

So I think 12,000 steps is a good number for me right now. I lost almost 2 lbs this week after a -3.1 lb loss last week. 🙂 And, I'm out of the 220's! I hope I never see that number on a scale again! 

Hope everyone else is doing well. It's encouraging to read the posts to see everyone's comments. Thank you all for the support!

[GettingfitinSC]

Topic for discussion: Water- What is your daily goal? What differences do you see if you meet or drink less than your goal? Any changes in how you feel, motivation, weight loss, etc?

My goal is 64 oz, but I average between 50-60 oz. 

Just wondering what everyone's thoughts/experiences are...

[HeartBiller]

Well I didn't make my 7 day challenge to myself...BUT I am okay with it under the circumstances. I had made 4 straight days.. and was very happy with myself. Then my niece in South Carolina had a baby on Thursday and things did not go as plan and the was some reasons for concern, so we loaded up and headed that way (a 5 hour drive) so Saturdays steps did not make it to the goal after 5 hours in the car and several more in the hospital. The Sunday was basically the same way... but rotated...lol. Several hours at the hospital and then 5 hours on the road again to head back home for work on Monday. Yesterday was rough for me as my "visitor" has arrived and that is getting harder and harder to deal with, so didn't do much moving yesterday. Today will average about the same as normally it takes 2 days to be able to do much with out major issues.. Anyhow.. My niece and baby are both doing much better. The actually got to come home yesterday. (Praise the Lord!!)

I am okay with the weight loss... Of course we all wish it would come off over night, but that isn't going to happen, so as someone (I think @BLLingg maybe, ) said... Slow and steady wins the race!

I had noticed @dancefoxtrot congratulated me on losing 3 pounds..lol I found it funny, because I am sure that was suppose to go to someone who had actually lost 3 pounds..lol. BUT now I did, so I will take it...lol.

I have to keep my mind focused if I am ever going to see the sweet little 5 as the 2nd number that I want so badly to see...lol.

MY stats
USW - 210.0 lbs April 25th 2016
02/14/17 - 167.2 lbs -  Starting this challenge weight

02/21/17 - 168.2 lbs - Gained 1 pound 

02/28/17 - 164.8 lbs - Lost 3.4 Pounds 

03/07/17 -

03/14/17 -

03/21/17 -

03/28/17 -

04/04/17 -

04/11/17 -

04/18/17 -

Challenge Goal Weight 158.0
UGW - 125.0 lbs

[Amy_Noelle]

@GettingfitinSC Hello!

 My daily goal is to drink a gallon of water a day, and if I'm correct that's 128 ounces.  When I drink to my ultimate goal I feel much better than my usual self. My skin feels softer and looks great and my cravings/diet changes. With all the water I feel fuller when I eat so I never over eat. When I first started drinking a gallon of water everyday I had just joined my HS Basketball team, and I noticed that my diet changed. Also my little bit of acne went away, but I had to use the restroom about 100x a day. After about a month of drinking a gallon of water everyday I started losing about a pound every week on average. 

Drinking a gallon of water a day is not for everyone, but you will see changes overall. I think everyone should try it out for a week 😁

[Amy_Noelle]

@HeartBiller Congrats to your niece!! Thankfully both her and the baby are doing well 🙂 In the end that's more important than fitness.

It's a new week however you can start your 7 day challenge over! Just keep focused and determined....if you can believe it, you can achieve it!! Congratulations to the new addition to your family once again and keep up the hard work!!! We ALL believe in you  😬

[HeartBiller]

@GettingfitinSCI personally try to drink as close to 100 ounces a day as I can.. I have figured out that the more water I drink and the more walking I do the better I lose weight. I guess it helps to keep you feeling fuller. BUT I will tell it has take me a long time to get to the point to where I can drink that much water...Water is all I drink 99% of the time. Which is kind of funny, I used to swear to my husband that I was allergic to water..lol. I got so sick every time I drank it. I was a diet Pepsi addict... I work for a Cardiologist and he would constantly tell me I needed to get off of the diet Pepsi...l did not think I would ever get off of it, but praise the lord I finally did.

[Bobbinyc]

@Amy_Noelle  Congrats on making state championship!  What a fun, rewarding way to be physically active.

[Bobbinyc]

@TT_is_me  Congrats on the 30k.  That's huge.  You took on some fierce competition with @almost_where.  The attempt in itself is a win.

[Amy_Noelle]

@Bobbinyc Thank you! It's a great way to stay in shape 😁

[TravellingSunny]

Hi y'all!   I'm new to the community... is it too late to join this challenge, or can I jump right in?

[Bobbinyc]

@TravellingSunny  Welcome to this wonderful group.  You are already in.  Most of us (but not all) start by posting some info, like age, gender, height, and weight.  If you look in the very beginning of the posts you'll see some abbreviations - about past weight and current weight.  We set goals that are reasonable to achieve in the time period, and usually post how we are doing each week.  Most of us post in between, either for support, advice and share what works or doesn't work for us, encouragement, to help others, or to just stay focused on the goal.  Whatever works best for you is fine.  Enjoy the journey.

[TravellingSunny]

@Bobbinyc Thank you very much.  I'll post my stats using the abbreviations in the first post.  Much appreciated!

[HeartBiller]

@TravellingSunnyWelcome! Hope you enjoy this group as much as I do!

[TravellingSunny]

USW- 160 lbs (January 8, 2017)

CSW- 150 lbs (As of February 14th)

CW - 147 lbs

GW- 140 lbs  (for April 18th)

UGW- 129 lbs (This is the ultimate goal, which would be smack dab in the middle of my healthy BMI range.  But for now, I'm just shooting for 138 pounds, which is the most I can weigh and still not have the doctor try to discuss my BMI.)