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!!

[Florriel]

Happy Monday everyone.

Well I weighed in this morning and I have added 1 pound - bummer!

The kitchen refit has really put me out of my rhythm cooking wise as even with the oven back in use everything just seems to be permanently covered in dust no matter how often I clean!

I managed to do all my exercise classes this week and a couple of gym sessions but a few days still did not manage to do all the 10k steps - although one day I did manage to do 23K - that was a shocker!

This weekend seemed to revolve around doing lots of diy in the house that did not really add to the step count much but did get things moving on the reno.

Anyhooo - I am not going to beat myself up about it tooo much. Today is the start of a new week and I had hit my 10k before lunch with the help of a Zumba class and a walk to the shops. And now I have been sitting here at the PC for too long getting high on paint fumes from the kitchen so I think it is time to start moving about and get on with some more chores.

Bye for now!

[HeartBiller]

@BobbinycWell these ball games were the Upward Bound Church basketball games. We were in a same church gym on little metal bleachers. Each game was 45 minutes long so we had 15 minutes between games to move around a little. However we didn't move much for fear of losing our seats...lol. It is a lot of sitting when you have 3 separate age groups playing on the same day.Oh well it all worked out for me that day anyhow. After the torture of the bleachers I went home and started some early spring cleaning. (don't Judge me)..lol, I "FINALLY" took my Christmas tree down. It still had one present under it, so I thought it was all good...lol. It was a task I just kept putting off. We haven't had heat in the past few months since our heat pump decided to die, so I haven't done anything "extra" around the house. Saturday was a pretty day here and I just opened the doors and got a lot accomplished,so I call it a win. Sunday on the other hand,,,, NOT SO MUCH. I didn't do hardly anything. Very sad, I know. We had morning church, and then came home and my mom and sister came over to go through some of my clothes I can no longer wear (yay) so I visited with them until time for evening church. So my steps were sad yesterday. I have to get my rear in gear and get back on track.

[HeartBiller]

@RachelShrinksCargiving alone is a major accomplishment! My husband and I took care of his dad for 9 years and him basically bed fast. Along with him then came this wonderful grandson we are raising, so I understand all too well the struggle you go through. We both work 40+ hours a week, me 30 minutes from home and him 45 minutes from home. There were several times I would catch my husband saying thing like why bother with trying to lose weight, I love you just like you are.. and you know most of the time that worked.. I would just quit working on anything.. He would bring home my favorite snacks and go to dinner at my favorite places.. but I "think" he had fear of losing me if I lost the weight. We had a couple of friends that as soon as they lost weight they started having an affair.. and I think that is the fear he had. Which he would never admit to...lol. However when it got to the point "he" needed to work on his weight then he became so much more comfortable with me losing the weight. Now, looking back, I wished I had been stronger and just did it, but I didn't and I do regret it. I won't harp on it... lol. I just tell myself, who knows what I could have prevented(health wise) if I had of started earlier. But with that said, I am so happy to be where I am considering where I started. This is a journey we have to do for ourselves and no one else. My husband and I started this together and we are almost one year out and we both have slacked a lot, but I do now find him saying little things like, your walking more than I am, your losing more than I am... I just smile and say.. I guess I want to lose weight more than you do...lol. However with that being said...lol, It may not be true or I would be doing more than I am. I do not know why but I do so good on the week days, while at work and busy... Then the weekend comes and I blow my whole week. I have to get better at that. Anyhow I guess I have jabbered enough, I better get busy. Hope everyone has a great day!

[TravellingSunny]

@HeartBiller - Your story about how your husband said things like you didn't need to lose weight really resonates with me.  My husband told me just this past weekend that he doesn't really want me to lose much more weight because he doesn't like overly skinny girls, and I've already lost a bunch of weight in my boobs - sort of a problem for him.  LOL!

I told him I've only got another 7 pounds to go - 15 if I get to my ultimate weight goal - but that puts my BMI into the healthy category.  I know he means well, but when he said that to me, well, I worried a little bit about whether he would still find me attractive at 30 pounds lighter.  I'm sure he will, but dang it, I wish he'd've just kept that comment to himself.  Now I'm probably going to obsess over it.

[HeartBiller]

@TravellingSunnyThe comments can bother us more than we wished they did, BUT, we are doing this for US and not to make us more attractive to anyone other than our spouse...lol. I am sure it wouldn't bother him as much had the same thing not happened to 2 of our close friends. I do always reassure him, he is stuck with me, I am not going anywhere..lol. I just also think men tend to have the same insecurities as women do, they just don't voice them as much as we do. I mean he has had me for the past 30 years...lol. Why would I move on now..lol. Just kidding, but I do tell him, I ALMOST have him trained, I sure wouldn't want to start that process over again.... lol.

On the weight lose he does say the same exact thing as your husband. He doesn't want to sleep next to a stick. I just get tickled at this point, because even if I do by god's grace and I start working harder, get to my Ultimate goal I have currently set. I will still be considered overweight. I will not even be in the healthy BMI... so I don't much think he has too much to worry about me being a stick. BUT MAJOR congrats to you for being so close to your goal. I need lessons...lol. This challenge goal is a big one for me. I am so anxious to reach this next one. But apparently not anxious enough to step it in high gear..lol. Oh well one day at a time. One pound at a time!

[RachelShrinks]

Ugh. Not the best week, weight-wise:

USW (12/2016): 195

CSW (2/14/2017): 180.8

PW (2/19/2017): 180.2 (-0.6)

PW (2/26/2017): 178.4 (-1.8)

Current weight: 178.1 (-0.3) [not on track at all!]

GW (4/18/2017): -13.5 (167.3) (That sounds like even more now)

UGW (?): 145-150ish

Weekly Exercise Goal: (2 HIIT sessions) 3!

Okay, I definitely shot too high on my goal and I'm not sure why. I expect part of it is the basic inflammation of starting to workout after a very long time of not working out at all. That part of this weight should drop off in a few weeks. But I'm keeping to a deficit of 750 to 1000 calories (according to the numbers everything's giving me, anyway), and not losing nearly what I figured to. 

I guess I'll just keep going as I'm going and see what happens. I'd love to lose a ton RIGHT NOW, but the working out and being lots more active and building strength should be more important, right? And keeping my blood pressure low and... Yeah. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing.

I've also decided to get a new scale that tracks fat and stuff. Figure I deserve it for having lost 15+ lbs since the beginning of the year, right? And it'll give me a better idea of what I'm doing to my body with all these daily trips to the gym suddenly :). 

Have a great week, all! I'm going try to de-stress and try not to worry about the scale...

[TravellingSunny]

@RachelShrinks - You've got this.  15 pounds in 2 months?  You're right on schedule!!!  Congrats!!

P.S. - Don't we ALL just want to be super-models already?  I mean - if I eat healthy for one day, that should do it, right?!?  LOL!

[HeartBiller]

@SunsetRunnercongrats on getting into the 150's. That is my dream as well for this challenge... I just wish I was as close to the ultimate goal as you are...lol. You have done AMAZING!

[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

(3/06/17) = 232.4  -1.8 lbs  (-7.6 lbs down)

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

The last three weeks have been a lot higher loss than I'm used to. I have averaged about -1.5 lbs per week for the last year. I'm still waiting for it to be less but am excited for the loss while I can get it. 

[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

(3/06/17) = 232.4  -1.8 lbs  (-7.6 lbs down)

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

The last three weeks have been a lot higher loss than I'm used to. I have averaged about -1.5 lbs per week for the last year. I'm still waiting for it to be less but am excited for the loss while I can get it. 

[TravellingSunny]

@TT_is_me - You are doing fantastic!  I don't blame you - take it and run!  LOL!

[_Lilac_]

I'm back from my trip and I'm tired! We had a good time though it was a bit too cold to go out all day. Yesterday morning we walked and walked all over and then relaxed in the hotel for the afternoon, went out to grab supper. I had 14,500 steps. A friend took us to a mall this morning then I sat over 4 hours on the bus home. As soon as I got here I took the dogs for a walk. 7000 steps so far today but I'm pretty worn out. Might not do a whole lot more. Even though we ate out, I had chosen healthy food, but I know my sodium content was higher than usual. It was soooo good to put a chicken breast in the oven, have some squash and yogurt for supper. Real, home-cooked stuff. I am dehydrated, not having had real water much. I had flavoured ones or carbonated, and I need some real water. That's my goal for the evening, even if I have to get up many times in the night. 

I found myself in front of a full length mirror last night and was surprised at how I looked. My pants were droopy, my shirt too big, and I look all misshapen. So, I suppose I have to go shopping or find some smaller and better fitting clothes in my closet. 

Alright, time to relax. The dogs are needing their cuddles and I guess I do too. Have a great night all. I'm looking forward to getting back  into my routine.

[meg5168]

After a not-so-great week (not a ton of exercise and ate/drank more than i ought to a few nights last week) I admit I had been avoiding the scale but finally sucked it up and weighed in this morning—I HADN'T gained! Just stayed the same as my last weigh-in, phew!

And this morning I was getting dressed and was eyeing a skirt that hasn't fit for a year and decided to try it on—zipped up with no trouble at all! That felt great, haha...if anything motivates me it's fitting into my old clothes. I keep forgetting that I have already lost 11 lbs and that's not insignificant—it's sometimes easy to forget that because my goal/healthy weight seems so far away. 

30/f, 5'10"

SW: 199
CW: 188
GW (for 4/18): below 180!
UGW: 165

[GettingfitinSC]

USW= 235 (Christmas 2016)

CSW= 224.3 (Valentine's Day 2016)

PW=219.5

CW= 218.9 (-0.6 lbs this week)

GW= 210

UGW= 125

38/F/5'0"

I dropped to 217.5 one day this week, but it shot right back up. 😞 That's okay though. It does that frequently. It's just a sign of what's to come. 🙂 

I'm glad I didn't gain from last week at least. I had a rough weekend (very few steps) and a bad headache yesterday, so I didn't quite meet my step goal yesterday either. I'm doing good so far today though. I walked almost 30 minutes before work this morning. 

Hope everyone else is doing great! 

[TravellingSunny]

@GettingfitinSC  Slow and steady wins the race.  You're doing super!

[TravellingSunny]

@_Lilac_ @meg5168 - We were just talking about the need for new clothes as you are losing weight in the non-scale victory thread.  On the one hand, it feels sooooo good to fit back into your old clothes or to completely under-grow them!  On the other hand, it gets old when you're constantly hiking your pants back up.  LOL!

[Amy_Noelle]

Good Morning/ Night!!

My weekly weigh in:

USW: 149

CSW: 137

GW: 130

UGW: 125

CW: 136

I have been pushing myself over the weekend. Didn't take in many calories, and worked out for about 2 hours a day. My Fitbit Alta is not working though, and I didn't get it wet or anything. I've had it since June of last year and it's been great till now. If Fitbit doesn't work with me (sure they won't) then I'm getting another tracker that's not Fitbit. 

[TravellingSunny]

I am feeling much better about things today, because I jumped right back on the healthy wagon after taking a weekend off.  I hit all of my goals yesterday (steps, floors, calories, active minutes, water) and I even did one of those Fitstar videos last night - a 33 minute Muscle Mix video that just about killed my triceps.

Someday I'll be able to do a big girl push up, but that day is not this day.

One of the side-effects of taking the weekend off - it was a real soul-crusher to see my icon drop so far in my friends ranking.  I've been running number one for over a month, and I dropped back to number six after only two days.  @RachelShrinks is totally kicking my butt.  🙂

[TravellingSunny]

@Amy_Noelle - I've never had an issue with either of my Fitbits, but I've seen a number of folks in this community that have.  I sure hope they work with you.

[HeartBiller]

@meg5168  Congrats on getting into that skirt! I know how great the feeling is when you can wear something you haven't been able to. This is something I have been doing through my journey. I get something one size to small and hang it on the closet door and just occasionally try it on to see how my progress is going. I lost weight a lot faster when I first started, but now it has slowed down a bit, but still losing so I count that as a win! Enjoy your win! 

[HeartBiller]

@GettingfitinSC I am right there with you on the things to come. I had the scale let me peek at a number I am so striving for and probably too anxious to see.. Lol. But I figure if it peeked out once then I am heading toward seeing it for a real weigh in soon.. Lol. All in time!