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!!

[Tybokitty]

@_Lilac_ I have found that if I go over my intake calories I have a harder time losing weight. If I stay a little below (like 100 or 50 calories I didn't eat) my calorie intake of 1376 then I lose weight. I've gone above that calorie  intake several times and walked my backside off to compensate for that and never fails I hardly lose anything. So I've learned by trial and error to not go over my intake if possible. But that's just me may not be the same for anyone else. I was told though by a health coach that if the body thinks it is starving it will hold onto what it has and not drop any weight. 

[_Lilac_]

@Tybokitty I can never meet the recommended calorie amount. I'm always 750-1000 calories under the already-adjusted number for loss. So, it's definitely possible my body has been 'holding onto' my weight. I've still had loss, it's just kinda slow-ish. Maybe by not doing as much (when I had to rest my knee)  I got into a calorie range that was more reasonable and it triggered the loss. I find 'change' is much more of a trigger for me though. Look at someone who is 200 lb, who does a highly intensive physical job...they aren't losing. The body gets used to activity, movement, etc. Gyms always want you to switch up your routine every 6 weeks because the body stops responding to the workouts when they get used to them. So, maybe my 'change' of resting was the trigger. I will have to be more conscious of this in the future if I find a stagnation. In a few weeks I'll be able to get on my new bike for the first time.

Oh, and I was telling Mom how much I liked a shirt she was wearing. She said, "When you can fit into it, it's yours." Woohoo. Haha. Incentive!

[_Lilac_]

This evening I went for a walk *alone*. I know that seems like a normal event, but it isn't so much for me. Usually I have the dogs along but I decided to go to the pharmacy. It has one of those point programs and my late husband received some great coupons in the mail yesterday, that if I bought certain things I'd get X amount of points. (I can then transfer the points to my account) I took the coupons and his card and did a little shopping. I came out with only one questionable thing...a 2L bottle of diet gingerale (which I don't usually get AT ALL but I got some decent points for that!) On my way home I realized that exactly this time last year, that trip would have been impossible. Physically and mentally, it would have been too difficult to walk to the pharmacy. And, most importantly, my husband was at the end stages of his terminal illness and I wouldn't have been able to leave him alone. A year ago, I was having some of the worst days ever. I was at least 50 lbs heavier and so sedentary that taking a trip to the basement to do laundry would have exhausted me. I had a service to clean my house because I couldn't take care of him and the house at my size and lack of energy. 

I noticed today that fitbit recognizes that I've lost 52lb since August 31. That must be when I first began to track things and started my first challenge with all you wonderful people. This was my third walk today. I've done 12,000 steps, socialized with my mom and sister, made plans for a family breakfast next week (my cousin who has recently developed MS and who has very limited contact with people comes to these), found a new fitbit friend on another friend's facebook post, and celebrated with my neighbour our fat losses (she's lost 75 lb in the last year). What a day! What a year! 

52lb is good, but it's not about that, really. My life is just completely different, ya know? I have energy. I don't balk at the thought of doing something like going to the store. I don't bow out of social interaction but actually initiate it. I can go into a store with Easter candy in my face, the snack foods and ignore it all. I'm proud of myself for changing my life and I want to do so much more. That will be in the next year, right? 

[SunsetRunner]

@_Lilac_ Congratulations on your 50 lb loss badge!!  What an awesome achievement!  What a year indeed. You've been through so  much and have come out on top. Keep up the good work. We're so proud of you! 

[SunsetRunner]

Hi everyone,

Here's this week's update. 

USW: 224.5 lbs (7/6/16)

CSW: 177.0 (12/23/16)

CW: 176.5 (12/30/16) -0.5 lbs

CW: 173.5 (01/06/17) -3.0

CW: 171.0 (01/13/17) -2.5

CW: 169.5 (01/20/17) -1.5

CW: 169.0 (01/27/17) -0.5

CW: 168.0 (02/03/17) -1.0

CW: 168.0 (02/10/17) -0.0

CW: 165.5 (02/17/17) -2.5  First weigh-in for this challenge.

CW: 163.0 (02/24/17) -2.5

CW:  159.0 (03/03/17) -4.0 

CW:  156.5 (03/10/17) -2.5

CW:  154.5 (03/17/17) -2.0

CW:  152.5 (03/24/17) -2.0

New GW:  150.0

I was surprised at another -2.0 week since I have been distracted so much with work lately but I'll take it! 😀 I'm right in the middle of my weight range so I need to start to change my goal from weight loss to maintenance. I'll be working on that over the next few weeks. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them.  

Have a great week! 

[almost_where]

USW - 363 (3/9/16)

Valentine's Day Weight 259

  Sunday1 - 257 (02/19) 257.5 Target
  Sunday2 - 256  (02/26) 256.0 Target
  Sunday3 - 253  (03/05) 254.5 Target
  Sunday4 - 253  (03/12) 253.0 Target
  Sunday5 - 251  (03/19) 251.5 Target
  Sunday6 - 248  (03/26) 250.0 Target
  Sunday7 - (04/02) 248.5 Target
  Sunday8 - (04/09) 247.0 Target
Easter Day Goal - 246

- 3 lbs

I have weighed over 250lbs since the mid 90s (20+ years) and the past 3 or 4 missions have all had breaking 250lb as a big target. I have used mechanical scales (The one with the 50 lb slider on the bottom and 1 lb slider on the top) this whole time and have dreamed of sliding the big one into the 200 spot.  I'm never going to be under 200lbs @ 6'4" so the big slider is now in its permanent location. It is NEVER going back up to the 250 lb spot again ever.

I have had my UGW listed as Happy for quite some time now and today I got one step closer.  I'm now going to shift my routine/plan up completely to the next stage while aiming to get down around 220 lbs which involves lower daily deficits from where i'm at now.

Thanks for the support everyone and all the best wishes with yours.

[Bobbinyc]

 What a group! That's 3 successes posted in a row!  Congratulations all around. @almost_where, @SunsetRunner, @_Lilac_  - you all worked so hard and accomplished so much.  I've always said, the scale is just one tiny, not always relevant way of measuring success.  You have all found so much success along the way.  There is so much learning, habit change , thinking change and emotion management that goes into that kind of weight loss.  It really does mean changing your approach to life and changing what you feel you deserve in life.  

I find your posts absolutely heartwarming, encouraging and inspiring.

Thank you for sharing your difficulties and your successes.

[BLLingg]

@GettingfitinSC, you are doing GREAT!  Weight wise AND Step wise!!  You sure better be walking Tall, with your Head held high!!!

[BLLingg]

HOT DOG, @_Lilac_!  Ya done did it!!  Time to get your Head up high and strut your Stuff!!!

And remember, if it goes up, DON'T let it get you down!!!  You've done it once, so now you KNOW that you can do it!!!

[BLLingg]

Hope you got your  Trail Show Badge, @Gayle1018!

Thank you for the https://www.fitbark.com/ info!   I don't have a Canine Kid myself, but I "walk" with several who do.  So I've just added the Link to some of my current Challenges!!

[Gayle1018]

@BLLingg:umbrella_with_rain_drops:️😔  Nope had 2 more miles to go. Several thunderstorms came thru. We did walk 2100 steps in the rain.  So ended at 25k yesterday   Plus my doggie pooped out. He's 10 yrs old. Gonna go for my daily goal today.  And yes we still have storms. 💦💦 

[dancefoxtrot]

@_Lilac_

Super congratulations on your stellar milestone of 50 excess baggage gone!!! 

Wow you are getting healthier by the day.  Good for you in choosing to pass right by that nasty bakery and realizing it was

a stressor that made you want to indulge.  Yippee hooray for you. 

I think this next 50 will come off even easier since you've got the process down. You know how to do this now.

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi all you fine challengers,

Phew. I made it through my dance performance with flying ballgown as I turned across the floor.  My knee with bursitis, and contracted hip flexor and quad. managed as well.  I got lots of applause and compliments and the video I saw after looked okay. Phew, that was a hard sprint to the finish with upper thigh having a fit.

Okay, managed to get down to 144.6 this AM. We have 3 weeks and 3 days left so 2 more pounds is within reason as I edge toward my UGW. 

Okay up and at it. I have a guest coming in an hour and lots of cleaning, picking and hiding my mess to do right now.

Sending you all lot's of determination, perserverance and courage!

Barb G

[dancefoxtrot]

@Bobbinyc

Ditto to Bobbi's message below about all the emotional and lifestyle changes that it takes. New habits are wonderful friends as we are changed people when we live differently.

Well said my friend.

Congrats to all of you that are sticking to this journey of change.

Best,

Barbara G 

Video came attached to text on iphone so now I need to figure out how to get them on the computer.!   Always something new to learn.

[Bobbinyc]

@dancefoxtrot  I am so excited about your dance performance!! Well, I'm thrilled that you feel good about it, despite all the aches and pains.  What a wonderful gift you give yourself.  I just love the idea of you being out there, practicing like crazy, dealing with your various body parts protesting, and persevering, and then dancing so elegantly.  That is such an amazing thing to be able to do.  I am so glad it went well.  I'm applauding you on the East Coast, my friend.

[DJC_63]

This is my late night check in. I didn't manage to lose this week but thanks to nice weather late in the week I got more exercise than usual. The beginning of the week wasn't so good due to whatever I had done to my back. But it feels back to normal now so that makes me happy.  I realized a few things this week, one is that I've been having too many snacks that are high in calories. Part of the reason I'm buying them is to give myself a treat, especially when I'm stressed or frustrated with my Mom.  She gets overwhelmed easily and then just doesn't do whatever is stressing her out, like paying bills or making decisions, etc. she just watches TV News and zones out. So I'm taking over some of those things, and you can guess how that goes. If I had unlimited money I'd probably shop for every treat, but I can't.  (And before you say it, if it's early enough I do go exercise.).  So now that I know this I have to change it.

so on that note, my stats for this week:

USW - 207.5
SW - 196.3 (2/13/17)
PW - 197.3
PW - 196.9
PW - 196.7
PW - 196.4
PW - 195.7
CW - 195.8 (3/25/17)
GW - 189.9

[DJC_63]

@almost_where, congrats! I enjoyed reading your post. What a great feeling that must be! I used to use those kinds of scales at the gym so I could picture exactly what you were saying.   thanks for sharing that story. Sometimes when I only read about how good people are doing I wonder if I'm the only one struggling to exercise more or avoid treats.

So thank you for sharing the struggle and your success!

[BLLingg]

Tuesday was 160.4, Wednesday was 161.4.  Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, right back to 160.8.  Too bad I don't do my Weekly Status Reports on Sunday.  I was 159.6.  Today:

28 July 2010 - PW - 280.8  BMI 51.4  (My highest known.)
06 June 2016 - USW (in FitBit) - 216  BMI 39.5

14 Feb - CSW 173.0  BMI 31.6
20 Feb - GW 171.4 - PW 171.0  BMI 31.0
27 Feb - GW 169.6 - PW 168.2  BMI 30.8
06 Mar - GW 167.8 - PW 163.8  BMI 30.0
13 Mar - GW 166.0 - PW 165.8  BMI  30.3
20 Mar - GW 164.2 - PW 160.8  BMI 29.4
27 Mar - GW 162.4 - CW 160.8  BMI 29.4  (No loss, but still below Week's Goal)
03 Apr - GW 160.6
10 April - GW 158.8
17 Apr - GW 157.0
18 Apr - GW 156.7

13 May - 1st UGW - (but still not a "Healthy" BMI) - 150

Not pleased.  Not depressed.  I know that I'll get off this Plateau sooner or later.  As long as I persist in my walking, keeping the outgo up & the intake down.  I just hope it's sooner and not later!!!

[Gayle1018]

@BLLingg-- Look how great you've been doing!!!  -- keep up the great job and hang in there as you can see you have accomplished so much!!  Great Job.

[Gayle1018]

Happy Monday all...   I did get all my steps in this weekend! first time for a while, plus actually stayed with in my calorie range.   Maybe I'll get brave and weigh in.  Feeling pretty good about things today, even though I get to go to the dentist "again"  crown fell out so got 2 hrs of dental to day.    Have good day all!