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Valentines Day to April 18th

@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!!

Saint Helens, Oregon; 5'2", 72, FitBit Charge 2 (Retired FitBit One 13 April 2017)
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926 REPLIES 926

@BLLinggYou know I wish I was one of those people who could do that. I really don't know why I couldn't but I can not see myself out there helping the coach..lol. I couldn't even tell you why.  There is a couple other parents who do help out, Why I can't I have no clue... However I am going to force myself to do some sort of activity while I am there... I have an hour, I NEED to make the most of it one way or another!  Yes I am an odd duck...lol

Rhonda - 46 - F - Kentucky - Charge HR
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@_Lilac_I forgot I wanted to ask you about the waterproofing you mentioned while doing your water aerobics... No I haven't researched them to see...lol, but do you have a Fitbit that is waterproof?

Rhonda - 46 - F - Kentucky - Charge HR
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morning, it's hump day!  I did get my 10K + in yesterday and was OK with the calorie in take after the Girl Scout cookies attacked me.    Today, Mix Nuts at the office--luckily they are gone now so I didn't have too many of them..

Planning on walking during my lunch hour instead of trying to get all 10K after work (my dog is getting tired Smiley Very Happy)  

Have a good day all!!!

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I have a small goal, but everyone wants to make improvements!

 

USW- 140

CSW- 139

GW- 135

UGW- 130

CW- 139

MFP- Fitbit Alta

 

Let's get fit together 🙂😆

Amy Noelle | United States
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I'm officially overweight! Celebrate with me!

 

I stepped on the scale yesterday morning and weighed in at 179.0, but I didn't want to say anything until I had two days of under-180, and today I do! I haven't had a non-obese BMI since the twins were wee, and I'm quite stoked. 

 

I'm also quite tired and sore, as I've had to change up my workouts to accommodate my injury. I rode the bike for 8 miles yesterday, doing intervals, and now my bum hurts and my hips are angry :). They'll have to get used to it. Going to do the elliptical and weights today and maybe NOT walk almost 18,000 steps in my daily errands. Oy! My foot was unhappy with me. It's getting a lot better, though. I'm hoping to walk on the treadmill by this weekend.

 

Cheers to all!

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@HeartBiller  Yes! A_Lurker is a darling, btw.

My Blaze was purchased and waterproofed through a company called Waterfi. They have a website with the products they waterproof. There are shops locally that advertise they do this service, but I'm not sure they do it on such small electronic devices. It's worth looking into. I wear it right in the pool with no worries. 

Atlantic coast of Canada, 52 F, Fitbit Inspire HR.
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@RachelShrinks  YAY!!! I've never heard of anyone celebrating being 'overweight', but when you consider the alternative 'obese' 'morbidly obese' 'on death's door', I think 'overweight' is pretty darned good!! Congratulations!

Atlantic coast of Canada, 52 F, Fitbit Inspire HR.
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@_Lilac_Thanks for the info. I will check into that. I don't do much water right now, but in the summer, I have a pool if my husband get sit up and running this year...lol. We didn't open it last year due to some repairs we need to do. So hopefully we will do them this year.

 

@RachelShrinksTrust me when I hit the "overweight" I will sing and do a happy dance as well. So MAJOR congratulations to you!

Rhonda - 46 - F - Kentucky - Charge HR
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Well, I am out for the count. I got the bus this morning halfway to the mall and walked the rest of the way. I found a coffee cup in the snowbank. Short explanation...Tim Horton's is the biggest thing in Canada...you know how they say America runs on Dunkin'? Well, do that X100 and you'll have the Canadian addiction to Tim Hortons. I know they've spread into the northern US states. Anyway, they have this contest called 'roll up the rim'. When you finish your coffee, you roll up the rim of the cup and you can win prizes. Mom and I made a pact, that if we win anything significant, we'll sell the item and go to Maui. This cup hadn't been rolled up, so combating my revulsion to whoever's germs would be on it, I rolled and won a free coffee. Ooh! Yay! I carried the nasty cup all the way to the mall, refusing to put it back in the snowbank as litter. Purell at the door, yes! 

I picked up some yarn and took it to the cash, told the girl I didn't want it after all. I stopped at a place to grab lunch to go. Very healthy. At the bus stop I saw a man I had encountered the other day. (mirrored sunglasses guy). Ok, another quick diversion...the other day a man got on the bus who had very thick glasses, hearing aids, and sat in the disabled seats near the front, but in the process he kicked or stepped on the foot of a guy next to him. He said sorry, that he doesn't see well. The dude became verbally abusive. Mirrored sunglasses guy stuck up for the other one and told dude to 'chill'. Threats of violence, chest thumping, etc ensued. So...today I saw mirrored sunglasses guy and thanked him for sticking up for the other one and it was really nice of him to be supportive when the thug was so unreasonable. He told me he'd been bullied and his brother was disabled so he knew he had to say something. (diversion over) *big breath*

I met Mom at the library, we had lunch and a chat. She went back to court, I went to daydream and crochet on the second floor. I walked from there twenty minutes to get my bus and missed it. Drat. However, I found three more Tim Horton cups in the snowbanks. None were winners. No Maui. I got a bus home, hooked up the dogs and took a 30 min walk with them around the neighbourhood. (Are you tired for me yet??)  I'm at almost 13,000 steps, I ache, my thigh muscles are seizing up and my feet want to drop off. I've done 49,000 in the last 3 days. I dropped 2lbs today and my 'visitor' arrived. I'm just done. I have hot tea, a blanket, and trying to keep the dogs from fighting over cuddle time with me. 

Alright, I think I'm done spewing my silly daily details for now. I'm happy with my free coffee, thanking the dude for his good deed, my good deed of picking up litter, keeping my mom company during a new and stressful experience for her (jury duty), and now finally able to get some rest. I've always been a people watcher. Mom said when I was a baby sitting in my little bouncy chair or in her lap with my hands folded, I'd just watch everyone and everything. I don't take all this stuff for granted. I notice small things that make me happy to be able to do what I do now, after so long of not being able to move or walk far (at 380lbs), and the fact I was needed at home to care for my husband. 

Have a great night everyone. I think you should all do some extra steps for me tomorrow because I'm gonna take a bit of a break! hahaha.

tims.jpg

Atlantic coast of Canada, 52 F, Fitbit Inspire HR.
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@_Lilac_  I love your stories because, well, yes your activity is inspiring, but most inspiring and heart warming is the way you go through your life, and your town, dropping bits of love and caring and kindness.

The activity that seems impossible today, will soon be your warm-up
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I have a major case of the blahs. I really am tired, sleepy, and just feel like going to bed. I think I have a monthly visitor coming soon. It has been a fight with myself all day to get my steps in. I'm at 9000+ now, but I think I'm headed to bed. I'm okay with getting less steps in if I get some sleep. Ok, I convinced myself to go to bed. Night All! 

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I forgot to tell you the comical part of my day!! I had a heavy bag in one hand and a full water bottle in the other and I started up the steps at the library to head for my favourite table in the corner on the second floor. My pants and my underwear began to fall!! Slip slip slip...I had to stop and put my stuff down to pull up my pants or I'd have flashed the whole place, with a bank of huge windows by me, to add to the embarrassment. Get what I did there?? Em-bare-asss-ment. *groan* I know. I caught them just in time. I swear, I gotta do some shopping!

Atlantic coast of Canada, 52 F, Fitbit Inspire HR.
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@_Lilac_- oops, didn't catch the pool reference.  Tighten it up just before the water and then loosen it when you get out.  I do think the water between the band and your wrist could be messing up the HR (I've noticed that before).  It could be that with your weight loss that you need to go in a notch further, especially in the pool.  This is a good problem to have I believe.  Woman Happy

Anne | Rural Ontario, Canada

Ionic (gifted), Alta HR (gifted), Charge 2, Flex 2, Charge HR, One, Blaze (retired), Trendweight.com,

Down 150 pounds from my top weight (and still going), sharing my experiences here to try and help others.

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@HeartBiller- if you don't need/want a heart rate enabled tracker the new Flex 2 is an out of the box waterproofed tracker.  I bought my first waterproofed tracker (Charge HR) from waterfi and I loved it.  I could wear it 24/7, swim with it, shower with it.  I only took it off to charge.  No chance that I would leave it in the washroom and not notice until I was in the car.  I did this a lot with my One.  You lose the stair counter as they seal the altimeter.  As my wrist was getting smaller (on the tightest now and it's still loose) I purchased a Blaze from them.  I liked the idea that I could switch the bands as well.  I wasn't a huge fan of the Blaze.  I loved the different watch faces, but it was just too big for me.  I hadn't worn a watch for decades, I just was never that comfortable with it.  When the Charge 2 came out I emailed the contact I had at waterfi and mentioned that when they had one available I was likely interested.  They had purchased some to start working on them, so once they were available I bought one.  (At this point I reached out and gifted my Blaze to a certain chatty person.  Woman Tongue)

 

They are not a Fitbit authorized reseller, but they do guarantee their items for a year.  I'm still using my older Charge HR (purchased Dec 2015) as a back-up, but I mostly wear the Charge 2.  I'm also comparing it at the moment with a Flex 2, which already is doing showers, sauna, and hot tub like a champ.  In the summer I'll be swimming with both.  Once I get a feel for their differences (there are some) I'll probably only wear one or the other.

 

Anne | Rural Ontario, Canada

Ionic (gifted), Alta HR (gifted), Charge 2, Flex 2, Charge HR, One, Blaze (retired), Trendweight.com,

Down 150 pounds from my top weight (and still going), sharing my experiences here to try and help others.

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Today was a busy day.. For anyone who works a desk job, you can imagine the struggle of getting your 250 steps in each hour. Today was kind of comical when you are swamped and are making excuses to walk... I found myself taking the long way every time I left my desk. I made a point to take a letter to be mail box before the mail ran.. Then went back later to get the mail after it ran...lol. I made several runs to the back of the office for no reason, just hoping no one would ask what I was looking for... Lol.I was so happy to make all 10 again... 2 days in a row! I did make my 10,000 steps again as well... Super happy about that too. I came home from church thinking it is already Timmys bedtime and we had not had supper yet, he had homework to do, and I was whooped! I only had 8000 steps.. I came close to giving up, but decided to push myself. I jumped on the glider while Timmy ate and did his homework with papaw and got just over the 10,000 (10,417)I'll take that! Well I am whooped.... So I am going to call it a night. 

Rhonda - 46 - F - Kentucky - Charge HR
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@SunsetRunner  Welcome back! I know how it is to get discouraged and give up, I did that at the holidays. As long as we get back at it there's always hope. I've often heard if you don't try at all it's certain you won't achieve something. 

F, 53, 5'9", PA
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@SunsetRunner  I know what you mean about the achy body, that happens to me a lot. I do the same as you - give my body a day to recover. I've tried ignoring it but that just makes it so bad that I don't have a choice but to take a day or two off. For me it seems to be part of getting older.  😞

F, 53, 5'9", PA
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@Bobbinyc  That's too funny, I notice the same thing. I had an eye exam last week and noticed that the Dr's assistant had a Fitbit on. We started talking about it and went on & on about how much it changed our lives.

Last night I was on my way home from the gym and grocery store and got pulled over for speeding. I was in my own little world and wasn't paying any attention to what speed I was going. While I was sitting in my car waiting for them to do whatever they do I thought "I could be walking and getting more steps rather than just sitting in my car". Funny how much it changes people's thinking/habits.

 


@Bobbinyc wrote:

Had to make an almost midnight run to the supermarket last night for a neighbor.  While at the register, I noticed a man pacing quickly before checking out, even though the clerk was asking him to hurry because it was closing time.  He looked self-conscious when he got behind me, but we both cracked up when I said "gotta get those last steps" and pointed to my fitbit. 

 

In the library this morning I watched a woman with a big armload of books in one arm, other arm at her side, and trying to keep a toddler in tow without holding his hand.  The books hit the floor as the toddler ran off.  I started helping pick up the books and then laughed  - asked her is she was wearing an exercise tracker.  We both cracked up - anything to get those steps!

 

 


 

F, 53, 5'9", PA
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I have a question for anyone who has an answer...  Do any of you buy meals made at your local grocery store that you just take home, heat and eat? If so, how do you estimate the calories?

I sometimes buy things like that but I can't find anything similar in the Fitbit food database. It's always late when I go to the grocery store so there's never anyone there to ask.

F, 53, 5'9", PA
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@DJC_63

 

Hey DJC, good to hear from ya. I am totally all about the late night grocery shopping also.  Although accuracy of food logging is somewhat important, in my opinion I think concept of just doing it for every single item is more important. In other words, I would much rather log 21 out of 21 weekly meals with 90% accuracy compared to 19 out of 21 meals with 100% accuracy.

 

So moving on to those grocery store meals, I'm not sure if you are referring to those vacuum sealed fresh meals that you just microwave or the meals that they prepare with the leftover food buffet items. Regardless, I would try the following methods.

 

By weight - Not sure if you have a food scale handy wherever you consume these meals but I would try to measure the weight of the proteins (chicken, meat, fish, etc.) separately, then just google something like calories in 1oz of grilled chicken, 1oz of breaded chicken cutlet, 1oz of pork chop, 1oz flank steak then apply the scale measurement. Then just repeat the same for vegetable component, pasta component, etc. I know this way can appear to be a pain in the but, but keeping an extra 10 dollar food scale around wherever you consume these meals works well.

 

By volume - I have a nice metal measuring cup (1 cup size), that has quarter, third and half indentations on it. So if you get like mac n cheese or some pasta salad, just google something like 1/2 cup of potato salad, or 3/4 cup of macaroni and cheese, etc. Keeping multiple ones around ( one at office, at home, even in car if you eat there a lot helps)

 

By comparison - I look at fast food chain online nutritional info and frequently try to estimate # of calories off this. TGIF, Applebees, Boston Market, etc. So say  in your grocery store meal you get a piece of meatloaf, a side of baked ziti and a biscuit. Do a search for these items from popular places, look at of their serving size/nutrititonal info online, then guestimate based off of that.

 

By taking a pic and posting - Next time you get one of these late night meals, take a pic of the meal. Then I would make a posting in discussions for something like "Help me log this item", then people will reply with their estimates and you can compare. I have done this with a few fitbit friends where we email pics of difficult to log items, where we kinda discuss our rationale for why we logged x amount of cals. Usually we are about 50 to 100 cals off but end up getting it really close.

 

Good luck with it DJC, Take care.

 

In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
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