Valentines Day to Easter Challenge 2016

[saraj91]

Welcome to the next challenge! 

This one will run from Valentines day to Easter, so from February 14th to March 27th. Everyone and anyone can join this challenge in which we all set our own weight loss goals, this gives us 7 weeks in total to work towards them! 

This group of lovely people provides encouraging support and words of advice as we all share our experiences, good and bad. It has proved beyond helpful to myself and many others as we become healthier and achieve amazing things.

To be part of the challenge you start by posting your initial weight stats and what you would like to achieve by the end of the challenge. You can then check in as often as you'd like with a weight update, to share a story from your week or start a conversation about a topic you'd like some advice on.

 
So excited for us to keep working towards our goals with the fantastic friends from the last challenges and a big 'Hello!' to all the challenge newbies! 

Thank you @awood08 for kicking off the last challenge! 

 
A little rundown of terminology for anyone who is new: 

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

[dianenyc]

Hi Guys,

Reporting my stats (which I failed to do last week):

USW 184
CSW 166

CW: 166.2
GW 160
UGW 150 (subject to downward revision)

I have one word to explain my .2 lb gain -- BREAD! Just grateful it wasn't more.

I'm still on my Lenten break from the boards -- except for this weekly log-in -- I want to stay focused on the Lenten fast rather than losing weight.  So I'm still away until Easter.

Hope everyone is well and happy.

DianeNYC

[swimr12265]

Whoa @lusry!

You're a lush! (probably a nice one, though...lol).  You drink like I eat!  Hmmmm...

[lusry]

@swimr12265 lol I'm really not...I can just hold my alcohol. I really don't overeat that much..although it does happen (obviously - how else did I get to be 60lbs overweight? - well, 50 now) If I can curb the alcohol, then I think it will be a big help. BTW - I hope I don't sound like I'm an alcoholic, because I'm not, we usually just have drinks with dinner. Last night we ate at a place that we love and I ordered the food and drinks and when I came back to the table with 2 waters and only 1 beer my husband just looked at me like I was crazy and asked where my beer was. I guess he didn't believe me when I told him that I wasn't going to drink last night because I'd already done my two nights this week. I kinda wanted one after we ate, but I abstained and when I stepped on the scale today I was down another pound! So, I've been eating less, but not better and exercising a bit more but not enough. I need to step it up (no pun intended!) and get back on the right track.

[swimr12265]

@dancefoxtrot

Barb, yours is the voice of reason I need with me when I am in front of a table of "finger food" at a book club event...when a student tells me "I brought this box of cookies for you because my daughter is in Girl Scouts" (um, no, they are not going to be "put in the freezer until later"; I would simply keep thinking about them until I had to eat them, so I didn't even try to fool myself.  I simply ate the entire box after my sandwich on Thursday)... and when my friend invites me over to see a movie and presents me with buffalo chicken pizza (Pizza!!) and hot out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies.  I mostly pass these things up at the store.  I don't eat them at home very often.  However, here are three examples of times just this week I have given in to temptation.  When food like this is not around me, I have no problem resisting it (lol!!).  I also do not feel compelled to buy it very often.   When it is offered to me, however, I am like the proverbial kid in a candy shop.  I succumb almost every time.  No doubt, when (if) I finally learn to resist, I will likely reach my ultimate goal weight.  If I were not a social being, I would probably waste away.  So, these over-indulgences really are not my fault.  My message to the world around me:  "Stop tempting me!  You are bad!" lol.

No, in all honesty I realize it is up to me to resist temptation, and I am truly working on it.  I just have to work harder.  If I do, I likely will not have to resort to the craziness of depriving myself of sustenance as I am doing now (although I am truly not hungry) to counteract the "collateral damage" of my binges.

Thank you for your wise words.  I will try to remind myself of them when I am in Las Vegas. Best of luck, and have fun at your dance.  I bet you will look and dance devine(ly)!!

[swimr12265]

@IzzieSellars,

Yay, Izzie!  Great job!!

[swimr12265]

Wow @Elle0904,

If I had a week like yours, I would be down 5 pounds!! No lie!  What is it about human metabolism?  I think one of the reasons I eat like I do is because it seems I can.  No, I am not at my goal weight of 115 pounds, but no one would ever look at me and know that I have a desire to lose weight.  My BMI is generally 18 or 19.  I am considered right at or under my target weight (if one goes by "conventional wisdom," which I do not).  Your performance this week was very impressive.  I am going to try very hard to have a week like yours before leaving on Friday (I am just praying that it will be a healthy vacation rather than an extended binge).  Keep up the great work!! (You did NOT just tell me about a "tastes like Thin Mints" protein bar, did you??? Nooooooooooo!!!)

[swimr12265]

@lusry,

No, I'm so sorry if I sounded accusatory.  I was actually trying to point a finger at myself and have a little fun at your expense.  I'm sorry.  We all know that alcoholics are people who hide what they drink.  You are out in the open about it and clearly able to exercise restraint when you want to; that seems to be the antithesis of alcoholism.  Although, what do I know?  I live in a glass house.

[lusry]

@swimr12265,

Oh, I didn't think you sounded accusatory, I just realized that some others might think that I drank too much and sounded like an alcoholic  I defintely got your joke, my clarification wasn't directed toward you. I'm from the south and sometimes if someone hears that you drank a whole bottle and a half of wine in one night that makes you an alocholic in their eyes. Prob just a little southern baptist guilt popping up from the back of my mind hahaha 

[ffcarpy]

SO I got this fitbit as a gift last birthday (not sure what to think of that actually!)  It has helped out - especially when linked with MFP.  Used it from like June to September and dropped down to about 10 lbs from my goal weight.  Without motivation and encouragement, I let the holidays and stress of everyday life add most of it back.  So February 1st I said no to another pant size and dug in again!!

USW- 227

CSW- 224

GW- 198

UGW- 190

CW- 214

Question:  Since I haven't gone to the gym in years (although I am really active on the weekends) - Is it a better idea to start to work out while you are trying to lose weight or concentrate on one thing at a time?  I am just not sure I will have the willpower to do both!

[Caymanjet]

What worked for me ffcarpy was to focus on weight loss first. Once I got comfortable with that I added excercise. Giving myself small goals and building on that.

Sent from my iPad

[Brujita]

we have very similar goals.

[Brujita]

Im late to this challenge but why not jump in

Stats:

 5'3.5,  27yo

USW- 168 (12/2015)

CSW- 161 (2/14)

GW- 152 at Easter

UGW- 128-125

PW- 135

CW- 159.8 (2/27)

MFP- bruitabrujita

Feel free to friend me on here.

[RubyH]

Sunday Check in, greetings all, had a tough week getting my macros right with my LCHF fat, currently I am on 1200calories a day of which I am to eat no more than 8% in nett Carbs, under 25g day, 20% Protein, max 60g day, and 72% healthy fats. My carbs and my protein were higher than they should have been so more attention to the details is required but I gained a little, and feel bloated.

CSW Feb 13, 147.7 lbs

          Feb 20, 145.1

CW    Feb 28, 144.2

GW  Easter     140  (under revision)

UGW                127.7 hopefully by August, which will be a BMI of 24.1 for my staure of 5'1" (also under revision)

[OCDOC]

@RubyH

One thing I stopped doing is counting total calories while on LCHF. I make sure carbs are counted, then ensure adequate protein, then I stop caring. 

What really works for me is taking long breaks after big meals; if I feel stuffed, I don't eat anything except a coffee or a greasy bite until I am hungry again. This can be anywhere from 12 to 36 hrs! I'm never hungry ( I eat when I get hungry..)   🙂  Rob K

[RubyH]

Thanks @OCDOC, I am not really counting the calories, but rather the Carbs and Protein and its hard to get an adequate amount of fibrous veg in and very easy to overdo the protein, but I weigh in every day and if I am up I review everything I ate yesterday and correct them. My aim is to lose this excess baggage permanently and being accountable for my choices is parbamount to success. I am carb resistent and dont digest tyhem properly, LCHF is the only thing that has been consistant for me as long as I pay attention to the macros and stay very close to my figures. I have new scales coming (Aria) as I am not always sure my current ones are reading right but I choose to be responsible and accountable for my actions. My health and weight and fitness depends on it. I love success stories and success is sticking at it and making adjustments where necessary and I wont be beating myself up over it as I am closer than I have ever been in a very, very, long time. Best wishes to you and everyone else in this forum xx.

[hannahbebrave]

@dancefoxtrot

I was reading and wondering if someone would write about the drinking and partying and emotional eating.  Nice to read your post.  I am an expert in making excuses but that never gets me anywhere and at this point in life, I see it as my needing to grow up more and be in reality.  It's so hard to find the balance of supportive understanding and just plain "no excuses, you can do this" reality.  I guess I need encouragement and maybe some tips when I don't well.  I don't want treats anymore, I want to treat myself well.  So, thanks dancefoxtrot.

[Papa-Paul]

Day 5 Check-in

Greatly increased exercise but greatly increased stress doesn't look to be a good combination for me...I am a stress eater.  I'm a little bummed, but will do a better job with the stress in the next 5 days:
CSW- 206 (23 Feb)
CW - 207 (28 Feb) Diff: +1

GW- 199
UGW- 186
MFP- FitBit Zip

[sed59]

weekly check in:

• USW- 178 (July 2015)
• CSW- 151 (2-14-16)
• GW- 141
• UGW- 110
• PW- 151 (2-14-16)
• CW- 149.3 (2-28-16)

[DJC_63]

Today is my weigh day. Nothing major but I'm excited when I lose anything.

USW - 207.5 (1/14/15)
CSW - 202 (1/1/16)
PW - 199.6 (2/21/16)

CW - 198 (2/28/16)

GW - 190.00

UGW - 160.00

[ffcarpy]

Thanks for the advice.  Not sure if I will ever get comfortable on the weight loss side - it just always feels like I am slightly starving myself and I feel on edge because of it.  I will however keep going because I am convinced that it is not healthy to be carrying this extra weight around!