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

[awood08]

Hey everyone! Hope you all are having a great week!

I'm going to be tested for sure the next few days, I finally got the tattoo I've been wanting so I'm out of the gym for at least 4-5 days to make sure the healing process stays uncompromised. It's on my arm so it's a high movement and sweat area unfortunately so I have no way around it. I will be going for walks at least in the evenings when it is cool out to keep up the activity. So far I've been able to get back to where I started, so I'm very happy about that. With a few weeks left I doubt I'll drop those last nine pounds but it will be okay!

USW  6/16/15 235

CSW  2/12/16 169

PW    2/28/16 170

CW     3/3/16  169

UGW  6/16/16 160

[Elle0904]

@Bogdel

I used this website to figure out how many calories in that salad (that entire bowl), and it said that it was 590 calories.  When I have this meal on the weekends as a late lunch, I don't really have a large dinner.  Usually a protein shake made with water at around 235 calories (with a few pieces of fruit).

If I make this for dinner, I will only half half that portion. so about 300 calories.

I stopped putting olive oil on it.  The olive oil was what I was usuing as subsitutue to salad dressings which pack lots of calories and nasty preservatives.

My goal this week is to try to get no less than 14K a day.  So if I am watching TV, then on commercials I get up and move (high kicks, jumping jacks, or walking around the family room.  I try to sneak in as many steps as possible anywhere I can.  I am about to go do two laps on our manufacturing floors during our morning 15 minute break...so I will get about 1200 steps just from that.  I do 4 laps during lunch and 2 laps during our afternoon break.

[Brujita]

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@Chlz1997 wrote:

This week's NSV - tightening my belt a notch! Also, have a lunch date today at Olive Garden for my cousin's birthday. I have already researched and logged what I will eat.  Don't want to sabotage my hard work this week!

Congrats to all you beautiful losers  stay focused and keep moving forward - no matter how small - it ALL adds up!!

---

@Chlz1997 NSVs are so nice because even when im frustrated with the scale, I have other reminders that my hard work is paying off. 

[Elle0904]

@Brujita

Absolutely!

Since getting my FitBit Jan 5th, my resting heart rate has gone from 84 to 68!!!  Now there's a motivator, my heart is working more efficiently! 🙂

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi all and welcome newbies,

Well for some reason I'm struggling to lose this challenge darn it. In part due to a knee injury so I'm sitting, icing and elevating it, and dancing and walking less. Finally I get to see my ortho dr. this afternoon. 

I'm also hungrier which makes no sense since I'm burning less. Perhaps it is the chillier weather which is upping the appetite.

I'm very good about not eating junk but I tend toward too many nuts, figs and like last night a full bowl of veggie chili 300 cals. 

Anyhow this am I'm up to 142.3 so I'm starting over to reverse this upward trend. 

Not discourage but a bit frustrated with my impulsive eating.

Yeah to everyone who is doing well. 

Original starting weight Feb.3, 2015       153

Valentine Challenge start weight 2/11    142

Lowest weight in  sept 2015                   133        

Current weight                                        142.3  grumble growl.

goal weight                                             134 

So more veggies, and less late night eating while watching the late night insane politically fighting. It is so unpresidential and immature the way some candidates are behaving. What a circus atmosphere while the world watches.  Probably encourages the late night snacking due to anxiety. 

All the very best to everyone,

Barbara Goodridge  

[dancefoxtrot]

Brujita

Great plan to log your choice even before getting to celebration. What does NSV stand for? Is it non-starchy veggies??? I love them.

Thanks,

Barbara 

[OCDOC]

@dancefoxtrot

Agree that watching the politics can drive people to intense cravings! I went for (lots of) milk and cookies; if I went for alcohol I might end up in a coma lol 🙂  Rob

PS Non-Scale Victories 🙂

[Brujita]

@dancefoxtrot Yep Non Scale Victories. such as clothes fitting better, feeling stronger, not getting winded from walking, etc etc. 

[dancefoxtrot]

Brujita, 

Thanks Non scale victories are definately important.

Barb G

[dancefoxtrot]

@OCDOC

LOL Glad you are not comatose! No cookies at my house fortunately. I wish to heck the media gave equal time to the remaining 6 candidates. The most ridiculous insulting untruthful ones get most of the attention broadcast around the world. Very embarrassing to say the least. 

So far today, 2 cups of coffee with almond milk and lots of vitamin & mineral supplements. 2 cage free eggs and 1 slice of toast whole grain seed bread, 3 figs and a handful of walnuts. Now ready to eat 7 brussel sprouts steamed for lunch and off to a dance session and then the ortho doc.  

Goal is to eat earlier and just drink herbal tea and water after dinner. 

Congrats on all your progress. 

Barb G

[Elansc]

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@Elle0904 wrote:

@Brujita

Absolutely!

Since getting my FitBit Jan 5th, my resting heart rate has gone from 84 to 68!!!  Now there's a motivator, my heart is working more efficiently! 🙂

---

wow Elle0904 that is amazing!!  

[Elansc]

almond milk in coffee !!  Why didn't i think of that!   I might even be able to drink that without sugar (as I find almond milk a bit sweet).   Thanks Barbara!   Love the cool ideas that I am getting from this challenge.  

[OCDOC]

Week 3 check-in

USW 246

CSW 223

LstWk 219

Today 216

CGW 215

UGW 200?

Some observations/comments to share with this amazing group:

Super-strict with food. My one late-night milk&cookie binge was entered as the next day's breakfast and lunch. (Didn't feel like eating 'til dinner anyway..guilt...).

20-40 minutes daily of HIIT or vigorous weight training seems as effective as chasing a zillion steps (so far).

Can't believe it's 30 lbs since mid-December..it's been hard and AND kinda not hard. Hardest part is not drinking (which makes me eat like a maniac..)  Rob K

[Caymanjet]

Wow OCDOC you are doing great. Keep up the good work your are an inspiration to us all.

[DJC_63]

@OCDOC, that's great!! I'm curious, are u in the Cali OC or another one? I used to live in Irvine, CA.

[RubyH]

Awesome @OCDOC, keep up the good work ! I found as I was getting closer that it pays off to be super strict too, even gone so far as setting up a speadsheet so I can calculate my intakes of Fats, Proteins and Nett Carbs to ensure I stay just on/under my allowances.

Last week Feb 28, 144.2

This week Mar 4,   141.1

GW                         140 revised to 135

UGW                       127.7 revised to 126 lbs (9 stone/57kg/BMI 23.7)

Keep up the good work peoples and we will bowl this challenge.

Quote of the day" The 3 C's of life, Choice, Chance and Change. You must make a Choice to take a Chance or your life will never Change."

[Papa-Paul]

Still not making as much headway on this goal as I want, but my steps and jogging speed have definitely increased.  I'm going for the 'muscle mass improvement increases weight' rationale...in the meantime, I get on the scales and it reads, "One at a time, please" *grin*.

High 5's to all who are kicking it on this challenge!,

-Paul

[Papa-Paul]

OCDOC, You are right about weight training and the associated calorie burn.  I find that if I get stuck or plateau at a weight level (like I am right now at 207), then mixing things up more with increased weight training and fewer steps seems to help 'break through' those barriers.

Keep it up!  You are doing very well with your weight loss,

-Paul

[ms1960]

Down 3 lbs. I am good with this.  Slow and steady. Almost back to my last marathon weight.  Have a 5K coming up and my son is thinking he will cruise right by me without much training.  I think he will have a surprise coming!

Thanks again to everyone for the inspiration.

USW- 205

CW-176

GW- 150

UGW- 140

[hadley1979]

well done everyone!

I lost 2lb this week so 5lb to go to get to my goal weight. I started kettleworx (am on my 3rd day) but I think I am using a weight that is too light for me.

Happy stepping!