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

[Papa-Paul]

Day 11 Check-in

Increased exercise is making a difference in stress levels...can see noticeable change in muscle tone:
CSW- 206 (23 Feb)
CW - 207 (28 Feb) Diff: +1

CW - 205.9 (7 Mar) Diff. -0.1 (Not much, but it IS progress)

GW- 199
UGW- 186
MFP- FitBit Zip

[FancyNikki]

USW - 186
CSW- 180
UGW-170

[Chlz1997]

@DJC_63 Hope you feel better soon and *fingers-crossed* the weight loss sticks once you are feeling well 

[Chlz1997]

Welcome to the group @sharoncraft37 & @FancyNikki 

[HelenKr]

Checking in.  Well, I'm happy to report another loss (small, but I'll take it!).  Why does it have to be so hard?  I feel like I'm being very good, but not losing much.  I haven't been getting as much exercise since I hurt my foot over a month ago, but it gets better and then it hurts again.  So my vow is no heels of any kind and try to walk through it.  Looks like it will be hard to meet my goal for Easter, but I'll try.  Any loss is a good loss - right?

USW:   173        (10/2015)

CSW:   156.8      (2/14/16)

PW:      155.2      (2/20/16)

PW:      154.8      (2/28/16)

CW:      154         (3/07/16)

GW:      149     

UGW:    135

[Milehighkerri]

...

[Chlz1997]

I am feeling GREAT!  I worked my tail off this weekend to get 15K+ steps in both days - currently #1 on my friends leaderboard - not by far and may not last long but for this moment in time - I'm #1 and it feels amazing . I'm a bit competitive so it definitely helped being able to have Internet access to compare my stats.  I hit all my goals Sat and Sun and even with (TOM) showing up Sat I am only up .8 --  I'm not worried because he should be gone before my official weigh-in on Thursday.   Reviewing my log and my sodium Sat night was a bit high so gonna chug some extra H20 to help flush it out. I made a batch of weight loss soup (recipe from PeerTrainer) for lunches this week and have salads prepped and ready to go.  I am determined to hit my challenge goal this week!  Hope everyone has a super fabulous Monday! #keepmovingforward

[HelenKr]

I'm curious about the ARIA scale.  How does it calculate body fat % and BMI?  Do you enter additional data about height and waist measurements?

[Elle0904]

Well, I lost 6 ounces.  I guess I should be happy as it was a loss....but I thought I'd see more, so I am a little disappointed.  These last two weeks have really set me back from meeting my goal for Easter.

My competitiveness kicked into high gear this week, and I concentrated more on steps and didn't really do my HIIT videos.  I am guessing that's why I didn't really lose too much.  I walked 101,505 steps last week (average of 14,500 steps a day).  It has been great for my heart rate, but it didn't result in much weight loss.

So this week I will be incorporating more HIIT and lifting, maybe decrease my steps down to 12K (this gives me the full 5 miles).  As others have stated, weight training burns more fat.

Everyone is doing a GREAT job!  Keep up the good work!

USW    236

SW      206

2/20     203.2

2/27     202.8

CW      202.2

GW    192 (may have to revise to 196)

GW by June 8th 170 (cruise and 35th bday celebration week)

UGW  150

[Brujita]

---

@HelenKr wrote:

I'm curious about the ARIA scale.  How does it calculate body fat % and BMI?  Do you enter additional data about height and waist measurements?

---

@HelenKr this is from the FAQ "The Aria scale measures body mass using bioimpedance analysis, which sends a small electric signal through the body."

it works with your home wi-fi to connect to your fitbit app or acct. it takes your data fromm your account so if its already set up you dont have to anything else. We just got one on 2/28. the hardest part was tryingto get it to connect to my husbands acct. you invite through your fitbit acct/app and the invite is sent through e-mail. the scale recognizes me based on weight. with my regular exercise i have noticed my bf% going down and lean muscle going up. there ismore dicussion on this overat the Aria Discussion Boards 

here is the set up page and a video to show you how to set it up and may answer more questions.

Hope that helps!

[Sine]

So no change again in my weight yesterday but did still lose some inches. Gained a little bit on my legs but that will be due to the increased exercise the past week. I managed to workout every other day so that's a start. Had a couple of bad weeks with eating the wrong things due to a stressful situation at work. This week I have made a commitment to myself that I need to find other ways to cope. So no potato chips! Starting a new meditation sequence with Deepak Chopra on March 21 so that will also help.

Great to see how well people are doing - it is additional motivation to stick to my program.

[scottie0714]

Hi everyone! Sorry I've been out of pocket for the past 2 weigh ins.  I had a 1 lb gain 2/28 but I think it was due to not having enough fiber in my diet.  At any rate, I'm trying to get better at that.

Here are my stats:

USW - 213

CSW - 207 (2/12)

PW - 204

CW 202 (3/5/16) - hope to be at 195 by Easter.

GW - 180

UGW - 160

[sharoncraft37]

Thank you @Chlz1997.  I just got a small workout in and it feels great! The wheel on my wagon broke the last two days...lol!

[scottie0714]

Hi Elle! You can do it!  Definitely up the strength training - that should give you a boost!  I know its frustrating when it comes off so slow (and you feel like you're going above and beyond your plan).  It encourages me to hear yours and everyone's progress, as I have been discourated at times.

Keep doing what you're doing - the weight will come off!

[Elle0904]

Thanks @scottie0714!!!  Although I am disappointed, I am not letting it discourage me enough to stop.  I know it will come off, slowly.  I'd rather do that and tone along the way, than to drop too much, too fast and look flabby (that's what I did right before my wedding with the medifast diet...plus eating that crap was torture!)

My body is changing for sure and shrinking.  I feel so much better,  I have energy.  I was having heart palpitations for months in the Fall.  Between eating better, exercising, and giving up coffee Christmas day, I am no longer feeling any of that!!

I keep focusing on that, rather than just the scale number. on the scale.

[scottie0714]

@Elle0904 Did you say you gave up coffee? OMG - how on earth did you do that?  I LOVE coffee!  However, I have modified what I'm drinking...during the holidays I gained at least 10 lbs from the holiday drinks alone.  So, now I just brew reg coffee ( a flavor that I like) and have creamer and 2 splenda.  I limit this to once a day (during the week).  Before, I was drinking at least 2 cups a day.  

[Elle0904]

@scottie0714

It happened by accident.  I suffer from migraines, and every time I had attempted to give up coffee or reduce before, I ended up getting terrible attacks.

I went to Puerto Rico for Christmas, and three days into my vacation, I realized I hadn't had any coffee (and didn't have any migraines).  So I just didn't have any coffee from that moment forward!  I miss it.  I really miss it on the weekends, sitting on my balcony or front porch and enjoying a cup early in the morning

[DJC_63]

Thanks, @Chlz1997!  I think it will - I'm thinking positive!  I did more work outs than usual last week, and the weather is supposed to be beautiful here this week, which always motivates me to exercise more.  So far today my stomach seems better - I was able to eat real food instead of just saltine crackers. I'm still really tired, but I assume that's from not eating much. Hopefully I'll be able to go to sleep early and wake up feeling good and ready to exercise!  I'm so psyched to finally be losing weight!!!

[DJC_63]

@HelenKr I've been wondering about the scale, too. It's pricey to me, so I wondered what makes it worth that price?

[Elansc]

I have the Aria scale too -- i like it but it was a bit pricey..... watched and I did not see it on sale ever so I paid full price.... My only complaint is that if you move the scale, it seems to be a bit off for 2-3 weigh ins....  One day -- after moving it -- I was 12 pounds lighter.... NOW that was disappointing when I realized that it was the "scale got moved again" glitch....