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]

Thank you for that Rob! 🙂

[RubyH]

@awood08, I totally agree with Rob, I have metabolic syndrome and it led to some awfull immune responses in my body, no carb is equal in how they affect the body, I can't even have a small bowl of porridge for brekfast as it sits in my stomach, undigested, all day and sometimes longer.Eating more than 30% of daily allowance in carbs makes me very ill. Thanks to the LCHF people, I am back on the road to health and weight loss, just through eating Real Foods and Real Natural Fats like avocados, nuts, full fat milk, cream and yoghurt, butter and coconut oil and cream. 

[RubyH]

My weekly Check In, greetings all, especiallly newcomers, we all need encouragement and yes, WE ALL CAN DO IT.

CSW Feb 13 147.7

GW Easter     140

PW    Mar 11 139.6

CW   Mar 19  137.8

Revised GW 135

UGW 126

[dancefoxtrot]

@awood08

Glad that you got the fat% from that body scan. Dr. offices should have those machines. You are really smart and flexible to change your goal to lessen the padding. You are getting healthier by the week. Good for you.

Barb G 

[dancefoxtrot]

@OCDOC

Science backs up the need for quality food. Empty carbs and sugar leads to so many chronic diseases. If we want healthy cells then we need to make the nutrients available to repair or replace them. 

Thanks for your post.

Best,

Barbara G

[ffcarpy]

Even though I don't comment on everyone's posts or put a Like on each and every one they certainly do help and encourage and I thank everyone for sharing a bit of your story!

USW- 227 (When I went to the doctors and stepped on the scale)

CSW- 224 (2/1/2015) (When I decided to do something about the extra pounds)

XSW - 217 (2/14/2015)

GW- 198

GW for 3/27 = 209

PW- 213

CW- 207 (I knew there was alot of water weight last week and even though I thought of giving up when the scale showed +3lbs., I buckled down and tried alittle harder and am glad I did!)

[Paradise555]

CSW about 282lb on any given day

GW is 278 (just want it under 280).

MFP 555Paradise

[SunsetRunner]

I haven't done very well this time either. I've started taking more water pills with my doc's consent to alleviate the water retention. Surprising how much water I retain considering I only drink 3 to 4 cups of liquid per day. It seems to be working a bit. Now all I have to do is change my eating habits and I should be good to go. So I'll be coming back after the Easter Challenge.

I also need to find something that will help prevent my skin from getting irritated from my fitbit.

[DJC_63]

@SunsetRunner, I had a problem with skin irritation. I started switching mine from one wrist to the other, and I clean it anytime I think I've sweated EVEN A LITTLE (that includes while I'm sleeping). I also make sure it's completely dry before I put it back on. Those things have worked for me, at least through the winter. Summer weather will be the real test.
Also, how did you know that you were retaining a lot of water, vs. fat or bloating from air?

[DJC_63]

@ffcarpy, great mindset! And great results! Obvi the digging in worked! I was feeling a little frustrated one day this week but I saw a video of a woman with no hands or feet doing Cross Fit. Imagining the frustrations and patience that she has had gave me a whole different outlook.

[DJC_63]

@wood08, that sounds very cool! I wish that I could find something like that. My gym has had a table with a sign on it saying "want to find out your body fat %?" But there's never anyone there when I come in. Maybe I'll ask at the ain desk about it.

[HelenKr]

It's never too late to start over @SunsetRunner!  Good luck, you can do it!

[Bogdel]

Hi, @OCDOC! If the calories-in are good & healthy, I don't think we should ignore the Calories-in/Calories-out principle. I am not an expert on nutrition and weight loss, but logically and practically, if we burn more than we eat (and we eat healthy, nutrition food!), we should loose weight. If we add exercise to that, the success is sure. So, if someone advocates calories-in/calories out, but eats unhealthy, I agree - we should either educate them or ignore them. But we must not include those who eat healthy in that group. 

I saw your progress on your goal: great job! You must do something right... Keep it up!

[bluenose1962]

PW- 190

CW - 176 (15/2/16) 173 (21/2/16) 171 (28/2/16) 170 (6/3/16) 168.2 (13/3/16) 165.2 (15/3/16)

162 (20/3/16)

GW - 160 (Easter)

UGW - 145 (9/5/16)

Not a bad week at all.

The weight loss seems to have dropped into place, with 5 out of the 7 days including varying degrees of gym work.

Managed to increase muscle and lose fat which has to be good.

I was fairly niaive at the start of this, and it was only about the scales and steps, but with the help of a good PT, I have done work on my diet as well, which all adds to a lifestyle change, which has to be the way to go.

2 more PT sessions next week, and daily classes booked, so this challenge will be met, and look forward to the next one.

New job to start on 4th April, which is 45 miles closer to home, so I might even allow a glass of wine in a month or so.

Here's to next weekend !

[sed59]

USW- 178

CSW- 151

GW- 140

PW- 147.7

CW- 146.8

[Brujita]

Great to see you guys keeping on with your goals!

A little disappointed to not see the scale move more, however glad to see it going down even if its a teeny tiny bit. I suppose it was the birthday (St. Patricks Day) meal of corned beef and cabbage and cake. Also the pizza last night (can't turn down the Meat Classic). But all in all im doing something right since it looks like I maintained this week. Haven't reached my daily goals, maybe 3 out of 7 Days.

But besides treating myself with food for my birthday, I also invested in getting fitted for running shoes. I went to the RoadRunner Sports store, Where they have this thing called the Shoe Dog (its free). The employee who fits you will ask you some questions about what  your needs are and what aches you may have. Then you stand on a mat that shows where you carry your weight, then you do a jog on their treadmill and review the footage to see and discuss how you run. They then make you custom inserts (you dont have to buy but I did). Turns out I have high arches and that is why my arches hurt when doing certain workouts. Also was wearing the wrong size shoes (by half a size) and that your feet swell when you run (who knew). So got myself the insoles, some socks and a pair of shoes.  It was very informative and a sound investment in my book. Even if its just for walking, I definitely recommend it if you have one near. 

I should reach my goal as long as I stay on track this coming week. Its my kids Spring Break so I am sure there will be a lot of going to the park which should help with being active. 

USW- 168 (1/1/16)

UGW- 128-125

this challenge:

SW- 161 (2/14)

PW- 160.2 (2/21)

PW- 157.8 (2/28)

PW: 155.8 (3/5)

PW- 153.2 (3/13)

CW: 152.8 (3/20)

     GW- 152 at Easter

Only one more week!

[Elansc]

Just checking in this week.  The scale is down another 0.7 lbs (yippee!!)

Still in the 170's!!! and well on my way for the goal next week 

I met my 10K step goal every day (and every day since February 1st!!!) 

Still trying to eat between 1700-1800 calories -- Managed to do that 5 of 7 days….  had one "cheat" day but overall I was still in a calorie deficit (that took a bit more time on the threadmill that night   Still focusing on trying to drink more water throughout the day… not a great week for that...

Weight on Feb 15th 184.2
Weight on Feb 21st 181.8
Weight on Feb 28th 181

Weight on Mar 3rd 180

Weight on Mar 13th 178.5

Weight on Mar 20th 177.8 Just 0.8 to go for this challenge
GW 177 (by Easter)
UGW 165 (by June 30)

Hope that everyone has a healthy week!!  And I can't wait until the next challenge!!

[HelenKr]

Great to see a lot of hard work and success going on here. 

I'm continuing to lose very slowly.  There always seems to be something that gets me off track.  This week it was dinner and a show with some work friends.  That's ok, I'm happy to be able to continue to make a little progress, it adds up.  Thanks to everyone in this group for the support you provide.  It's great to be able to come here for some inspiration, or commiseration, as needed.

Hang in there folks!  One more week for this challenge.

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)

CW:      152.8      (3/14/16)

CW:      152         (3/21/16)

GW:      149     

UGW:    135

[SunsetRunner]

@DJC_63, I have Congestive Heart Failure and retain a lot of water. My cardiologist has cut my liquids down to about 4 cups a day.I can also notice when my ankles are swollen and I have to weigh myself every morning. If I gain more than 3 lbs overnight, I need to take extra water pill otherwise my BP will go up. I cut my salt out as much as I can but some things have salt already in them. We also try to get things that are unsalted and not salt added. But the "no salt added" sometimes has salt already in it so you have to check the ingredients.

[DJC_63]

@SunsetRunner I see. My Dad had CHF but he never talked about what he had to do for it other than taking pills. I understand about the salt, too, it seems that everything has added salt or sugar. I probably should watch my sodium, it always seems so high even tho I don't choose many salty foods.