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

[rissadoodlebop]

If you dont' mind me asking - how did you manage to lose weight? My goal is similar to yours and I am just starting my weight loss journey. I'm feeling a bit discouraged that things aren't as simples as they seem. For example, my weight initially dropped (possibly due to water weight) and then has begun to fluctuate by going up and down a pound while I have been maintaining my low-cal diet along with either walking or doing Pilates and more recently I have begun to try cardio in an effort to reach my goal. 

It looks like you managed to lose the weight I am wanting to lose in the same time frame that I am trying to lose it. Any suggestions? 

[Caymanjet]

It sounds like you are doing all the right things. Are you on medication for your hypothyroidism. Maybe your medication needs adjustment. I have Graves diesease, hyperhythroidism. When I had it untreated I could eat anything and in huge quantities and not gain weight. Now I am hypo due to teatment and take medication every day. Initially it was hard to get the dosage right and greatly effected my weight.

[rissadoodlebop]

I am only on 75mcg of Levothyroxine after just switching endocrinologists'. And with this endo we are still in the testing phase of how this dosage affects me. I have blood work coming up very soon that will show the results. I am hoping that my Hypothyroidism/Hashimoto's Disease does not affect my weight loss goal. 

[Caymanjet]

Slowly , sowly loosing the weight. I have to be very strict with my self to see any weight loss. Walked between 10,000 and 17,000 steps a day this last week. Didn't make it to water fit but hope to go twice this week. Kept a deficit of approx 700 calories a day.

USW-161

CSW-140

GW-135

UGW-130

CW-137.6

[Caymanjet]

You will know more when you get your blood work back. It does make a big difference if the dosage is too low. I once put on 5lb in a week, 😞 (yikes) so it can be difficult

[rissadoodlebop]

Awesome job! 🙂 I think one of my issues is that I'm not being as patient with myself as I need to be. It took over 3 years for me to gain this weight and it's not just going to fall off in a month... also while keeping up my strict diet and exersise regimen. 

[rissadoodlebop]

Eeeep! Honestly, I can probably say that my weight gain is due to my change in work. I used to be very active on my feet all day and barely eating, and now I'm at a sedentary job where I work at a desk all day and try not to munch. The only reason I found out I had Hashimoto's Disease/Hypo is during my well-woman exam she felt around my neck and thought that it might've been a bit swollen around my thyroid. Lo and behold - the blood work revealed a TSH of 9.8. I had no other symptoms. So I find it strange that my hypo could affect me when I don't even feel symptoms. But the blood work will tell!!! Hopefully it has gone down. One of my goals is to be off Levothyroxine entirely. I have heard of others with hypo that have changed their diets and their thyroids kicked back into gear. I'm hoping mine will too! 

[Caymanjet]

I hope that works out for you, having to take medication is a pain. I have know choice as I had radoactive iodine treatment to stop my thyroid working. I am on the lowest dosage of synthroid so I think my weight loss so far has helped. I only found out about my thyroid problem when I started working out at Curves. They get you to take your heart rate often throught the work out. Mine was a 120 per minute resting heart beat. 

[rissadoodlebop]

Oh my that's high!!! Has your heart rate gotten better since using your Fitbit? 

[Elle0904]

@swimr12265 

I think I have the metabolism of a 90 yr old.  All that and I didn't lose anything significant!  I am going to chalk this up to that time of the month!!

Oh, those protein bars are AMAZING!  I normally can't handle protein bars (taste, upset stomach) and these haven't caused any issues at all!  Filling without feeling heavy.  It's how I've handled not being able to eat sweets, because it's almost like these replaced them.

[Elle0904]

@Bogdel

Thank you for your kind words.  

I have a determination that I've never had before.  I have never been this dedicated.  Plus I have kept it up for more than a week, so I am impressed with myself!

My weigh in Saturday would have been enough for me to have quit before.  But I am really taking it into stride. I keep repeating to myself "It took you time to put on this weight, it will take time to get rid of it."  

Yes, looking nice for my cruise is a huge motivator, but it's more than that.  I want to be healthy.  I want to feel good,.  I want to be strong.  So I know I have to put in the work.

Since I've gotten my fitbit, I have convinced my mom, my dad, and 4 friends (2 couples) to get a fitbit.  I hold dally challenges with them and try to cheer them along the way.  It helps keep me motivated and it has helped them decide to get healthier and keep them motivated to hit those 10K steps each day!  It's amazing what a message like "GO [Name]. you're on FIRE today!" can do for a person. 🙂

[syreina]

Update!!! I've gained weight! I have no one to blame but myself. During the weekend, I eat almost all day. I'm good when I'm at work during the week but once I'm home - I go into lazy mode.

CW (2.29.2016): 127.2 lbs

PW (2.22.2016): 126.2 lbs

PW (2.15.2016): 123.6 lbs

GW (3.28.2016): 116.2 lbs

UGW (4.25.2016): 110 lbs

USW (1.1.2015): 140 lbs

[AmandaMarieMoor]

Can I just be real for a min? I would like to be real and say that years ago I use to have a "different" opinion about overweight people. I use to think it was their fault for not losing the weight and that it was their fault for gaining it all as well. I'd hate to get stuck walking behind heavy people because of how slow they were and would get frusterated and angry when I saw big people in line at the grocery store or restaurant. I'd think to myself "Do you really need to be here as bad as I do?". Yes, I was weighcist! Now that the tables have turned I think that I can't help but beat myself up! I thank you all for your kind words, telling me to take it slow and not put too much pressure on myself but that's all I know. I don't even know how I ever developed that attitude. My parents weren't ever really that way. At least I don't remember if they were. Now I a think "How dare I?" Now that I know what it feels like in the "big-people" shoes.

[Papa-Paul]

Sine, We all have weeks like that (I had a very similar experience just this week).  For me, I know I did not increase my water intake with extra exercise...and a batch of peanut butter fudge made it to my refridgerator and some of that went to waiste (mine).  Hang in there!!

-Paul

[DJRMel]

week 2 check in:

USW 234lb 8/24/12
CSW- 194.00

CW - 189.8

GW- 188.00 easter
UGW- 165.00 2/12/17

That's another .8 lb, putting me at the low point of the weight for the last 5 months. Definitely doing better on water consumption!

[RubyH]

Keep chipping away @DJRMel, you are doing well.

[awood08]

I noticed alot of people asking for tips and advice on what works.

2 things:

1. What works for 90% of people may be the one thing that does not work for you unfortunately.

2. Think about long term.....do you want to be on a diet where you have to drink a shake or mixture every day to mantain your weight?

Not putting any diet plan down but for me, I think long term. Making the choice to replace an unhealthy item with a healthy option, swapping flour for coconut flour, butter for healthy oil, whole milk for almond milk, and even having that piece of cake but cutting your normal portion in half. These are all things I have done that have worked. I have not bought shakes, pre packaged weight loss meals, or "miracle" pills. I started out by cutting out everything I drank other than water, I went low carb, low calorie, and rewarded myself once a month with a small reward meal. (Usually pizza lol)

You have to find what works best for you, but I can just say from my own experience that yes it will be hard to not eat your favorite pasta dish from your favorite restaurant, and that chocolate marshmallow ice cream that you love to have will be missed. But once you get to a point of doing it so long where you have taught yourself that you can have little things and not blow your progress, and you can enjoy everything in life without having to sacrifice. I now can have chips, or a small scooop of that ice cream without feeling guilty and without throwing my hard work out the window. It takes time! I'm sure it took you years to put on the weight, and your mentality changed over those years. It will take time, maybe even years again to get back to the place you want to be. Physically & Mentally but it's so worth it! You are worth it!!

[Brujita]

@Milehighkerri drinking more water definitely helps but have you considered if you are getting enough sleep? It makes a difference for my body.

[Caymanjet]

I have noticed a huge difference in my weight loss when I get enough sleep. 

[rissadoodlebop]

@syreina Same here! It's easy to gain weight during the weekends cause I've got nothing to do (usually) and it's been so cold out it's hard to get my butt outside lately. You've been doing good though! Keep it up! You're so close to your goal! 

Try to discipline yourself that if you want to cheat-eat you need to make up for it! Anything would help counter-act it! 🙂