TEAM: Gutbusters (May)
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craigo3154
Posts: 2,572 Member
Welcome to the Challenge new and returning teammates!! This is the conversation/weigh in thread for your Team 
Keep on losing because our first weigh ins begin THIS Sunday! I am here for you should you need anything - simply message me or tag me by putting an '@' just before my username (NO SPACES) and I will get to you asap! ~ Craig @craigo3154.
Keep on losing because our first weigh ins begin THIS Sunday! I am here for you should you need anything - simply message me or tag me by putting an '@' just before my username (NO SPACES) and I will get to you asap! ~ Craig @craigo3154. 0
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Hi, team!
I am concordancia, this will be my third month participating. I like walking, yoga and dancing. I am a diabetic, so on a low carb diet.
I am looking forward to Spring, as I am currently curled up on the couch under a blanket.1 -
Hi, all! I'm Elise, a mid-twenties English teacher living in Va with Aspen, my maltese mix furbaby. I’ve been a part of this team since January.
I'm not traditionally a fan of exercise (seriously—I’ve pointed this out in my intro for the past several months lol), but I am becoming addicted to it. Every week, I try to do a core class at the YMCA, a few hours on the elliptical, a handful of Nike Training workouts, and a 7 mile walk with friends. I’m going to go ahead and give this Gutbuster community—and @craigo3154 in particular—credit for getting me to start working out. I started small with the optional challenges (you’ll learn about them soon if you aren’t already familiar with them) and have built up my strength constantly ever since.
I am very committed to tracking my calories and keeping under my calorie goal! I began my weight loss journey October 30 and have lost 35 pounds to date. I've been using HealthyWage and DietBet to keep on track and have realized that I needed the tangible benefits of winning money to stay committed. I've tried weight loss and tracking before and never made it past a month or ten pounds.
I try to stay fairly active on these threads. I think it keeps me in the right (growth) mindset!0 -
Hello team Gutbusters.
I will be your coach again for this month. My role here is to help motivate, encourage.
I am also the primary moderator for the TBL challenge. I rely heavily on the support of the team captains to make this successful as it is too much for one person to do alone.
At this stage team Gutbusters does not have a captain. Please PM me (@craigo3145.) if you feel you could fulfil this role. A team captain's primary role is to also help motivate and encourage the team. A team captain's secondary role is to enter weekly weigh-in data into the competition spreadsheet. Should be about 15mins per day.
As coach, I am running an optional mini-challenge within the Gutbusters team again this month.
Now an introduction:
I am a happily married 49yo father of one. I live in Melbourne Australia. I am passionate about helping people. Late August last year I passed my minimum goal weight (70kg - down from 91.5kg) and am now trying to maintain without bouncing back too far. I achieved the reduction in 4 months (so 40+ lbs in 4 months).
As I am now actively trying to NOT lose weight. At BMI 22.4 and less than 11% body fat, it would be crazy (if not dangerous) for me to try lose more weight.
(Why would someone not losing weight want to run a weight loss challenge? Because it helps so many people and I feel I have so much to share. I learned so much losing weight that I seems a shame to not have it benefit others.).
About the mini-challenge.
First and foremost is that participation in this challenge is optional. It's up to you as to whether you want to try this. (If you take the attitude that "this is not what I signed up for", that is up to you).
I used the principles of this challenge to win July (6.29% - down 10.8 lbs) and August (6.44% - down 10.4 lbs). Following this challenge does work.
The challenge is based on another challenge on MFP called UAC (ultimate accountability challenge). The way UAC works is that the aim is to follow 5 basic rules.- Track EVERYTHING you eat that has calories on MFP.
- Stay inside your allocated daily budget.
- Do at least 20 minutes of activity a day (anything: walk, run, cycle, swim, gardening, housework, yoga, gym, etc.. As long as it gets you active and off the couch)
- 1 pass day permitted per week (went over calories, could not track, not enough exercise, intentional pass)
- Check in daily (tracking yes/no, calories yes/no, exercise yes/no).
Using this strategy of consistent tracking and minimal exercise I have set a lifestyle plan that should keep me in my target weight range. (has for the last month )
I liked this strategy as:- No dietary restrictions. (fine for vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, paleo, carnivore, etc...)
- Works with whatever strategy you may want to follow. (keto, 5:2, 16:8, atkins, etc..).
- You set your own daily budget (MFP helps with this).
- You choose you own exercise and intensity (no step limit, no exercises you cannot or should not do, 20 mins of gardening counts as much as a 10mile run).
- Is not weight based (as weight fluctuates day by day).
- Can continue beyond weight loss.
Daily check in keeps you in touch with those doing similar. Longer term weight management is hard to do on your own.
It also has frequent resets (as in a circle each week).
It works on an honor system. Being honest with yourself and others is a key to making things work.
Consistency and new habits have been shown the only long term successful way to change weight. We all want the progress made here to last a lifetime.
You will find out more from me as the weeks go on. I have done A LOT of research into weight loss, diets, health and strength. I will happily share what I have learned with the group.
My commitment to this group is to post my daily results for this accountability tracking (and help out where I can).
I also post a daily strength challenge.
The daily strength challenge is additional to the 20 mins exercise in the mini-challenge. It is designed to:- build lean muscle (not bulk).
- be quick (5 mins).
- use no equipment (bodyweight only) and minimal space.
- no impact so gentle on joints.
- cycle through arms, legs and core with enough recovery time to get best results.
).
I will start cross posting my daily status posts into this thread.
So Welcome May Gutbusters.0 -
April 23
Exercised?: Yes. Walk 6km in 46 mins (hills)
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
Walk before dinner. Really starting to get dark early here.
Daily Strength challenge
Challenge for April 23 is side planks. ()
2 sets- First set 15s, 30s each side, wait 2 mins
- Second set 15s, 30s each side.
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Hi all, I'm Jen. I'm a 32yo mother of 3, and live in Scotland. I've recently come back to mfp and am looking for a good kick start, especially for exercise as I always seem to be 'too busy' to find time, but I know I need to try.1
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Hi all,
I'm Les, 39, mom of 2. I feel like I've reached the point where focusing on process (tracking calories and exercise) is a better mindset for me now than focusing on product (losing weight). Here's hoping the focus on process will achieve the desired product!1 -
April 24
Tracked? Yes
Calories? Yes, but I'm not hungry, so that makes me think I've overlooked something
Exercised? Yes - Hasfit fundamentals workout for today, plus 25 min on treadmill1 -
Hi everyone, I'm Emma, 35 and living in London, UK. I've been a part of this challenge and the Gutbusters team since October last year and in that time have gone from 229lbs to 196lbs, and I guarantee that this group has been an important part of my loss and building my fitness. It's an incredibly supportive and motivating group, shout out to the awesome @craigo3154 for his fantastic moderation and support! Even with my wedding fast approaching on 1st Sept getting steadily closer sometimes you need a community to keep you on the right path.
April 24
Exercised?: Yes, 5km run in the gym
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
This evening the "if every day were like today..." note when I completed my diary showed a number which would be my lowest weight since I started tracking in 2010. Now I don't think I've ever hit that proposed figure after 5 weeks, even when I was working my backside off but it's one hell of a motivator to keep pushing!2 -
April 24
Exercised?: Yes. Walk 5km in 37 mins (hills)
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
Shorter walk just before dusk, started drizzling rain too. Winter is definitely on the way.
My wife made pavlova for desert again. I feel at times I am getting spoiled.
Late night as took daughter skating and went flying. Was too tired to do a daily post before going to bed (which is why I am posting in on my Wednesday morning).
For those who don't know what pavlova is; it is a meringue dessert topped with whipped cream and either fruit or peppermint chocolate.
Daily Strength challenge
Challenge for April 24 is push ups
3 sets- First set till the point where you can do no more, wait 2 mins
- Second set of 60% of the number you did in the first set (half, then another 10%), wait 2 mins
- Third set of 50% of the number you did in the first set (half)
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Hi everyone, I'm Emma, 35 and living in London, UK. I've been a part of this challenge and the Gutbusters team since October last year and in that time have gone from 229lbs to 196lbs, and I guarantee that this group has been an important part of my loss and building my fitness. It's an incredibly supportive and motivating group, shout out to the awesome @craigo3154 for his fantastic moderation and support! Even with my wedding fast approaching on 1st Sept getting steadily closer sometimes you need a community to keep you on the right path.
April 24
Exercised?: Yes, 5km run in the gym
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
This evening the "if every day were like today..." note when I completed my diary showed a number which would be my lowest weight since I started tracking in 2010. Now I don't think I've ever hit that proposed figure after 5 weeks, even when I was working my backside off but it's one hell of a motivator to keep pushing!
@emmclean. You have made fantastic progress. If I have not said this before, wishing you all the best success in hitting your target size for your wedding in September. Hope all goes will and look forward to hearing progress as the time approaches.
I deliberately say size as "weight" is less important. Work on health and fitness. Eat well and keep active and track and the weight (and size) will happen.
As usual, I will try help support, motivate and educate as I can.
btw, the 5 week projection is always wildly inaccurate. There are too many variables and it just uses a simple TDEE projection formula to make the prediction (based on age, height, gender, weight, activity level and calories tracked today). I take it as a very rough indicator of direction instead of a crystal ball into the future.
To make better projections you need WAY more information (going back at least 3 weeks).
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April 25
Exercised?: Yes. Walk 5km in 37 mins (hills) + Drone practice track packup.
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
Public holiday today so went flying in the afternoon. Good weather, but likely the last gasp before Winter starts to set in.
Walk before dinner, right on dusk again.
Daily Strength challenge
Challenge for April 25 is lunges ()
3 sets- First set 10 or 15 each leg (if 10 is too easy continue to 15).
- Second set 6 or 9 each leg.
- Third set 5 or 8 each leg.
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April 25
Exercised?: Yes, 5.2km run in the gym
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
@craigo3154 - thank you! And I agree on the size comment 100%. I won't be heading off on honeymoon until December (besides 4 days in Tuscany straight after the wedding - I haven't had a proper holiday since 2014 so I think I'm allowed two!) so at the moment I am planning to focus more on strength training, body conditioning and toning in the 3 months between. As long as I can reach and stay below or maintain around 178lbs I'll be happy, although I'll still technically be obese on the BMI scale
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April 25
Exercised: yes
Calories: yes
Tracked: yes
Not my best dinner day yesterday, but I exercised and stayed under my calorie goal. Focus on process, not product.
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April 26
Exercised?: Yes. Walk 3km in 24 mins (hills).
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
Busy work day. Only just managed to get walk in.
Daily Strength challenge
Challenge for April 26 is plank. (standard, forearm or knee) (https://greatist.com/fitness/perfect-plank)
2 sets- First set 30 seconds if new to them, 60 seconds if a regular, 90 seconds if can regularly make 60 seconds. , wait 2
- Second set 15 seconds, 30 seconds or 60 seconds
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@craigo3154 I am unable to bookmark my team thread for May Challenge.
Kindly grant me permission to do so.I will be more responsible from now onwards and follow the rules.
Sorry for the careless approach.
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@craigo3154 I am unable to bookmark my team thread for May Challenge.
Kindly grant me permission to do so.I will be more responsible from now onwards and follow the rules.
Sorry for the careless approach.
@fe452436. There is a problem with the MFP system for bookmarking group threads. I cannot bookmark this thread either (and I am the moderator for the group).
I have raised a bug ticket with MFP, but no action has been taken to date.
I am sure you will do better this month.
I will tag you on the day a weigh-in is to occur (as a reminder) and will send you a PM before the end of the week if you still not have entered a weight.
Do the best for yourself this month. Each day is a new day and just do what you can each day. Make good habits so your habits can make you.
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April 27
Exercised?: Yes. Walk 6km in 44 mins (hills).
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
Got walk in early. Looking forward to the weekend. Should be good weather an light winds.
Daily Strength challenge
Challenge for April 27 is dips ()
3 sets- First set till the point where you can do no more, wait 2 mins
- Second set of 60% of the number you did in the first set (half, then another 10%), wait 2 mins
- Third set of 50% of the number you did in the first set (half)
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April 27
Exercised?: Yes, 5.04km run on the treadmill
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
I set out to workout every day this week and I did it! Of all the ways I've been monitoring my progress over the last 6 months the clearest correlation is more exercise = more weight loss. It's not so apparent week on week, there have been some times I've barely worked out and had a woosh but overall it's obvious so I'm really trying to step that up.0 -
April 28
Exercised?: Yes. Over 10,000 steps setting up and packing up drone track.
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
Beautiful weather light winds. Great day flying.
Daily Strength challenge
"Challenge for April 28 is squats (no weight - air squat - http://www.12minuteathlete.com/how-to-do-a-proper-air-squat/).
You can do assisted squats (using a table or bench top to take weight off the knees if it is too much)."
3 sets- First set till the point where you can do no more, wait 2 mins
- Second set of 60% of the number you did in the first set (half, then another 10%), wait 2 mins
- Third set of 50% of the number you did in the first set (half)
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I wasn't able to log in yesterday, so here's my results for the past two days. I hope this is ok!
April 26:
Exercised? Yes - 30 min strength training. (Also 3 hours of slow walking on treadmill desk, for a change)
Calories: Yes
Tracked: Yes
April 27
Exercised: No
Calories: No
Tracked - yes
I knew today would be hard because of a work event, but I could have done better with my choices the whole day. Sometimes I think I deliberately choose the bad choice. Why? If only I could figure that out.
Anyway - it's April 28, and I'm back on track. Good breakfast, good snack, already got my exercise in. Now to stay the course!0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2VljzCC16g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COKYKgQ8KR0
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