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RangerRickL
Posts: 8,469 Member
Welcome to the May 2020 Ultimate Accountability Challenge!
Some of you have been with this challenge for months and some are brand new. This is one of the hardest challenges to stay with throughout the entire month.
FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!! Log every BLT (Bite, Lick, Taste). Stay strong and true to yourself....YOU WILL SUCCEED!!
Please feel free to share as much information as you feel comfortable sharing about yourself with the rest of the group. I look forward to getting to know all of you a little better.
GOOD LUCK!
Some of you have been with this challenge for months and some are brand new. This is one of the hardest challenges to stay with throughout the entire month.
FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!! Log every BLT (Bite, Lick, Taste). Stay strong and true to yourself....YOU WILL SUCCEED!!
Please feel free to share as much information as you feel comfortable sharing about yourself with the rest of the group. I look forward to getting to know all of you a little better.
GOOD LUCK!
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Replies
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Wow, I'm the first one in?!? Cool! I'm Corrie, 43, from Northern California. This will be my 17th month in a row in this challenge. It's an amazing challenge and an awesome group of people. So glad to be a part of it yet again!
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Hello everyone.
I reside in SFL. I am originally from the NE; primarily Philadelphia and southern NJ. I have been a UAC member since February and joined the group to hold myself a little more accountable as I was finding myself slipping away from the good habits I developed.
I started using MFP at the very end of August and have lost a total of 40 pounds (initial goal). I am currently feeling my way through maintenance while deciding if I want to lose an additional 5 or so. I am not scale obsessed. I am attempting to find the sweet spot of where my body performs at its best.
Looking forward to continuing this journey with the UAC team!10 -
I am a struggling UAC member, but without this challenge and the support from my fellow UACs I would be sunk! I live in Southern France, surrounded by good food and great wine. I am trying to balance my life, not always easy as my partner has Alzheimer's disease, my kids live in UK and my Mum, sister and brother live in the Netherlands, where I am originally from. I need to lose another 8 - 10 kilos, hoping to do most of that by my birthday in July.10
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Hi All,
This is Hülya. I am from Turkey, I think I am the only Turkish member of the group 😊 . I lived in HI and TX, US for 8 years where my husband got his PhD and I got master of science in secondary education. We moved back to Turkey 7 years ago. I am a physics teacher but I work as a project and business development coordinator of a private company. I have a daughter and two sons.
This will be 3rd month in this challenge. When you read the rules, you think it is easy but the consistency is not easy, so congrats to all who have been in this challenge for a long time!
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Hi! My name is Christal. I'm in Connecticut, USA. I like that there are so many returning & long-time people. Says a lot about the group. I have lost 68 lbs and have found keeping track keeps me on track. Tracking also shifts me into more productive, empowering mental conversations. The slippery slope of, "I'm trying so hard & this just isn't working" or "I'm in a frustrating plateau" becomes "Oh wow, no wonder! I have been trying so hard - AND I've been eating waaay too many cashews. Celery sticks instead, and BAM. Happy scale." or "HOW the @#$% does sauerkraut have THAT many carbs?!" Tracking let me see that 'net' carbs just don't cut it for me. I have to track the actual carbs (except low-carb veggies) and go by that. (The inflammation factor...?) The reality check of tracking gets rid of sooo many frustrations, and puts the power to get results square in my hands. I am feeling impatient to get to my goal, and I don't want to waste any more time falling off the wagon or just bouncing above my next weight goal (gahhhh). I eat keto-esque and as vegan as possible. That's a challenge. But ketosis, for me, is a peaceful paradise free from carb cravings and that whole struggle. It's easy to eat too many carbs, not enough fat, and skimp on the veggies. Tracking fixes that. I need the accountability to SWEAT more every day. I miss my gym SO much. I have space to do yoga, weight equipment, a lovely quiet street, and two young rescue labs that seriously need walking. I can't work right now, so time is not an issue. I've lost enough weight that exercise feels great once I'm doing it. I even got to where I could run 2 miles prior to quarantine. I have ZERO excuses! I want to start May 1 at 159 & kick it hard from there for what will be the last leg of my weight loss!5
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Hey all,
I’m new to this group and challenge. I’m a 29 year old female living in Massachusetts. I’m 5’2” and 125lbs. I would really love to see what my body is like at 110-115. I know it’s going to be a slow road because of my smaller size but I’m determined to get there this time around. I enjoy both cardio and strength training exercise. I want to make sure I don’t lose too much muscle mass with the weight loss. So I’m trying to do at least a daily mini body weight workout like pushups and a couple other exercises and a couple of strength workouts a week with weights. Due to the pandemic, intense cardio workouts have become a challenge for me but I’m working on figuring out activities I enjoy to work it in.
Over the years my weight has fluctuated between 117 and 129. I love the way I felt and looked at 117 and wanted to see my body a little lower. After I got to 117 I didn’t continue to maintain it and my weight gradually went back to baseline of about 125. I would say 125 is the weight my body tends to hover around.
I have an undergrad degree in nutrition, so I try to channel that knowledge and my love of cooking to help keep my food in check. But, I’m not perfect and have a bit of a sugar bug that I’ve been trying to work with for a while.
I’m definitely taking advantage of the extra time with this pandemic to get into the habit of tracking my food and it has really been making a difference. In the past ten days I have lost at least one pound! I can’t wait to be a part of this monthly challenge.8 -
UAC
Hi all! Welcome to our May challenge, returnees and newcomers.
And a thousand thanks to our leader, @RangerRickL for helping us stay accountable.
I’m Terri from Northern Ireland. Back for my 19th month. Working on improving my fitness and health. Made the Winners Circle 18 times so far.
Original Goal for 2019 was to reach 155lbs, which I achieved, and revised down to <150lbs. Achieved the upper 140s in early Dec, and stayed there. I am now at my lowest weight in 4 decades!
UAC is a good place for anyone to start the practicing of new habits, in a supportive and encouraging atmosphere.
Just a few details on my personal journey to health and fitness.
Aim for 2019 ~ reach 155 <150WHAT I HAVE DISCOVERED
Aim for each month ~ Weigh less at the end than I did at the beginning
I am FOCUSED on heathy food choices and DETERMINED to achieve my goals!
Age: 73; Height 5’2”; Female
SW: 227lbs (Mar 2014)
LW: 153 (Oct 2016)152.6 Oct 2019
UGW: 155 140s (this may change when I get there 😂 )
CW: 152.6- For the last 3 years I have tended to bounce up and down between 160 - 170. Occasionally I bounced up/down a little more.
- My ideal situation is to maintain < 150
- I use CI/CO and a variety exercise for extra calories.
- Logic would suggest that I have found a natural comfortable weight, and, according to modern BMI calculation, I am in the upper range of normal for my age and height. However, logic doesn't always dictate our desires and feelings. 😂
THERE ARE NO QUICK FIXES OR SHORTCUTS to achieving permanent change.- Getting and staying healthy and fit requires the development of a permanent lifestyle reset.
- Replacing unhelpful habits with more useful ones is key to to the process.
- Losing weight is only one of the elements.
- Eating healthy and staying actively is not OPTIONAL, but an ABSOLUTE ESSENTIAL.
REMINDERS One or two thoughts on weight which might give heart to some of you.Stick with the process. It DOES work! But it does take time, effort, and most of all, patience!- Daily weight fluctuations are normal, and can be several lbs a day for no apparent reason.
- A general downward trend is what we are looking for.
- Eating out can cause apparent weight gain because of high sodium levels, but usually goes quickly. Drinking extra water helps with this.
- The human body does not react instantly to what we do to it. Sometimes it can take several days to see results.
- Plateaus are a normal part of the process. The body is consolidating and adapting to your new way of eating/exercising.
- The closer you get to your goal weight, the more difficult it becomes to lose weight, as your body becomes more efficient at using what you feed it.
- When you exercise you build muscle, which takes up less space than fat, so use measurements as well as weight to assess your progress.
- Getting/Staying fit and healthy requires a permanent lifestyle change for most people.
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Hi everyone! I'm a newish member to the group, it will be my third month. I'm from the Sacramento area in CA. I was my highest at 222 and am about 122 right now, I've been maintaining since September. I deal with chronic pain and spent years unable to get out of bed. A few years ago my health was horrible and I slowly cut back what I ate then plateaued, then returned to calorie counting last January and weighing and logging made a huge difference in the last 45lbs. I probably work out a little TOO much, a lot because of all the time my body couldn't even stay upright and honestly because I'm actually able to move it now and am so grateful I don't want to waste a day NOT moving. Let's have a great month!7
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Hey! I gave this a try in the fall which was a major mistake because I had no internet for 20 days in a row. So I’m back. I’ve was going to the gym before lockdown almost every day, lifting a bunch plus coaching a swim team and in the pool with the swimmers most days I coach. I wasn’t focused on my weight at that time because I saw major body transformations but stayed the same weight of 150lbs. Well this shut in time means I have no excuses to not eat well(I keep trying to tell myself that). Plus I’m loosing muscle and gaining weight! Oops. I’m trying to be postive here and get back to a routine. I’m hoping to get down to 120 in a decent time frame. My goal is to loose about 4-5 lbs a month. I’m 5’3 at 153.6( today’s weight). Maybe I will get to see some of this awesome muscle I’ve built! Ha. Okay good luck everyone and keep at it. If you need to add someone to like all your postives on your feed I’m in for a partner with that!5
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Hello Everyone. I’m back after taking a few months sabbatical from the group. Thanks @RangerRickL for keeping the team together.
The change to working from home since mid-March resulted in forgetting to eat because of the lack of routine, no going out to eat, and no fast foods. However, my eating choices are now turning to sweets, so really need the groups support to get back on track.
My goal is to follow the Mediterranean diet. This means only 2x/month max for the following items: flour, potatoes, red meat and sweets. Also includes mindful eating and exercise.3 -
Hi, I’m Nicole, 32 from the UK.
This is my first month joining the challange after gaining 14lb of the 50lb I’d lost so far. With a husband who’s a bad influence, a toddler who tries to feed me everything she has and lockdown I’ve been struggling slightly. May is my month to get back on tract and smash some goals 💪3 -
OK, I am going to try again. South Africa has some very strict lockdown rules and I've been working super hard (3 of us doing all the work 17 people normally do for a 4 day shift, then 4 days off). We are now in a good routine with this and I don't spend the entire 4 days off recovering, plus coach started online jiu jitsu classes (yay for a housemate who trains too) and from 1 May we are allowed to run so it is time to start being a bit more strict. My eating has been OK, but needs some extra attention and I need to work on my strength and endurance, so when we are allowed back on the mat, I can jump back in fully, not have to build my strength up first.
All my previous challenges are healed now (broken arm, kidney donation, both shoulders had issues as a result, one after the other) so I just need to find the discipline to push myself.4 -
@Dory_42 - hi! So good to see you again!3
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@RangerRickL, I've found you again! I was part of a no late-night snacking challenge once, and found your leadership fun and inspiring. I still remember all of the cool photos you shared from your hikes!
This is my first month in the UAC. I'm Sheila, originally from WI, living east of LA for 5 years. I'm a retired Medical Technologist who lovingly dotes on her almost retired (from education) husband of 28 years. He's got a crazy sweet and salty streak, so I bake too many sweets and keep way too many Cheetos in the house. Therefore the late-night snacking challenge....it all makes so much sense now. By the way, he's in excellent health- of course!
I was down to my initial goal weight (133) and then (the very next day) went to Italy for 5 weeks. Then I came home with a nasty Sicilian flu. That was 2 years ago. I've been in the 140's most of the time, but I went up to 157, my highest of all time, after Thanksgiving 2019. Hormones and injuries have wreaked havoc with my body, and therefore my mind. My motivation was at an all-time low, but I knew what I needed to do.
I rejoined in December 2019 and have lost 15. I've been in a plateau for a month, but I've been eating more sweets. I need to stay consistent, so I'm this group to help me stay accountable. I was in another group that was awesome, but weight-loss motivated. I felt I was letting everyone down if I didn't lose every week. I recognize a few members already, so I know I'm in good company. I want to see 133 again, even if it takes all year. Yes, I'm that motivated!4 -
What a great group! I love that we are from all over, and have varying goals. I'm excited for tomorrow - and June 1st!!! We are buying a house and moving May 27-30, so my physical activity should be easy... staying focused on my eating plan, not so much. I appreciate the accountability!4
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A rececntly-returned alumnus here. ( won't be able to say that for much longer ... this is my third-month-back ) 62 yr old female information management analyst not currently shifting boxes around her records room while the office is closed and I am working on IM spreadsheet datamining for the time being. From Eastern Ontario, Canada. DH and I have both lived here all our lives (met him in high school, as a matter of fact)
Trying maintenance off-UAC starting in April 2019 worked not-TOOOO-badly until mid-winter 19-20 or so.
Then started sliding out the upper end of my chosen maintenance range in Jan/Feb 2020. 
So I returned here for March 1 - did all I should (which put me squarely on the much-coveted Winner's Circle list) and then on to Step 2.
April was dedicated to that trial-and-error Stabilization period of tweaking both (SLIGHTLY at a time) upped base calorie eating and starting to eat back a few more exercise calories. And made the winner's circle list again.
May will continue Step 2 and the stabilization experiments - and the start of May is the start of my 7th week working from home. With fewer opportunities for to-and-from-the-photocopier and other office-based NEAT moving around / step accumulation, I am especially wary of jumping the increasing-towards-maintenance calories eaten tooo far ahead of what I can manage to burn in a day (going by my fitbit One for that number). With low-level but chronic respiratory issues, I keep to a very short leash for off-property excursions.
I will also be trying to make more of the required exercise time spent on NON-cardio-ish exergame default and include more (basic) upper body / core / resistance work plus balance practice.
At almost 62, I figure 'tis time ...
Will JUNE see full-fledged Step 3 - true maintenance? Only time will tell.
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I'm in! This will be my 3rd month and I think the UACs are great!
Thanks to Rick.3 -
Hello there! This is my second month in this challenge. I joined in April at the very last minute. I actually didn't expect that I would finish the month, let alone land in the Winner's Circle, so I didn't even post an introduction in April. So, here it is, a month late.....
Hi, my name is Lisa. I am 54, married for 28 years and live in southwestern Ontario. I hadn't done any sort of exercise in over a year, and I had put on several pounds over a couple of years. When this lock down happened, there was one camp of people that was going to hibernate through it; they were going to eat lots of comfort foods and wear sweat pants and stay indoors. I couldn't be one of those people without crossing over the Onederland threshold, and I was not willing to do that! So, instead I joined this challenge, started logging my food and walking. I even found myself walking in the rain or light snow because of it! The scales haven't shown significant movement yet, but I am still playing around with exercise calories and my Fitbit, so this might take a couple months to figure out. In the meantime, I feel better because I am moving more and making better food choices.
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Hi, everybody. Welcome to the newcomers and welcome back to the returnees.@Dory_42 so good to see you again.
I'm Hollis and live in Pennsylvania about an hour north of Washington, DC. May will be my ninth month with the UAC. I went from obese to normal last year and have been maintaining since November. The UAC has helped me to stay accountable and not gain the weight back.
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