Shape Shifters Team Chat - SEPTEMBER 2022
jugar
Posts: 10,262 Member
We have five great teams. The group and team leaders are as follows:
Our Moderators:
Liselyn - @jugar
Megan - @Megan_smartiepants1970
Ashley - @minstrelofsarcasm
Jessica - @jessicakrall8
Our Team Captains:
Downsizers - @lindamtuck2018 and @Megan_smartiepants1970
Mission Slimpossibles - @broncobuddee and @trooworld
Weight No More - @minstrelofsarcasm and @melaniedscott
WaistAways - @jugar and @ashleycarole86
Shape Shifters - @jessicakrall8 and open
Our Team Motivators:
Downsizers - open! let your Captains know if you are interested
Mission Slimpossibles - @katmary71
Weight No More - @rachelrjh
WaistAways - @conleywoods
Shape Shifters - @angmarie28 & @PatriceFitnessPal
HOW IT ALL WORKS: The September challenge runs from September 4th - October 1st. F2F months always start on a Sunday and end on a Saturday, so adjust your calendars!
Every challenger weighs in weekly on their chosen day right here in the team chat thread. At the end of each week, the tallies are done to determine the team and individuals with the most weight lost. The best losers are announced with full fanfare every Sunday. The team competition is all in good spirits - may the most losing win!
We also celebrate those small, steady losses. If you lose, however small an amount, you are in the green! At the end of the month, we celebrate everyone who lost at least a bit every week. You are heading steadily towards your goal even if you aren't at the top of the weight loss leaderboard.
To make your weigh-in easy to find for your team Captains, please put it right at the top of a message, and use this format:
Weigh In Day:
PW (Previous Weight):
CW (Current Weight):
If you miss two weigh-ins in a row without asking for a break, you will be dropped from the team, so be sure to inform your team captain if you are traveling, sick, or just need some time off. If you take a break, you can be excused for a week or two, or are moved to the Support Team for longer. You can remain on the Support Team for as long as you need to. You still participate in the discussions, you can weigh in if you want to, but it will not count in the weekly tally.
Once you reach your goal weight, you join the Goal Zone! You continue to weigh in every week. If you have 2 weeks above your self-defined goal zone, you go back to the regular team to lose that amount before it builds up. You will have a chance to hone those maintenance skills and stick with your team!
In addition to your own team, there are weekly F2F Full Group CHALLENGES. You can do all or none - it's up to you. Participating adds a lot to your success, so we hope to see you there often! These can involve anything fitness, health, or nutrition - and they’ll get you moving, thinking, and learning about this journey. Check the Announcements section for full group challenges.
Let’s show our fellow challengers some F2F love! Introduce yourselves right away, and let the new month and year begin!!
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Replies
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Still need to go back and read everything I've missed the past week.
Losing weight is sooo much slower than it ever had been in the past, but I did finally break 240 today so we'll see where I end up on Monday. I have been eating at a huge calorie deficit just to get 1 lb per week.
Horseback riding is going pretty well. The mare I'm riding is getting very fit but has a sore back from me being so heavy. She gets body work this week. My mare has an exercise rider and is getting worse with bucking and stopping. She would absolutely buck me off, so not sure what I'm going to do about her.4 -
FAQ for New Shape Shifters Members
How do I post my weigh in?
Userid
(Day of Week) Weigh-in
PW: 204 lbs (previous weight)
CW: 202 lbs (current weight)
LTD: 12 lbs (optional loss to date)
Where is the Weigh in stats spreadsheet?
Start at the Fat2Fit Main Page and under the header information, you’ll see a section at the bottom that says “TO ACCESS THE SPREADSHEETS FOR JANUARY CLICK HERE” followed by the link in blue. Once you click on that link, it will take you to the Summary page. Find Shape Shifters on the tabs at the bottom and click on that and that brings you to the stats page. Also on this page (scrolling down), you’ll find the Step Challenge chart as well. This is where we record your daily steps if you sign up to be part of the monthly step challenge. More info on how to sign up is below! Join us!
How often should I post in the chatroom?
Whenever you have a question, suggestion, story, news announcement or just want to brighten someone's day!! There's never too much...and please share recipes, tips, laughs, challenges, cartoons, pictures of your pets, pictures from walks you've taken, etc...we love it all!!
What if I have to be out of town during my weigh in?
Send a message to one of the Captains (JessicaKrall8) in the chatroom or in a private message on MFP's mail and let her know your circumstance...if it's just for a week or two, you can be excused from the weigh-in. If you must leave for longer than a month, you may be moved to our support team until you return. When you're ready to come back, send another message and the MODS will move you back to active status.
What happens if I miss a weigh in?
If you're late, you'll be marked as LWI (late weigh in). If you fail to report in at all, you'll be labeled as NWI (no weigh in). After two NWIs, you're put on the drop list if you explanation has been provided. It's always best to let your Captain know what's going on and she'll make sure you're covered.
How do I sign up for the Step Challenge?
Send the Captains a message that you'd like to join, provide your daily step goal and tell her your favorite place to walk. It's that simple!
Do I have to re-register each month to remain part of Team Shape Shifters?
No, your membership will carry over month to month. The only place where this is NOT true is for the Step Challenge. You have to sign up each month to participate in it and this gives you the opportunity to adjust your daily step goal.
If I've missed anything or questions arise, just post them! We'll find the information you need as much as possible! Hope this helps!
Welcome!
Jessica
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I'd like to continue with the step challenge...
Daily step goal: 10,000
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The Sept Week 1 Group Challenge is posted and ready to begin on Sunday, Sept 4th. Please join us for Jump Into Fall as we try a choice of mini-challenges designed to motivate us as we transition into the Fall Season. Here's your link:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10873067/september-week-1-group-challenge-jump-into-fall#latest
Hope to see you there!
Jessica
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Steps
9/1 14,896
9/2 11,9491 -
Hi SS.... You have a new member joining your team .... Please welcome @Armygirlarmyof1 2
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Hi @Armygirlarmyof1 and welcome to our team! Glad you found us! Make sure to read from the beginning of this page, especially our FAQ posting. It should answer a lot of your questions about how things work. If there's something you want to ask about that's NOT in that posting, just ask away. Someone will respond to try and help.
When you get a second, take a few minutes and introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your journey and a few of your goals for Sept and beyond. I'm Jessica, your Captain. On behalf of the whole team and our two wonderful Motivators @PatriceFitnessPal and @angmarie28 we hope this group helps you along your way and becomes a strong source of support for you!
If you're a walk/run fanatic, please sign up for our Step Challenge each month. Just give me your first name for the chart, your daily step goal and tell us your favorite place to walk. That's all it takes. You can find our Step Challenge chart on the same spreadsheet as the weekly weigh-ins, just scroll beneath the weather chart and you'll find the Steppers chart. These charts are off the main Fat2Fit page where you went to register and it's listed as "SEPTEMBER SPREADSHEET", then look for the Shape Shifters tab at the bottom.
If you like a little extra challenge to give you a push, each week we have a Group Challenge with members for all five of our teams, in a separate chatroom and the challenge changes each week. The link for the one starting tomorrow is above on this page.
Again, welcome! Looking forward to celebrating your losses and NSV (non-scale victories) with you soon!
Good luck in September!
Jessica 0 -
Hey yall. I'm Rebecca from Missouri. Ty for accepting me. A friend of mine is a moderator for 1 of the teams, katmary. She told me about this group.
I'm a 50 yr old visually impaired disabled veteran. My goal is to get back to 140 lbs. But small steps are taking place in between all this. I've had 1 knee replacement June 2021 and I now have to get my other knee replaced. I've had congestive heart failure in the past with very minor damage. So low sodium is what's happening. I need focus and encouragement.3 -
My steps 9/3 6,699
Welcome to Shape Shifters @Armygirlarmyof1 I hope you enjoy this group.2 -
Daily step goal: 10,000
Fri 9/2: 13,812
Sat 9/3: 10,191
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Every month, we start a new Team Chat space. For me, it’s an opportunity to start fresh, a clean slate for making positive changes or solidifying good habits (i.e., ones that work for me and help me to be the person I want to be).
@jugar wrote:
“This is where you weigh weekly, post your goals and progress, discuss any issues or topics of interest, share ideas, support your teammates, receive help when you need it, and dream big.” (Emphasis added)
I try to re-read the monthly introduction about the purpose of this space because it helps me re-focus my intentions. I glean something new from it each time; and, this month, I am going to concentrate on the reminder to DREAM BIG!
When you reach your goal, what would you like people to be seeing, saying, feeling, and/ or experiencing with you? What is the identity of the person you want to become? What tiny first decision or action will help you move toward that image of yourself? Let’s dream big! — and then take tiny steps forward together!2 -
Ooh! The first weigh in of September!
Msashleybing
PW: 193.6
CW: 193.6
I’m hoping to see the 180s this month. 🤞1 -
INTRODUCTION
Greetings, Shape Shifters! I’m Patrice, a 56-year-old woman who gradually became overweight as I faced various stressors over the years. My goal for September is to dream big!
I developed some unhealthy habits trying to cope with stressful relationship experiences, life transitions (e.g., moves, busy days of parenting young children while working and volunteering, death of a beloved parent), and the resulting fatigue through emotional eating. I gained 30 pounds over about 30 years of life’s ups and downs (with the scale mirroring the ups and downs!).
I grew up in a low-income area where people were loving, loyal, and caring but didn’t always cope or communicate well. I learned compassion, and developed what came to be known as ‘grit’ in the research (but that word grates on me for some reason 😬) by adapting to various circumstances. My motto became ‘adapt or die,’ which sounds more dramatic than it was but my friends were dying by suicide and substance abuse at a time when people shunned them as “junkies” and didn’t recognize substance abuse disorder or understand the differing ways people deal with grief, loss, and hopelessness. From an early age, I recognized - and observed with awe - the lessons we can learn from each person we meet.
In my ‘dream big’ version of life, I look forward to a time when each individual person is respected, belongs, and is loved for exactly who we are. We are ‘enough’ as we are. I also strive for continuous improvement and believe we can appreciate each individual while also encouraging one another to learn and grow.
My parents are the ones who modeled a love of learning and my father taught me that we can learn something valuable from every person we meet. He said that if we are passionate about a topic, it relates to everything else, and we can find a connection if we look for it. So, that’s why I’m here, participating in the F2F challenge to learn ways to improve my health as I age.
My Dad’d passion was ice hockey; mine is continuous learning that improves education, health, and overall wellbeing. These are complex social problems that include many perspectives and elements (e.g., mental health, meaningful relationships and community connections, a sense of belonging, reducing racism, poverty, fear, etc.) that affect individuals, families, communities, and the broader systems responsible for ensuring positive outcomes.
During the pandemic, I focused on ‘being the change I want to see in the world.’ So, my ‘dream big’ challenge is to build a company that can survive financially while supporting positive individual and systems change. After all, systems are made of people, taking collective action to make a difference.
So, I’ve had to address my emotional eating and replace some habits. This group provides the support I need to figure out how to sustain the habits that work and continue to seek solutions or make adjustments when something is not working. Here’s a good reference on some of the changes I’ve made — and some that I’m still working to maintain:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-200473424 -
Team Results
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Individual Results
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Team Winners
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Team Results
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Individual Results
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Team Winners
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AC204
Weigh-in day was Friday. Would like to switch to Sunday.
PW: 194.6
CW: 193.43 -
Nice progress @AC204!
@Pupowl - I was helping my older son move into his new living space near the college campus. So, I’m catching up on some of the messages from last week. I saw your update on the neighborhood cat and share your range of feelings. I’m relieved to see that you plan to intervene if the neglect continues. I’m sure it’s not an easy action to take and I’m impressed by your courage and conviction. I’m also impressed by your ambitious reading list. I was reading two books on the airplane home last night - and keep alternating between the two. One is a book about creating and sharing moments of joy with people who are experiencing memory decline. My father in law is in the final stage of vascular dementia and the book has been really helpful to me. I had a number of very satisfying interactions with him while visiting during my time in Boston last week.
My mother, uncle, and great aunt are also at varying places while traveling this road. I think I’ll be applying the tips in the book for awhile —
The other book is by the South African born comedian Trevor Noah, who has amazing resilience, intelligence, wit, and charisma. I enjoy learning from people who have overcome barriers and find ways to thrive despite the adversity they face. Again, inspiring! I guess that’s my word for today!2 -
Hi - I'm back from Vegas, but only half of us came back - my inlaws went with me and my husband, but didn't come back - my mother in law had a heart attack yesterday morning as we were trying to leave for the airport - she couldn't breathe and was having chest pains - we were halfway to the airport when my husband had to turn around and go to the ER to take her - and then we had to leave as my husband didn't have enough diabetes meds to stay over so we came home on our original flight
An angiogram was done and there was no damage or blockage - it may have been caused by her high blood pressure
She is staying over until tomorrow and coming home late tomorrow night
As well, my husband restarts chemo Tuesday- he is halfway done with treatments
So that was the end to my vacation - it wasn't a very relaxing one - constantly worrying about my husband and his blood sugar levels and kept asking my mother in law how she was doing - she always said fine, but obviously not4 -
I am doing the Habit Tracker for September- I believe I'm the only one as no one else signed up, but hoping it will help to keep things under control for me3
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@LaurieWrobo My heart goes out to you Laurie, as I can only imagine the level of stress you are under right now. You'd already been primary care giver trying to support your husband through his treatments, then were obviously hoping for some relaxation on this vacation. Now the sudden issues with not only his blood sugars but your MILs heart issues. Please take a moment to just breathe when you can...we'll be here when you need to vent. I'm praying for you and your family!
Take care of the one-and-only Laurie! **hugs**
Jessica1 -
@LaurieWrobo
Wow, I’m so glad she is going to be ok. What a difficult journey you’ve been on
Sending you well wishes4 -
Thanks @jessicakrall8 & @CasandraW - I appreciate it & the support - it's been a very tough time1
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Weighed in this morning. 216.4. Starting in the group with 222.0. What I originally weighed in at when I started with mfp was 265.5. Still aways too go but it's better then where I was right?4
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@LaurieWrobo, omg. I'm so sorry you're going through all of this. Prayers, love and hugs gf. And its a good thing mil is gonna be fine. You have tons on your plate.3
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@laurie_wrobo - I’m sorry to hear about your mother-in-law’s heart attack and all the additional stress of trying to support her while managing your husband’s precarious health — AND dealing with the emergency as you were traveling back home from Las Vegas. You could really use a respite trip just to take care for yourself for a few days. I hope your mother in law recovers quickly so you and your husband can focus on his next round of chemotherapy and healing. Take care!2
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Good morning y'all! Happy Labor Day for those celebrating! Don't you DARE do any work today! LOL
Got up early and did a little cleaning around the house. Took a walk... .60/mile but it's quickly warming up here in coastal Virginia, so not sure what the day will bring. Started a good book and since I'm on vacation this week, that will likely be my focus.
Tomorrow the painters come to paint my kitchen. Awaiting the installation of the new appliances, the electrician to install the new recessed lighting and the lights under the cabinets, then cleaning and inspections and it will FINALLY be finished! I'm SO psyched!
Feels good to be nearing completion. I'm going to fix a chicken sandwich in my air fryer for one meal today...maybe some french fries with it...other meal will likely be turkey with melted cheddar sandwiches and some steamed veggies. That's my menu for today.
Hope you guys enjoy a wonderful day today! What's everyone up to?
Jessica 2 -
Motivational Monday
Since today is the Labor Day holiday in the USA, I selected some quotes that relate to labor and work, which I'm interpreting here as the energy, discipline, or practice of improving our health. We all need to find balance between working to achieve our goals, and managing to rest and rejuvenate. If we see positive results, it gives us momentum to continue building our "practice" of incorporating healthy habits into our daily life. Is there a quote that resonates with you today? If so, let us know which one, and why?
(1) Aristotle — "Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work."
(2) Martin Luther King, Jr. — "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity."
(3) Colin Powell — "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."
(4) Ralph Marston — "Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work."
(5) Ovid — "Take rest. A field that has rested gives a bountiful crop."
(6) Margaret Mead — "I learned the value of hard work by working hard."
(7) Ralph Lauren — "A lot of hard work is hidden behind nice things."
(8) Thomas Edison — "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration."
(9) Donovan Bailey — "Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and, above all, don't let anyone limit your dreams."
(10) Pearl Buck — "To find joy in work is to discover the fountain of youth."
There are 30 quotes in the source I used to select the ones above. The pictures include lots of American flags and feels very nationalistic or patriotic depending on your point of view :-)
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Susanna527
Weigh-In: Mondays
PW: 202.6
CW 201
Apologies yet again for being MIA during the week; things have just been overwhelming, but I'm trying to get back on track. Wishing everyone a week filled with health, peace & happiness4 -
I'm always struck by the fact that the people working on Labor Day are mainly the people who are underappreciated for the frontline work they do, such as first responders, caregivers, store clerks, restaurant and hospitality industry workers, entertainers, etc. So, this picture is intended as a tribute to those of you who work when most of us have a day off. I'll be doing a little work today but it's not mandatory. I'm developing a website for my company which is long overdue! I'm so grateful for this day to make progress toward that goal. Focusing on gratitude is proven to make us happier. What are you thankful for today? I hope everyone enjoys the day -- Be well, Shape Shifters!
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@PatriceFitnessPal , Thomas Edison has always resonated with me. But I also like some of Colin Powells views on life but I think with him it's the military connection. With Thomas Edison though I think its because he resonates that autistic viewpoint I see in my youngest brother.2
This discussion has been closed.