Santa Sprint December 2023 Challenge
baconslave
Posts: 7,021 Member
There's a statistic that's always going around that something like 25% of people will gain weight between Halloween and New Year's. It's Holiday season. We're busy with work and school and other activities. With all the stress and uncertainty it's easy to just say to heck with it and cave. And wake up on New Year's Day and looking in the mirror, unhappy with what extra weight we've gained. It happens to the best of us.
Last month we focused on the basics in an effort to avoid gaining during a hectic time of year. But many of us managed to hit our goals and not gain. Some of us even lost a few pounds, and/or gained insight into our own patterns when faced with pressure.
And, you know what, some of us may not have done that great (me
) but we are still motivated to make some change. That's ok. No judgment. It was what it was. This is a new month. We can do this!
Planning ahead and keeping an eye on the basics are two of the most important focal points if we want to keep on the up and up in the face of all the junk and goodies rampant this time of year.
This month there's lots more treats around. And maybe some more stress. This month we are again going to focus on the low-carb basics. Yes, again.
They really are so important to success. And keeping tabs on them reinforces good habits that will serve us through our weight loss journeys and beyond into Maintenance Land.
We are going hardcore and going to sprint for 31 days! We'll be Nose-to-the-grindstone, pre-planning, LC bada$$es!
Some people choose to handle this time of year completely on-plan, supplementing low-carb recipes for all our bad-ol' favorites.
This may not be realistic for some. After all, there are many temptations in our faces this month. And a lot of celebrations. What I have done in the past was pick 1 or 2 events that were most important, enjoy them that day, and the next day was immediately back on track. No guilt, but no excuses. Every other time, I planned ahead. Eat before going to a carby event or bring plan-approved goodies. I actually lost weight in December of 2014. It can be done. Every other year I have easily maintained.
You can pick either strategy, but in this challenge monitoring our plan Basics and becoming a Master Planner are what makes the difference.
Consistency + Persistence + Time = Success
I really can't parrot that cliché formula enough. Because it's true.
Any low-carb plan is welcome. Just post your monthly goals and/or beginning weight, or if you are just planning to maintain through the month, or have NSVs to achieve, check-in daily or weekly with how well you did.
The Basics:
Planning ahead!!!
Staying under carbs
Staying under calories
Logging and measuring
Getting in exercise/movement if that's one of your goals
Keeping an eye on electrolyte levels
Getting enough water
Planning ahead!!! Oh, wait. I said that already? Yes, I frickin' did. Because this is the holidays! You must!
Share recipes, problems, thoughts.
So tie your sneakers tightly folks and prepare to own the Santa Sprint!
We are DETERMINED to maintain, and maybe even lose, this year.
We are DETERMINED to not let December run rough-shod over us, right?
We CAN do this.
DO THA THING!
Last month we focused on the basics in an effort to avoid gaining during a hectic time of year. But many of us managed to hit our goals and not gain. Some of us even lost a few pounds, and/or gained insight into our own patterns when faced with pressure.
And, you know what, some of us may not have done that great (me
) but we are still motivated to make some change. That's ok. No judgment. It was what it was. This is a new month. We can do this!Planning ahead and keeping an eye on the basics are two of the most important focal points if we want to keep on the up and up in the face of all the junk and goodies rampant this time of year.
This month there's lots more treats around. And maybe some more stress. This month we are again going to focus on the low-carb basics. Yes, again.
They really are so important to success. And keeping tabs on them reinforces good habits that will serve us through our weight loss journeys and beyond into Maintenance Land.We are going hardcore and going to sprint for 31 days! We'll be Nose-to-the-grindstone, pre-planning, LC bada$$es!
Some people choose to handle this time of year completely on-plan, supplementing low-carb recipes for all our bad-ol' favorites.
This may not be realistic for some. After all, there are many temptations in our faces this month. And a lot of celebrations. What I have done in the past was pick 1 or 2 events that were most important, enjoy them that day, and the next day was immediately back on track. No guilt, but no excuses. Every other time, I planned ahead. Eat before going to a carby event or bring plan-approved goodies. I actually lost weight in December of 2014. It can be done. Every other year I have easily maintained.
You can pick either strategy, but in this challenge monitoring our plan Basics and becoming a Master Planner are what makes the difference.
Consistency + Persistence + Time = Success
I really can't parrot that cliché formula enough. Because it's true.
Any low-carb plan is welcome. Just post your monthly goals and/or beginning weight, or if you are just planning to maintain through the month, or have NSVs to achieve, check-in daily or weekly with how well you did.
The Basics:
Planning ahead!!!
Staying under carbs
Staying under calories
Logging and measuring
Getting in exercise/movement if that's one of your goals
Keeping an eye on electrolyte levels
Getting enough water
Planning ahead!!! Oh, wait. I said that already? Yes, I frickin' did. Because this is the holidays! You must!
Share recipes, problems, thoughts.
So tie your sneakers tightly folks and prepare to own the Santa Sprint!
We are DETERMINED to maintain, and maybe even lose, this year.
We are DETERMINED to not let December run rough-shod over us, right?
We CAN do this.
DO THA THING!
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Replies
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My life is a ****show right now.
But I am DETERMINED to maintain and to build muscle. And so I shall. Hopefully January will chill out so I can lose. But time will pass anyway. And I'd rather pursue what progress is realistic for me considering my challenges than beat myself up over what I can't do right now.
And here we go!
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My goals this month:
1) Stick with the workout program I am currently doing until the 22nd, then switch to a new one.
2) Only go high carb over calories on family and work party days, and ideally only for one meal. At this point it looks like 3 days this month. If I stay on track the other 28 days all will be good.
3) Lose 3-5 pounds. Yes, I am not satisfied with just maintaining. I want to lose more. I have about 17 pounds to go, and I would rather be working toward it than simply maintaining.0 -
I will not be participating until January ... I have dropped Keto for now since I am to weak to meal prep... November and December have been a wash ...I am hoping to get healthy and continue on my journey ..take care everyone1
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Back to basics for me. Prioritize protein, don’t worry about fat and keep carbs simple and low. Don’t get silly and eat the things I know make me feel bad. Christmas and New Year’s Eve will be the only flex days. This could prove challenging as I’ll be at home on vacation the last two weeks of the year. Continue to intermittent fast between 16-24 hours. Don’t sweat the exercise- weight loss happens in the kitchen and I’m going to prove it!0
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And just like that, my one goal for the month is not going to happen. I was working on my truck and pulled a muscle in my ribcage. I thought it was a bruise when it happened, but once I went to do my workout and tried lifting a weight, I realized it was a strained muscle or ligament. I dropped the weight to the lowest it can go, and it was still painful, so my workout program is on hold. I will try to redesign it today to see if I can work around the injury and still do a strength training workout. If not, it will be lot of time on the exercise bike and treadmill.1
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I’ve had a couple of good days in a row and managed to keep my saboteur from being a bad influence. I’m staying within the same 4 pound range on the scale which means no fat loss is happening. Consistency should help if I can skip the cheats. I’d like to shed 10% of my weight in the coming months. I’ve felt better staying keto and have not had cravings. I think I will get back to heavy weights this week versus the HIIT strength videos I’ve been doing this fall. I’ve avoided snacking this weekend as well. A few days does not make a trend so I have the opportunity to listen to my body and stick to the plan.1
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okie dokie. Not a great weekend but better. Better is better!
Today a kick-a** workout is in the queue. Let's do this!1 -
Megan_smartiepants1970 wrote: »I will not be participating until January ... I have dropped Keto for now since I am to weak to meal prep... November and December have been a wash ...I am hoping to get healthy and continue on my journey ..take care everyone
I'm so sorry you're still having so much trouble.
Web hugs to you. Take care of yourself and hopefully you'll be well enough to join us soon. 
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rileysowner wrote: »And just like that, my one goal for the month is not going to happen. I was working on my truck and pulled a muscle in my ribcage. I thought it was a bruise when it happened, but once I went to do my workout and tried lifting a weight, I realized it was a strained muscle or ligament. I dropped the weight to the lowest it can go, and it was still painful, so my workout program is on hold. I will try to redesign it today to see if I can work around the injury and still do a strength training workout. If not, it will be lot of time on the exercise bike and treadmill.
aw that sucks. Yeah def just rest that ribcage completely. Straining it too soon will just prolong the recovery time and increase the chance of another injury. It's excruciating to feel like you're just standing still with your fitness. I have been there. But it's better in the long run to let that heal. You'll bounce back sooner. Hang in there!0 -
Had my weigh out for the fall challenge at my trainer's. I gained half a pound but lost a couple inches so I'm ok with that. I got my workout room back to normal after my sister's visit and I think it's set up better this time for both strength and walking videos. I upped my carb macro slightly to allow for some sweets/taste testing while doing all of my holiday baking (all gets given away).
Phone alarm has been helpful in keeping me from spending too much time on the couch. Will do some meal prep tonight after work.0 -
Great workout yesterday. Another in the queue for today which I am looking forward to!
It's become increasingly apparent that I can't lose weight unless I'm doing strict keto. No it isn't magic, but it does kill cravings that set me off the rails. So after the first of the year, I'm going to be doing that for myself. But moderation! Yeah I can moderate until I can't and I passed that line in May. I have to get myself recalibrated. Should be easier since due to some dental treatment happening in January, my mouth will be too ouchie for me to get into a lot of trouble while I get back into rhythm.
Anyway, off to do the things and kill a workout. 2 -
baconslave wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »And just like that, my one goal for the month is not going to happen. I was working on my truck and pulled a muscle in my ribcage. I thought it was a bruise when it happened, but once I went to do my workout and tried lifting a weight, I realized it was a strained muscle or ligament. I dropped the weight to the lowest it can go, and it was still painful, so my workout program is on hold. I will try to redesign it today to see if I can work around the injury and still do a strength training workout. If not, it will be lot of time on the exercise bike and treadmill.
aw that sucks. Yeah def just rest that ribcage completely. Straining it too soon will just prolong the recovery time and increase the chance of another injury. It's excruciating to feel like you're just standing still with your fitness. I have been there. But it's better in the long run to let that heal. You'll bounce back sooner. Hang in there!
Been there, done that. I learned long ago that letting injuries heal is better than pushing things.0 -
I’m having a pretty good week but did have some carbs last night with dinner- stupid chips and salsa! Otherwise I’ve stayed low carb with health carbs and kept protein fairly high. One day for lunch my protein was low and I wanted snacks midday so I’d like to avoid that when possible. I got on the scale yesterday and it is going in the right direction. I started focusing on weight training Monday versus weights with HIIT. My body feels better but I’m also trying to supplement electrolytes and magnesium so that likely helps too.1
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I’m having a pretty good week but did have some carbs last night with dinner- stupid chips and salsa! Otherwise I’ve stayed low carb with health carbs and kept protein fairly high. One day for lunch my protein was low and I wanted snacks midday so I’d like to avoid that when possible. I got on the scale yesterday and it is going in the right direction. I started focusing on weight training Monday versus weights with HIIT. My body feels better but I’m also trying to supplement electrolytes and magnesium so that likely helps too.
Good job.0 -
I'm trying very hard. Hitting the workouts. My weight has gone up again a pound or so, but I'm also a bit sore. So I'm going to assume it is water weight. Onward.0
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baconslave wrote: »I'm trying very hard. Hitting the workouts. My weight has gone up again a pound or so, but I'm also a bit sore. So I'm going to assume it is water weight. Onward.
That is very likely.0 -
My injury was getting better, to the point of really not hurting or aching at all on Tuesday. Yesterday, it started twinging while I was at work, largely because one of the things I do at my job is get 50-55 pound bags of feed for people, and we have a good number of customers. Today, that twinging has become a dull ache. Not he sharp pain of before, but much more annoying than the occasional discomfort the day before. I am going to assume based on past healing experiences, this is just part of the whole process unless the pain gets sharp again. Either way, lifting weights is still out for at least another several days.
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Back to logging every bite this week, I had gotten out of the habit and it shows. I worked out Monday and nothing since, have just been so tired. Wondering if I'm fighting off a cold or something. I'll get in a mix of cardio and weights at lunch.0
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Hi, my name is Marilyn. My roommate was diagnosed as type2 this summer. He was on Ozempic for about 6 weeks and went from 11 to 7 A1C and dropped about 30lbs now. He does all the cooking but gives me the grocery list. I have finally found a bread he likes...Aunt Millies Live Light...both wheat and potato. I try to find cereals with low carbs, which is almost impossible, so he sticks with Cheerios. I've tried to find pasta and snack crackers with no success. He does like to snack on his charcuterie stuff but would like some crackers.
Any recipes or food suggestions would be awesome!0 -
I almost messed up big today. I thought I had purchased Cherry Coke Zero, it turned out I must have grabbed the wrong box of cans. It was full sugar cherry coke. I got through maybe a quarter or the can and was wondering why it tasted so sickeningly sweet, then realized it was full sugar. I dumped it, and logged a quarter can, which I might raise to a third can since I really don't know how much of it I drank. That basically ate into half my carbs for the day.
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Hi, my name is Marilyn. My roommate was diagnosed as type2 this summer. He was on Ozempic for about 6 weeks and went from 11 to 7 A1C and dropped about 30lbs now. He does all the cooking but gives me the grocery list. I have finally found a bread he likes...Aunt Millies Live Light...both wheat and potato. I try to find cereals with low carbs, which is almost impossible, so he sticks with Cheerios. I've tried to find pasta and snack crackers with no success. He does like to snack on his charcuterie stuff but would like some crackers.
Any recipes or food suggestions would be awesome!
I would suggest various youtubes. Chris Cooking Nashville, Keto Serious, Victoria's Keto Kitchen, Keto Upgrade, Highfalutin Low Carb, and All Day I Dream About Food are the ones that come to mind at the moment.0 -
I would suggest various youtubes. Chris Cooking Nashville, Keto Serious, Victoria's Keto Kitchen, Keto Upgrade, Highfalutin Low Carb, and All Day I Dream About Food are the ones that come to mind at the moment. [/quote]
Thank you. I will look into them.0 -
I would suggest various youtubes. Chris Cooking Nashville, Keto Serious, Victoria's Keto Kitchen, Keto Upgrade, Highfalutin Low Carb, and All Day I Dream About Food are the ones that come to mind at the moment.
Thank you. I will look into them.[/quote]
You are welcome. There are some wonderful resources for Keto cooking on Youtube. For general keto information Dr Annette Bozworth, Dr Ken Berry, Dr. Cywes, Dr. Eric Westman, Dr. Shawn Baker are all good. For starting out Dr. Bozworth and Dr. Westman are a good place to start, but all of them are helpful.0 -
I have been in a bit of a stall in terms of weight loss lately, however, while I don't take measurements my belt has needed another hole added to be tight enough, so I know my waist has been getting smaller. Today, that was finally reflected in a weight change. If you are struggling with the scale not moving, look at other ways of measuring progress. If your measurements are coming down or clothing is getting more loose, your weight will eventually follow.2
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As expected, not working has left time for not eating on plan. I expected this but haven’t been good about curbing it. As soon as I start back to work, I know I’ll have more structure. I’m reading up on probiotics and gut health and would like to see how I might improve mine. I’m still focusing on protein but my weight is all over the board. I’ve also been wearing an Oura ring to keep an eye on stress, sleep and recovery in case that might be contributing to my weight gain or lack of loss.0
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As expected, not working has left time for not eating on plan. I expected this but haven’t been good about curbing it. As soon as I start back to work, I know I’ll have more structure. I’m reading up on probiotics and gut health and would like to see how I might improve mine. I’m still focusing on protein but my weight is all over the board. I’ve also been wearing an Oura ring to keep an eye on stress, sleep and recovery in case that might be contributing to my weight gain or lack of loss.
Keep working at it. You don't learn without some failure. Keep an eye on the things that get you off track and the things that help. Hopefully, that will help figure out how to be successful in the future.
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I have decided to stop the pity party .. I will be back on Keto January 1st and I will be using my home gym for 30 minutes 5 days a week just arms since I am not able to do legs ... my daughter will help me with meal prepping ..my foot hurts like hell but I need to get back on the train before I gain everything I have lost .. still not weighing myself since I am still on crutches ... I am in a soft cast right now but will be in another hard cast down the road1
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baconslave wrote: »Megan_smartiepants1970 wrote: »I will not be participating until January ... I have dropped Keto for now since I am to weak to meal prep... November and December have been a wash ...I am hoping to get healthy and continue on my journey ..take care everyone
I'm so sorry you're still having so much trouble. Web hugs to you. Take care of yourself and hopefully you'll be well enough to join us soon.
Thanks ... I have an infection in my leg ... and I had to have an emergency surgery due to one of the rods breaking ...I was in the hospital for 3 days ..I will be back in January ...I need to get off the pity train1 -
My Christmas went as planned. I ate whatever I wanted. I put on 3 or 4 pounds which is likely mostly water weight from replenished glycogen stores and undigested food weight. Today, back to Keto. My breath ketones were way down, and likely will drop more today as food in my system still digests. Hopefully, in a day or two I will be back in ketosis and the weight from yesterday will be mostly gone. I had an excellent workout on Christmas morning, so my thoughts so far is this month has been a win for me. If I can drop the Christmas Day weight, I will have lost for the month, but I will have to see where I am by the 31st.1
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I have been sick twice in the last 2 weeks.
Coming out the other end of a hateful megacold right now.
New year, new challenge: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10906112/jumpstart-january-challenge-2024/p1?new=1
Join me!0
