FAT 2 FIT WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE AND SUPPORT GROUP

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Downsizers Team Chat - JANUARY 2024

jugar
jugar Posts: 10,271 Member
edited February 4 in Social Groups
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Here is your Team chat room for January 2024. Happy New Year! This is where you weigh in, 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. Try to post often, and help each other succeed! Bookmark this thread to make it easy to land here any time.

Fat2Fit has 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 Slimpossible - @Katmary71 and @trooworld
Weight No More - @minstrelofsarcasm and @melaniedscott
WaistAways - @jugar and @ashleycarole86
Shape Shifters - @jessicakrall8 and @Pupowl

Our Team Motivators:
Downsizers - @Slimmersixties & @NachDeezy
Mission Slimpossibles - open
Weight No More - @rachelrjh
WaistAways - @MaddawgMadsen
Shape Shifters - @Sbus12 and @Cyncia85

HOW IT ALL WORKS: The January challenge runs for 5 weeks, from December 31 - February 3. F2F months always start on a Sunday and end on a Saturday, so adjust your calendars!

Everyone weighs in weekly on their chosen day right here in the team chat. 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, and may everyone else get to work on next week!

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 single 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 want a break, you can be excused for a week or two, or can be moved to the Support Team for as long as you need. You still participate in the discussions, you can weigh in if you want to, but it will not count in the weekly tally. Don't worry! You can always come back even if you get dropped.

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 first month of 2024 begin!!

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Replies

  • RoblinB
    RoblinB Posts: 362 Member
    Hi everyone! I have been a MFP member since 2018, but really just lurked the message boards off and on until this past July when I hit my highest weight of 200 lbs. I was very afraid of this new territory and knew I had to do something different. Not one to do social media in any way, it was a substantial step for me to actually post anything on this website, never mind ask for inclusion in the Fat2Fit group. Given my long-standing eating habits (bingeing-type behaviours, sneaking food, emotional eating, etc.), I had this sense that accountability was really the missing piece for me, but not in the way that my family would try to offer if I asked it of them. So I jumped in with this bunch of strangers and promised myself that I would be honest with them. I was also pretty sure that I could prevent a substantial amount of damage if I actually asked for accountability specifically before heading into vulnerable eating situations. And you strangers have indeed been a gift to me! Thank you for letting me lean on you in this way.

    I guess this post was supposed to be an introduction, so more generally... married mom of two nearly grown college kids still circling the nest, supporting both elderly mom and my husband with chronic disease concerns, work full time for a university, love music.

    Just to end the year, my top NSVs (in addition to some of the things mentioned above):
    • Pulling out my winter jacket this fall and zipping it up with no problem.
    • Finding jeans in the back of my closet that now work (and some are now too big!)
    • Looking in a full length mirror (I used to never do this!)
    • Being surprised at how my face is changing on Zoom meetings (in the past, work has given me many uncomfortable opportunities to assess this!)
    • Carrying 20+ pounds of groceries and being reminded that I have lost substantially more
    • Feeling hopeful about more changes that have long felt out of reach.

    So here's to more NSV's for all of us in the year to come, because I think, even though we keep track of pounds and inches and steps, this effort is really about contributing to the rebuilding (or maybe building for the first time) of a life that we want to live.

    Much joy to you all in 2024! :)
  • jessicakrall8
    jessicakrall8 Posts: 5,479 Member
    The January Week 1 Group Challenge is open and ready to begin on Sunday, Dec. 31st and will run until Saturday, Jan. 6th. Please join us for the New Year New You Challenge! Here's your link:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10906030/january-week-1-group-challenge-new-year-new-you-challenge#latest

    Hope to see you in the chat thread...great opportunity to set and begin working on new goals!
    Jessica :blush:
  • rainyrae
    rainyrae Posts: 131 Member
    OMG! Just got another very good reason to lose this weight and get healthy! Our middle son and DIL just stopped by to give us a bottle of wine that had a quote on it…. “Pairs nicely with becoming a grandparent”!! They have been trying for a year and a half! This will be our fourth! I am so excited and I want to tell everyone but they haven’t told everyone in the family yet so I have to keep it a secret for now. So even though y’all don’t know anyone I do…… Shhhh😂
  • Megan_smartiepants1970
    Megan_smartiepants1970 Posts: 42,885 Member
    rainyrae wrote: »
    OMG! Just got another very good reason to lose this weight and get healthy! Our middle son and DIL just stopped by to give us a bottle of wine that had a quote on it…. “Pairs nicely with becoming a grandparent”!! They have been trying for a year and a half! This will be our fourth! I am so excited and I want to tell everyone but they haven’t told everyone in the family yet so I have to keep it a secret for now. So even though y’all don’t know anyone I do…… Shhhh😂

    That is awesome ...Congrats :)
  • iLive2Walk
    iLive2Walk Posts: 5,138 Member
    edited December 2023
    Since March I have been writing a montly reflection - this month - reflected on the year. Thought I would share as my introduction.

    2023 Reflection

    What a year it has been. In January my husband went back to work on a temporary assignment for six months. It was the first time in my life that I was alone most of the day. I thought it was the perfect time for me to focus on me for a change and vowed to lose weight, get healthy, give up some bad habits, and exercise. I started walking every day and found a tracker to record my yearly miles. I started with a goal of 1,960 miles in 2023. My weight loss goal was to get out of the obese category – which would mean about 60 pounds. When Greg’s assignment was over, I was worried that I would fall back into the old routine – but happily he not only supported my quest to get healthy, he joined me every day for my AM walk (weather permitting)!

    Since moving to East Hampton 20 years ago, I have had this thought about walking the entirety of the Airline trail from East Hampton to Willimantic. I also thought this was the perfect opportunity for me to accomplish that. I started the trek on January 23. I posted my intention on Facebook to keep me accountable and blogged about my daily adventures. I completed the 62-mile journey on February 22, averaging a little over 2.5 miles per day and lost 14 pounds in the process. I thought, “what now”?

    I found My Fitness Pal and started tracking my daily calories. This wasn’t motivating enough, so found the challenges forum on the site and thought let’s give it a try. I was addicted. I joined many challenges on the site – too many. I have my favorites – two that are competition based, The Biggest Loser Challenge and the Hogwarts Challenge. They make losing weight and exercising fun. I liked them so much that I became a co-captain of the BLC challenge. I chose this one because Hogwarts is too creative for my mathematical brain to be a leader - LOL. I also am fond of a couple others (Fat to Fit and the 5% challenges) which are a lot less intense. The last two tend to overlap with my favorites, so aren’t too hard to manage. I am also in a support group, for friendship and encouragement. I know it seems like a lot – but I love it, it keeps me motivated, and most importantly they are working for me!

    In October I met my 60-pound loss goal, and I added a new goal, another 28 pounds to get in the ideal range. I have lost 64 pounds so far, another 24 to go to meet my goal. I met my 1,960 miles in 2023 goal in October, upped the goal to 2,023 and met that in November. I ended the year with a little over 2,500 miles.

    What are my plans for 2024?
    • Starting the year with a 10K walk in January 1
    • I will reach my goal weight – hoping by my birthday in August; then the maintenance period – which I’m thinking will be just as hard, if not harder.
    • I am continuing with my groups on My Fitness Pal.
    • I am also feeling very nostalgic and decided to do the Airline Trail again – this time Greg is joining me. Can’t wait – he is a little under the weather at the moment – will start when he is healthy.
    • I signed up for the 2,024 miles in 2024. I was going to change to intentional walking only, but the 2,023 routine worked for me so I’m going to do the same for 2024.
    • I am going to focus a little more on nutrition this year, not just calories-in, calories-out. I think in the beginning of the year I will just monitor it – see how close I am to getting my recommended macronutrients goals, then adjust as I become more familiar with it.
    • Try to get at least 6 glasses of water in.
    • Strength train 3 days/week, flex 1 day.
    • Read a little more.
    • Have some fun.
  • iLive2Walk
    iLive2Walk Posts: 5,138 Member
    @rainyrae Welcome to the group - and congratulations, my lips are sealed 🤐
  • lindamtuck2018
    lindamtuck2018 Posts: 9,804 Member
    @iLive2Walk
    I love your monthly and yearly reflection. I was kind of thinking on doing something I saw on facebook. Each week you write something good that happened. Then at the end of the year you can read all of them.
    6y3nnx0ffehr.jpeg
  • lindamtuck2018
    lindamtuck2018 Posts: 9,804 Member
    edited December 2023
    I think the fact our January challenge starts on New Years Eve gives us time to look at what has worked the last year and that we can continue doing in 2024. We can also reflect on what didn’t work and what we can change to make 2024 a success. Please share with the team.
  • rainyrae
    rainyrae Posts: 131 Member
    Good Morning!

    I’m proud of my accomplished weight loss this year though I know there’s definitely room for improvement. What worked for my was trading my dinner plate for a salad plate and therefore reducing my portion sizes. I also stopped beating myself up for one bad day or even two bad days and just got back on track. I walked more and I passed on desserts every Friday night at our weekly family dinner. What didn’t work or better yet, what needs work is that I need to stop snacking in the evenings, and stop telling myself I’m too tired to go to the gym. I also need to stop having candy in the house. I LOVE CANDY! And I don’t discriminate, chocolate and sour candies alike, I love them all. They are leaving the house today! Here’s to a happy, healthy new year!!
  • RoblinB
    RoblinB Posts: 362 Member
    @Megan_smartiepants1970
    Dec 24 5887
    Dec 25 5251
    Dec 26 9085
    Dec 27 8044
    Dec 28 7818
    Dec 29 7540
    Dec 30 7351
    As ever, thank you! :)
  • lindamtuck2018
    lindamtuck2018 Posts: 9,804 Member
    Steps:4,753
    Rings: ❌
    Walk:❌
    Swim:

    Not sure how I got my steps yesterday but it’s a bonus that I did. We are doing nothing for New Years Eve. My husband will pick up Chinese food. We plan on binge watching Better Call Saul. More than likely we will fall asleep before midnight.

    What worked and didn’t work:

    This year I had some big wins and big misses. I reached goal so that was huge. I also have made great progress on increasing my steps. I am doing more mini walks. My binge eating is pretty well under control which is a result of dealing with the urges to binge better. I continue to check in daily with the group which I know is a big part of my success. I need to continue doing all these things in 2024. My biggest miss without a doubt is my exercise record. I lost my motivation for a better part of the year. I tried so many different approaches to getting myself back to swimming 4 to 5 times per week. I have scheduled swimming, going different at different times(early, mid morning, lunchtime), trying to go with a friend and more. Losing weight is only half the battle for me. I need to improve my cardio and strengthen my muscles. Strength exercises in the pool and lengths with make a difference. Part of the problem is my bouts with low moods and my back/leg issues but the pool will help with both these things. To make this work, I need to push myself to go. I am starting with a low goal of going twice a week. Once I am consistently reaching this goal I will up it to three times a week an so on. I will work with the doctor on preventing the low mood periods which will also help getting me back in the pool. While I have improved my walking, I have not really looked at further ways to push this process. It’s time to look at some of the walking challenges some of my teammates are doing.

    There is a quote I have read which goes something like: food is the most overused anti anxiety medication and exercise is the most under rated antidepressant. I can really relate to this.

    I am eager to read what has worked for others as I maybe able to apply them to improve my weight loss/maintaining story.

    Have a great New Year’s Eve!


  • lindamtuck2018
    lindamtuck2018 Posts: 9,804 Member
    bwd96eoc1jbf.jpeg


    Sunday
    @rwillems
    @laquita606
    @abeks
    @Mama530
    @cormierannie

    Monday
    @adianeschu
    @ChickieBoom22
  • iLive2Walk
    iLive2Walk Posts: 5,138 Member
    edited December 2023
    lindamtuck2018 wrote: »
    @iLive2Walk
    I love your monthly and yearly reflection. I was kind of thinking on doing something I saw on facebook. Each week you write something good that happened. Then at the end of the year you can read all of them.
    6y3nnx0ffehr.jpeg

    I love this idea - going to start that this week! Hope you don't mind that I share!💖
  • Megan_smartiepants1970
    Megan_smartiepants1970 Posts: 42,885 Member
    lindamtuck2018 wrote: »
    I think the fact our January challenge starts on New Years Eve gives us time to look at what has worked the last year and that we can continue doing in 2024. We can also reflect on what didn’t work and what we can change to make 2024 a success. Please share with the team.

    What didn't work for me was not being able to do much ...still in a soft cast and crutches .. I will be back in a hard cast down the road .. but I have made the decision to get off the pity party train ... I will be using my home gym for 30 minutes ...I will be finding a chair exercise on youtube for 30 minutes ...I will be going back on Keto starting tomorrow ...I will be meal prepping with my daughter's help ..I still will not be weighing in ...
  • minstrelofsarcasm
    minstrelofsarcasm Posts: 2,528 Member
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    Team Results
    By Percentage
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    By Pounds
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    Individual Results
    By Percentage
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    By Pounds
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    49wt9m97tq0n.png

    Team Winners
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  • Megan_smartiepants1970
    Megan_smartiepants1970 Posts: 42,885 Member
    Congrats @abeks, @FindingSamMon and @prodigal6766 for being out top 3 weight loss losers for our wonderful team :)
  • minstrelofsarcasm
    minstrelofsarcasm Posts: 2,528 Member
    n1bx52w74edw.png

    dvlmrbfu2j3v.png
    z5qsktrllwrm.png
    imt03a45bdhy.png

    Team Results
    By Percentage
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    By Pounds
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    Individual Results
    By Percentage
    3zdz0cb50rgt.png

    By Pounds
    qp0t70xofny1.png
    4tb8ram5jk5o.png

    Team Winners
    y2fe4qmbxum4.png
  • itladyee
    itladyee Posts: 5,086 Member
    The road to Hell is paved with good intentions as this sums up my year

    Most sources interpret this expression as meaning that good intentions are worthless unless followed up with action.

    Some offer an alternative interpretation: that actions that are taken with good intent can have unintended negative consequences.

    For me, in 2023 it was a combination of both.
    I was struggling January - March with some slow progress but I will still call it progress. I had severe swelling and pain in my right foot and it was finally (after almost 3 months) diagnosed as Gout. Meds have kept this under control so I could resume activity. I joined this group in March. April - June I made some new discoveries that seemed to launch me in the right direction.

    July started well and then uncontrolled life occurrences sent me into a crazy spiral -
    - Husband home 24/7 since May 11 (had knee surgery) > No "me" time and care taker for the first 90 days while still working
    - Car issue that was life threatening
    - Major Fight with my husband as he wants to retire now but told me I needed to work until age 65
    - My 14 year old dog died
    - Decision: If retiring will need to downsize
    - Another Major Fight with Husband
    - My sister passed at 75 years. She had a stroke 8 years ago and was diagnosed with Breast cancer 4 years ago and was expected to only live months after that diagnosis
    - Sold Home of 10 years and moved into 2 bedroom apartment
    - Company purchased by new owners - future unknown


    While my "intent" was still there - I just couldn't follow up or go through with actions to achieve said goal.

    The "actions" that I continued, didn't yield the results desired as I wasn't fully committed to the action.

    Lightbulb!!
    As a result, I ended 2023 almost 3lbs heavier than my start in 2023. Normally this would upset me and I'd throw in the towel, only to gain more weight; but I did have success in 2023. Life just got in the way and I lost my focus. During the ride, I learned some things that work and truly are sustainable, I also learned that I need to work on my emotions and how they relate to how I treat or mistreat my body. This along is a change in mindset.

    I'm excited for 2024.
    I'm still working on goals, but the first thing that I'm going to do is redirect my focus. Usually the focus is on pounds loss, when pounds loss is really the outcome or result. I want to focus on steps to achieve that result and not be radar focused on just weight loss. Not that I don't want to lose weight but I want to focus on the things that, as an end result, will cause me to lose weight - but not focusing on just losing weight. I hope that makes sense. I think that's where I get into trouble mentally as I either want to lose a certain amount a day/week/month and when it doesn't happen, I get frustrated and sometimes lose focus. I've had this focus before but somewhere along the way - it got lost.

    I've joined a few more groups to keep me engaged. Just following all the challenges should keep me busy and hopefully focused!!!

    Smart Goals for 2024
    Goal#1 - Calories - 80% of the week my calories will be between 1200 and 1400, 20% of the week my calories will not exceed 1600. I'm still working on my calorie goal so this might change.
    - Log each and everything that I eat and/or drink in a timely manner each day.


    Goal#2 - Wine /Alcohol Reduction - Almost Dry January
    - January 1 - 2 Vacation
    - January 8 or designated celebration day for my husband's birthday

    Goal #3 - Water - Target by the end of each week
    Ending 1/6 = 33 ounces (2 bottles)
    Ending 1/13 = 50 ounces (3 bottles)
    Ending 1/20 = 67 ounces (4 bottles)
    Ending 1/27 = 84.5 ounces (5 bottles)
    Ramp up slowly vs drinking immediately drinking 1/2 your body weight and spending tons of time in the bathroom. I'm hoping that my slowing increasing my intake will train my bladder🙂

    Goal #4 - Exercise - 6 days a week.
    I started this program on 12/9 and I'm kicking it! For now. The days are getting a little tougher to get going but that's why I like the morning work out. Before my mind has a chance to object - I'm crawling out of bed and half way there.

    This is my schedule right now alternating days and resting on Sundays.
    Day 1, 3, 5: ST - Chest, Shoulders, Back + 30 minute treadmill
    Day 2, 4, 6: ST - Arms & Legs + 10 minute Bike and 20 minute
    My goal is adding in stretching and core workouts so my schedule will look more like this:

    Day 1, 4: ST - Chest, Shoulders, Back + 30 minute treadmill
    Day 2, 5: ST - Arms & Legs + 10 minute Bike and 20 minute
    treadmill.
    Day 3, 6: Stretching and Core Exercises - 30 minutes treadmill

    Goal #5 - Finish reading Younger Next Year, Start Reading Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Emotional Eating - a min of 10 minutes a day


    Other Goals for 2024 (need to turn into Smart Goals)
    Be Present and Mindful
    Have some fun


    I revisit my goals monthly, give myself a grade and tweak as needed :)
  • Megan_smartiepants1970
    Megan_smartiepants1970 Posts: 42,885 Member
    edited January 1
    3el9um5mbzju.png

    Here is my Sunday reminder of the people's steps I need for December week 4 ..Please have them in no later than Tuesday evening of January 2nd ..Thank you for your cooperation :)

    @aactuallyaash 12/24 - 12/30

    @Mama530 12/24 - 12/30
    @adianeschu 12/24 - 12/30
    @laquita606 12/24 - 12/30
    @Slimmersixties 12/26 - 12/30

    @FindingSamMon 12/29 & 12/30
    @Myhand4God 12/27 -12/30
  • itladyee
    itladyee Posts: 5,086 Member
    Step Goal 8,500
    12/24 ~ 11,527
    12/25 ~ 6,878
    12/26 ~ 6,184
    12/27 ~ 4,299
    12/28 ~ 8,039
    12/29 ~ 10,764
    12/30 ~ 25,152

    @RoblinB ~ Congrats on those nonscale victories. Very Nice!

    @Rainyrae ~ Congratulations Grandma!!

    @iLive2Walk ~ Congrats on your most fabulous 2023! I love your goals for 2024. Some are similar for me and I'm going to see what kinds of walking challenge I can come up with! Thanks for sharing.

    @Lindamtuck2018 ~ I love the Jar idea. Very Cool! Congrats on reaching your goal weight!!

    @minstrelofsarcasm
    As a whole, we know how to party!!

    Love it...sometimes we just need a break. Look out January!! :)
  • lindamtuck2018
    lindamtuck2018 Posts: 9,804 Member
    iLive2Walk wrote: »
    lindamtuck2018 wrote: »
    @iLive2Walk
    I love your monthly and yearly reflection. I was kind of thinking on doing something I saw on facebook. Each week you write something good that happened. Then at the end of the year you can read all of them.
    6y3nnx0ffehr.jpeg

    I love this idea - going to start that this week! Hope you don't mind that I share!💖

    Absolutely
  • lindamtuck2018
    lindamtuck2018 Posts: 9,804 Member
    edited December 2023
    Congrats to our top three for week 4:

    @abeks
    @FindingSamMon
    @prodigal6766
  • lindamtuck2018
    lindamtuck2018 Posts: 9,804 Member
    Congratulations Downsizers on an amazing December!

    Awesome work to our top three for December:
    @prodigal6766
    @Slimmersixties
    @RoblinB

    Also offer a big round of applause to @Slimmersixties who reached both goal and a 100 pounds lost! 👏👏👏👏👏👏
  • lindamtuck2018
    lindamtuck2018 Posts: 9,804 Member
    @itladyee
    I like how you have broke everything down, I think with everything you have faced since July, it’s a huge win that you with ending the year with a 3 pound gain. I faced a big challenge in the last few months of 2020 which sent me into a spiral of binge eating leaving me with a 35 pound gain. That meant I had to relose those pounds which was a kink in my journey. I think learning how to avoid those emotional triggers is so important to weight loss. I am impressed you didn’t spiral and gain weight.
  • iLive2Walk
    iLive2Walk Posts: 5,138 Member
    @Megan_smartiepants1970

    Here are my steps from Dec 24 - Dec 30

    24-Dec 7,985
    25-Dec 13,635
    26-Dec 19,178
    27-Dec 20,837
    28-Dec 20,304
    29-Dec 18,437
    30-Dec 23,803
    Tot 124,179

  • abeks
    abeks Posts: 68 Member
    Pw: 209
    Cw: 209
    Happy new year everyone!
This discussion has been closed.

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