WaistAways Team Chat - August 2025

mkksemail

Gidgit, great new that it's not the knee joint!! Sure hope she can find a fix for you 🤞.

Steph, Jackie, yayyyy for Bingo players! I'll have them ready to go by September. (still in the last 13 days of my summer 5-wk challenge. I'll make a new sheet for our team, that other sheet is my other group. I loved the inspo from it, tho!

Lauren, can't believe I forgot to shout and celebrate that NSV with you! I was shouting and celebrating for you when I read it, tho :D. That's so awesome, I'd have been chuffed if that was me 🦚.

Happy Thursday, team! ~ mk :)

(weigh-in in next post)

mkksemail

WaistAways weekly post: mkksemail

1.) Thursday weigh-in :
CW - 08/21/25: 200.4 Thu, Wk 3 Aug
PW - 08/14/25: 202.7 Thu, Wk 2 Aug

-2.3 lbs; Thu, Wk 3 Aug | 🐢 ... working on re-centering myself, getting back on track. Not fully there yet, but on the path!

2.) Steps:
Week 3 (Aug) ~

• Sunday: 9,266
• Monday: 9,748
• Tuesday: 9,854
• Wednesday: 9,151
• Thursday: 16,658
• Friday: 13,194
• Saturday: 9,387

Week 4 (Aug) ~

• Sunday: 7,895
• Monday: 10,195
• Tuesday: 6,301
• Wednesday: 6,301
• Thursday: 7,572
• Friday: …
• Saturday: …

Spoiler Warning

wi history:

08/21/25: -2.3 lbs | 200.4 Thu, Wk 3 Aug 🐢 ... working on re-centering myself, getting back on track. Not fully there yet, but on the path!

08/14/25: +1.1 lbs | 202.7 Thu, Wk 2 Aug oh gosh ... been resting for just over a week since getting home, and not making the best food choices. oof! again 🥴
08/07/25: +4.4 lbs | 201.6 Thu, Wk 1 Aug oof! 🥴 (knee injections finished 3 weeks ago on Monday! 1 week to go until peak effectiveness! Hopefully massive bump up is still from weekend adventure swolls, I def didn't eat enough to gain that ... I don't think ... also, legs (esp lower) covered in skeeter bites with sooo much itching, red welts, can't tell anymore if it's skeeter bites, or skeeter bites + rashing. Doing Zyrtec, Benedryl, Epsom salt baths, Tylenol ... )
07/31/25: +1.2 lbs | 197.2 Thu, Wk 5 Jul '25 wi Also had knee injections 4 weeks in a row, from Jun Wk 4, thru Jul Wk 4 (3 visco gel supp knee injections in ea knee, left knee started wk 1, thru wk 3, right knee started wk 2 thru wk 4). PLUS, Ren Faire weekends the last 2 weekends in July (& the 1st weekend in August), including one commute from home weekend (week 1), and two 4-day weekends Sat-Tue (weeks 2, Huttopia; week 3 The Shire Hobbit House). Lots of fair food/high sodium during all 3 weekends, plus KFC on 2 days (also high sodium!) between weekends 1 and 2 of the Ren Faire. Not a banner month, that's for sure... Should note, tho, that I did have a 'throat closing episode' at fair on Sat Jul 26 (weekend two of the Ren Faire), from about 30 min after arrival (eating 1st fair food), until about 30 min after leaving. We left early, at 4-ish, to head to Huttopia to relax, and for me to try to recover. ALSO should note! I had BIG weight swings this month, as much as +6.7 lbs 🥴 from high sodium foods consumed at Ren Faire (and KFC!):
~ Sun wk 10 of BLC 58 (Sun 07/13/25, wi=195,4 lbs), to
~ Mon Wk 11 of BLC 58 (Mon 07/21/25, wi=202.1 lbs).
06/26/25: -1.4 lbs | 196.0 Thu, Wk 4 Jun '25 wi (1st of 3 visco gel injections in left knee on Monday).

almost a year after that ... 05/29/25: -14.6 lbs | 197.4 PW, for signing up with FF Waistaways! :)
a week or so later ... May '24: Came back to MFP at the beginning of May '24 (the 5th? not sure, that's the first day I logged food)
19 mos after that … 04/28/24: +48.2 lbs | 212.0 New "High" score 😶
14 mos later … 10/08/22: -33.8 lbs | 163.8 Lowest Fitbit weight
08/19/21: +3.4 lbs | 197.6 'High' score, a month later (I didn't get off to a great start, did I? ;-) )
07/21/21: start | 194.2 Fitbit weight when I started my health journey

mkksemail

stephanodda6:39AM

… Why is this shtuff so dang hard!? (Idk if we can curse here 😜).

PS - Steph, I rofl'd at your last comment. It's hilarious, what the MFP filter does to cussing, give it a try. I don't want to ruin the surprise for you, but it absolutely changes the tone of the conversation, in a good way! (you won't see what it does, until you post, so let your inner sailor fly free, and post up a blue streak, it'll crack you up).

micki48

Come on. Who is going to cuss first?! 🤣

I weighed in this morning and I liked what I saw. 219.6. Hopefully it holds for weight in tomorrow. I was thinking of changing my weigh in day to Thursday.

I did a 13 minute step workout tonight to push me over my step goal. Still logging. At PT, we talked about adding some weight training or weight resistance. We have a fabulous state of the gym at my school. It would be stupid not to use it. I’m planning on using it 2-3rd a week.

Babysitting my grand girls tomorrow. Love hearing about all the successes, BINGO, staying on track, making our bodies heal and work right . Keep up the good work team.

mkksemail

rofl, Micki! I'm not going to ruin the surprise. :laugh: WTG on your update, it's all great, and all inspiring! How fortunate to have access to a fantastic gym!

Hope you're enjoying your grands day!

I stopped getting MFP notifications (the red circle by the bell, when you're inside the Community section of MFP). Anyone else?

Cheers! ~ mk :)

micki48

Friday weigh in

PW 221.2

CW 220.1 up a little bit but still in the green. Yay!!

I’ve been purposely hitting my step goal this week. Took a walk after a lovely dinner tonight. It was perfect. Nice after a day full of my granddaughters. They are so sweet.

Still logging very well. I have focused on getting enough protein this time and getting more protein definitely helps keep you full.

I had a delicious local peach today. A friend dropped off four of them. Just so good.

MK, nothing on MFP seems to work right anymore. I really miss seeing the feed too. I wish they left it.

This was a view tonight on our walk. I grew up next to this river. It is the Delaware River between my hometown in New Jersey and Pennsylvania USA.

veronica1359

PW=85,8Kg
CW=86,2Kg

mkksemail

Ohhh that is beautiful, Michele! Ain't that the truth, in MFP. And yup, I'm still mourning the removal of the News feeds!

Happy Saturday quiet Teamies!! Cheers, ~ mk :)

jessicakrall8

The August Week 4 Group Challenge is open and ready to begin on Sunday, Aug 24th. Please join us for the THIS or THAT Exercise Challenge and double/triple the quantities listed for bigger BRAGGING RIGHTS! Here's your link:

August Week 4 Group Challenge - This or That Exercise Challenge — MyFitnessPal.com

See you in the Chat Thread!

Jessica 😁

zankash23

PW: 138.7
CW: 139.5

lauren_989

Last call for weigh-ins!

@cleaneater80

@stephanodda

@Pearl4686

lauren_989

@micki48 that picture is beautiful!

Hubby and I went to the park today and got a lot of walking done! Then we went and walked around some stores. I bought a new puzzle. We were looking at the Halloween decorations. Has anyone ever bought one of those blow-up decorations?

jguldi11

I've noticed that when I don't have coffee in the morning I tend to be hungrier and crave a lot more throughout the day. I'm guessing it's because caffeine is a stimulant, and stimulants suppress appetite. I was never a coffee drinker before kids but now I have at least 1 cup most days.

The last few days I've been staying within my calorie range and getting some type of activity in each day, even if it's just pacing around the house. The kids think it's a game when I pace so we usually end up playing tag 😆

Today we did order pizza. I meant to cook dinner but it got to be too late after i did some cleaning. I ordered my pizza with lots of extra vegetables and ate 1.5 slices. I started feeling full so I listened to my body and stopped eating instead of stuffing myself. That's a newly learned ability for me, I have always had that "clear your plate" mentality.

@lauren_989 I've not gotten one of the blow up decorations but think they're really cool! I can't believe Halloween decor is out already. It feels like summer just started 😫

That is a beautiful *kitten* view @micki48 ! Lol I tried cussing... let's see what happens. If I remember correctly it changes the word into 😸 but I could be mistaken haha.

@mkksemail yeah my notifications are really sporadic, I only seem to get them for the obnoxious spammy friend requests but nothing else.

jguldi11

My steps for the week

mkksemail

lolll …. that kitten cracks me up every time, Jackie !!! 😸😻😹 WELL DONE on your food tracking, and your exercise, too. You're an inspiration, love the striving and positivity, girl 💪. (And tag with the kidlets sounds like a ball !)

I started fleshing out my BINGO boards for September and October, bc my Hogwarts Slytherin House Common Room is using Bingo this coming term, too (just found that out recently, the new Howarts term starts on Monday). That game structure is 2 boards for 8 weeks, which is kinda a pretty close cousin to what I proposed for our little den here (monthly boards for the fall - Sep, Oct, Nov), maybe go to December and finish out the yr!

One of my housemates asked AI for a Hogwarts-themed list of tasks, and I loved every bit of it, so I adopted it wholesale, and then filled out the rest of the tasks, to reach 50 (bc I was populating 2 boards for my hogwarts slytherin house games). This was the list she posted (her post first, then the list):

I asked AI to come up with some HP Bingo tasks—here is a sample of what it returned! You can also ask for easy, moderate, and challenging tasks. Have fun!

Fitness & Movement (Physical Challenges)

1. Climb the Astronomy Tower → Walk 8,000+ steps in one day.
2. Duel Practice → Do a 15-minute strength workout.
3. Quidditch Warm-Up → 20 minutes of cardio (walk, run, bike).
4. Transfiguration Training → Try a new exercise you don’t usually do.
5. Charms Class → Dance for 10 minutes, no matter how silly.

🪄 Flexibility, Balance, & Restorative Movement

1. Patronus Power → Stretch or do yoga for 15 minutes.
2. Ravenclaw’s Poise → Practice balance (tree pose, heel-to-toe walk).
3. Wingardium Leviosa → Do 10 minutes of deep breathing/meditation.
4. Invisibility Cloak Cooldown → Take 10 minutes of quiet stillness after exercise.
5. Time-Turner Reset → Take a restorative nap or lie down for 15 minutes.

🍵 Nourishment & Hydration

1. Butterbeer Break → Drink at least 8 glasses of water.
2. Herbology Harvest → Eat 2 servings of vegetables in one meal.
3. Potion Master’s Brew → Swap one sugary drink for water or tea.
4. Hogsmeade Feast → Cook a healthy homemade meal.
5. Honeydukes Treat → Enjoy a mindful treat—savor it slowly.

🌙 Sleep & Rest

1. Potion Master’s Rest → Get 7+ hours of sleep.
2. Lumos Off → No screens 30 minutes before bed.
3. Common Room Wind-Down → Do a calming bedtime routine.
4. Dreamless Sleep Potion → Journal or brain-dump before bed to clear your mind.

✍️ Reflection & Mindset

1. Sorting Hat Reflection → Write down 3 things you’re grateful for.
2. Daily Prophet Entry → Journal for 10 minutes about your day.
3. Mirror of Erised → Visualize your future self for 5 minutes.
4. Defense Against the Dark Arts → Write down one negative thought and reframe it.
5. Remembrall Moment → List 3 things you accomplished this week.

🦉 Social & Connection

1. Owl Post Connection → Send a kind message to someone.
2. House Points → Cheer on a teammate or friend in their goals.
3. Great Hall Meal → Share a meal with someone (in person or virtually).
4. Prefect Duty → Help or encourage someone else today.

🎉 Fun & Play

1. Yule Ball Dance → Dance to a favorite song.
2. Weasley Prank Break → Do something silly just for joy.
3. Marauder’s Map Adventure → Explore a new walking path or route.
4. Hogsmeade Outing → Do one fun activity outside the house.
5. Library Escape → Read a non-work book for 20 minutes.

Fun, right!? Those total 33, so I added on 17 more, so I'd have enough tasks for two 5x5 grid boards:

Extramural - Five for Board # 1	💪 F2F, Community Engagement → Participate in one (two?) week-long group challenge
	🐢 BLC, Mighty Tortoise Exercise → ST x 3 (upper, lower, core)
	🐢 BLC, Mighty Tortoise Exercise → Flex x 3
	🐍 Hogwarts, Slytherin's Spectacular Games → Fitdeck x 2 weeks
	🔮 Hogwarts, Castle Games → Room of Requirement x 2 wks
Player's Choice - Two for Board # 1	Player's Choice, fill-in-later
	Player's Choice, fill-in-later
Free Square - One for Board # 1	Free ! 🏕⛺🥾🔥
Extramural - Five for Board # 22	💪 F2F, Community Engagement → Participate in one (two?) week-long group challenge
	🐢 BLC, Mighty Tortoise Exercise → ST x 3 (upper, lower, core)
	🐢 BLC, Mighty Tortoise Exercise → Flex x 3
	🐍 Hogwarts, Slytherin's Spectacular Games → Fitdeck x 2 weeks
	🔮 Hogwarts, Castle Games → Room of Requirement x 2 wks
Player's Choice - Three for Board # 2	Player's Choice, fill-in-later
	Player's Choice, fill-in-later
	Player's Choice, fill-in-later
Free Square - One for Board # 2	Free ! 🏕⛺🥾🔥

So tonight I plugged the tasks into a randomizer, and populated two monthly boards. This will be my September board for our WaistAways intramural game. Snapshot view - September's board:

Detail view - September's board:

And this will be my October board for our WaistAways intramural game. Snapshot view - October's board:

Detail view - October's board:

I don't have our WaistAways spreadsheet for September ready yet (I'm still working in the Tortoise Team summer break spreadsheet). And ofc, everyone would fill in their own Bingo Task List. This is just to give a better idea of what BINGO looks like :D.

Who is thinking of playing? So far I have:

@jguldi11

@conleywoods

@micki48 , are you in? :D @stephanodda , you as well? I think you ladies were interested, not certain tho. Anyone else up for a sprint to the end of the yr? Under the Bingo boards is a goal section, with different focus areas, so we can work on our goals, too, and have fun playing Bingo :).

Cheers! ~ mk :)

PS - hope you're feeling better, Zan! Xx

strong_fit_ells

Good morning Waistaways

CW 242.0lbs woop!woop!

I am so close to next decade! I was here before few weeks ago and I failed to break through, so I am not going to get to excited but oh may!! I am so excited for next week

@mkksemail I am going to look into your board and I'd like to join in, please

Have a lovely Sunday everyone!

YinxFed

Greetings Friends!

Here's today's weigh-in:

PW - 188.2

CW - 188.9 (sorry Team!)

@mkksemail I need to go back over the posts again, so that I get it properly (maybe go on my laptop), but please put me down for joining your Bingo team. I like your idea of doing a group sprint for the end of the year.

Back later with my steps and exercise stats.

TTFN

jguldi11

@strong_fit_ells you'll be in the next decade soon! How exciting 😀

@mkksemail I'm looking forward to Bingo! Historically the fall/winter time has been a challenging time for me with weightloss. This is mostly due to the holidays (so much food) and the weather making it unpleasant to be outside; so having a new way to spice things up is great! Thank you 😊

minstrelofsarcasm

mkksemail

Ahhhh, GREAT, so excited! Adding youse guys, @strong_fit_ells , @YinxFed , ! Jackie, yea, kinda the same, on fall into winter! I wonder if evolutionarily-wise, we are hard-coded to pack on the energy (fat) for later use, and hunker in (move less) ? Ells, big congratulation on the next decade !! It's so close, you're going to get there, your body's just been circling it for a bit, to get used to the idea ;-). Yinka, no worries on the weigh-in - just a blip! That's come off next weigh-in :D.

So, after this, I'll stop text bombing with lists and pix (haha), but I wanted to post my end-of-summer 5-wk challenge Bingo board, for another idea/option on tasks. For this board, I made it hard (for me), bc I was having a hard time getting back into my routine after 3 wks of Ren-Fairing, and 4-day long weekends away, and another week with a day of gallivanting (and eating) about town, with out-of-town visitors. I may have made it toooooo hard, b/c I have 11 days left, and more than half the board to go :o. (eeek!) Anyway, this was/is my current Bingo board's list. Instead of populating it with all distinct, unique items, I chose to repeat items I wanted to accomplish each week:

My Task List (board-in-progress, ends a week from Wednesday):

Green Freggies x 4
Green Freggies x 4
Green Freggies x 4
Green Freggies x 4
Green Freggies x 4
PTEs x 2, PF bike x 1
PTEs x 2, PF bike x 1
PTEs x 2, PF bike x 1
PTEs x 2, PF bike x 1
PTEs x 2, PF bike x 1
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, ST x 3
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, ST x 3
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, ST x 3
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, ST x 3
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, Cardio x 1
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, Cardio x 1
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, Cardio x 1
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, Cardio x 1
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, Flex x 1
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, Flex x 1
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, Flex x 1
Mighty Tortoise Exercise, Flex x 1
Player's Choice, fill-in-later
Player's Choice, fill-in-later
Free ! 🏕⛺🥾🔥

When you check off a box as 'completed' in the Detail view, it colors in that square (in the Detail view board), as well as the corresonding square in the Snapshot view. The 'squares to go' countdown also auto-updates. All of which I love, lol.

Detail view - Tortoise Team's -wk summer break board:

Detail view - Tortoise Team's -wk summer break board:

As I mentioned, I'm waaayyyy behind schedule! I have 11 days left, and 16 squares still to complete :o !

Cheers ~ mk :)

YinxFed

Greetings Friends,

Here are my Step and exercise stats for the last 7 days:

Sunday 17th August - 3266 / 30mins Full Body Dumbbell workout (Caroline Girvan's Epic 3 Day 49)

Monday 18th - 6144 / 30mins Full Body Cardio workout (Caroline Girvan's Epic 3 Day 50)

Tuesday 19th - 5064 / 1.3 mile walk

Wednesday 20th - 4210

Thursday 21st - 4266 / 36mins Lower Body workout (Caroline's Circuits Week 1, Day 1)

Friday 22nd - 4003 / 36mins Full Body workout (Caroline's Circuits Week 1, Day 2)

Saturday 23rd - 2402 / 30mins Full Body Dumbbell workout (Caroline's Circuits Week 1, Day 3)

YinxFed

Hey Mary K @mkksemail I've had a good look at the examples and the bingo cards that you've shared with us and I love it! I'm looking forward to getting stuck in. Thanks for organising this!

lauren_989

Congrats team on coming in second this week!! 🎉

We had 50% of our team in the green! 💚

Shout out to the top winners this week @whitfcan @mkksemail 🥳

@whitfcan has reached 103 pounds down from their highest weight!! Any tips to share? 😊

lauren_989

Sunday: 5,968

Monday: 8,444 + 30 min bike + 30 min weights

Tuesday: 5,805 + 30 min jog

Wednesday: 4,345

Thursday: 9,400 + 30 min jog (hills)

Friday: 9,490

Saturday: 13,881

Alatariel75

@jguldi11 coffee is definitely an appetite suppressant for me, I also think that because it gives me energy, I'm not needing to get it from food? But I admit that I will sometimes have one when I'm feeling snacky, to keep calories lower.

@lauren_989 I love halloween, and those blow up ones! I've never had one, but one of my cousins goes absolutely crazy all out with them every year, it's so impressive.

I bought myself a project car this weekend, I'm so excited. I've been wanting one forever, and I am so chuffed to finally have something to tinker with!

mkksemail

Yay, Yinka!!

Lauren, you forgot to shout out yourself! I see you in 3rd place there, girl. Gotta give recognition, can't skip it just 'cuz ur a team leader :D.

Al, how exciting! Can't wait to hear about your tinkering! woop!

Hit Planet Fitness today, I got in a 5 mi bike ride, 52 mins of ST weight machines (upper/core, and lower), and a set of my PTEs, which I've been ignoring. Oi, really shouldn't do that! It took me 52 mins for that as well, my joints were protesting mightily at some of them. Took me a bit to get through a few of the exercises :p.

Cheers, team! ~ mk :)