Heather's Birthday Challenge

KarenZen

Okay gang, here's the official thread. Heather (Blondage) needs to lose 15 pounds by her birthday (I think it's July 16--confirm, Heather?) and guess what? We're going to do it too.

This is not a challenge for anyone with medical or eating disorder issues that would make it unsafe to lose 3-4 pounds weekly (my disclaimer), but if you can safely participate, jump on in.

Any ideas for prizes? We should have them for little mini-challenges...

First mini-challenge: No sugar weekend. Absolutely NO sugar this Friday 12:01 a.m. through 6 a.m. Monday. Winner drawn from pool of everyone who completes the challenge. Prize TBD. Probably something from my awesome bling collection!
K.

blondageh

Yes...July 16th...but that mini challenge...does that include sugar in fruit and Margaritas...cause my Margarita nite has been moved to Saturday. Ack! You are one brutal woman! I do love the idea of the big challenge. That one rocks! Woo woos. I want some Karen bling bling.

KarenZen

Yes...July 16th...but that mini challenge...does that include sugar in fruit and Margaritas...cause my Margarita nite has been moved to Saturday. Ack! You are one brutal woman! I do love the idea of the big challenge. That one rocks! Woo woos. I want some Karen bling bling.

White sugar, corn syrup, anything that produces a sugar buzz.... for me, that means no fake sugar sweets made with splenda or sugar alcohols because they trigger cravings in me just like sugar does. Everyone can decide what their own "no sugar" should look like. I don't count fresh fruit as sugar, but I do try to limit it. Just remember that this is a kick start, balls to the wall, bootcamp, no excuses, getting it done, challenge. I want to push myself--do something exciting!

You can do it Heather--drink crystal light and skip the tequila!

angelic843

Whew! No sugar is a tall order for me this weekend...I'm hosting a party that is covered dish. But I will do my best.

tishtash77

Don't want to seem ignorant or anything so just letting you know I won't be joining the challenge, only way I could lose that much a week is by dropping too much on daily cals, I just do not have those kind of losses. I am joyful at 1 or 1.5 pounds, happy at 0.5 to 1 lol. No 3 to 5lbs losses are going to happen here. But good luck to those that take part. x

Natasha

KarenZen

If you want to play, Natasha, just focus on the mini challenges. I think these will be about food, water, exercise, etc.

BodyByChipsAhoy

I will probably participate in the mini-challenges, but 15 pounds in a month would be too high of an expectation for me to set for myself. I tend to set goals that are too lofty (for me) and then if I fail, I'm left in a worse place.

I, however, will be cheering you on, Heather!!

~Becky in Florida, where the roaches have wings and are so big that they can carry off a small dog

NorahCait

In for the mini-challenges!

tishtash77

Lol Becky I love your signatures, they make me laugh. Please get a bigger bug squasher!

Karen I do not do well when I cut out a food group completely. I then eat more of it than I would have done had I just moderated it in the first place. I will never go low or no carb, or no sugar, etc. Guess that is something I have learnt this time round. So will join in when there is something that won't derail me later on, and wishing you all great fun, sending some determination and hugs.

Natasha, where there are no roaches that I can see and for that I am ever so thankful!

carimiller7391

Good day everyone!!

I need something to help me get back on track so I feel this would be a perfect oppurtunity for me to get there. I will avoid all real sugars and anything that would cause that "sugar buzz" in me.

I am in this for me, and to support others, no prize is necessary for me to do something good for me. Knowing that I am making changes to better myself is all I need.

angelic843

Hey Cari!!!

blondageh

I found out that beer has no sugar! Neither do most spirits.. it's the mixers. However, we already know said friend bought a mixer. But, she also bought straight Tequila. So, 1 shot of Tequila and me bringing a couple of my low carb beers will technically not be cheating......because it is now alcohol a completely different element then sugar. Is element even the right word?

Yes, I am totally talking out of my *kitten*.

blondageh

Oh and I DO want to say I TOTALLY understand those not wanting in. No hard feelers at all. Like I said before 15 lbs is quite a bit. It's not meant to make us feel bad if we don't make it. Just to push us to really sticking to our diets and do the best we can for the next month. 10lbs a month for me is an excellent month. So, I am going to have to be pretty damn good AND exercise. That's pushing myself. Yay.

Also, if you are smaller, (Like lower 200's etc.) this is definitely a harder thing for you. For bigger girls like me, mucho easier. So like I said.. no worries loves..

blondageh

Oh ONE more thing..I will work on doing a shared spreadsheet on google docs where we can log in and track if y'all are comfortable with that? That we can we sign up for it tomorrow.

blondageh

Here is the link for those who want to sign up. Weigh in, tomorrow. If you miss a weigh in Friday, just weigh in as soon as you can. For example, we might be out of town July 4th, so whenever you get back, etc. I extended it until July 18th since that ended on a Friday. That gives us all a full 5 weeks. That is not bad.

Let me know if you have issues with the spreadsheet.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yQYWvPS0TeNhCIbOM5ybkl-zlHEH1K7w-sjIkM_4RX4/edit?usp=sharing

KarenZen

Oh, GREAT idea HEATHER! I'll check out the spreadsheet when I'm back on my computer!

Cari, don't turn down an opportunity to receive something from my bling collection. I love to scour the internet for inexpensive but beautiful vintage rhinestone jewelry pieces and would be honored to send one to you if you win the mini challenge. Or keep it if I win! LOL!!!

Karen in Maine

artelyn

all signed up!

PatrickB_87

I'll sign up. Of course you pick the fathers day weekend for no sugar weekend. Normally it wouldn't be an issue, it most likely wont be an issue and normally isn't but you know how these things go.

KnitOrMiss

No way in hell can I lose 15 pounds by Heather's Birthday. Hell, I was just hoping to get back to 240 by my birthday (July 13th). Seeing as how I'm sabotaged by water retention or something, I'll be lucky to do that. No way could I lose 15 by then. Especially when I'm off the low-carb bandwagon for a while. We're so broke, if I want to eat at all, some will have to be carbs... Anyway, I suppose I will attempt to go along, but my biggest withdrawals making me completely psychotic have been when I cut out sugars completely (and/or drop my carbs way too low)...so if I hit psycho/rage mode, I'll bounce out.... Just saying.

KarenZen

Start where you are ; Use what you have ; Do what you can.

This isn't supposed to be easy peeps--that's why it's called a challenge. Put on your big girl and boy panties and TRY. I'll be right there alongside having my own sugar detox psychotic breakdown . Woohooo!!!

Karen in Maine

KarenZen

Hey gang, Woohooo... just signed up on the spreadsheet. This is my first time using a shared google doc like that, and it is pretty darned exciting.

Here's the link again for anyone else: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yQYWvPS0TeNhCIbOM5ybkl-zlHEH1K7w-sjIkM_4RX4/edit?usp=sharing

For anyone else who hasn't done this, it was wicked easy. Just copy and past that link into your URL line in your browser. Click on an empty space in the username column. Type in your name. That's it. Thanks Heather for making the spreadsheet!

Well, I have to tell you, the mini challenge is already making a difference to me. I didn't sleep well last night, only crashed for a couple of hours in the morning, so today I came home and crashed at 7 p.m. Woke up at midnight. My food has been all over the place this week, and I actually ate nothing until 4 p.m. today, started with Wendy's chili and a potato, which is fine, then ate some things I should have avoided, but my calorie count is still below my limit, I think. I'm going to record everything in my diary shortly. Anyway, as soon as my eyes opened at midnight, I thought about what I could get out of bed and eat, and then I thought about the challenge and how wonderful it would be if I could wait until morning and then just have some eggs and broccoli. I also thought about the mini challenge and how easy it is to make something sugary when no one is watching in the wee hours of the night but how good I would feel if I stayed out of the kitchen instead. So here I am on the computer, bottle of water in hand, intending to return to bed shortly without having eaten anything.

Booyah!

Take that, night eating! I kick you to the curb!

Oh, and one more thing!

This week has been a crisis week for my neighbors and for our lake association board (I'm the president) with one particular board member not following through on her promise and one particular neighbor letting her alcoholic husband, once again, mess with their little boy's head. In discussing this with another neighbor/board member, I expressed my disgust over the behavior of both women, and he said, "Yeah, but Karen, they aren't as strong as you." I really had to mull this over. I know I'm strong, mentally tough, taught to be that way by my dad, and I know I can get frustrated and judgmental, especially toward women, when I perceive them as falling back on weakness and throwing their hands up the air waiting to be saved. I need to find a better balance in my attitude... not get so pissed off when another person isn't as tough as I want them to be. I also need to remember that sometimes my sucking it up and being strong is extremely detrimental to my well being. I carry over 450 pounds of sucking it up and swallowing pain and grief. Hello??? But I'm also not going to apologize for wanting to stretch myself and encourage others to stretch. So yeah, I am going to TOUGH OUT parts of this challenge, and I'm going to encourage everyone else to tough it out as well. Don't you love when a marathon runner says, "No one believed I could do this, not even me... but I did!" Try to use this challenge for what it is... a chance to see how far you can push yourself out of your comfort zone, your belief that you can't do something! Let's brainstorm some ideas for other mini challenges. And all of you who are going sugar free this weekend, Good Luck! We can do this!!!
K.