Healthy for the Holidays Challenge - 9/06 - 11/22

Tissues

Can't wait to see what challenge you bring Ellen. My own challenge bit me in the butt until the weekend I finally sucked it up and got on the treadmill. Ended up with 10 miles this week and now I have sore hips and thighs..lol. I also ate decently over the weekend.. not GREAT but not horrible either and I burned enough on the treadmill that I didn't worry about my not so good day Saturday.. although I have quite a few not so good eating days to make up for. I'm confident i'll get my swing back though. If nothing else I just want my energy back. Ive been totally tired and lagging and bruising easily and I thought my iron was down but I never got a call back on my blood tests that I took a couple of weeks ago so I'm assuming everything is fine. the bruising I can deal with and Its normal to be tired in the morning but I cannot handle these mid-day downers where all I want to do is curl up in a ball and go to sleep.

I'm hoping starting my routing back up will nip that symptom in the bud.

jessicamarie81

Can't wait to see what challenge you bring Ellen. My own challenge bit me in the butt until the weekend I finally sucked it up and got on the treadmill. Ended up with 10 miles this week and now I have sore hips and thighs..lol. I also ate decently over the weekend.. not GREAT but not horrible either and I burned enough on the treadmill that I didn't worry about my not so good day Saturday.. although I have quite a few not so good eating days to make up for. I'm confident i'll get my swing back though. If nothing else I just want my energy back. Ive been totally tired and lagging and bruising easily and I thought my iron was down but I never got a call back on my blood tests that I took a couple of weeks ago so I'm assuming everything is fine. the bruising I can deal with and Its normal to be tired in the morning but I cannot handle these mid-day downers where all I want to do is curl up in a ball and go to sleep.

I'm hoping starting my routing back up will nip that symptom in the bud.

10 miles is awesome, you did great!! I totally understand about the mid-day downers you are talking about...this time change has thrown me off somewhat, I haven't been sleeping good at night and am really tired during the day. I've been trying to up my time on the elliptical though so hopefully I can boost up my energy and sleep better at night. Hopefully we'll kick this thing in the butt!!! I really hate when the weather turns colder, the winter blahs.

Good luck to everyone on the weigh in tomorrow, I'm not sure what mine will be, I've been up and down a few pounds lately, of course! It's been easy to get discouraged...

oliviawink

Glad to hear that so many people are looking toward getting back on track. I really turned things around for myself a few weeks ago and I'm really riding high right now. It amazing how the momentum really amps up when you get things going again. I think a big thing that has helped is upping my strength training. I've always heard how a muscular body burns more cals at rest than a non muscular one, so I've been focusing as my NSV on getting stronger. I've been adding strength on top of my usual cardio, not do instead of and I think the increased burn during non-workout times is making a big difference.

Hope that advice helps others too. Looking forward to weigh-in tomorrow!

emariec78

Challenge for Week of 11/8
*******************************************************************
Well we are nearing the end of the Challenge and a lot of us are struggling so I tried to come up with a couple things to help us get back on track and get in that extra push at the end!

Exercise - This week try to add 10 minutes to your workout routine! Add a 10 minute walk to your run, do one of those 10 minute workouts On Demand, or just spend an extra 10 minutes doing whatever workout you love to do!

Food - Personally, I find that I don't feel like I have a many options for healthy fresh fruits and vegetables in the colder months and that can easily turn into going back to some of those old convenience foods for snacks and meals. Well turns out there are plenty of options for fall produce out there so this week I challenge everyone to give some of it a shot! Try for something you haven't had before or a new recipe. Just to give you an idea, fall produce includes some familiar items like squash, root vegetables, and apples but also things like kale, cauliflower, and figs. There is a great section on the food network website that talks about fall produce and gives some great recipes, check it out if you're looking for some inspiration. (and don't be afraid of the food network, Paula Deen is only one of many chefs on there and we have that wonderful recipe calorie calculator on here!)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/fall-produce-guide/package/index.html

Hope everyone has a great week!

oliviawink

Challenge for Week of 11/8
*******************************************************************
Well we are nearing the end of the Challenge and a lot of us are struggling so I tried to come up with a couple things to help us get back on track and get in that extra push at the end!

Exercise - This week try to add 10 minutes to your workout routine! Add a 10 minute walk to your run, do one of those 10 minute workouts On Demand, or just spend an extra 10 minutes doing whatever workout you love to do!

Food - Personally, I find that I don't feel like I have a many options for healthy fresh fruits and vegetables in the colder months and that can easily turn into going back to some of those old convenience foods for snacks and meals. Well turns out there are plenty of options for fall produce out there so this week I challenge everyone to give some of it a shot! Try for something you haven't had before or a new recipe. Just to give you an idea, fall produce includes some familiar items like squash, root vegetables, and apples but also things like kale, cauliflower, and figs. There is a great section on the food network website that talks about fall produce and gives some great recipes, check it out if you're looking for some inspiration. (and don't be afraid of the food network, Paula Deen is only one of many chefs on there and we have that wonderful recipe calorie calculator on here!)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/fall-produce-guide/package/index.html

Hope everyone has a great week!

Ellen, this is great. Thanks for this very seasonally appropriate and well-timed challenge. I was craving kale last week, so this weekend I bought a bunch and planned recipes that call for it, as well as cauliflower. Sounds like my seasonal food alarm is right on! Also looking forward to 10 extra minutes to my workouts. I'm always amazed at how these little bits can really add up, and I find that most often the weeks I lose it's because I've pushed just a little bit more to my workouts.

Come on everyone - let's kick it up and finish this challenge like the STRONG women we are!

alacarte

Checking in:

Last week 144

This week 144

Looking forward to trying some seasonal foods.

Good luck everyone!

emariec78

Weighing in at 155 this week, that up a little but much, much better than yesterday.

I'm really going to try hard to stay on track this week and get myself re-motivated. No cake, no cookies, no late night snack attacks. Going to finish the last two weeks strong!

aab1

9/06 SW: 198
9/13: 198
9/20: 199
9/29: 198
10/4: 198
10/11: 197
10/18: 197
10/25: 199
11/01: 199
11/08: 199

11/22 GW: 185

Wk #9: No Change

It will happen.....it will happen.....the weight will go down....it will happen.....

opalmel

Checking in at 172.2 this week! That is almost 2 lbs down from last week! Yay!

oliviawink

weigh-in for 11/8: 158
So glad I got my mojo back! I don't think I'll hit my goal of 155, as I'm losing about .5/week the last few weeks, but if I hit 157 by the time this is done I'll be DELIGHTED!

kris1085

I stayed the same this week at 184.0 . I am getting better back on track with my eating this week .

tammihart

11/8 weigh in 188. Yes! I met my goal. I have personal goal of 175 by the New Year, I can do it if I stay on track with exercise and eating habits!

MayLan

hey all,

My current weight is: 179.4

I did pretty good and lost about 2 pounds. Here's to good results all!!! We can do this!

Huskeryogi

170.1 - Exactly the same. Seriously I'm a daily weigher and the scale has said that exact weight for the last 8 days. I need to get back after my workouts.

Tissues

143.5 this morning.. 1/2 lbs gain.. based on how sore my legs are I'm going with build up of lactic acid. we'll see what this week brings. I bought all kinds of beautiful fresh foods yesterday and have 3 vegetarian dishes for my dinner menu! super excited.

Tissues

Ellen, LOVE love the challenge!! mainly because I feel like its so achievable for me this week....

these are the 3 new recipes i'm trying this week, all vegetarian dishes.

http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/global-flavors/ratatouille-polenta-bake.aspx (making this one tomorrow night)
http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/dinner/veggie-thai-noodle-salad.aspx
http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/global-flavors/middle-eastern-pita-pizzas.aspx

Its just me and my kids 3-4 nights a week so these are quick and easy (with the exception of the polenta bake, but I actually have people coming over for dinner tomorrow night).

eggplant is something i've never had before that will be going into the polenta bake... buying it for the first time was weird! :happy:

xreinvention

Starting Weight on September 6, 2011: 158.4lbs
Goal Weight by November 22, 2011: 143.0lbs

Week One on September 13, 2011: 156.4lbs
Week Two on September 20, 2011: 154.8lbs
Week Three on September 27, 2011: Didn't weigh in. TOM.
Week Four on October 4, 2011: 153.0lbs
Week Five on October 11, 2011: 151.8lbs
Week Six on October 18, 2011: 150.6lbs
Week Seven on October 25, 2011: 150.4lbs
Week Eight on November 1, 2011: 147.4lbs
Week Nine on November 8, 2011: 145.8lbs

Loss of 1.6 this week. Getting so close to that goal!! 2.8lbs left for this challenge and 15.8lbs left till my ending goal. :]
Purchased an exercise bike this week, so I can start exercising again!

Michelle228

Checking in ! 3lb loss this week putting me at .......... 298 !!!!! im under 300 its been a long time and it feels freaking awesome !!!! My goals this week are to be on the site more and get back on track with tracking my food and exercise Going to do some Just Dance 3 this week woot !!!!

carrielofton

SW MFP JUNE 21ST - 208 LBS
SW CHALLENGE - 189.2 LBS
1ST WEEK - 188.8 LBS
2ND WEEK - 184.8 LBS
3RD WEEK - 186.8 LBS
4TH WEEK - 183.6 LBS
5TH WEEK - 184.8 LBS
6TH WEEK - 180.8 LBS
7TH WEEK - 184 LBS
8TH WEEK - 184.2 LBS
9TH WEEK - 184.8 LBS

GW CHALLENGE - 175 LBS
GW MFP - 137 LBS

I GUESS UP .6 IS NOT TOO BAD. HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK WILL BE BETTER. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE.

jessicamarie81

Love the challenge Ellen! Thanks for sharing your recipes Stacy, can't wait to check them out...if anybody has some nice veggie recipes please post them, I'm always wanting to try something new!

My weigh in today is 154....seems like I'm stuck in that realm but I'm not getting discouraged, I love the challenge Ellen because upping the minutes in my working out has been my major focus for the past couple of days anyways...my bum and upper legs are so sore from the elliptical, but that is just telling me something needed to be worked Let's finish this challenge strong like Olivia said!

singer201

H4H SW 156.2
9/13 154.6
9/20 153.4
9/27 153.0
10/4151.2
10/11 150.6
10/18 151.2
10/25 148.4
11/1 148.8
11//8 149.2
H4H GW 150 (met 10/20!)

up 0.4 again, but still under my goal weight for H4H. I'm taking my net calories back down to 1200 to see if that sends me in the right direction. It's frustrating to be so close to the finish line and not be able to touch it. The up-side is that I'm at a healthy weight, and feeling and looking better than I have in the last 20 years (tomorrow is my 9 month MFP anniversary).

Hooray Michelle, for hitting a milestone!

Sandbug

A quick note. I have been ill this past week and my eating habits have been HORRIBLE! Ok enough said.......
weight this week 158.00

I am going to give it my all to finish strong!

hopelyss

Whoo hoo! Back in the right direction! I'm determined to surpass my goal this time!

SW: 186.6
Week 1: 183.6
Week 2: 180.2
Week 3: 179.4
Week 4: 178.6
Week 5: 177.0
Week 6: 176.0
Week 7: 174.5
Week 8: 175.4
Week 9: 173.0
GW: 171

Leanz

152.1 0.4 down I think. Better than nothing but very slow

Good luck all

Leanz

11/8 weigh in 188. Yes! I met my goal. I have personal goal of 175 by the New Year, I can do it if I stay on track with exercise and eating habits!

Wow Well done!!

ceejay000

Hi everyone! It's been a while, but I haven't forgotten about you, and I'm back. I had a busy couple weeks, and I don't know that anything's going to calm down, but I have a better handle on everything, so I hope to get back into the groove of MFP. I didn't weigh in last week partly because I hadn't been on MFP in a while, but also, I will admit that I wanted to give myself another week to recover from going to my parents' for the weekend and stuffing myself with unhealthy food the entire time I was there. Here's my weigh-in for this week:

SW: 135.0
Week 1: 136.5
Week 2: 134.0
Week 3: 132.5
Week 4: 134.0
Week 5: 131.5
Week 6: 130.0
Week 7: 131.0
Week 8: --
Week 9: 131.0

GW: 129

I'm really hoping I can still make my goal weight, and I think it's still attainable. My gym is doing a program called something like "Maintain not Gain" for the holidays. I'm not sure what happens at the end, but I have to go weigh-in some time this week, and I guess if I don't gain weight over the holidays something good happens. I'm hoping to use that as a motivation to get back into exercising more because I've totally fallen off that bandwagon.

I hope everyone has been doing well the past couple weeks. I'm hoping to be more active on the thread here, so I guess I'll find out soon enough!

oliviawink

Checking in ! 3lb loss this week putting me at .......... 298 !!!!! im under 300 its been a long time and it feels freaking awesome !!!! My goals this week are to be on the site more and get back on track with tracking my food and exercise Going to do some Just Dance 3 this week woot !!!!

CONGRATULATIONS MICHELLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a big step in the right direction. Keep up the great work

1erica60

Ok, heading in the right direction again!! Found renewed determination to say goodbye to the flab for good!!:laugh: New goal for myself- no less than an hour workout a day, no excuses! And a lot more water and fruits and veggies in my diet! Weigh-in today 209.4. AWESOME JOB, MICHELLE!!!!!!

debnu1

185 for me today

vwbear

My weigh in for today: 175.8- down 1.2 lbs this week.