STARS 9 WEEK HOLIDAY CHALLENGE (CLOSED GROUP)

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MFPSTARSCHALLENGE
MFPSTARSCHALLENGE Posts: 36
in Motivation and Support
Hello Ladies!

Welcome to Round 1 of the MFP STARS 9 Week Holiday challenge. I'm so excited to get started, and I know that you guys are excited too ! If you haven't already done so, please check the “About Me” section of our Challenge page. Here you will find links to our Rules and FAQ, our weigh-in form and Team list.

Since today is day one I am going to start off by posted in out first Question of the Day (QOTD). I ask that everyone in the challenge participate by answering the question. This is a very important part of encouraging each other and also getting know other players. Please be sure to check here daily, including on weekends to answer the QOTD!

PLEASE “CC” THE QUESTION OF THE DAY IN YOUR RESPONSE and the DATE. It helps us to keep track of it! Below is the first questions. Just following my lead and if you have any questions.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO REACH OUT TO YOUR PARTNER AND FRIEND THEM AT THIS TIME. Do a introduction, be nice and supportive. This will be your right hand woman for the next week. Remember Supportive people are Successful people.

TEAM LINK: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccckey=0AgNS3auawXxwdE5Db0lDVHNGSm56VTZCc3ZxNnM3WWc&hl=en_US

These forum threads will also be were I post weekly individual winners, partner winners and team winners. Also, I will be starting a new Forum Thread weekly. So please check the challenge page for the new thread.

One last thing: If you have any comments questions or concern. Please feel free to inbox me at

Alright ladies just think 9 weeks from now we will all be better, healthier version of ourselves. Let get it started


Weekly winner can post the Winner Trophy
6177762023_359431ea94.jpg
Stars trophy winner by starsnyc21, on Flickr

QOTD- Saturday: What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?”

My response: Well ladies this has been a life long struggle for me but I'm now determine to win. I lost 30 lbs eariler this year but I had some unexpected events in my life that cause things to get really stressful and overeat. I gained back 12 lbs. I decided now is the time to get back on track. I worked really hard too lose that weight and I don't want to give up on myself or my goals. I think hosting this challenge will help me with my own personal goals and encourage others to do the same.
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Replies

  • getitamb
    getitamb Posts: 2,019 Member
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    09/24/2011

    I started my weight loss journey because I mistakenly thought if I lost weight I would start getting more dates and things but then I realized it was bc of my attitude I was reppelling people. The thing I learned is that the more weight I lose the more confident I am. And it started to become about motivating other people around me to do better, by motivating myself. I love te idea of being able to wear whatever I want and go wherever I want. I love being an inspiration.
  • sboo
    sboo Posts: 170 Member
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    9/24/2011


    I decided to start being serious about losing weight, because it is no longer fun to go clothes shopping. I was blaming my weight gain on my pregnancy. When in fact I lost weight during and afterwards. I was smaller after I had my babies then before I got pregnant. I lacked motivation and support. So, with that said, I hope I can get the support and motivation I need to jump start my weight loss with this forum.
  • starsnyc21
    starsnyc21 Posts: 436 Member
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    I forgot to mention is would show team spirit is you change your profile picture to your team color star for the challenge. I will leave that up to you. My pic is an example. Just google your color star as a image and save as a pic, add to your file back.
  • tartz66
    tartz66 Posts: 75 Member
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    9/24/2011 QOTD- Saturday: What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?”

    I decided to finally lose the weight because I honestly think that everyone in my family was tired of hearing my excuses including me. I realize that only me can make the change and all of the excuses in the world will not make me feel better. I want to feel comfortable in my own skin and I am tired of always having to try to find something to wear to hide my faults. I want to be a better example for my children and help them understand that our body is precious and we need to treat it with respect. I am ready to make this happen once and for all! Terri
  • RhondaLeeRoss
    RhondaLeeRoss Posts: 186
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    QOTD- Saturday: What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?”

    There really was no reason I decided now was the time. It was more of a feeling. I've always been a woman that likes to "start fresh"! Well that wasn't working for me. I seen an infomercial on tv advertising Turbo Fire and it looked like so much fun. So while I was sitting on the couch eating a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup I decided to order it. (through Kijiji because it was a lot cheaper!) I am now in week 9 and love love love it! Between it and MFP I feel, no wait, I know I can do it this time. I am so thankful this challenge group is here. With us supporting each other maybe now I can get the eating healthy on track! I've never been a healthy eater so I will need a lot of support and encouragement. Thanks everyone! LET'S GO BLUE!!!
  • NaomiLyn15
    NaomiLyn15 Posts: 388 Member
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    QOTD- Saturday (9/24): What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?”

    I actually started this journey in September of 2009, but it was a complete failure. I was in a wedding at the end of September that year, and when the dress came in, it was too small. I crash dieted for three weeks, and was able to fit in the dress, but it all came back right away. I started to work out every day at that point, but my weight wouldn't budge. I bought an elliptical, and spent 45-60 min a day on it. I started to count calories, and still nothing. I was eating 1200 calories a day, and working out at least an hour a day, but nothing changed. Finally, in February of last year, I went to the doctor and found out that I have PCOS. She explained to me that my body doesn't know what to do with processed carbs, so they basically just turn into fat. She suggested that I cut out processed foods, and eat a more natural diet. I made these changes in February of last year, and immediately started to lose weight. By May of 2010 I was down to 180 from 214. Then we moved, and I "fell off the wagon". I still watched the processed carbs, but I stopped exercising and I stopped counting calories. I gained back 7 lbs from June 2010 to June 2011.

    This June I decided that I wanted to finish what I started the year before. So, I got back on Myfitnesspal, and have been counting calories and working out ever since. I am now down to 173, my lowest since I got married, and continue to lose (although it is slow because I am at the end of the journey). My goal is 165, but I think that I want to push past 165, and get to 160 so I am in the healthy BMI range. I am so excited about this challenge, I am happy that it is so intensive, and expects alot from us. That is the best way to stay motivated!
  • mummy_gerdes
    mummy_gerdes Posts: 336 Member
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    why i started my weight loss: i had tried every diet going you name it i tried it! nothing seemed to work and everytime i stopped even if i had lost weight it went back on and then some! i had my son a year ago now and craved fruit and veg with him - my bodys way of saying "YOU NEED THIS!" I guess. it went from there - i got really into juicing and have one each morning. i am really self consious about my body and my weight and want to be healthy for my son and his little brother or sister hopefully! i was tired of making excuses.
  • starsnyc21
    starsnyc21 Posts: 436 Member
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    QOTD- Saturday: What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?”

    There really was no reason I decided now was the time. It was more of a feeling. I've always been a woman that likes to "start fresh"! Well that wasn't working for me. I seen an infomercial on tv advertising Turbo Fire and it looked like so much fun. So while I was sitting on the couch eating a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup I decided to order it. (through Kijiji because it was a lot cheaper!) I am now in week 9 and love love love it! Between it and MFP I feel, no wait, I know I can do it this time. I am so thankful this challenge group is here. With us supporting each other maybe now I can get the eating healthy on track! I've never been a healthy eater so I will need a lot of support and encouragement. Thanks everyone! LET'S GO BLUE!!!

    Sounds like me eating chocolate and peanut butter watching exercise informercial..lol.
  • starsnyc21
    starsnyc21 Posts: 436 Member
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    QOTD- Saturday (9/24): What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?”

    I actually started this journey in September of 2009, but it was a complete failure. I was in a wedding at the end of September that year, and when the dress came in, it was too small. I crash dieted for three weeks, and was able to fit in the dress, but it all came back right away. I started to work out every day at that point, but my weight wouldn't budge. I bought an elliptical, and spent 45-60 min a day on it. I started to count calories, and still nothing. I was eating 1200 calories a day, and working out at least an hour a day, but nothing changed. Finally, in February of last year, I went to the doctor and found out that I have PCOS. She explained to me that my body doesn't know what to do with processed carbs, so they basically just turn into fat. She suggested that I cut out processed foods, and eat a more natural diet. I made these changes in February of last year, and immediately started to lose weight. By May of 2010 I was down to 180 from 214. Then we moved, and I "fell off the wagon". I still watched the processed carbs, but I stopped exercising and I stopped counting calories. I gained back 7 lbs from June 2010 to June 2011.

    This June I decided that I wanted to finish what I started the year before. So, I got back on Myfitnesspal, and have been counting calories and working out ever since. I am now down to 173, my lowest since I got married, and continue to lose (although it is slow because I am at the end of the journey). My goal is 165, but I think that I want to push past 165, and get to 160 so I am in the healthy BMI range. I am so excited about this challenge, I am happy that it is so intensive, and expects alot from us. That is the best way to stay motivated!

    Awesome. Welcome and thanks for joining:smile:
  • 6eighteen11
    6eighteen11 Posts: 59
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    9/24/11 QOTD: What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?

    My wedding was a huge factor. I was at my highest weight at my wedding 3 months ago, more than 60 pounds higher than the last time I had seen a lot of my friends and family. I was so worried about what people were going to think that instead of enjoying the morning leading up to the wedding I was stressing out about seeing everybody again (don't worry, after a few glasses of wine to calm my nerves I forgot all about that and had a great day). Once I got my pictures back, I barely recognized myself. I think that was when I realized something needed to change. Just 2 years ago I was wearing a size 6 and felt confident about myself. Now I'm very self-conscious and critical of myself. 2 years of gaining weight is enough, I'm ready to get back to the old me!
  • shydaisi
    shydaisi Posts: 833 Member
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    QOTD- Saturday: What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?

    I made a partial lifestyle change back in 2005 and lost 88 pounds in about 8 months going from a size 20/22 to a size 6. While I was eating healthy, I was still smoking and not exercising (doctor's orders -- the non-exercise, not the smoking...lol). I kept the weight off for about a year before I got pregnant. Luckily I had decided to quit smoking about a week before I found out I was pregnant, however this partially contributed to gaining all of the weight I had previously lost back within the 9 months. There were other contributing factors of course - I was very depressed (I knew I would be a single, solo parent - no judgments please, I am hard enough on myself...) and I did not have a very strong support network (some of my friends actually stopped being so)...so I turned to food. Before getting pregnant, I was VERY strict about the number of calories I ate. After getting pregnant, I was worried I wasn't going to be eating enough for the baby, had no idea how many extra calories to consume, and basically threw everything I knew out the window...Not the proudest moment of my life.

    For the last 4.5 years, my life has been all about taking care of my son and very little about taking care of me. Micah is a very strong-willed, spirited child who literally cried from 2 weeks to a year 80 to 90% of his awake time. He is very attached to me (which is kind of understandable as I am all he has). I tried several times to revert my lifestyle again, but I was not successful. I would do okay for a few days or a week, but then I would be overcome with the desire for food and binge, gaining back all I had lost in the previous days plus an additional 5 pounds or so. After gaining 35 pounds like that, I decided to put those changes on hold until I could get into the right frame of mind. I held steady at 240 to 250 pounds for about a year. I got a new job in February, which, after a probationary period, offers to pay for a membership to the local YMCA. At the end of May, I signed up to join because I would receive a discount on the cost of Micah's soccer if we were a member. I started dabbling in working out a little, using the elliptical machine a couple of times, but didn't really change my eating habits yet. A week or so in, I noticed the Zumba class which took place at the same time or just after Micah's soccer game each week. I decided to try it out, thought I was going to die before the class was over, but absolutely loved it! On June 17, 2011, I began my full lifestyle change. I started going to a Zumba class 3 to 4 times per week, and on August 15, 2011 I began the C25K running program. I started counting my calories and within the week re-found MFP (I had actually signed up during one failed attempt at losing weight in 2010 but never utilized the website). Since that time I have lost 41.6 pounds and am looking to lose at least another 68.4, with 18.0 pounds being during this challenge.

    I guess the short answer is: I decided after 4.5 years, it was time to put me first for a change!
  • MamaDee2
    MamaDee2 Posts: 843 Member
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    Sat 09/24/11 QOTD- Saturday: What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?

    My daughter was getting married and I realized (and HOPED) that one day I would be a grandma and i wanted to be a grandma that had the energy to play with my grandchild. I wanted to be a grandma that would be active in their life for a long time. So my journey began (but I have been over weight my entire life and have tried EVERY diet known to man). I lost 155 lbs but some things got in my way and detrailed my process and I have gained 50 lbs back and I need to get them OFF! I now have that precious grandbaby and I can't go back!
  • ChatSournois
    ChatSournois Posts: 34
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    QOTD- Saturday: What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?

    I suppose I noticed the weight creeping on the year before my 30th birthday. When I did start to notice, I used to blame my metabolism & say it was slowing down but actually it was me slowing right down. I used to be able to eat what I want and stay slim..but I also walked everywhere and had jobs where I was on my feet for long shifts. As soon as I started working in an office, I was out for lunch every day with my friends and ordering hot chocolates & melt paninis (yum!). Then I got pregnant and literally started to stuff my face!!. I remember when I was about eight months pregnant and I just wanted to be able to move around more, I was huge..and I used to dream about running marathons. I promised myself that I would get fit when my son was born. I was so sure that my stomach would flatten out a few weeks after the birth...ha!. I felt huge and bloated for the first few months and was really just too tired to exercise. The sheer exhaustion would mean that it would get to dinner time and I would just order a takeaway or stick a frozen pizza in the oven. Eventually, I joined Weight Watchers and I did really well & lost 28 pounds. I went on a holiday and stopped counting points..then never went back to the meetings and of course, piled a lot of the weight back on.
    It was my holiday this year that spurred me on to start trying to lose weight and my sister told me about MFP. I was coasting along this Summer though and went up & down in weight. I lost a bit before my holiday and have now gained 7 back...eek.
    Since I got back earlier this week, I am like a woman possessed and I am on a serious misson. I want to lose 15 pounds for 01 December..this is my birthday and hopefully I can go away for a weekend with my partner (and not worry about holding my stomach in!). I'm delighted that this challenge started and I'm looking forward to chatting to you all!.
  • nenabug
    nenabug Posts: 156
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    Response to QOTD #1:

    I have always struggled with weight and having a healthy relationship with food. When I started looking to God for my worth, not the outside world, is when things started changing.

    I've had a lot of road blocks, but I'm making progress. I feel like this is my year to make the most headway. Food is my last hurdle and once I get over it, I will finally change this weakness to a strength.

    This Challenge is a blessing! I need outside support and have been struggling to find it. I'm so excited for the help these next 9 weeks. Hopefully as I focus on my health all my other goals will be a secondary result.
  • jnell82
    jnell82 Posts: 136
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    QOTD- Saturday (9/24): What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?”

    I decided to start my weight loss journey because I am tired of feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. I also think about my children about how I don't have the energy that I should to play with them as much as I would like to. I also want to look good for them. My oldest is in elementary school. I am they type of Mom that likes to volunteer and help in the classroom and I don't want my daughters to be embarrassed by me. The final straw from me was seeing pictures of myself from a family cook out 2 weeks ago. I have been on and off this journey for a while, but after seeing those pictures. I can't stop. This weight MUST come off! Good luck everyone!!!!!
  • MFPSTARSCHALLENGE
    MFPSTARSCHALLENGE Posts: 36
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    I am loving the pictures ladies. GO STARS:laugh:
  • prizmaa
    prizmaa Posts: 62 Member
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    QOTD- Saturday (9/24): What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?”

    I decided that now was the time for my weight loss journey because I'm tired of feeling unattractive, fat and tired all the time. I was in a wedding this past spring and I was close to a panic attack after seeing the kind of dress the bride wanted me to wear. I wore the dress but felt self conscious the whole day. I don't want to feel like that anymore. I want to feel confident!
    I also have a daughter and I want to set a healthy example for her and pray she never goes through this struggle.
  • Eatone1
    Eatone1 Posts: 105 Member
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    Saturday: What made you decide that now was the time to start your weight loss journey?” 9/24/2011

    I've battled with my weight for about ten years now. Up, down, up, down, up again....I'm really really tired of staring into my closet dreading getting ready for work every morning because all my pants are too tight. I feel fat in everything, and I'm sick of buying bigger clothes just to have something to wear. So that's it. I need to make a change....NOW.....before I have to spend money to buy new pants.
  • getitamb
    getitamb Posts: 2,019 Member
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    That's a very inspiring story.
  • starsnyc21
    starsnyc21 Posts: 436 Member
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    You ladies are awesome. The stories here are really touching. Great job so far. I hope everyone is enjoying their day. Sorry for all the grammar oops. I think my mind is racing faster than my typing. :blushing:

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