Autumn Leaves November '11 Challenge

Maryfullofgrace

Hello! 5 lbs away from Onederland! Anyone have any tips to get a biggest loser weight loss without having to workout 8 hrs a day? I've stepped it up in the workout dept. and still only lost a pound this week. I was hoping for at least 3.

That being said I'm also frustrated that I'm eating so healthy and going over my calorie goals. It's like I have to workout like a mad woman to stay in my range even though I'm not "cheating" So frustrating!

Check out my diary today so see what I'm talking about.

Angel

PS congrats to all the losers this week and don't give up to the rest of you. Lets Rock this new week!

Don't let frustration about going over in calories mess up your head!!! When you were heavier, did you eat this well? Your body has to work a little harder to digest such healthy food. But it digests them so efficiently! Your organs and glands and muscles and bones are so happy for the wonderful healthy food.

missyyclaire

I was just prowling around our spreadsheet and am sooooo impressed! There is so much good work going on there. So proud and happy to see how much energy is being put into your exercise. So much progress!

I'll be setting up a group for December, maybe tonight. I'd love to see all of y'all come on over for the month. These little brief month long goals really keep me going. Though I'm not going to be the biggest loser for Autumn Leaves, it's because of y'all that I keep going. So many many times in my past I've started diets only to be off them within less than a week. I'd lost all ability to trust myself! But being here, doing some challenges, reading and reading and reading has kept me going since late August. I'm sticking with this! Please join our December group, cuz you all are my inspiration and hero's!

Did my 3rd 5K today. Best time yet, 50:30. All walking. Most everyone there was running. I was one of the last 5 to cross the finish line, but you know what? I finished! It was high 70's and so humid. I was dripping with sweat. A few moments of "wow, I'm so slow, look at all those sleek runners already done...wah, wah, wah" went through my head. BUT, then I thought "I'm carrying 70 or more extra pounds and I FINISHED!" It made me wonder if all the runners had on 70-75lb weighted vests, if they could finish or not...and then I felt better. No, great about what I'm doing at this point in my life. Improving little by little ! TURTLE!!!

I'll let you all know about the December group once I get it up. Let's kick it in December too!

alwaysangel

Thank you so much for the encouragement! You all are the best! Looking forward to the next challenge!

Angel

missyyclaire

Okay girlinias,

The new December challenge is called "Peppermint Place". It's listed in the 'Group' sections. Everyone is welcome. This will start on Dec 1st (the day after Autumn Leaves wraps up). I'm thinking it's going to be good to put a little emphasis on the tape measure. Sometimes the scale won't move, but the inches will shrink. Let's push for a smaller waist and more.

We'll have weekly weigh-ins, weekly measurements, miles just like this one at 15/week and strength training 3 times a week 15 minutes or more like this one too. I think the strength training is key and it's helped me lose 1 1/2 inches off my hips so far this month!

Hopefully this challenge will help us stay motivated through the Holidays, which is the hardest time of year not to stray. With each other cheering us on, we'll succeed! We're doing it in November, and I know we can survive December with success!

Here's the link for the Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Al2TW0PcYs1tdGRob3BsSkRkcy1zX25KY2s4dFJTckE&hl=en_US#gid=0

Let me know if you have any trouble finding the group. Also, feel free to start any topics you'd like.

(We've already got 9 members signed up! Woohoo!!!)

LilysMom28

I'm all signed up!! Thanks so much for taking the time to do all of this for us!!! We are all doing so great this month...I can't wait to see the goals we can reach together next month!!

carhicks

Happy Monday everyone.

Okay, signed up on the new spreadsheet for December. There are 17 people signed up already. Went to the group, but did not comment yet. This looks like a good challenge for me, thanks again for organizing MissyClaire.

Overall, I had a good week except for the couple of days that the salt and sugar were calling me. I will see what the scale says tomorrow. I hope to lose 12 pounds for the month and if all goes well, I will be at 9 when I weigh in tomorrow. I know that the miles and strength training have done wonders for me this month. I took my measurements on November 1, so look forward to seeing what they are on the 30th.

I am a firm believer in drinking water and have gotten between 10 to 14 cups every day this month. I think that this has also helped this month as well. If I drink water I do not drink pop or eat as much. Have a great week everyone.

bubblesburst80

I've signed for december too
I have loved this month and have upped the weights I use!

carhicks

Well, did not lose that extra pound from the weekend of salt and sugar, but hopefully in the next day or so. I still need to take off 4 to reach my goal of 235 by the end of the month, but I am still happy that I have already lost 8. I am well on my way to my other goal of 200 miles and should have no problem reaching it by the end of the month. I am going to try to increase my weight on my strength training by the end of the week as well. Lots of goals for this week. Hope I can get there. :smooched:

missyyclaire

Saying a late night hi on our toughest week this month. Now that the big Turkey day is almost here, how are y'all coping? Have you traveled? Are you super busy? Having guests over? Have to work? Whatever it is that may be tempting you, know that we're here. I'm here. I'm no super hero, but I do look to every one of our members for support and encouragement. I can't tell you enough how at the end of the day, when I'm tired, how logging foods and reading how you're doing just lifts me up. So much. I think if this were just a sterile place to come calculate calories and log exercise that I would have bolted long ago. I find this human connection so very vital to sticking with 'it'.

I want to encourage you all to take a little time for yourself tomorrow. Take a quick walk while the food's cooking. Nothing grand, just a nice little walk to remind you that you're on a path to something better. I'll be doing the same. In fact, my sister and I are going to to a 5K Turkey Trot in the AM. Her first! I'm so excited! We'll be wearing our matching race shirts and pink visors!

I'm thinking of you all!

GINAvsGINA

I don't know about you guys but all my willpower went out the winder on Thanksgiving Day. Well on a good note I got right back into the swing of things today (Yay me) which is great because I usually have a hard time getting back on track. I have been getting in alot of cardio and in spite of yesterdays binge I feel great. Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday, now lets get back to this weight loss journey.

carhicks

I don't know about you guys but all my willpower went out the winder on Thanksgiving Day. Well on a good note I got right back into the swing of things today (Yay me) which is great because I usually have a hard time getting back on track. I have been getting in alot of cardio and in spite of yesterdays binge I feel great. Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday, now lets get back to this weight loss journey.

247Diva, That is awesome that you were able to enjoy the day and get right back on track. How far we have come to be able to do that and not beat ourselves up or say oh well, I blew it and give up. You go girl. :drinker:

missyyclaire

I totally agree with carhicks. It's not about being perfect, it's about what we do after we had a little trip up. And Diva, you're doing it, you're doing the right thing! I'd imagine most all of us are in the same position, especially now as the Holidays are in bloom. We'll have temptations, we'll resist some and succumb to others. That's perfectly okay! As long as you get back up and keep going, that's what matters. I know I've tripped and quit so many times in my past. Just quit trying. Something wasn't right in my resolve and I gave up. But we all know that the people that succeed are the ones that have failures and get back up again and try try try.

So, I'm proud of you! And proud of everyone here that keeps trying. I look at what you've all done in just under a month and I'm beaming from the energy you've exerted and the successes you're having. Isn't that just the best???!!!!

I was trying to sum up our losses on our spreadsheet, but I'm not quite sure how to do it since there have been a few people that didn't stay with us the whole time...I'll think on it and see if I can copy the info of all of us who are still here, then total it up. I'll bet it'll be an impressive number!

Well, how about this...I was able to add up how many miles we've all logged since November 1st. Are you ready for this? Drum roll please.... 1486.5 miles!!!! Wow! I'm so impressed with that number! We'll surely go over 1500 by November 30th. Keep going girls, we'll push past that 1500 for sure!

missyyclaire

We're just a few days from finishing this challenge. I want to thank you all for joining, entering your info, writing your thoughts and successes as well as coming here for a little pat on the back when Mr Plateau hits. You all keep me honest and keep me going and I thank you for that!

I'm excited to see that we have 44 members already for Peppermint Place. I'm hoping it'll be a good challenge for everyone to hold onto as the big holidays approach....Christmas, Hannukah and others that you might be celebrating....they all seem to have temptations at every turn. Hopefully with a us sticking to a plan, we'll all find that we don't gain the traditional 10 pounds...heck, maybe we'll lose a few and maybe some inches too!

Keep up the great work. I'm curious to see if our mileage tally went over 1500 yet!

gods_gal

Thanks so much for starting the Autumn Leaves Challenge. I was sick for over a week at the beginning of November so didn't get in the mileage I wanted to in this challenge, but I'm back out there and chalking up those miles walked. I've got a route planned for one day next week that is 3 miles. Can't wait for that one and planning a couple of hours after it to be passed out on the couch!!!

I'm in the Peppermint Place one with you also and look forward to that. I have found that I cannot "not" be in a challenge so thank you for organizing these. Have a great day!

kludgood

Well this month is almost over and although this last week wasnt the best Exercise wise im still proud of all the changes ive been through thus far & i cant wait to see what im able to accomplish next month!

wren176

Well hello everyone! I have to say this challenge has been such an encouragement to me! This was my first group challenge and it was fantastic! I met or exceeded all my goals this month except for the strength training and I am working on that one! I was especially happy to be down 1.4 pounds the week of thanksgiving! That took some will power. I have really been taking some time for myself the last few months wanting to look better feel better and it s nice to see the weight starting to drop! I have 5 children all ages 11 and under and I have just been in the mommy rut for to long without taking care of how I look! Its exciting how all the little changes add up to big results! I hope all of you had a fabulous month!

LilysMom28

I loved this challenge and i'm sad to see it go. I have done better in Nov then I have the past two months!!! Not only did I reach my goal weight but I past it!!! Thank you ladies for all the encouraging words. You are all so awesome!! I am looking forward to starting the Dec challenge with you all as well!!!!

GINAvsGINA

I enjoyed doing this challenge. Although I was new to MFP you guys friended me and were with me every step of the challenge. I'm excited to say I lost 10.2lbs which is 3% of my start weight of this challenge. I hope everyone else did well, and I'll hopefully be with you guys through other challenges.

LilysMom28

Great job!!! Thats awesome!! :happy:

alwaysangel

Sorry I have been MIA Life has gotten crazy. I'm singin the end of semester blues! I was 202.2 last week on Thursday but have been fluctuating since I weighed on Thursday. With the holiday food and TOM lurking I'm back up to 204. Don't plan to stay there though.

See ya over in Peppermint place Thursday!!

Angel

heaverchell

I really enjoyed this challenge. I got my "miles" in and just came up a little short for my weight. I feel great and this challenge helped me get back into the 100's :happy:

missyyclaire

Hey Girls!

I added one column in the spreadsheet. So, if you have time, pop over and put in your total weight loss for the month. I'll post a tally later on.

I'm SO happy proud for all of you that stayed with this. As we all know, November holds its unique challenges and I can see that by sticking with our commitment, we didn't succumb to the Nov pull to gain and go backwards. We went forwards, pushing and pulling and walking and running. GREAT JOB!

Your fearless leader only lost 1 pound. I could let that bum me, but I'm not. I've hovered around this weight for 2 months now. December is a new month, with a new challenge, Peppermint Place, please join, there's 49 of us so far! I'll be jumping head first into a "Primal" way of eating for at least December. Maybe that plateau will go BYE BYE.

For November, I celebrate over 64 miles logged, 11 strength training sessions and 1 lb lost. BUT, I celebrate so much more the successes that you all have had...Diva dropped over 10 lbs! Woo-hoo!!! I'm anxious to see what other successes you've had!

I'm so grateful to you all, so grateful that we kept going, so grateful for this little push that kept me from easy chairing my way through November. Here's to celebrating your successes this month!

gods_gal

Just logged in for the final time. I lost 5 pounds on this challenge this month and hope next month on Peppermint Place is just as successful! Wish I had gotten more miles in but I'm working on that. Trying to get back in the groove walking at least 2 miles a day. The sun's out today so I'm headed out soon to get today's walk in. Have a great day everyone, and thanks for all the support on this challenge!! :flowerforyou:

G30Grrl

Thank you SO much for this challenge! I think I do much better when I'm competing with myself somehow, and November Leaves was a great way to do that for me. I didn't think I could do the miles, but I did them ALL on the elliptical. I've really started to enjoy that darned machine! And I didn't think I was going to make the weight loss cutoff, because I was just just coming off of a Thanksgiving/sick/period weekend, and went for six days without working out. But after this morning's workout, I weighed in at a half pound under goal! I don't believe I would have done it if it weren't for the motivation the challenge provided.

And MissyClaire, you said you are going to be eating more "primal" for December; is that the same as the Paleo diet? I'm starting the same thing tomorrow, only trying to go for two months. Not totally Paleo, but probably 90%. I'm participating in a challenge at my gym for Dec & Jan, to lose the highest percentage of body fat of any of the women in a two-month window. I'm ready to step it up! A friend of mine is doing great on the Paleo diet, so I will pair that with regular gym work-outs, and some additional stuff (like the 30Day shred, which I ordered a couple of days ago, and the X-Box360/Kinect with several fitness games, including a Jillian Michaels workout-game, all of which I ordered yesterday).

I am SO grateful to mfp for all of the support and inspiration. I really believe I can do this now! I'm already on my way!

heaverchell

For this challenge I logged 16 strength training sessions, 60.6 miles logged, and a weight loss of 4.2 for the month. I am very happy with that outcome and can't wait to get started on our next challenge.

And A BIG BIG THANK YOU to our fearless leader Missyyclaire for heading up this great challenge and our next one.

tladame

I didn't get the miles in since it was too cold outside to jog & I wussed out. :embarassed: But I did get the strength training and some HIIT in every week. I only lost 1 pound, but I'm just excited that I was able to maintain my weight (and not gain) throughout the Thanksgiving food-fest! Exercise is the key...it allows me to eat the goodies. Hoping to keep it up through Christmas.

carhicks

Wow, I loved this challenge. I managed to lose 10 pounds although I was 2 pounds short of my goal. I am still thrilled with my loss. I logged over 200 miles combining walking/swimming/elliptical/biking and that was my goal. I did at least 4 sessions of strength training per week and sometimes got in 5 or 6 so was happy about that as I was not doing it before. I upped my water intake as well and feel wonderful. Thanks for all the moral support from all of you and to Missy Claire, thanks for this challenge. I am ready for Peppermint Place. See you all over there. Carla

missyyclaire

Thank you SO much for this challenge! I think I do much better when I'm competing with myself somehow, and November Leaves was a great way to do that for me. I didn't think I could do the miles, but I did them ALL on the elliptical. I've really started to enjoy that darned machine! And I didn't think I was going to make the weight loss cutoff, because I was just just coming off of a Thanksgiving/sick/period weekend, and went for six days without working out. But after this morning's workout, I weighed in at a half pound under goal! I don't believe I would have done it if it weren't for the motivation the challenge provided.

And MissyClaire, you said you are going to be eating more "primal" for December; is that the same as the Paleo diet? I'm starting the same thing tomorrow, only trying to go for two months. Not totally Paleo, but probably 90%. I'm participating in a challenge at my gym for Dec & Jan, to lose the highest percentage of body fat of any of the women in a two-month window. I'm ready to step it up! A friend of mine is doing great on the Paleo diet, so I will pair that with regular gym work-outs, and some additional stuff (like the 30Day shred, which I ordered a couple of days ago, and the X-Box360/Kinect with several fitness games, including a Jillian Michaels workout-game, all of which I ordered yesterday).

I am SO grateful to mfp for all of the support and inspiration. I really believe I can do this now! I'm already on my way!

Yes, it's pretty much the same as far as I understand. I'm a newbie to it, so there may be differences between Paleo and Primal that I'm not aware of yet. I'm so excited that you're going to be trying it at exactly the same time! Let's keep in good contact during this! I've been stuck at the same 1 lb up, 1 lb down place for 2 months and am hoping the switch to Primal will make that scale budge!

I'll be supporting you! AND EVERYONE else too!

missyyclaire

DA DA DA DA DA DA DAAAAAA!!!! All hear, big announcement from Autumn Leaves

---

GIRLS! In the month of November, with all the Pumpkin Pie and Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce and every goody at our fingertip

---

We as a group lost

132.2 pounds!!!

That's an entire lady! (Well, a much smaller lady than me )

I am over the moon for you all. I was one of the smallest losers, just dopping a single pound. And that's OK, really. It's WAY better than going up! (Confessional, last night blowout before starting Peppermint Place I burgered and fried at In & Out and my one lb loss is now no loss at all, that's what I get for a late night blast. Truly okay cuz my focus is back and I'm gonna kick through December).

Celebrate our group's amazing losses:
247diva 10.2
alwaysangel 4.8
amandac72 4.5
BerylX 6.8
bonniehoskins 5
braves1girl 2.5
amandac72 4.5
BerylX 6.8
bonniehoskins 5
braves1girl 2.5
bubblesburst80 1.3
carhicks 10
Chirron40 5
DawnOBRN
dpowell58 4.8
Eidalac 5
FitnessDivaK
G30Grrl 6
heaverchell 4.2
Jdkinsley
jenmorris01
Kludgood 11.2
Lfawaz
LilysMom28 5.2
lizabeth 7
MaryfullofGrace 2
Missyyclaire 1
Mla5100
Mommy_nemo
MySonsRMarines
olso2255
shadea4455 7.9
sherrisloan
Tasoconnor -2.2
The_Wallflower 9
thompsoj05 3.4
thurberj 2.2
tladame 1
tummz02
upsidedownpear 2.6
vanb0052
Wren176 12.8

I want you all to notice that we had several ladies that lost 10 pounds or more:

247diva
carhicks
Kludgood
Wren176

Wren176, you came in at 12.8 down since November 1st, you busted it out and became our biggest loser!

For all of us that stayed with it, congratulations. You all kept me moving and pushing and I thank you. I am still so happy shocked that we all lost 132.2 pounds!!!!

Here we come December, you're not gonna know what hit ya! 50 members strong in Peppermint Place!