Creating a New Challenge/Motivation Group~Let's have fun!

musicalivy

Hello Friends Old and New!

Ok. So I got the idea to do a challenge group from another challenge group I tried to join, but it was closed . So I am going to start a group for us to challenge each other. I will keep a spreadsheet of our goals and such, and we can help to keep each other motivated as we go through the next few months. I need to start with a group name, so give me ideas. Let's think of something catchy. I will then create the group and move us into the groups forum. I think it's great to meet new people and help to support each other in this amazing (but often difficult) adventure. I think it's a great idea to get started. Let's start with a 3 month plan (Jan-Mar); we can do these challenges in 1/4 sections. Also, we can use the group to help each other with ideas and share what has worked for each of us and what hasn't. I will keep this message open until Sunday evening (2/22). Then I will create our group. Bring on the ideas and support! Ok, so here it goes.....Tell me:

1) Name
2) Current Weight
3) Goal Weight (for the end of the first challenge - be realistic so you stay motivated! )
4) Non-weight goal
5) Brief Introduction of Yourself.

Here's mine:
1) Ivy
2) 153
3) 143
4) To do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day
5) I am a wife and mother of two boys (5 & 7). I teach music and drama privately, teach several local workshops, and teach K-8 music in a private elementary school. I have diabetes and a year ago was refused refills on my medication because we lost our insurance and couldn't afford the testing the doctor wanted done. So I needed to do something drastic. I went on a diet (The 17 Day Diet) to restructure my eating habits and lifestyle. I also started doing the WII Fit every day to add to this new lifestyle. Since last April, I have gone from 195 to 153. I was using Loseit.com, but my cousin got me to switch to here this past Sunday. I Love It! Looking forward to meeting new friends and encouraging all. Happy Challenge!

nickm21

Hi I'd love to join your challenge group :flowerforyou:
1. My name is Nicola
2. CW 191lbs
3.GW 175lbs
4.To exercise for 30 minutes a day
5. I'm a stay at home mum of 2. I gave up work 18 months ago due to depression and by then I had put on the 21lbs I had lost the year before. I have just signed on with a new doctor and been told I am overweight and have high blood pressure, as well as being at risk of diabetes as my mum and gran have it.

klbaierwalter

I'm totally up for joining!
1. Keyonna
2. 220 (CW)
3. 200 (GW)
4. To continue exercising for a minimum of 30 minutes a day (I'm currently on week 2) and to make sure I'm exercising at least 6 days/week.
5. I am a 24 year old school speech therapist with Type 2 diabetes. My grandmother had it. I used to be pretty thin in high school because I was always doing some sport all year around. When college came around I wasn't doing sports anymore, I was spending late nights doing homework and studying and what better way to stay away than ordering a pizza, or going to steak n' shake or taco bell right? So the weight packed on and I didn't even realize it! I am on a mission now to be healthy and to take care of myself. I am getting married in October of 2013 and I want to be able to fit into the dress that I want, not the one that I have to settle with because I can fit into it.

digitalmayhap

1) Name: Kristen
2) Current Weight: ~300
3) Goal Weight (for the end of the first challenge - be realistic so you stay motivated! ): 280-290~
4) Non-weight goal: Make better living a lifestyle not a hassle
5) Brief Introduction of Yourself: I had metal rods screwed to my spine when I was 12 and the weight piled on. I've already lost 70 lbs last year and need to drop off a few more (100+ to be exact). I want to be there for my wife all the way and I don't want my weight to hold me down anymore.

blissy_girl

1) Blissy (actual nickname)
2) 205
3) 190
4) Exercise 5 days a week
5) I am 35 with no kids. I have a very active (overly active) soical life and I love to spend my time with my friends. Last week instead of going out to eat we went rollerskating. I am only 5' tall so 205 looks like a lot more on me. I love this site, the social aspect of it has me hooked!

nicolawl1990

I would love to join, it would be my first challenge and hopefully it will make me stick to this diet!

1) Nicola
2) 152
3) 142
4) Be more confident
5) I am a 21 year old 3 year accounting uni student. I've yo yo dieted for about 3 years now and I am ready to finally get to my goal weight and stick at it for good. I am hoping to do camp america this summer so hopefully that will give me the motivation to be healthy and get fit!

Lani2133

I'm totally in!! What a great way to motivate others!!

1. Lani
2. 225 lbs.
3. 215 lbs.
4. Exercise at least 30 mins a day
5. I am a wife and full-time student. I've been battling with weight for the majority of my adult life - especially since I stopped playing sports on a daily basis. My husband and I want to start a family soon (after school) and I want to be the healthiest I can be for myself and for our future child. Also, I will be working in the medical field, and I feel as though I can best educate my patients if I can not only discuss healthy lifestyle options, but also show by example. I just started fully dieting and exercising on Monday and I'm currently on day 4 and feeling pretty good! This is a great way to help keep each other motivated and I'm excited to join this group!


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peltrie1234

Hi, my name is Andrea!

CW: 162.5
GW: 140
NWG: To get off of hypertension meds and improve overall health by learning to eat better, and working out at least 30 minutes a day.

I resigned from my job almost one year ago because I was overworked and highly stressed out. After commuting for 3-4 hours roundtrip for several years to a high stress job, I finally said enough is enough when I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. In addition, I had gained 30lbs. Since leaving my job I really didn't want to do much but lounge around all day, then about 3 months in I began to feel depressed about not working. I didn't do one bit of exercise. Finally, I decided to get up off my behind and start moving. I now jog or do run/walk hill intervals 3-4 times weekly, in addition I do a variety of workout videos that range from kickboxing to those super fun and lovely Insanity and P90X workouts. I'm excited to be a part of the group.

musicalivy

Wow. Hello everyone! I'm so excited to run this challenge group. Thanks to all of you for joining! I am planning to keep this thread open until Sunday to allow people time to join and prepare; so spread the word to your friends and family.

Some house keeping:
1. Sundays will be our weigh in day (good or not so good).
2. Each week I will present our group with a new challenge for the week.
3. I am going to keep a chart so if you'd like to change or adjust any of your goals let me know by Sunday.
4. You must weigh in regularly and try to stay active. If you miss 2 weigh-ins, we will all try to track you down!
5. Please try to log in often so we can support each other. That's the point~motivation and support!

Also, we need a name for our group! What are your thoughts?

I'm so excited to meet all of you. We will chat soon! :happy:

ham5038

Name: Heather

CW: 200
UGW: 125

First mini goal is 185.

NWG: I gave up soda for my new years resolution, so I'd like to continue doing that. Also, I'd like to take vitamins daily. I am really really bad at doing that, and I know it's good for me.

I'm a physician assistant student and have struggled forever with my weight. I'm living with my dad while going to school and he's not a dieter. So I'm having a hard time eating right when he doesn't. Hopefully I can get some things changed around here

ham5038

oh and as far as ideas for a name go...since this thing is running through winter months...how about Whittling the Winter Weight? Or Suck it up 'till Spring?

musicalivy

oh and as far as ideas for a name go...since this thing is running through winter months...how about Whittling the Winter Weight? Or Suck it up 'till Spring?

LOL... I like Whittling the Winter Weight, but I want to keep this group going all year just in 3 month intervals. So something that we could use all year round? Or should we change it each time? What do you think? If we change it each time, then I suggest WWW...

louiserainey

Name: Louise
CW: 180
GW: 160
Ultimate GW: 120
NWG: Fitting into my pre-pregnancy jeans!

I'm a stay at home single mother to one 3 year old daughter. I started MFP back in December, but didn't actually start making a hard effort until the last two weeks.

Idea for group name?? Hmm... Totally Wicked Awesome haha

Look forward to chatting with you all!

teenio7

1) Teena
2) 141
3) 131
4) Workout 5 times a week
5) I work with computers and I love football. I have 2 dogs, a shih tzu and a German shepherd. I'm getting married at the end of June so I want to get to my goal weight by then which is 115. I'm 5'2 so it's a healthy weight for my height.

Group Name: Making dreams a reality

kathleen2001

1. Kathy
2. CW 175
3. GW 160 (for this go round) eventually 140ish
4. My 10 year old is a runner and I would like to be able to do races with him.
5. I am a school Nurse, more importantly mom to two boys and 3 dogs. Married for 28 years!

How about 4 seasons weight loss challenge!

musicalivy

Welcome Ladies! Thanks for joining. This is sure to be a fun time. I am so excited to get this going. Sunday is our go day, and Challenge 1 will be posted. Feel free to chat until then. Also, once Sunday hits, I will be creating the group in the Groups link. Once that is done I will let you all know the link and where to go.

Kathy- I like The 4 Seasons Challenge. Great idea. Or..... Challenging A Season at a Time.....Hmmm....ideas flowing! LOL.

chunkygirl29

I'd love to join
1) Alma
2) 170
3) 160
4) be confident with myself
5) I'm 18, i LOVE to eat, so this is really hard for me. I have a daughter who is 18 months and I'm a sahm so I don't have money for classes or anything so I try to workout at home. I want to get in shape because I feel horrible when I look in the mirror and have very low self esteem.

joannewi

I'd like to join please!
1) Jo
2) 148
3) 135
4) More confidence!
5) I am 58, married for 27 years, have a son, step-daughter and 4 GC. I don't like what I see when I look in the mirror! :frown: I want to be Slim, Sexy and Sizzling!

kathleen2001

Welcome Ladies! Thanks for joining. This is sure to be a fun time. I am so excited to get this going. Sunday is our go day, and Challenge 1 will be posted. Feel free to chat until then. Also, once Sunday hits, I will be creating the group in the Groups link. Once that is done I will let you all know the link and where to go.

Kathy- I like The 4 Seasons Challenge. Great idea. Or..... Challenging A Season at a Time.....Hmmm....ideas flowing! LOL.

I was thinking along the lines of 4 seasons:
whittling winter weight
spring into action
something summery
Don't Fall back into old habits...etc

cdngrl81

Oh I am definitely in!!

1) Jennifer
2) 156.6
3) 145
4) Complete P90X (for the first time ever)
5) I work full-time and have been married for 1 1/2 years. I was always skinny throughout high school and college, but then I got a desk job and the weight piled on. I would like to eventually get down to 125 - 130.

Cando055

Ivy, great idea! I'll join you. The groups feature on MFP is relatively new -- I've been in some that seem to fizzle out pretty quickly. Hope this is successful.

1) Eileen
2) 161
3) 145 by the end of March
4) To be strong and fit for a 5-day bike trip (Pittsburgh to DC) with my daughter in June.
5) I'm a 56-year old lawyer, married 25 years, with two children in their early 20's. I began gaining weight after my children were born and I had less time to myself, graduallly adding 30+ pounds to my 5'4" frame. I've developed a sedentary lifestyle with poor eating habits. I'm ready to make a permanent lifestyle change so I can really enjoy this next stage of my life.

laughingatchu630

1) alethia
2) 205
3) 185
4) to stay away from junk food, log in on MFP, exercise daily
5) I'm a 21 year old stay at home mom. I used to weigh 145 and got pregnant and gained 70 lbs a year later and I haven't lost any weight. So now I'm trying my best to get my pre baby body back.

laughingatchu630

The four seasons is a cool idea

qdiggs

I would love to join the challenge!

1) My name is Quelle (its pronounced "Kelly")
2) 233
3) 220
4) To be able to exercise 40 mins daily.
5) I am 44 years old and a single Mom of three (21, 18, 7). I work as a Traffic Mgr for a communications corporation. I want to get back to my pre pregnancy weight of 160, if not more! After my second child I slowly put on the weight and my self-esteem sunk while the weight went up. I was feeling overwhelmed by the weight and wasn't living up to my true potential. In the past few months I realized that I was created for more! I want to move on to the next stage of my life healthier and happier. I've started eating healthier and exercising more (walking and doing a stationary bike everyday). I want to remain committed to this new lifestyle. I am ready to shed the old me and let the new me come through. We are doing the Biggest Loser at work (our version) so this challenge would be a welcome addition for me!!

zulabenton

Hi Ivy,

Thanks for doing this. It sounds fun and motivating. A group name that I like is Loose the Caboose.

About me .....

I'm 57, I live in Atlanta, and I'm a nonprofit consultant
I'm 5'2 and weight 130 pounds which is the most I've weighed in 10 years
I am very active and exercise at least four times a week using a combination of high energy aerobics and weight training. I also walk a minimum of half a mile every day. I would like to lose 10 pounds.

I consider myself an intelligent woman, however, at the moment I'm having some serious doubts as I can't figure out how enter your foods to the Daily Log. After you finish laughing can someone help me? I just stumbled upon this site this morning upon trying to find calories for a cinnamon scone. I really like it. What are the features that all of you find to be most helpful?

Have a great weekend.

Ellen

alwaysangel

I'm ready for a new challenge! The 2 I'm in mow are fizzling out.
Since the challenge ends in March I was thinking Shrinking Shamrocks lol

1) Name : Angel
2) Current Weight 197
3) Goal Weight (for the end of the first challenge - be realistic so you stay motivated! ) 190
4) Non-weight goal Make sure I get my workouts in with my full plate schedule
5) Brief Introduction of Yourself.
I am a 1st grade teacher at a low income school. I'm a wife and mother of 2 bio children and 2 step. 15, 14, 13, and 2. I'm also a grad student for counseling and taking two classes this semester. I started my journey in June at 240 lbs. 43 gone forever! I'm so excited about that!

dgjewels49

I would like to join this challenge.

Diane
231
199-1st quarter
150-long term goal
To exercise regularly 30 mins. per day, 5 days per week.
I am 53. I have 3 grandchildren that I love spending time with. They are 15, 11 and 5mos.old. My husband and I like to RV and ride ATV's. Our kids and grandkids usually go with us. I have high blood pressure and heart disease and I want to get healthy and see if I can get off of some of my meds.

quarterly counters-I used to work in a bank. lol

Pendath

Awesome idea! I am all out of wit for this evening as far as being of any use in naming, BUT would love to join!

1) Kat
2) CW 220
3) GW ...199 (I refuse to use the #2 key for my weight after March!)
4) No Soda! 6 days of exercise a week
5) I am a professional belly dancer ( you don't have to be a stick ) I have been dancing for 5 years and enjoy traveling to perform and teach workshops. BUT, I am le chubby. In those 5 years I've not ONCE bared my belly...and it's my job! This needs to happen. It. will. happen. I am 5'8" and would like to get down to (eventually) 150 ish. I don't need to be scrawny, and the belly dance community itself is *very* supportive of women of all shapes and sizes. This is for me, and how I feel about myself when I look in the mirror. Also, it's almost more important to me that my body is healthy and strong, for me *and* my dance.

musicalivy

Hi Ivy,

Thanks for doing this. It sounds fun and motivating. A group name that I like is Loose the Caboose.

About me .....

I'm 57, I live in Atlanta, and I'm a nonprofit consultant
I'm 5'2 and weight 130 pounds which is the most I've weighed in 10 years
I am very active and exercise at least four times a week using a combination of high energy aerobics and weight training. I also walk a minimum of half a mile every day. I would like to lose 10 pounds.

I consider myself an intelligent woman, however, at the moment I'm having some serious doubts as I can't figure out how enter your foods to the Daily Log. After you finish laughing can someone help me? I just stumbled upon this site this morning upon trying to find calories for a cinnamon scone. I really like it. What are the features that all of you find to be most helpful?

Have a great weekend.

Ellen

Hi Ellen and welcome. I just got on here myself this past Sunday. It's really a great site. If you go to the top of your page and click on the word Food, it'll bring up a page that has everything broken down for you. Under each category is an add button. Click on that and it should walk you through everything. Hope that helps. Also, can you tell us what your Non weight goal is? For example, mine is to workout for 30 mins a day. Thanks for joining us!

Ivy

bigsargswife

I would love to join!
1. Cari
2. CW 203
3. GW 135
4. To be strong!
5. I am an Army wife of 10 years and have two kiddos; a 7 year old daughter and a 5 year old son. My hubby is currently deployed for one year (due home January of 2013) and I have every intention of stopping him in his tracks when he gets off that plane! I am a Type 1 Diabetic, have been for 23 years now, on an insulin pump and super motivated for the first time in my life. Seriously. I have gone through the back and forth crap in my own brain on how I "should be" doing something about it and I've finally had enough. I am SO TIRED of not liking the way I look, of feeling like I'm holding my incredibly good looking and physically fit husband back (even though he doesn't say anything I figure if it bothers me it must bother him. After all, he didn't marry me this weight!) and I'm tired of having big boobs! I'm sorry for those who wish theirs were bigger; they're a pain to haul around and nothing fits quite right. I'm just ready for them to be smaller. I'm most ready though to enjoy my kids. To be the one they're running with and swimming with instead of the one who watches and applies the sunblock! I'm 30 years old and I've been fat for 6 years; I'd like to get some time back!
I'm currently working out at the gym 6 days a week with a minimum calorie burn of 700 and my food intake has been completely changed. I feel awesome! It's addictive because I've never felt this good. Can't wait until the pounds start to melt off!

musicalivy

Hello Ladies and welcome. It's so nice to see so many joining in on the fun! Our countdown is 2 more days (Or I guess a day now) until the first challenge! Are you ready? I know I am, and I'm so excited to start this journey for the first "Season" of the year. We've got some great ideas on a group name, and I am pondering them all. Keep more coming if you wish to add your thoughts. My idea is to keep this group going as a year round group, based on 3 month intervals (Hence the idea for "seasons"). Let the ideas roll! :laugh:

Sunday is the last day to join, and I will be moving us over into the Groups section Sunday night. I have added everyone so far onto the chart, as I will be keeping a track for us all. I hope I can figure out how to send a spreadsheet to all. If not, I'll figure out someway of posting our successes.

Please remember:
1) To log in often and to support each other. Don't be shy, we all want support and motivation!

2) To weigh in on Sundays (This Sunday is a freebe if you'd like since we are just getting started, but if you've lost this week and want to share that, please do! ) Weigh-ins should be posted in our group by end of day on Sunday. If you will miss weigh in for some reason (things do happen), please just let me know that you will miss. Try not to miss more than 2 in a row.

3) Share....I know I love getting new ideas on recipes and tips on great exercises and such, so please feel free to share. I may even add in a recipe swap at one point. What fun!

4) Stay positive! This group is to be FUN as well as supportive. We all have not so good days, the trick is to not let it pull you down. Brush it off and start fresh the next day. Lean on us for support to keep that smile and motivation going! One season at a time!

Great! So I will post our first challenge on Sunday evening in our new group home. I will post the new link on here Sunday evening to have you all switch over to the group page. Again, thank you all for joining! I am looking forward to getting to know you all on our road to success together!

Have a great night!