April Challenge!! Join us!! (4/15-4/21)

MeAfter30

Sorry girls I forgot to start the thread for this week! That should tell you how good I have been doing.:sad:

HOWEVER; I have recommitted to myself and this challenge and to all of YOU! :flowerforyou:

I have lost weight many times both on my own and on weight watchers. Lately I have been hearing a lot about weight watchers and how it is the only successful diet out there. (Or that is the common opinion I keep hearing from several people I know!) It is true Weight Watchers is a great diet and it does have a lot of success, but my thought is that it is successful because of it's support group.... not necessarily it's diet plan, because lets face it weather I am eating on Points or just counting calories.... I eat the same foods. :ohwell:

So, we don't need to count points (but if you do that is great too!) we just need to support each other and have some form of external accountability.

Are you with me? I am pumped up, can you tell?!

So this is who I have in our challenge so far! Please let me know if I missed anyone!!

smsinger75 ★★★★
Kpower_76 ★★★★★★★
JAS112 ★
Kng623 ★★
Danessa1 ★★
reneepugh ★★★★
klv22kath ★★★★★
Handbanana06 ★★
sbarnhill99 ★
cwilliams8676 ★
MeAfter30 ★★★★★★★

And then there is me of course MeAfter30, my name is Brenda! I know a lot of us have been struggling, but we can do it ladies! We can finish out April strong!!! Summer is coming, what better motivation is there then that?! :laugh:

MeAfter30

Okay so for some fun I have added a star next to everyone's name for how many posts they have made to the challenge for the month (so far)! Each week I will tally your number of posts and add that number of stars to your name for the following week! Lets see how many stars we can earn each week! If you earn a minimum of 20 ★'s for the month you will get a ♥ added to your name for that month which will be permanent.... lets see how many hearts we can earn ladies!! ((For this month I will add a ♥ to anyone's name that earns at least 8 ★'s since we started doing this later in the month.)) I hope this is great incentive for people to check in on the group frequently!! ....and by doing so hopefully keep ourselves more accountable to our goals! We can do it ladies!

If I have (or if I ever) don't give you credit for a ★ or ♥ please know it was not intentional, just let me know and I will add it right away!

KayNicoleKC

Brenda, I think that is a fantastic idea! Thank you for being willing to take control of that! I have been doing really well and trying to do as much as I can do dedicate myself to this fully. In other words, the "baby weight" is coming off! I have an idea for a challenge that I hope to accomplish for myself. I would be willing to share now or perhaps hold on to it for our May challenge. Ladies, feel free to give me feedback about which you'd prefer!

K_Pow

I'm soooo in!!

I have less than a week till hubby is off to school (for 19 weeks coming home on weekends, 5 hours away). This is gonna be tough but its a challenge I'm going face head on.

My LO is 14 months old and BUSY! I work f/t therefore she will be in daycare f/t as well. My gym time will be near non-exsistent so I'll have to improvise. Just picked up JM's Ripped in 30 and then hopefully once the days get longer I can get some evening runs fit in with my LO.

Summer is VERY fastly approaching and I have no choice than to fit into last years clothes!!

Love the ★ and ♥ idea!!

reneepugh

I am so pumped!!

tabatha_burris

:happy: I would like to join this challenge!!!

danessa1

I'm in. I've really struggled lately, especially the last few weeks. I've had lots of added stress, and I let that de-rail me. I'm such a night time snacker, especially on stressful days. I must re-commit today!

Thanks for this group. Being a mom is the best job on earth, but boy it makes for a busy life!

klv22kath

IN! Thanks Brenda for taking the lead. My name is Kathleen and April has been a struggle. However, this week is going really well with food and morning cardio, but would like to add something in after the boys head to bed. I am usually looking after my two boys (ages 4 and 7 on the 27th!) by myself since my husband is often on afternoons. I find a big struggle to do anything at night when my husband is home though because I don't see him regularly and therefore spend time with him instead (which I guess is a good thing, just not for my exercise plan! lol).

I could also use some suggestions for filling snacks before supper. I am starving at 3:30 when I get home with the boys and I am about to start making supper. I want to eat everything in sight!! Any ideas for quick, snacky foods while I prep dinner?

KayNicoleKC

Kathleen--I am a full-time graduate student and I work part-time five nights a week to make ends meet. My husband is a full-time teacher. He leaves by 5:30 every morning and I usually don't get home until 9 in the evening. If we're lucky, we get to see each other for a few quick minutes before I go to work at night and on Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays. So, we know the struggle of trying to workout while wanting to just spend time together. One solution that has worked really well for us is to find a workout program that we can do together while our daughter is asleep. Tae Bo has been a life saver! It's challenging, effective, relatively short in terms of duration and something "manly" enough for my husband to do. In terms of afternoon snacking, I recently tried "full" bars and I can't believe how amazing they are! I typically hate any kind of energy/diet bar, but these taste pretty good and really do keep my appetite at bay. You eat one thirty minutes before a meal with 16 oz of water. They expand to make you feel full (at the time) and also help you eat less during your meal. I didn't think they would work but now I'm a believer! They are sold by the energy bars and they are rather expensive, but we got them on sale for only a few dollars. The peanut butter flavor is by far the best! Hope this helps!

klv22kath

kng623 thanks for the tip about the bars. Do they sell them in Canada? Not sure where you are located. As for working out with my husband, although your suggestion is a great one, it won't work for us. My husband is actually a National level bodybuilder and spends a great amount of time at the gym (another reason I don't see him! LOL). I don't have a membership to the gym because daycare is not available at the gyms in our area but his regime at the gym is pretty focused and organized. It is ironic and weird but when he is home the last thing he wants me doing is working out. Also strange because one would think that if you had someone in your house that was at this level of fitness, everyone else would be too, right?? <sigh>

MeAfter30

Oh my computer is driving me nuts, the internet keeps being dropped! Uhg, going to have the cable company come out and see what is going on. I have been doing okay, not great. It has been a hectic week though.

Kng~ We are all open to suggestions for the next months's challenge. Whatever everyone agree's on is what we will do!

Kpower~ Only seeing your hubby on the weekends will be a challenge, but good for the family I am sure!

Tabatha~ I am so glad you will be joining us!!

Kathleen~ I have a hard time finding filling snacks too! I usually stick to air popped popcorn in the evenings.

tabatha_burris

Did really good today! Glad I found this group! Ive been needing something to get me back in gear! Kids got so much chocolate for Easter and guess who ate most of it! With a 2 year old and a 9mth old! Mommy ate most of it lol! It got so bad I had to pack it up and send it to work with dad lol but now its out of the house and ice cream was brought home!! Im gonna do good get some self control and get back on track!!!

danessa1

I had a good day yesterday. Stayed under calorie goal and went to the gym during lunch. I already noticed my energy level was better yesterday evening. I need that to keep up with my girls 2 1/2 & 1. :-)

Have a great day!

klv22kath

Tabatha - Too funny about the Easter chocolate and then the ice cream! Sounds like my house for sure!! I am fine if it is not in the house. I am not so great when the temptations are lying around. Tough morning for me this morning. Could not drag myself out of bed. I just felt so tired. So, the plan is to do some cardio after the boys go to bed tonight since hubby is working. Hope I find some energy throughout the day!

Good luck to the rest of you too!! Stay strong, stay focused!:yawn:

KayNicoleKC

Kathleen, funny you should ask where I'm from because I actually grew up in Canada but I live in the States now. I have no idea if the Full bars are available in Canada. I only get to go back about once a year and I have to admit that while I'm there I'm usually focusing far more on poutine, Aero bars, beaver tails, and everything else that I can't get in the States than I am on energy bars

KayNicoleKC

Also, here is an idea for a possible challenge. It could be next months challenge or just something extra we do:

I came up with a list of mini-goals that I would like to accomplish in the next several days (or maybe weeks). These goals are not meant to be incredibly difficult. I already do tae-bo 6 days/week and take my daughter on 3 mile walks most days so I tried to keep these small to ensure I'm not overdoing it. But, I wanted to challenge myself to do little things that might have a small impact on my health.

Here are my mini-goals. I think it would be great if all of you could add your own and/or tailor these for yourselves and we could keep track of which ones we have accomplished. What do you think?

Mini-Goals

1) Do push ups for one minute
2) Do sit ups for one minute
3) Do lunges for one minute
4) Do 100 heel raises
5) Do 15 burpees
6) Do the plank for 30 seconds
7) Do leg raises for one minute
8) Do scissor kicks for one minute
9) Sit on a stability ball while working
10) Hold a squat for one minute
11) March in place while watching television
12) Stretch while watching television
13) Do high knees for one minute
14) Jump rope for one minute
15) Do jumping jacks for one minute
16) Do three sets of bicep curls
17) Do three sets of tricep dips
18) Run in place during commercials while watching television
19) Do side twists for one minute
20) Try a yoga pose
21) Dance energetically with the baby for 5 minutes
22) Do grape vines while watching television
23) Do three sets of side dips with hand weights
24) Do ski jumps for one minute
25) Spend 10 minutes focusing on deep breathing

**Obviously, I don't know the technical names for some of these exercises...

MeAfter30

That is a fantastic idea! I really like it! Though for me personally I do better when I am not overwhelmed with too many things. LOL, I like my "To do list" to look EASY! Haha! So for me I would certainly like to adopt something like this except perhaps have it be my "Daily 5' or something like that. Then I could pick FIVE activities that I would focus on each week, and then maybe change it up every week.....

I love the ideas of putting activities in while watching TV instead of just sitting there. (Although with two toddlers and a baby I don't often get to sit for too long anyway! LOL!)

slimsteelerfan

I am late....................but would like to join. Maybe I should start in May! :-)

MeAfter30

Slim please join us now! We'd love to have you!!

Okay so it has been a stressful week, and yesterday was horrible! ... I am a stress eater, and I hate that! I wish I could be one of those people who didn't eat anything when they were stressed/upset. I'd like to do something instead like go for a walk, but with three kids 4 and under.... that isn't happening! ::sigh:: Trying to get back into the game starting today!

tabatha_burris

I did good allweek but the weekend killed me! Starting the new week with a fresh start! I just need some energy my kids are wearing me down! Between trying to get the house clean and them not going to bed till after 2 and waking up in the morning Im worn out! Gotta stay motivated!!!!!!! Lifestyle change not a diet!!

klv22kath

Weekends are tough, no doubt about it! However, in the view of lifestyle change vs diet, I allow more freedom and flexibility for my weekend. I do not do cardio and instead focus on doing activities with my children. I eat less structured meals and enjoy my time with them since I see them a lot less during the week. The trick for me is not to over do it so much on the weekend that it defeats what I have done throughout the week. But, I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that life doesn't have to be "perfect" eating all the time and "perfect" exercising all the time. This will not make me happy despite what my body looks like. I would only be fooling myself. Balance and focus on what is a priority in my life - my family - and eating properly enough to be healthy and active in my life with them!

Blessings all! Have a great finish to your week!! :flowerforyou:

danessa1

Have a great week, all!

I started a new program today. I was getting a little bored of my normal excercise routine and felt like I needed to add something new for motivation. So, I started the couch to 5K today. So far so good.

MeAfter30

Sorry guys that I haven't been as active posting the past few days. My Grandma died on Saturday and it has been... well crappy since. The funeral is this Friday. I haven't even thought about my diet. I haven't weighed myself either and I am sure that I have gained, a lot. I am hoping to just get through the funeral and then refocusing at that point.

I thought we might just let this thread run through the end of the month before starting a new one for May. Any idea's ladies on what you would like May's challenge to be? Me personally I wouldn't mind giving "diet" another month, because lord knows it's been a HUGE challenge the past couple of weeks. I am up for whatever though!!

klv22kath

Sorry to hear about your Grandmother's passing. May the Lord comfort you in your time of loss.

I am up for diet again for May. Perhaps people could focus on reaching a few mini goals while focusing on their diets in May. Then we would incorporate that idea as well without being overwhelmed?
I am up for anything!

KayNicoleKC

I am up for anything as well! Sorry to hear about your grandmother as well and I hope that you can experience some peace in the coming days.

K_Pow

Seems like stress is a common theme these days...I've got stress coming at me from all sides...work, home, and my own head!

Would love to take part in a challenge in May. First thing first though...getting out of this funk I seem to have gotten myself into! April has NOT been good.

My workouts are gonzo as of late and so is any will power that I thought I had left.

I even went so far as to delete all previous weight enteries so that I could start fresh.

Trying to focus on the positive though right--I stayed within cals today AND even though it was just a walk I got moving today.

Fingers crossed for a Marvellous May!!!

Meafter30 - Sorry to hear about your Grandmother's passing - focus on you and your family right now and we will be here waiting when you get back

MeAfter30

Thanks ladies. My Grandma passing has been hard. It got me to thinking though about how I want to get healthy for my family and how by being overweight I am not doing myself any favors. So I am determined more then ever now to get this weight off.

April was a brutal month. I am glad today is the last day. We can all start FRESH in May!

I was thinking we post weekly so why not do weekly challenges? Let me know what you guys think. I will start a new fresh thread for May tomorrow morning!!!

Here is to May being a much better month!! :drinker:

KayNicoleKC

Great idea about posting weekly!

MeAfter30

Struggling with a killer headache today. Sorry ladies I know the new thread was suppose to start today. You know anyone interested in posting the weekly thread can, I don't mind, if I don't get to it.... it's all of our challenge! I'll post more when the screen doesn't hurt my eyes' so much. Uhg.

MeAfter30

Hi ladies. So... I am giving up on the challenge. I am really just not mentally in the space to do it. Each day has really been a struggle for me to get focused... and so I just wanted you to know. I am still trying to lose weight, I have really got to get a handle on my health. We've had a great little group here and I am sorry.