Hello Pink Ladies (and guy)

BelliDancer
BelliDancer Posts: 25 Member
Hi there everybody. I'm not our group leader but I thought I'd start this thread off anyway -- mainly because I'm sick in bed today with my laptop and looking for something to do.

My name is Elizabeth. I'm 37 and I live in South Africa (Johannesburg). I'm a mom -- my son is 3 -- with an emotional eating problem that I'm trying to get under control and I'm hoping this group will help me to break through a weight barrier I've been struggling with for years. I do work out a lot but I let myself down when it comes to healthy eating -- I have a bit of a "start tomorrow" mentality. So I'm trying to get over that.

This isn't a great week for me to start this challenge. I have a terrible flu and yesterday I tried to work out anyway: my trainer gave me a lecture and said I should go home. So I might not work out for the next few days and I feel bad about that. I have this fear that if I don't work out I will gain weight, even if I stay within my calories. Sometimes that does happen to me. I have an underactive thyroid so my body finds it really easy to hold onto weight and it's a struggle to get it off.

That's not me making a bunch of excuses -- I hope it doesn't sound like I am. Just an introduction. I'm also really excited to meet you all and to encourage each other. Here's looking forward to us all making some amazing changes in ourselves over the next few weeks.

While the official goal is losing weight, I have more goals that are about lifestyle changes and I think those are much more important: about seeing the bigger picture and living in moderation. I'd like to be able to have the occasional treat without having to lose control and not worry about food and my weight so much. Really, I'm not chasing a huge weight loss over the next 12 weeks. I have been a yo-yo dieter so I'm really chasing stability. If I can lose a little bit and stay around that number -- rather than put it all back on again in a weekend -- I will consider that a victory.

Okay, so who else is out there?
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Replies

  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    Hellllloooo Team PiNk!

    My name is Kristine and I am the team lead for our group. This is my third weight loss challenge, which has played a major role in losing almost 40lbs. My goal for this challenge is to lose the last 20lbs and to maintain. I am pumped to continue on with new and old team members. I must apologize to the "old" members from the last challenge as I had been AWOL for just over a week. I was enjoying a long awaited and well deserved vacation in the sun. It was wonderful, I had an opportunity to recharge and refocus on myself and my life goals.

    A little about myself..I am a single mom of 2 boys, 11 and 8, who have picked up on my eating habits which include emotional eating as well as eating when bored. I am working on breaking those habits but also need to be a role model for them. The whole "Do as I say not as I do" mantra does not work here. I live on the east coast of Canada and like other places up north, the weather has been very uncooperative. It will eventually get warmer here but its taking its good ole time.

    I am here or any issues you may have with logging on to the spreadsheet or checking in. I will do my best to answer any questions you may have in relation to the challenge. I will also remind you to check in here. We are here to encourage each other and help through the daily struggles of weight loss/maintenance.

    I must also say that I will not babysit anyone. I believe we are more successful if we are accountable to ourselves and take responsibility for our actions and behaviors. We are all adults and first and foremost are doing this for ourselves.

    I am looking forward to our journey together over the next 12 weeks!
  • sonal33
    sonal33 Posts: 8
    Hi All,

    I’m Sonal. I’m 34 and live in United States with my husband. We don’t have kids but my husband can definitely act like one at times. =P

    I’m also a big emotional eater – stress is my biggest trigger. All logic and reason leave my mind the moment my stress level escalate. It’s funny how a bowl of pasta or dessert be so calming at such times. I hoping that this is one thing I can gain better control of since it always wipes out all the hard work invested towards a good exercise and healthy diet routine.

    Overall I’m very excited to be doing this! It’s so nice to know that I’m not alone in this weigh loss struggle. This is first time I’m trying a group challenge and even though it’s not face to face I’m sure it will still be very supportive and motivating.
    I wish everyone a very successful 12 weeks! =)
  • Mayra_121
    Mayra_121 Posts: 128 Member
    Hi Pink Team,


    My name is Yomaira and I am 26. I had joined the New Year challenge and even though I started it off pretty well the last month I wasn't as focused. But when you fall off the horse you just get up and try again. I am excited to get through these next 12 weeks and do the very best I know I can do. I definitely agree that it is important for everyone to check in the thread every now and then to encourage each other. Here is to a great 12 weeks for all of us! :drinker: Go Pink!!!
  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    Good morning everyone...
    I have sent friend requests to a couple of team members. Would you mind checking for those and accepting?
    Also, I cannot locate one member "healthynewstar" If he/she is out there would you mind sending me a friend request..

    Thanks! Have a stellar day :)
  • QngieZ
    QngieZ Posts: 26 Member
    Hi everybody~

    My name is Zahra and I'm 20(am I the maknae?).
    The biggest number my scale showed me was 79.I started to get rid of my extra kgs 4years ago(after seeing that ugly num) and I was like 59 after one year.
    Although I gain back most of it in next two years.

    Last summer I checked my weight,it was around 66kg(145lbs) and I started to lose weight again(It's 138lbs now).

    Glad to meet you all,I added all of you except for healthynewstar. add me whenever you read this dear team-mate

    Wish a good 12weeks journey for all you pink members,lets support each other ~
  • healthynewstart
    healthynewstart Posts: 17 Member
    Hi Pink team members:)

    My user name is "healthynewstart" for those who have been unable to locate me. Somehow it has been recorded as "healthynewstar" on the challenge spreadsheet ...missing the "t" on the end. Hopefully it is corrected now. I am 58 years old and have had a very slow but steady weight loss over the past 1 1/2 years...until the last few months! I have gained 12 of the 24 lbs back. I have given into emotional eating when I thought I was getting out ahead of it. I hate how I can so quickly gain back what it took such hard work to get off. However I am not throwing in the towel!! So here I am looking forward to this challenge and getting back to mindful eating. Good luck all:)
  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    Good morning Team Pink..
    Today is the day to buckle down, log accurately and to focus on yourself and what you are capable of doing.
    We will all have our ups and downs throughout this journey but we will be successful.

    Have a wonderful weekend!!
  • Mayra_121
    Mayra_121 Posts: 128 Member
    Hey ya'll, TGIF!!

    I was thinking that we can share our mini (weekly) goals here.

    For week #1 my goals will be:

    *Log everyday
    *Complete my second week of my C25K workouts (3 days)
    *Add two other workouts-probably some yoga
    *Drink at LEAST 6 glasses of water (which is something I've always struggled with =/ )
    *Make better food choices =)
  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    My biggest challenge this week will be to drink 3l of water daily.. While on vacation, water was limited and I did not drink nearly enough. So far this week things are good...next week there will be a longer list.
  • Irek_Wawa
    Irek_Wawa Posts: 41 Member
    Hello Pink Ladies;)

    I don't feel like writing an essay, so few facts from me:
    - it's my third consecutive weight challenge
    - previous two proven to be quite succesfull and i hope this one will be as well
    - my goal (not sure how will it go) is to lose all overweight kilograms (8), maybe more
    - my routine is min 10k steps a day (fitbit), running twice a week for 20mins, pushups, pullups and some basic dumbell exercises



    GL to you all!!
  • QngieZ
    QngieZ Posts: 26 Member
    Week A
    •Drink at least 4glasses of water
    •burn 1500 Cal
    •be under cal goal for four days
    •log in everyday
  • BelliDancer
    BelliDancer Posts: 25 Member
    My week #1 mini goals

    1. Drink at least 1 litre of water every day.
    2. Do not go over my calories.
    3. Don't spend too many calories on sweets. (I know that's vague but it's something I'm trying to pay attention to).
    4. Work out every day (possibly one rest day on Wednesday if I feel like it).
    5. Take some pictures for comparison at the end of this challenge.
  • sonal33
    sonal33 Posts: 8
    My mini goal is to eat at the table without any distractions (no TV, iphone, etc). Also to take at least 20 mins to eat a meal instead of rushing through it. I'm noticing that I'm eating a lot less and I get full much faster. I hoping that I can eventually make this a lifestyle change since it has been much harder to do than I realized.
  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    Hello Team Pink!!
    ** Just a reminder that it is time to weigh in and record your numbers on the spreadsheet.. If you are having any problems, please send me a message and I will fix you up**

    Hope you have all had a great first week.. I have been getting back into the grove of things but keep forgetting to weigh in the last two mornings..ughhh. I am going to weigh in first thing tomorrow morning but the spreadsheet may be closed off...(ughhh)
    Hope you are all doing better than I in that respect..

    I have managed to accomplish my mini challenge this week, which was to get back into drinking 3L of water a day.. Now to set up some short term goals/challenges for the next week..

    1st ..I will maintain 3L day water consumption..
    2nd.. Workout of 75min all 7 days next week..should be doable as I am working evenings and have the mornings to myself after the kiddies head out to school.
    3rd.. Work harder to stay within my sugar limits..this is a tough one for me but I find it makes a huge difference at the end of the week..

    What are your goals for the next week??
  • BelliDancer
    BelliDancer Posts: 25 Member
    Hi everybody,

    So my first week, I have not put up a spectacular loss. I have stayed within my calories and exercised a lot, but I REALLY need to get a better handle on limiting my sugar intake. I have this terrible habit of having a spectacular day ... right until I get home from work. Then, especially when I'm playing in the early evenings with my little boy, it's like a beast takes over me and I will just quickly munch some crap ... cookies and chocolate, mainly. My day is just not complete without a bit of sugar, and a bit of sugar generally leads to more sugar. I try to compensate by not having carbs with my dinner, but still ... it's messing me up. I am convinced that if I cut out the bedtime sweets my weight loss would be amazing and yet somehow I can't let it go. It depresses me to think I have to live without it. Sounds stupid, I know, but there you go. Emotional eater. Does anyone have any tips or tricks for how to deal with this?
  • bmfrazie
    bmfrazie Posts: 2,380 Member
    Sorry I haven't done a checkin. I will give more details on myself later. I did post my weight this morning. Pretty happy with how much I dropped. Good luck team!
  • sonal33
    sonal33 Posts: 8
    The trick is to be really aware of yourself when you are doing this. Next time you get a craving make sure you sit at the table without any distractions and really enjoy every single bite. Take a few deep breath so you first relax yourself. Now chew slowly and taste every single flavor of that sugary goodness. In order for this to work correctly you want to avoid feeling any guilt. Don't make any fake promises to yourself about this being the last time that you will do this or that you will workout harder so you can burn off these calories. Just enjoy every bite slowly. You will be surprised to see that you won't take as many bites and in time those cravings will also drastically reduce. I learned about this from reading the "The Slow Down Diet: Eating for Pleasure, Energy, and Weight Loss". I have doing this for a while and it's been working like a charm at getting my emotional eating under control. =)
  • Irek_Wawa
    Irek_Wawa Posts: 41 Member
    Hm, for me last week was typical, or even boring.I didn't struggle with anything, i guess i got used to this way of eating / working out / logging everything.

    My next goal is incorporating more variety (not amount) of vegetables to my diet. And maybe eating little less popcorn (probably last clearly unhealthy food i eat on weekly basis). And drinking less bottled water.

    I keep fingers crossed for your goals.
  • QngieZ
    QngieZ Posts: 26 Member
    First week was good for me,nothing special happened,everything was in control.
    The goal for next week is to increase daily amount of water intake.log in everyday,increase burnt cal,stay within my cal goal
    Have a good week everybody
  • Mayra_121
    Mayra_121 Posts: 128 Member
    Hey Pink Team!

    First of all great job to everyone on our 1st week of the challenge. =)

    My goals for week 2:

    -Complete week 3 of C25K
    -Continue doing yoga at least 2x this week and walk 2x as well
    -Continue logging everyday
    -Stay within my calorie goals 6 out of 7 days (Have 1 cheat day)
    -Drink 6 cups of water daily
    -Keep an eye for my sodium and sugar intake!!
    -Lose 1-2lbs this week


    Goooo Pink!!! We can do it =D
  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    Congrats everyone on a successful week..

    I am also one who does fine all day and then the sun goes down.. I should just go to bed but instead I am grazing the cupboards and fridge. There is nothing outright unhealthy but I can eat everything. I have changed my goals here on MFP and see if there are any changes. I have upped my calorie intake..1200-1300 is not cutting it and incorporating more protein. It may take a couple of weeks for my body to adjust to these changes so I have to be patient.

    Have a wonderful weekend and keep your eye on the prize!
  • Mayra_121
    Mayra_121 Posts: 128 Member
    Hi Pink Team:

    Week 2 is almost over!! I for one am proud of myself for being able to get back on track with my workouts. My experience has been that if I slack off on exercising then I just find it harder to eat healthier, stupid I know but oh well... I am looking forward to achieve my goal at the end of this challenge and hopefully reach my UGW (120 lbs) at the end of this year!
    I hope you all are well!

    Go Pink!!!!
  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    Good morning Team Pink!
    Just a quick note before heading off to work...TGIF!

    if you have not already weighed in and logged your progress for this week, its time to do so.
    I hope your results were better than mine this week.. Exercising, logging food, deficit calorie-wise, the scale is moving but in the wrong direction. Perseverance is the key so I will not give up on myself!
    Anyone with a magic solution?

    Have a wonderful weekend!!
  • Irek_Wawa
    Irek_Wawa Posts: 41 Member
    I hope your results were better than mine this week.. Exercising, logging food, deficit calorie-wise, the scale is moving but in the wrong direction. Perseverance is the key so I will not give up on myself!
    Anyone with a magic solution?

    Hard to tell - your diary is closed. Two things I can think of right now:
    - if you're on low carb diet, try carb loading every 5 or 7 days to restore leptin levels
    - if you've recently started new workout routine you can expect to store some extra water weight for 2-3 weeks (natural reaction of organism for new, intense physical stress), it will go off on it's own - nothing to worry about.



    Have a great week as well!
  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    Happy Friday everyone!!

    Here it is the first weekend in May and the spring weather seems to be missing.. I have been slack in the exercise department this week....between appointments and pure exhaustion I have not had the motivation to get moving..Rain and temperatures around 0C are not helping either.. Another week down, a little progress, hope you have had a good week and enjoy your weekend!

    p.s... Don'f forget to log onto the spreadsheet sometime today :)
  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    Good morning and happy Friday challengers!

    Don't forget to check into the spreadsheet and log your current weight.. I am still stuck at a plateau..Super fustrating but holding on and pushing through!!

    Have a wonderful day!!
  • bmfrazie
    bmfrazie Posts: 2,380 Member
    I totally suck and forgot to log my weight this week. :( sorry
  • BelliDancer
    BelliDancer Posts: 25 Member
    Hello everyone. Just thought I'd check in with my Pink Panthers, see how everyone's doing. I also seem to be hovering around a bit of a plateau. Put on 200g at my last weigh-in -- even though I thought I should have lost. Funny, if I had cheated with my calories and gained 200g I would have thought I got away with something, but it's frustrating when you think you deserve to have lost and you gain. Anyway, instead of eating cake in frustration, like I would have before, I remembered the log sheet and dug in my heels. I exercised more. I hope it will reflect at my next weigh-in. At the very least, I can feel pleased with myself for not giving up and believing that the scale will catch up. If you're plateauing too, I hope you're thinking like that!
  • Irek_Wawa
    Irek_Wawa Posts: 41 Member
    Hi everybody:)

    For me last weeks are going quite well, losing weight according to plan. I just stick to low carbs, moderate protein diet and watch my calorie balance to be -7000 per week (not necessarily -1000 daily).

    I've readjusted my training schedule so i don't have to train every day (4 trainings +2 days running). Of course there is a trade off - individual training sessions take longer than before.

    I've recently noticed that I became really sensitive to caffeine due to eliminating foods / drinks that contain it. That's a negative, because when I drank 2,25l coke (zero ofc;)) last week I felt tired for few following days (after initial hype). I guess I'll stop using it at all then.

    Regarding competition - it will probably be my last as there won't be much more to lose for me when it ends and i wouldn't be much of an asset for the team. I'll stop being overweight in next 3,6kg (month or so) and achieve my desired weight in 6,6kg (two months or so). Then i'll have to decide what to do next - get leaner by losing even more and build muscle from there or just stay at 86kg and try some "carb backloading" (as there seems to be some science behind it) to burn more fat and build muscle simultaneously.

    I keep my fingers crossed for all of you, have a relaxing weekend :)
  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    Happy Friday Team Pink!

    It is the first long weekend of summer up here in Canada and I am pumped! I have plans to open up the trailer and get some R&R.

    I am not looking forward to the excess of snacking, treats and drinks but it will be a good personal challenge!

    To those hitting a plateau, fear not you will break through with consistency and patience.. I am down this week finally after weeks of not moving on the scale..

    Irek, I am very happy that you are finally seeing the end of the tunnel. It has been a long hard road (we started at the same time). Congrats! Your success is motivation for me to keep going. I will miss you in the challenges (although I hope this will be the last one for me as well) but there must be a maintaining group or something of the kind out there. Before this is over I will look into it..

    Do not forget to weigh in and log on the spreadsheet. Have a wonderful and safe weekend no matter what your plans, or lack there of.