Welcome to the Week 1 Check-In thread for the November Challenge.
Here's a our little challenge blurb:
There's a statistic going around that something like 25% of people will gain weight between Halloween and New Year's. It's Holiday season. We're busy with work, school, get-togethers, and shopping. It's easy to just say to heck with it and cave. And wake up on New Year's Day and looking in the mirror, unhappy with what extra weight we've gained. It happens to the best of us.
Last year was my first LCHF holiday. I checked the weight chart, and I lost 13lb (almost 6kg) between Oct 31st and my birthday (New Year's Day.) It's possible to not only NOT gain but to LOSE weight during the holiday season.
Planning ahead and keeping an eye on the basics are two of the most important focal points if we want to keep on the up and up in the face of all the junk and goodies rampant this type of year.
Some people choose to handle this time of year completely on-plan, supplementing low-carb recipes for all our bad-ol' favorites.
What I did last year was pick 1 or 2 events that were most important. For me it was Christmas Eve and New Year's Day (my birthday). I enjoyed those celebrations. Once the day was over, the indulgence was OVER. I brought home no leftovers to continue the nonsense. I picked specific things I was going to have, not ALL THE FOODS. I told myself that at bedtime, the day was over and when I woke in the morning, it was back to the routine. The rest of the days during that period, I planned ahead to stay on-plan. For those other events I didn't select, I either ate before-hand, or brought on-plan dishes to them. I lost 13lb between Halloween and New Year's.
You can pick either strategy, but this challenge, monitoring our plan Basics, are what makes the difference.
Consistency + Persistence + Time = Success
Any low-carb plan is welcome. Just post your monthly goals and beginning weight, or if you are just planning to maintain through the month, and check-in daily or weekly with how well you did.
The Basics:
Staying under carbs
Staying under calories
Logging and measuring
Getting in exercise/movement if that's one of your goals
Keeping an eye on electrolyte levels
Getting enough water
Planning ahead
This thread will be stickied to the top of the Group, with links inside to the weekly threads. So if the weekly thread gets buried in our busy little group, you'll be able to easily find in in the sticky.
Share recipes, problems, thoughts.
No-Gain November is possible.
Let's do this.
To give you and idea of possible check-in entries here's mine for yesterday:
Monthly Goals:
To lose those rotten, stinkin, stubborn, no-good, malicious last 2lb to goal weight.
By hitting the basics daily. I have one calorie UP-day, Saturday, where I'd like to log but I don't care how many calories I eat, as long as I keep my carbs under 50g. I only have adult beverages that day. Sometimes my carbs sneak over. I make sure I'm pristine all other days of the week, however. This arrangement works fine for me, for now. But if I don't continue to lose at least a fraction of a lb a week, then obviously I'll have to tighten the reigns on that.
Start weight: 153.4 (weight is up due to salty nuts, bacon, and sausage balls)
Goal weight: 150 and to stay there.
Sunday, 11/1:
Water: 80/80oz
Electrolytes Good:
Logged Food:
Exercise as Planned?: Cleaned house like a fiend for 3 hours
At or Under Carb Level: 13/30g net
At or Under Calorie Limit: Yes!
Planned Day Ahead: Yes!
