Hello team Gutbusters.

I will be your coach again for this month. Amy ( @GoBlue1981. ) is captain, Sandra ( @smc92079. ) is continuing as co-captain. My role here is to help motivate, encourage and help Amy keep this team as the best performing team in The Biggest Loser challenge.

I am also the primary moderator for the TBL challenge. I rely heavily on the support of the team captains to make this successful as it is too much for one person to do alone.

Amy ( @GoBlue1981. ) has been a great captain for the last month and I am glad she is continuing for this month. Captain is a big job and requires a daily time commitment of about 30 minutes reading and responding to the thread and entering weights into the spreadsheet. The motivational role a captain plays cannot be underestimated in the success of all members of the team.

As coach, I am running an optional mini-challenge within the Gutbusters team again this month.

Now an introduction:

I am a happily married 49yo father of one. I live in Melbourne Australia. I am passionate about helping people. Late August last year I passed my minimum goal weight (70kg - down from 91.5kg) and am now trying to maintain without bouncing back too far. I achieved the reduction in 4 months (so 40+ lbs in 4 months).

As I am now actively trying to NOT lose weight. At BMI 22.4 and less than 11% body fat, it would be crazy (if not dangerous) for me to try lose more weight.

(Why would someone not losing weight want to run a weight loss challenge? Because it helps so many people and I feel I have so much to share. I learned so much losing weight that I seems a shame to not have it benefit others.).

About the mini-challenge.

First and foremost is that participation in this challenge is optional. It's up to you as to whether you want to try this. (If you take the attitude that "this is not what I signed up for", that is up to you).

I used the principles of this challenge to win July (6.29% - down 10.8 lbs) and August (6.44% - down 10.4 lbs). Following this challenge does work.

The challenge is based on another challenge on MFP called UAC (ultimate accountability challenge). The way UAC works is that the aim is to follow 5 basic rules.

1. Track EVERYTHING you eat that has calories on MFP.
2. Stay inside your allocated daily budget.
3. Do at least 20 minutes of activity a day (anything: walk, run, cycle, swim, gardening, housework, yoga, gym, etc.. As long as it gets you active and off the couch)
4. 1 pass day permitted per week (went over calories, could not track, not enough exercise, intentional pass)
5. Check in daily (tracking yes/no, calories yes/no, exercise yes/no).

End of the week. those who have managed to keep to plan for 6 out of 7 days are recognised in the thread as being part of the weekly "winners circle".


Using this strategy of consistent tracking and minimal exercise I have set a lifestyle plan that should keep me in my target weight range. (has for the last month )

I liked this strategy as:

• No dietary restrictions. (fine for vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, paleo, carnivore, etc...)
• Works with whatever strategy you may want to follow. (keto, 5:2, 16:8, atkins, etc..).
• You set your own daily budget (MFP helps with this).
• You choose you own exercise and intensity (no step limit, no exercises you cannot or should not do, 20 mins of gardening counts as much as a 10mile run).
• Is not weight based (as weight fluctuates day by day).
• Can continue beyond weight loss.

Daily check in keeps you in touch with those doing similar. Longer term weight management is hard to do on your own.

It also has frequent resets (as in a circle each week).

It works on an honor system. Being honest with yourself and others is a key to making things work.

Consistency and new habits have been shown the only long term successful way to change weight. We all want the progress made here to last a lifetime.

You will find out more from me as the weeks go on. I have done A LOT of research into weight loss, diets, health and strength. I will happily share what I have learned with the group.

My commitment to this group is to post my daily results for this accountability tracking (and help out where I can).


I also post a daily strength challenge.

The daily strength challenge is additional to the 20 mins exercise in the mini-challenge. It is designed to:

• build lean muscle (not bulk).
• be quick (5 mins).
• use no equipment (bodyweight only) and minimal space.
• no impact so gentle on joints.
• cycle through arms, legs and core with enough recovery time to get best results.

Building lean muscle is one of the best ways to lose weight as lean muscle burns energy while at rest (sleep and lose weight ).

I will start cross posting my daily status posts into this thread.


So Welcome March Gutbusters.

February 27
Exercised?: Yes. Walk 6km in 47 mins (hills).
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes

Sightly lower pace. Knee still stiff but feels as though it is improving.

Early flight interstate tomorrow.





Daily Strength challenge

Challenge for February 27 is lunges ()

3 sets

• First set 10 or 15 each leg (if 10 is too easy continue to 15).
• Second set 6 or 9 each leg.
• Third set 5 or 8 each leg.

February 28
Exercised?: Yes. Walk 6km in 60 mins (various walks in Adelaide throughout the day).
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes

Interstate so doing best I can.

Distressed call from home. Our 13yo bengal cat (named "Mouse") had the equivalent of a stroke and needed to be taken to the vet. Sudden blindness, high blood pressure, inability to sdand or balance, suspected bleeding on the brain. Had to make the heart-wrenching decision to have him put to sleep. No guarantees that intensive medical intervention would restore his eyesight, or even get him back to health.

Because I was interstate, did not have a chance to say goodbye, or be there to comfort my wife and daughter.

I'm sure our other cat (3yo female), will also miss him.

Home will not be the same when I get there tomorrow evening.

I miss him already.





Daily Strength challenge

Challenge for February 28 is plank. (standard, forearm or knee) (https://greatist.com/fitness/perfect-plank)

2 sets

• First set 30 seconds if new to them, 60 seconds if a regular, 90 seconds if can regularly make 60 seconds. , wait 2
• Second set 15 seconds, 30 seconds or 60 seconds
  

March 1
Exercised?: Yes. Bodyweight strength work (20+ mins).
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes

Back home now. Busy day. Little time to walk while interstate and returned after dark.

Long hugs with family. Will take a few days for things to start to feel normal again.

Thank you all for the messages of sympathy and well wishes. It was very much appreciated.


Daily Strength challenge

Challenge for March 01 is dips ()

3 sets

• First set till the point where you can do no more, wait 2 mins
• Second set of 60% of the number you did in the first set (half, then another 10%), wait 2 mins
• Third set of 50% of the number you did in the first set (half)

jamiewilldo wrote: »

Just found this thread. A little techy challenged!
Anyhow I am 62 years young and have around 100 to lose
Feb 28/18
Tracked. Yes
Calories yes
Exercised no ( bad knee)

@jamiewilldo. Welcome back.

Bad knees limits activity options, but there are still plenty of other things you can do.

The most gentle activity is always swimming (it keeps the body supported). However slow walking also counts. Even modified cycling can be easy on the knees too. Depending on the range of motion and load bearing capacity of the knee, there are a number of bodyweight or upper body exercise that can be done.

The 2 main things about activity are:

1. It should be enjoyable (something that you can do daily if required) that gets you moving for 20 mins or more a day. (It need not be "exercise", it can be activity.)
2. Activity also helps the brain and the mood. You feel and think better having done something physical.

At near 50 (will be in 4 months), I am no "spring chicken". However, maintaining daily activity has definitely helped my weight and mood. (I have not been to a gym in over 5 years , but lost over 50 lbs last year between March and September).

Happy to help and encourage others.