HASWLRS wrote: »

....
Nice work on the 0.3 pound loss this week and the 4" @drea2011!! You can see how passionate Craig is about using measurements vs. the scales for true determination of weight loss success. So much so, he felt it necessary to chime in on our thread!! He hates it when people get all hung up on the number on the scales. He is not even really a fan of this Challenge and it's format of weekly weigh-ins, but you know, took over when no one else would. He does like the support aspect of a team challenge very much though. It gives a forum to reassure and educate people, like yourself Drea, when the scales aren't moving but the inches are! A place to vent and ask questions when things don't go as planned, and also a place to safely brag about achievements and get well deserved high-fives in return! A team to whom we must be accountable!! That is why losing weight is not a requirement to stay on the team...only that you are trying!!!

@HASWLRS. Thank you. It is true I am not a fan of the format of the challenge, but I am a fan of the difference it makes to people (which is why I am passionate about keeping it going).

To let TBBT on a little secret. I see this challenge as a beneficial bait-and-switch type activity. The name and format has been made popular by culture and media, but the real bonus to participation is that you find a group of like minded people that are all trying to achieve what you are and doing it in a healthy manner.

Society judges by weight, but that is not the real measure. The real measure is health and fitness. The healthier and fitter you are, the more you can do and the more you enjoy life. You do not need to be an athlete. You do not need the shape of the models you see in the popular media. You do need to keep healthy enough to enjoy the best life can have to offer for as long as you like.

Learn about your body. Learn about nutrition. Learn what works for you. Celebrate the victories and study the setbacks so they do not happen again.

What has been taught in the popular media and from commercially biased studies has to a large extent misinformed the public on what is "healthy" and what is not. Eg. from a lot of independent research, I'm pretty sure the FDA "food pyramid" did WAY more damage than good (and the USDA MyPyramid is only a little better but has fundamental flaws - still too much emphasis on grains, however it is sponsored by the Department of Agriculture - so what would you expect).

I could go on about weight, size, exercise, fitness, satiety, nutrition, and more all day. I'll put the soap box away for now and let you get back to your usual programming.