Hello Team Slimsons and Welcome to September!!

My name is Ashley @AB0215 I will be your captain for this month.

Here's a little about me:
I am 32, and I have been overweight basically my entire life and in the last 18 months or so, I decided to change that, I have been working towards that goal for the past year. I'm down about 50 lbs and I still have a way to go, and I just recommitted to my goal and I'm ready to jump back in and get rid of another 30 lbs by the end of January.

Please feel free to introduce yourselves and share your goals for the month, I'd actually like to encourage this as I know that for me it helps me to have some accountability and helps me reach my goals when I share them..and with that in mind, my goal this month is to lose 5 pounds. I've spent the past 8 months training for a weight lifting competition and I've put on a lot of muscle in that time, but I need to focus on losing some more weight again, mostly because I need to get down to a lower weight for competition. My first competition is November 17 so it's game time!! I've actually only got about 6.5 lbs left that I HAVE to drop before the competition, but more is still better because I've still got a long way to go.

We are also going to be running (Optional) Mini-challenges again this month: Question of the Week (provided I can think of one) and Daily Posts

First and foremost is that participation in these challenges is optional. It's up to you as to whether you want to try this. If you don't want to participate in these challenges, you don't have to, the choice is yours, but I would like to encourage you to participate as it seems to help keep us on track and thinking about our goals on a daily basis and it's encouraging to see other's successes and struggles so that we realize that we are not alone!!

The Daily Posts 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.
#2. Stay inside your allocated daily budget.
#3. Try to 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 recognized in the thread as being part of the weekly "winners circle".

A side note as there has been a bit of confusion for new members in the past, this is not the same as the official results, which are weight based, this is just another tool to help you reach your weight loss goals.

**REMEMBER**
You set your own daily budget.
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, activity is activity, anything that gets you up and moving!).
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. Remember, this is a judgement free zone, everyone has good days and bad days, but the way to get to the finish line is by being honest and when we have a bad day, picking ourselves up and carrying on the next day!

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.

Your posts should look like this:
Daily Post (Sunday)

Track: Yes/no
Calories: Yes/no (were you under)
Exercise: Yes/no (what type and how long)
Goals/Day: (Tell us a brief description about your day or goals)

The Question of the Week Challenge is a fun participation booster and we will be using it sometimes just as fun and sometimes it can help to foster new ideas for others as we all are different and have different experiences so sharing ideas can help someone else with motivation of freshening up their routine even!! Keep on the lookout for these questions.

This is something that is fun, but challenging to me since I am running out of questions, and I would like to invite any of you guys to feel free to come up with a question you think is fun and send it to me. I am running out of creative questions and would like to use my "Ask the Audience Lifeline."

On a side note, I might be changing this up this month, still trying to come up with ideas but this month got here a bit faster than I was ready for, so...TBD....

Please post your weight on your scheduled weigh in day, as if you miss weigh-ins, you may be eliminated from the challenge and we don't want to see that happen!!

Your posts should look like this:
Username:
Week: February Week 1
PW =(previous weight)
CW=(current weight)
Just type PW & CW if you'd like (or if it's easier, you could keep a note on your PC desktop to make it easier to copy and paste from week to week.)

Please, please setup your posts in that format as it really makes it much easier for me to track your progress for the challenges and the weight loss!!

I'd like to help us be as successful as possible and if I can help in any way, please let me know. Also, if you have any suggestions for the team or fun ideas to spice things up a bit, please feel free to share them, I look for new ways to help engagement and keep people motivated!!

I am committed to this group and to help where I can, and please let me know if I can help in any way!!
Side note--I follow a Ketogenic diet for any that may be interested, I have tons of recipes and resources for anyone interested.

Welcome to September and let's make things happen this month together!!

Your Captain,
Ashley (@AB0215)

mg07030 wrote: »

“That's exactly what you do with it, but September officially starts tomorrow 9/2, so your first weigh in (Sept Week 1) will be posted on Saturday 9/8”



@ABO215 thanks! I jumped the gun- ok guys that gives me 7 days to drop from 146.8 . 💪🏻

@mg07030 LOL, that's ok, you're just enthusiastic, and nothing wrong with that!!

Sandie020 wrote: »

Hi all my name is Sandie and live in the UK
This is my second go at this challenge. Due to personal problems last month I failed terribly and am hoping I can do better this month.

I work fiull time as a housekeeper in a care home for the elderly. I love my job and it is very active and can burn between 500 to 700 calories a day .good luck every one on your challenge and may you all reach your goals

@Sandie020 Welcome back!! Housework can be a really good workout, so that's always helpful!!

SLIMn2016 wrote: »

Happy September 1st!

My name is Nancy. I'm from the East Coast, Boston area- New England. Wife and Mom, to two sons, and my two furbabies---a standard Poodle & rag doll cat. Lost 90lbs by 2016 on MFP previously , reaching my goal weight --- BUT injuries over the past year (to my back and leg) had me gain back 20+ lbs. Trying to get back to my healthy weight and regain my lost muscle mass while I'm recovering.

This is my second round on the Monthly BLC Challenge. I reached my 10lb goal loss last month in the August Challenge with the Slimsons-- and hope to lose another 5+lbs in September and hopefully get back to my goal weight by the end of this year (maybe sooner! ).

Learned a lot from my team last month. I am looking forward to another successful month with you all--- and hope I can support you well in the process!

LET'S DO THIS!!!

@SLIMn2016 Welcome back Nancy!! You got this!!

mactigerr wrote: »

Hi! My name is Bridgette. This is my first challenge. I've got 3 great kids, a fiance, a husky pit mix. I was in really good shape before having my third child. I stayed in good shape during the pregnancy due to a strenuous warehouse job. I then stayed home after she was born, and I'm sad to say the real thing that made me balloon up to 40 lbs bigger than my prepregnancy weight was developing a severe drinking problem. I struggled for a couple years, and I'm glad to say I'm better now! But, the weight is lingering. I've lost the same 20 lbs probably 4 times in that time. I'm ready to get back in shape. I'm working a new warehouse job, and average about 16,000 steps just before I leave work, but I'm going to try to add a little extra exercise in. I'm hoping to lose 15 lbs this month.

@mactigerr Welcome Bridgette!! That's a tough history there. I'm glad to see you're doing better!! 15lbs is a hefty goal, but it is achievable if you work hard, and good luck!! We're here to help!!

gemwolf110 wrote: »

Hi all!

My name is Missy and I’m in my early 30’s living in the Southern New England with my fiancé and our 4 furkids (2 Huskies, 1 Alusky, and 1 Bichon Frise who thinks she is a Husky). I work full time and then some in the corporate world. I recently started my own business as an Young Living Essential Oils Distributor, to support a healthy lifestyle and overall wellness. I’m still fairly new at that, so finding what oils works for me is a work in progress. I’m also in the process of researching a Graduate program to obtain a Ph.D in Sociology or Criminology in hopes to obtaining a job as a Sociology or Criminology Professor.

I take kickboxing, and Zumba classes. I also go kayaking, hiking, riding my bicycle with my fiancé and friends. My goals is to get back into running since it has been awhile and am basically starting at square one.

I’ve been a returning member of this Team and this month I’m refocusing on my diet and habits because I’ve been stuck in a rut for awhile now and I want to make it into Onederland by Christmas and at my goal weight/shape by my wedding. I’m currently a size 22 at 211.9 pounds and want to get back down to 110-120 range overall.

Whose ready to rock September and achieve their goals?!?

@gemwolf110 Welcome back Missy!! Honestly, there are a lot of benefits to essentials oils, and I have a diffuser that sits right on my desk, the desk I pretty much live at between my 2 work from home jobs..and honestly, I think it really does help me with stress, when I remember to fill it
As for your diet...I was right there with you last year. I think the trick is finding what works for you, so I gave Keto a try and that's what melted the first 40 lbs off, super easy...might be worth researching if you are ready for a change.