December Challenge
cnavarro002
Posts: 235 Member
Hello Friends!
I know this is a super busy time of the year, but it is also critical in many ways. First, it's the end of the year, so time to wrap up and get serious about meeting those goals we had set up (or at least get closer to them vs. farther away). The holidays are all about food, so temptation is everywhere and literally at our fingertips. There were only 3 of us that participated in the November challenge, but that's ok, because 3 is better than none.
Let's keep December simple again. Log in as often as you want (even if it's only at the beginning and end of the month). Challenge yourself with what you want to end the year with. For me, it's exercise minutes & steps and pounds lost. My goals: 150 exercise minutes a week and 1.5 lbs a week loss for a total of 6 lbs in December.
SW: 279
Goal: 273
Good luck everyone, and happy holidays!
I know this is a super busy time of the year, but it is also critical in many ways. First, it's the end of the year, so time to wrap up and get serious about meeting those goals we had set up (or at least get closer to them vs. farther away). The holidays are all about food, so temptation is everywhere and literally at our fingertips. There were only 3 of us that participated in the November challenge, but that's ok, because 3 is better than none.
Let's keep December simple again. Log in as often as you want (even if it's only at the beginning and end of the month). Challenge yourself with what you want to end the year with. For me, it's exercise minutes & steps and pounds lost. My goals: 150 exercise minutes a week and 1.5 lbs a week loss for a total of 6 lbs in December.
SW: 279
Goal: 273
Good luck everyone, and happy holidays!
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Replies
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SW:310
Goal:299
(I know it's not very realistic but ending the year under 300 would be amazing)1 -
I would like to excercise at least 4 days a week. Water intake back to the 100 oz. Mark. Lose something anything as I went backwards these months I was MIA.1
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@MamaMaryPants yes!!! Ending the year under 300 would be AMAZING! You can do it! Focus on your goals, and put all excuses aside! You can rest in January. You've got this!!!!
@bigghunny I love your exercise and water goals! At the very least the water one should be doable! As far as "Lose something anything..." I went backwards too last month. I was up 14lbs. I have 3 left to get back to where I was. We're doing this together! Start moving that scale down one ounce at a time! Don't stress about pounds, do it in ounces. We Can Do This!!!!1 -
SW: 277? 280? with this darn water weight, I have no idea where I actually stand at the moment.....
goal: 275 - at least get back down to the 100 lbs lost category!
alt goal: at least maintain and not gain!0 -
SW: 310
CW:307
Goal 299 by 12/310 -
@MamaMaryPants 7 more lbs to go!!!! That is so amazing!
@bmeadows380 How's it going? How's the water weight treating you?
@bigghunny those ounces creeping off yet? Me not so much. I started the month at 279 and now I'm at 282. I haven't been eating a ton, but I haven't been feeling good, so I know it's not real weight. Ugh as of now 9 lbs away from my end of year goal. Doesn't look good, but closer is closer.
Keep up the good work ladies!0 -
@cnavarro002 not good
I was up on Thursday, even though I had pretty well behaved myself except for the out to eating over the weekend. This weekend I know I failed, especially on Sunday. We had a church Christmas dinner on Friday, and I had tried to keep food to a minimum during the day to allow for extra calories that evening, but I still went overboard, I'm pretty sure. Then Saturday was a long trip to visit a friend for her birthday and help her out some (she's having medical problems), so since it was a road trip, I didn't do very good at sticking to limits.
Sunday, though was the worst I had eaten breakfast, a little more than I had been, and that seems to have been a catalyst. That and the snow storm had church canceled and I was stuck inside all day - unable to resist temptation to snack all day long. I know I went over - definitely into the actual gain category, even with a 1,000 buffer.
Today was only marginally better. I came in to work to find the break room stuffed with food. While I tried my best to refrain from the sweet and keep to fruit and vegetables, I was only marginally successful. I'll be under maintenance today, but over the 1500.
So tomorrow's another day, but we'll see if I can get it to straighten out. I just can't figure out what's going on and why I can't lose any more weight. I dropped 100 lbs in 2017 and then stalled for the entire year of 2018. If the weight loss had screwed up my hormone levels, you'd think that a year at maintenance would have straightened that out. My doctor insists that my thyroid levels are only a little out (even though I had to get my PCP to help me get the bloodwork to prove that much, since my endo kept insisting since my TSH was fine everything else had to be).
*sigh* I'm not real hopeful I'm going to meet this challenge - thank goodness it's not one of the cumulative ones!0 -
Sorry been forgetting to post here. SMH...holidays always throw me for a loop. So far have maintained up than down and all around...lol Been walking with Buba when it's not raining here. Buba is my new puppy. Water lately has been a chore. New meds make me crave coffee like crazy even though not supposed to have it... sigh still pushing on. Cheering you all on we can do this one sec and ounce and meal and cup of coffee at a time....lol1
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@bmeadows380 Don't be so hard on yourself, we've all been there. The holidays and winter in itself are hard. So just curious, the whole IF, is this something your doctor is monitoring or is it just you trying something new? Is this how you lost before? It just seems so restrictive that I don't know that I would have the willpower to do it.
@bigghunny yay for new puppies and exercise partners! Even if it's a little walk, its still a walk. I am so glad you are still pushing on. This is hard! Love the one second, one ounce, one meal and cup of coffee at a time! This is my new mantra!
Hubby and I literally drove around town yesterday trying to find something that would satisfy this sweet tooth we have both been trying to ignore for a few days now. We can be our biggest ally or our biggest enablers! Luckily we were able to talk each other out of every suggestion the other made and just drove home. This healthy lifestyle change thing is hard!0 -
@cnavarro002 the IF is just my idea and an attempt to try to find something to jar me out of this quicksand-like rut I've been in for a year. I haven't been very good at it, though - I guess its just the wrong time of the year. I do find that if I am extremely vigilant and make myself wait until 9:30 or 10 AM for breakfast - and eat just a 1/2 cup of yogurt or a boiled egg, then a small lunch and only one snack in the afternoon seems to work for the day. But I still can't win the battle with the munchies of an evening. But by being so strict during the day, I have more room for the inevitable splurge that evening.
But this week, so far, I haven't been able to do a fast day at below 800 calories - too much temptation in the break room, though I did better today than yesterday.
This time of the year is extremely busy - I'm getting home later in the evening and trying to get housework done and get my mailing cookies made, and other things for the holidays, so I'm not sleeping well, either. I'll be dragging all day, and avoiding all caffeine after 1 pm, but when ti comes time for bedtime, I'm wide awake and rarely fall asleep before midnight. So its a chore to get out of bed when that alarm goes off at 5:30 am for work.
I know that I seriously need a long, stress-reliving sabbatical away from work, but can't afford that, so until I can figure out just what it is I would be good for and how to actually change careers when I don't have any networking skills, live in a very small community, and coudln't move even if I wanted to, I'm stuck.1 -
@bmeadows380 important things I heard in your post above: "I did better today than yesterday" Put that one in the win column!
"I'm wide awake and rarely fall asleep before midnight." Have you tried some non-habit non-drug thing to help you fall asleep? I used to be in the exact same boat. My husband, tired of me complaining and being bitchy because I was so tired, bought me some melatonin. For months I just looked at the bottle and thought there was no possible way it would work. One night, out of sheer exhaustion I finally caved. Oh my heavens! It worked wonders! I fell asleep and did not wake up tired or groggy. I don't use it every night, but when I feel like I've been tossing and turning for too long, I take one and within minutes I'm asleep. I have even taken it at 3:00 a.m. and sleep enough to wake up at 6:30 a.m. without any problems. I've also heard of (but have never taken) sleepytime tea. Just offering some help.
As far as the IF, you said this is the wrong time of year - helllllooooo there are goodies everywhere! Maybe start in January? Try and maintain right now, but go full force in January?? I would just hate for you to throw your hands up in the air and quit...1 -
@cnavarro002 Thank you for all the support!
I've tried the sleepy teas, and they didn't work for me. I have switched to chamomile tea of an evening instead of black tea, trying to eliminate the black tea after 4 pm. I had never tried the melatonin; always just saw the type of sleeping pills that put you down and then make you groggy - the ones that say "you must have time for at least 8 hours of sleep when taking these". Is the melatonin that way? I'll give that one a shot!
Goodies everywhere definitely -- all over my kitchen! I make cookies and some candies and mail them out to friends, and then also make some for a couple of families with children, so I've been baking all week - chocolate chip, molasses, peanut butter chip, sugar, shortbread, and cranberry oatmeal. I'm making peanut butter balls tonight and fudge last night. I've had some cookies - gotta taste test, right? - but did hold back and not have as many as I used to. Still; definitely a bad time of the year period for dieters!1 -
@bmeadows380 girl you are making me hungry!!!!!
No, the melatonin is not like that. It does not make you groggy or make you stay asleep, it just helps you fall asleep then your body does what it does. You really should try it. What have you got to lose? Plus studies show that weight loss is correlated to getting enough sleep, so there you go!
So I have decided not to weight myself this week. I have been frustrated with the scale not moving and I am a daily weigher. I will use whatever self control I have and not weigh myself until at least Saturday. Hey that's a big deal for me! I have made a conscious effort to increase my water intake and really thing about what is going into my mouth. Thanks everyone reading for all your support!1 -
Hey just my 2 cents for what it's worth..lol @bmeadows380 melatonin is a all natural form not a drug. If your body isn't making enough for natural sleep it aids your body in thinking it has enough to fall asleep hence no groggy effect @cnavarro002 is right on point with that suggestion. Sleep is vital to weight loss. @cnavarro002 thanks for the support truly blessed to have you . I hate the sweet tooth....lol I use to weigh daily but drove me bonkers so now I don't track it ...it won't define me. As long as I am walking not over doing the food and feeling good that's a win for me. Of course I would love to see a great loss but since I can't control my emotions when I see a bad number I just stay away. Hope everyone is doing well and say Hi to hubby for me0
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@bigghunny & @cnavarro002 : thanks for the suggestion! I went grocery shopping last night and did pick up a bottle at Walmart. It has some herbs in with it, but it was the only ones I could find that had melatonin in them and not a drug. Once things start slowing down after the holidays, I'll give it a shot!
*sigh* I went ahead and officially recorded my weight this morning: 284.9 lbs. 7 lbs up since 2 weeks ago. I guess the reading 2 weeks ago was inaccurate because I can't have gained 7 lbs in 2 weeks - I'm not overeating THAT much! Last night wasn't very good on the eating front, though I restricted myself to 4 cookies, 1 peanut butter ball and 1 piece of fudge, but while it was only one, that one was most likely loaded with calories (I haven't added up the contents of the calories in one regular one).
But I have those gift cookies all packed away and set aside in the freezer. I've got more to make this week, but know that since its for two families with 5 kids each, and then another general family that covers probably 8 people, I'll need every cookie I can get my hands on!
On the flip side, I went online yesterday looking for low carb/low sugar fudge and peanut butter balls, and plan to try a couple of the recipes. Most were under 100 calories a serving when I entered them into the MFP recipe calculator. I'm going to try a couple of them this weekend and will let you know the results. Knowing the temptations we face during the holidays, having alternate treats around that won't do as much damage to the waistline is a must for me, anyway!0 -
SW:310
CW:304.6
Goal: 299
Starting to think I might be able to get there by 2019! It's helping me stay very focused/motivated despite several gatherings and gifts of candy, cookies, cocoa etc.0 -
@MamaMaryPants you are sooooo close!!!!! Just keep doing what you are doing and don't quit!!! I can't wait to hear your success story!1
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Kind of glad I'm not there yet, it will keep me honest through next week.0
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SW:310
CW:299.8
GOAL:299
I soooo got this by next week. Even if I'm not under my calorie goal tomorrow!1 -
@MamaMaryPants Omg!!!!! You did it! You literally did it!!!! I can't tell you how excited I am for you! Don't stop now, keep the momentum going!!!2
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cnavarro002 wrote: »@MamaMaryPants Omg!!!!! You did it! You literally did it!!!! I can't tell you how excited I am for you! Don't stop now, keep the momentum going!!!
I can't even believe it! Thanks @cnavarro002 !1 -
Gonna be hard to stay on track today all but I hope everyone has a good holiday(if you celebrate)!1
