Mini Challenge: 10lbs down by Valentines Day? <3

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  • asyk805
    asyk805 Posts: 125 Member
    I’m in. I weighed in at 244 this morning. That puts my goal at 234. Definitely doable.
  • asyk805
    asyk805 Posts: 125 Member
    I am down a pound today. Woot woot. 9 more to go.
  • MarieRosekenji85
    MarieRosekenji85 Posts: 147 Member
    I'm interested. I'm 226, so my goal would be 216 lets do this!
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,364 Member
    BMcC9 wrote: »
    SW this challenge: 144.6
    Dec 21: 143.3 (-1.3 so far)
    Dec 28: 144.4 (- 0.2 from SW .... with 4 big meals over the past 14 days,
    I consider this a maintain-so-far)

    and my weight TODAY was 143.5 ..... see the difference a day can make? The "internal correction" of processing both a Turkey Day Dinner With All The Trimmings on Dec 23 plus higher-than usual carbs (pancake breakfast) and sugar (maple syrup and quality-chocolate bar from my stocking) intake on Dec 25 finally kicked in. I was back to more normal food choices on Dec 26.

    Don't let one weigh-in discourage you, whether it is daily or weekly. (daily-record-and-ignore gives you more data points to help diagnose trends when compared (a week or so later to start) with your food & exercise logs. So long as you can somehow "ignore the number on the scale" and focus on a trend tracking graph of some sort. And honestly COMPLETELY fill in your food log, the good the bad and the ugly. It is only data.

    Data analyzed = Information. Information used to inform future decisions and actions = Personal Empowerment!

    My tracker is my Wii Fit Plus daily Body Check. I know someone went even lower-tech and kept an excel spreadsheet (probably a very data / analytical personality type, which may or may not be you) I have over 600 daily data points (more than 19 months) I can look back at to remind myself about over all trends.

    There are both Apple and Android weight trend apps out there . I THINK they are "Happy Weight" for Apple and "Libra" for Android, but I am sure others here can give the correct name(s) if I got them wrong.

    I am a 60 yr old female. Exercise almost entirely at-home cardio (mini-trampoline combined with Wii exergame)
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,364 Member
    LMK20018 wrote: »
    BMcC9 wrote: »
    LMK20018 wrote: »
    ... I’m struggling with carbs ....

    If you tell us IN WHAT WAY you are "struggling with carbs" (in particular, what kind of carbs, say pasta & bread vs chips vs sugars) maybe we can offer strategy suggestions or substitutions?

    Hi so my current weight is 128/130. My struggle lies with sugar. I have a hard time with portion and self control when it comes to cookies, chocolate, bread and flavored coffee this time of year. I literally can eat an entire bag of Gheradelli chocolate or an entire row of Pepperidge Farm cookies. Bagels donuts and coffee are only consumed when I go out. However it’s a struggle to not buy them . Thanks for the help !
    I currently am only lifting light weights and starting to do YouTube walking videos as it is cooler where I live.

    I am putting my suggestions inside the "Spoiler" below so that anyone who already has a good system for themselves can skip over it, but anyone who wants to read, and possibly add additional suggestions for @LMK20018 can do so.

    Because we aren't conversing face-to-face, you can't let me know if "you already know / do X" so bear with me. I also don't know your personal history (age / usual social interactions with friends, family and co-workers / type of job / type of personality) so what follows is very generic and is the kind of thing that worked for me. I may be a very different type and have a very different situation.

    If you read what follows and your reaction is something like "too much trouble - can you suggest something else?", "[This kind of suggestion] is more what I feel I need right now" let me know the factors you are willing share in an open thread (details not required) like basic situations where you find it easier / harder to make portion control choices - what has or hasn't worked as a routine part of your lifestyle in the past. OR send that kind of information to me a PM and post here that you sent it. I will let you know if it got through, or if I have to send you a Friend Request before I can receive the PM. I have a glitch on my profile that prevents opening and accepting Friend Requests sent to me, so if you feel we need to continue off-thread or on a different thread, let me know. I would have to be the one to send a Friend Request if necessary.

    I'll take whatever information you send into consideration and see if I can give you more specific suggestions in a followup. Also PLEASE tell me if what follows is "waaayyyyy too TMI" in your opinion.

    But we gotta start somewhere.

    I don't need you to send me full answers to the following questions, but they are ones you need to ask yourself and act upon. Once you have done what amounts to a "Self-Awareness Reality Check" (below) we can fine-tune from there.

    My first questions are :

    How long have you been food-logging and are you logging as completely as possible?

    If you have this kind of information in you Food Log database, you can go to your Food tab, and under Settings you can specify up to 5 nutrient macros to break-out and the order in which they are displayed. You can show over-all carbs AND specifically break out "how much sugar" "how much sodium" etc.

    Once you save the display changes, the numbers for those nutrient macros will be displayed historically (everything already logged) as well as going forward.

    If you haven't been, do so for at least a week, to help yourself spot trends and triggers, and with the question below start with things that you already KNOW are your triggers. Later on, review your logs and repeat the steps with any "hidden trigger foods or situations" rends that your numbers highlight to you.

    Are you already aware of specific things that are trigger items or situations for you? Looking over your food logs, can you spot others?

    From what you already posted ... sounds like "Gheradelli chocolate" and "Pepperidge Farm cookies" fall into this category for you. This kind of self-awareness is very important.

    List them.

    Go to an empty Food Diary Page some time in the future (or the past). This is your "exploration page". Go ahead and look up Gheralelli chocolate or Pepperidge Farm [specific type] cookie in the database, and on the "serving size drop-down, select "entire bag". Click OK and see the results.

    Ask yourself if the numbers are really worth the taste. Can the Gheradelli chocolates be bought in resealable bags of individually wrapped pieces? On the back of the bag, it will tell you "how many pieces = 1 serving" See what numbers 1 serving gives you. See what numbers 1 PIECE gives you. Are those numbers that you think you could work into your "normal daily calorie consumption" ? (PRE-any exercise calories )

    Do the same with your flavoured coffee.

    Because you said "Bagels donuts and coffee are only consumed when I go out." I am guessing that you mean something like "Starbucks Double Double with whipped cream on top and a flavoured syrup shot". What size do you usually order? Look it up. What are the numbers?

    What would be the difference if you got whatever the coffee chain calls a "smallest"? What would be the difference if you ordered it WITH the flavour shot but "hold the whipped cream"?

    If you were only to choose 1 doughnut or bagel to go with the coffee, what is your favourite?

    What are the numbers for that? Is it worth it as % of the total calories you can eat over the day, or would something else that you also enjoy give you more of a "this tastes great AND I am doing something good for myself" experience?

    Make yourself notes. There are no "right" or "wrong" answers to any of those questions. This is all just raw-data gathering.

    Once you have some data, you can start making some informed decisions and plans.

    Keep in mind that there are no such things as "cheat days / meals" or "forbidden foods". It's all a question of numbers, trade-offs, "is it worth it"'s, PLANNED indulgences, and respecting an over-all 80 / 20 lifestyle.

    That means that if you keep your macros in the green 80 percent of the time, then the body can handle the odd indulgence into the red, SO LONG AS IT IS ONLY ABOUT 20% of the time.

    Think long-term sustainable life-style habits, not (relatively) short term "This is a temporary diet that will end and then I will go back to eating like I used to". The second is guaranteed to backfire on you over time.

    Once you are done with your discovery exercise and note-taking, just remove all the entries from that Food Diary page.

    So, armed with the numbers you have discovered, make some Strategy Scenarios for various difficult situations you know you will face. Like "I know I will be going out with friends for coffee and I will enjoy [X order] with them. For the rest of my day, I will be having [whatever-for-meals for the day - most likely less than usual in order to make room in the Daily Totals to compensate]" . You can use the same kind of trial data-checks as above to "pre-test" possibilities.


    If you make a habit of logging all food all the time, you will very quickly gain a sense of what different things "cost". This will make it easier over time to make in-the-moment decisions for things like "will I or won't I have one of the doughnuts that showed up in the staff-room today?" because you already know its aproximate calories / fat / sugar "cost", and you have already planned on savouring a Gheradelli chocolate as your evening indulgence today. Which would you REALLY rather have, because you will be doing yourself the favour of only having one or the other.

    Neither decision is "wrong".

    Let me know how this goes, and we can look at other suggestions for handling "what goes into the pantry at home vs stays on the grocery store shelf" decisions and substitutions later.

  • Nooneknows21
    Nooneknows21 Posts: 81 Member
    edited December 2018
    I so need this! Thank you :)

    Highest Weight: 239lbs
    Current Weight: 230lbs
    Challenge Goal: 220lbs
    Ultimate Goal: 182lbs

    My weigh-ins are Wednesdays! Good luck everybody <3
  • LMK20018
    LMK20018 Posts: 38 Member
    Thank you BMcC9 for all the helpful information!
  • Running2Fit
    Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
    Highest Weight: 190
    Challenge Goal: 139.4
    Ultimate Goal: 120

    Dec 16 - 149.4
    Dec 23 - 147.7
    Dec 30 - 148.4

    I'm up a bit because of the holiday, but only a tiny amount so I'm not worried. I signed up for a half-marathon last night to give myself a fitness goal to work toward in 2019. I'm super nervous about it but also really excited. I've lost about 28 lbs in 2018 primarily focusing on diet, I really want to focus on exercise as well in 2019!
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,364 Member
    LMK20018 wrote: »
    Thank you BMcC9 for all the helpful information!

    You're welcome.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10713956/ultimate-accountability-challenge-uac-january-2019#latest is a great month-by-month way to build up self-awareness and accountability habits, which will result in reported progress here.

    Take a read, and follow the link to the group if it looks like it would suit.
  • etherealanwar
    etherealanwar Posts: 465 Member
    HW: 200 Lbs
    12/23: 152.2 Lbs
    12/30: 148.4 lbs

    Aiming for 7 lbs by valentines.
  • Safari_Gal
    Safari_Gal Posts: 888 Member
    Good luck everyone! 🍀
  • prettyt8275
    prettyt8275 Posts: 45 Member
    Dec 17=144.5-145 lbs
    Dec 24=141.5 lbs
    Dec 31=141.0 lbs
    Jan 7=????? lbs 😁🙈😊

    Not much of a drop. But I’ll take it especially since of the holidays!
  • dlm4mom
    dlm4mom Posts: 252 Member
    My name is Lynn. I would very much like to join. I have spent the past 2 months eating whatever I wanted. I just gave up and let go. I am a healty but heavy 61 year old woman. My current weight is 178 so I am hoping for 168- I would be thrilled with more of course.
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,364 Member
    Hi, @dlm4mom Near the top of this page (pg 5) you'll see a post from me that has a "Spoiler" (hidden text) section. If you would like some suggestions on re-set / re-start self-awareness steps, take a read. It's only a "spoiler" so that people here who already have a system that is working for them could skip over it.

    Just substitute looking up whatever you personally find a challenge for the sugary examples if, for you, it is more a question of salty or fatty temptations.
  • MsBaz2018
    MsBaz2018 Posts: 384 Member
    I'm in. I'm not sure what my weight is (i wanted to lose some before weighing so as not to get discouraged by how much I'm starting out at) but I'm on day 31 of logging and the way my pants fit I'm guessing I'm in the 210 area. So I will officially weigh in and start January 1st and determine my goal from there then weigh in weekly.
    Good luck!

    Ok so I decided to bite the bullet and weigh this morning. So I'll will be doing my weigh ins on Fridays. Hoping to get under 200 by challenge end.

    CW: 210.4
    Challenge goal: 199.8
    Final goal: 126ish

    @sassysmom35 You are my challenge twin. I had put starting weight 210 and GW 199 ie Onederland.
    I did the same as you, started logging food but didn't step on scale not to get discouraged by the number. I estimate I have lost 20 lbs already.
    I am 5ft7. My UGW is 130ish
  • achagpar
    achagpar Posts: 493 Member
    I’m in! Not sure I can get down 10 lbs by then, but it would be an awesome Valentine’s Day gift to myself! SW: 126.6, GW: 116.6. In addition to this “outcome” goal, I’m also going to commit to some “process” goals: work out at least 5 days a week (tough to do with travel), 8 glasses of water a day, and daily tracking. Let’s see if we can do this!!!
  • patrickaa5
    patrickaa5 Posts: 70 Member
    I'm in! I'm going to up the goal to 16lbs since I should be able to continue losing at 2lbs/week.

    HW 295
    CW 256
    GW 240
  • LMK20018
    LMK20018 Posts: 38 Member
    @imxnianne I’m 5’4’’ and 37
  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 2,937 Member
    edited January 2019
    New Year's Day Weight: 133 (height is 4' 9")

    Here we go... :)