Hi everyone! Welcome back all returning team members! We do no have any new team members yet, but registration is still open, so we might. I am Lisa and am co-captain of the team with the lovely @sleepymom5. Our motivators are the amazing @nstephenson01 and @mrsbell8well. We will up a few guidelines shortly on daily check ins and weekly weigh ins.

I am from Toronto, Canada and live here with my husband and our boys ages 13 and 9. Just so that I sound like a total Canadian stereotype, you will hear me talk a lot about hockey as both of my boys play in competitive leagues, and we spend a lot of time in hockey arenas. I am a lawyer and after many years in the corporate world, I decided to work part time and set up a home practice a year ago. I love the flexibility that it gives me, and still am working on giving myself more time (it is a work in progress). I started with the team in January and have been recovering from a sciatica injury for most of the year. I am a weight fluctuator, and this year was no different when I lost, then regained due to reinjury, then have started losing again. I am breaking that cycle once and for all now working on mind and habits, in addition to nutrition and fitness. Intermittent fasting has helped me a lot this fall (it is really timed eating in my opinion) and love reading up on the latest research in this area. I am a runner, and am very close to being cleared to run again in a few weeks if I can continue to build my leg strength again.

How was my 2019?
Well, it was up and down, but in looking back, there was way more good. First off, I joined this team, and all of you have provided amazing support. I have also learned so much from everyone. I lost 10 lbs this year, and 20 lbs overall since I started on MFP in 2018. It is hard to believe that I am still recovering from my injury after almost 12 months, but sciatica is tricky. It has gotten me down at many points in the year. But I learned that I have more determination than I knew was possible, and now know that I can enjoy other forms of exercise other than running. I got a trainer, and love my workouts with her. Other than injury recovery, I got a clean bill of health in 2019 and am very happy to be focusing on healthy nutrition and a healthy lifestyle for me and my entire family. My boys keep growing and growing (funny how kids do that) and in spite of my complaining about our busy schedule, I love being their mom and wouldn’t have it any other way!

What am I thinking about for 2020?
I will figure out more by the end of December. If I can maintain or lose a few more lbs in December, I will have around 10 to 13 lbs left to lose in 2020 (my overall goal is a loss of 33 lbs, putting me at 135 lbs). This feels very doable, but I also want to continue my focus on my habits and mindset, so that I once and for all stop the fluctuation cycle. I really hope to get back to running in 2020, but again, it is a wait and see. My husband and I decided that we want to travel more, and we plan on continuing to do that next year too.

When I realized I lost 20 lbs overall, I was not as happy at first as I should have been as I started thinking about why I did not lose all 33 lbs this year. But for me, that is just not productive. 20 lbs is a lot, especially for my height and smaller frame. So I looked it up. I have attached few photos of what 20 lbs of fat (and other weights) look like. Pretty good loss right?

Hi, I'm Linda, 50 and live in Michigan. I don't have kids but have 3 grown nephews who are married.

This will be my third month on this team. Thank you to all who have encouraged me! It has been helpful.

I have two great nieces, one who is almost 10 months old and one who is 3 weeks old.

I have had a weight issue most of my life and have lost and gained many pounds over the years. I have lost about 46 pounds since January of 2018 and probably have around 50 or so more to lose. I work with a trainer at my gym twice a week, he works me really hard, which is what I want. I'm much stronger now than when I started. He has given me workouts to do on my own when I'm not working with him. I usually give myself one rest day per week and weekends usually do some low intensity exercise at home.

I have support and accountability from my trainer and other people in my life but can always use more.

My goals for December are basically continuing from October.
Get in fruits and veggies and water. Would like to do the following everyday but know that's not realistic so I'm going for 4 days per week.
Fruit goal: 4
Veggie goals: 4
Water: 64 oz

amytriesww
Week 1
Previous Weight: 206.3
Current Weight: 201.9

Can't even explain this loss! lol I spent 3 days away from home and my routine. We ate out once, we had "Steaks-giving", we went on a boat ride and I had a big cup of hot apple cider. I was hoping for even the smallest loss because I made the healthiest choices that were available to me (minus the cider!) Last week was my TOM, so maybe some of this is spillover from then. I have no idea!

November review:
- I was traveling for the holiday weekend and don't have an actual weight for the last day of November (something that bothers my type A mind - lol) but my total weight loss for the month using the last day I weighed in November was 5.9 pounds. The most I have lost in one month for quite a while. It was partly due to persistent sickness. I also feel I have found a routine lately and have not been hungry, which helps so much.
- I have been working on cutting back on the Diet Coke I used to drink often to satisfy my hunger or need for something sweet without any calories. It was causing some gastritis. I have cut way back and it has been easy; my stomach is already thanking me.
- I have been working on not stress eating. My job is so very stressful and this month has been exceptionally so, but I have been making good progress at not eating or drinking Diet Coke in all those moments. This feels like a big win for me. Biggest win in a while.
- I made it through my birthday (11/24) and the several days of Thanksgiving celebrations (we had two formal meals over the weekend plus all the leftovers and in between family time) with out feeling stuffed or deprived. It was much easier this year to just relax and enjoy the time/meals without stressing about specifically what I was going to eat, but I felt satisfied too. I don't know yet what my weight will do, but that doesn't really matter to me. It happens a few times a year. If I gain two pounds over a few celebrations I can work it back down slowly over the month.
- I am now less than 5 pounds from my initial goal of a normal BMI. Not sure yet if this will be my final goal. It has been easy to lose lately so I will see what happens as I approach the goal. I may decide to lose more. I can't believe I am so close to my goal.

December goals:
- Lose 2 pounds (aim is 0.5 pounds a week)
- Eat more things I love that are within my calorie goals. I find this to have been a reason my eating has seemed so easy lately. I am truly eating things I love, they just also happen to be good choices for my calorie goals.
- Get back to yoga. So much sickness and extra work load and holiday travel has taken me from my regular practice lately and I can feel it in my stress levels. I hope to get back to twice a week for most of December.

Hey everyone! I'm Casey and I first joined this amazing group in the last week of 2018, just in time to begin in January.

I'll be 43 in less than 2 weeks, and I'm a teacher, a wife and a mom. So far, I've lost 20 lbs since January. I would LOVE to lose another 20, but I'll settle for 10. I plateaued early in the summer, but to be honest, I haven't been motivated to actively change anything since June. I'll go through bouts of healthier eating, then implode. A lot has to do with depression and anxiety, but if I'm going to see any more progress, I have to make the conscious effort to take control again.

Since it's December 1 I decided to begin a 30 day yoga challenge to close out the year. I found an old Yoga with Adrienne playlist on You Tube, and just did day one. I also recorded everything I ate today. Gosh it was a lot. Mostly fat.

So my December goals are
record all food
do yoga each day
Check in here daily

Hopefully I'll have some good habits begun by the new year.

@cyndiesstuff I hope Overeaters Anonymous works well for you. Fingers crossed!