9 weeks til Christmas challenge starting 10/23

I am in! I am almost at my goal weight, but am getting frustrated with how slow the last couple of pounds are going. I just turned 40 years old a couple of weeks ago and am a mother of 5 (20 years old to 11 years old). I work full time and am married, so my time is very limited. I mostly rely on eating clean and healthy. I started about 18 months ago at almost 180 pounds and will never be that heavy again. I am hoping to be in maintenance before the end off the year, but I guess we will see what happens.

Challenge starting weight- 144.6


10/24- 144.6
10/31- 140.7
11/7- 140.7
11/14- 139.7
11/20- 140.6
11/27- 139.6
12/4-
12/11-
12/18-
12/25-

I was lower yesterday morning, but ate out twice and then did all the prepping for Thanksgiving. So I expected a bump up from sodium.

I'm thinking about why I put on three lbs this past week. Thanksgiving was pretty clean and definitely don't feel that I over ate really certainly not like the past. I think the biggest mistake I made this week has been not strictly logging my food like I have been the past few weeks. Its a set back but I feel confident I can get back on track this week and still make my challenge goal wt. Have a great week all.

Challenge starting weight- 272.6


10/23- 272.6
10/30- 270.2
11/6- 270.7
11/13- 271.7
11/20- 267.7
11/27- 266.4
12/4- 269.9 This just motivates me more.
12/11-
12/18-
12/25-

Challenge starting weight- 259

10/23- 258.7

10/30- 252.9 - I would assume that has to be some water weight drop because the weekend prior to the 23rd wasn't my greatest showing of self control around margaritas lol, probably realistically closer to 3lbs. My average has been 2-3lbs a week so that would make more sense. Total loss from challenge start to date - 5.8lbs

11/6- 248.6 - Moving along. Had a decent week with a ton of physical activity in construction projects, house work, etc so made a huge stride. Total loss from challenge start to date - 10.1lbs

11/13- 244.3 - Haven’t taken an off day from my workouts here lately, going to have to do that today. The newly added pull up negatives have my shoulders starting to feel it. Weight loss is still more than I expect per week but I haven’t really been eating into my burn off amount and sticking to staying under my baseline 2lb a week numbers. I’ve also been doing a lot of construction (building my wife a greenhouse) and starting to work my falconry bird. It’s clearly paying off. Thankfully I don’t see any muscle loss but that’s definitely due to the constant addition of strength training exercises. Total loss from challenge start to date - 14.4lbs

11/20- 239.3 - ENTERED MY TOTAL CHALLENGE GOAL RANGE NOTABLY EARLY!!! Wow, unsuspecting chain of weeks for me. I’ve even been doing more and more strength training and seeing small gains (which any gain is good in this kind of deficit to me). The burn rate combined with increased strength is abstract to me. Already hit my challenge goal, time to keep plugging away towards my total end goal. It’s actually possible to hit my goal weight by the end of the year even if my burn rate slows down from where it has been last few weeks. 5 more weeks to go and 15lbs to go so 3lbs a week. Total loss from challenge start to date - 19.4lbs.

11/27- 237 - Slowed down. I had seen a spike of what I can only assume is water weight across Fri/Sat to 243-244 so I was a little worried but it tapered back to normal and by Monday I was down to 237.8 and today 237 so it seems I did manage to stay on track regardless of the spike. This little setback does make it a little tougher to possibly hit my goal of 225 by end of challenge, but there’s an extra week between that and the end of the year so I’m still gunning for 225! Total loss from challenge start to date - 21.7lbs.

12/4 - 233.4 - WOW! NOW BELOW MY TOTAL CHALLENGE GOAL WEIGHT! Holiday weekend proved trying for me but I seemed to overcome it. My wife, daughters and I went to my wife’s grandmothers place at the beach for the weekend. Managed to stay within calorie counts all but one day. I splurged on some unhealthy options but kept portions under control. I mean, who can go to Ocean City, MD and not get Fisher’s Caramel Popcorn on the boardwalk? I don’t care if it is November/December!!! LOL! I panicked and thought I missed something when tracking or my apple watch grossly overestimated steps or something because when I got home and hit the scale Sunday night at around 241!!! Thankfully it was water weight from the weird change in diet and probably also not being able to do my workouts. Thankfully we did get lots of walking in between shopping, visiting the boardwalk, and doing an escape room. By Tuesday I had settled back in at 234.6 and this morning 233.4. Total loss from challenge start to date - 25.3lbs.

12/11-
12/18-
12/25-

Challenge End Weight Goal- 235-240, my total end goal weight is 225 so if I manage to overshoot I certainly won’t complain! lol!
Total weight loss goal by Christmas- 19-24 lbs.
GOAL UPDATE - Pushing for 225 for year end. Would be amazing to be able to start my new year with the goal of exercise and physical ability progress and migrate to a -1lb to 0lb a week or so calculation for continued slimming but have the calories available to make some real strength progress!

HA! Water retention wins the battle again. I was at 203.0 yesterday, but seem to have gotten the mid-cycle water gain today. Oh well, I know I've torched the fat either way.

Hoping to report successful entrance to Onederland next week, so long as the water retention plays nice.


1.8 pounds down for the week (based on official weigh-in today), 19.2 so far for the challenge period.


Challenge starting weight- 223.5 lbs


10/23- 223.5
10/30- 219.8
11/06- 216.3
11/13- 213.8
11/20- 209.9
11/27- 206.1
12/04- 204.3
12/11-
12/18-
12/25-

Challenge End Weight Goal- 199 lbs or lower
Total weight loss goal by Christmas- 24.5-31.5 lbs for the challenge period

This is bad, I have no one but myself to blame. Time to get it together, right now I would be happy to hit 160 lbs by Christmas.

10-23-167
10-30-166
11-6-165
11-13-163
11-20-163
11-27-163
12-4-164
12-11
12-18
12-25

Challenge end weight goal 155 lbs.
Total weight loss goal by Christmas-12 lbs

I am in! I am almost at my goal weight, but am getting frustrated with how slow the last couple of pounds are going. I just turned 40 years old a couple of weeks ago and am a mother of 5 (20 years old to 11 years old). I work full time and am married, so my time is very limited. I mostly rely on eating clean and healthy. I started about 18 months ago at almost 180 pounds and will never be that heavy again. I am hoping to be in maintenance before the end off the year, but I guess we will see what happens.

Challenge starting weight- 144.6


10/24- 144.6
10/31- 140.7
11/7- 140.7
11/14- 139.7
11/20- 140.6
11/27- 139.6
12/4- 139. 4
12/11-
12/18-
12/25-

I guess it is my lowest Thursday so I will take that. I was lower right before Thanksgiving, but spiked up and have been working on getting rid of my 5 day holiday water weight gain. Maybe next week I will finally be able to post that I am back into maintenance. Still 1 pound to high.

Challenge starting weight-237.6


10/23-231
10/30-237
11/6-237.6
11/13-235.2
11/20-233.6
11/27-232
12/4-231
12/11-
12/18-
12/25-

Challenge End Weigh Goal-215
Total weight loss goal by Christmas- 23 Ibs

I made it through Thanksgiving and a few days traveling last week. This challenge has really gone by fast, I think I can lose 2 or 3 more lbs and I will be happy with that. I'm having minor foot surgery on the 17th so I will need to switch from walking 8000-10000 steps to my spinning bike. Gotta keep moving. Good luck all.

Challenge starting weight- 272.6

10/23- 272.6
10/30- 270.2
11/6- 270.7
11/13- 271.7
11/20- 267.7
11/27- 266.4
12/4- 269.9 This just motivates me more.
12/11- 268.5
12/18-
12/25-

Still plugging away at it...

Challenge starting weight- 167.9

10/23- 167.9
10/30- 166.7
11/6- 164.7
11/13- 163.2
11/20- 164.4
11/27- 163.6
12/4- 162.6
12/11- 161.9
12/18-
12/25-

Challenge End Weigh Goal- 154.6
Total weight loss goal by Christmas- 13.3