Hi again everyone! Welcome to all of our newcomers. My name is Melinda and I am acting team captain right now. I have been active on mfp since mid-Jan of 2018 and this is my 19th round on the Biggest Loser Challenge. I started at a whopping 315lbs. after quitting an active job, having surgery, starting my own business, and being on very high doses of steroids. I am now down to 260lbs. which is almost where I spent the majority of my adult life. My diary is open for anyone's viewing pleasure and I am willing to help out in any way that I am able. As far as personal life/hobbies: I am married to my high school sweetie for 20 years, no kids, 2 cats. I own a carpet, tile, grout cleaning business which keeps me pretty active and I am nightshift 911. My husband and I build arcade cabinets and program emulators (think old-school Pac-Man), we like Cons, and pretty much anything fantasy or sci-fi. GO TEAM FLAB-U-LESS!!

2/26
Track Yes
Calories Under (barely)
Exercise 1 hour hike/jog

Hello! I was in this challenge last year but dropped out when I got overwhelmed with work, starting a second job, and other fun things. I am at my highest weight ever right now, and I am hoping this challenge gives me some accountability and support that I desperately need.

A little about me: I love gardening, reading, animals, and anything leopard print.

Hi Everyone,
I started in January on this challenge and love how Melinda keeps it positive. I sometimes lose, so.etimes gain....but always feel supported here! Thanks for being an awesome group!
Amy

Welcome back @goodreadsgal and @RisingAboveIt!
I'm not sure of the final timeline for the March challenge. Ashley hasn't posted up the status timeline yet. It does start tomorrow though.

Hi again everyone! So....Sunday,March 1st., officially kicks off our March. Challenge! This challenge runs from March 1st to possibly March 29th or possibly April 5 depending if Ashley wants to do a 4 or 5 week challenge. I should know within a day or two. So the 1st weigh ins will be those people that chose Sunday as their weigh day. Sorry for the confusion, it keeps things equal.
We are also going to be running (Optional) Mini-challenges again this month: Question of the Week 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 10 mile 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/Date)

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

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.[/color]

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: November 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!!

Your team Captain,
Melinda @mram3582

User Name: Readyornot1234.
Week: March Week ?
PW = 145.2
CW= 143.0

Not sure what week we are in so posting this here as well.

March 1

Tracked : yes
Calories : under
Exercise : lots of cleaning and cooking.

March week 1

Current weight 154lb

MAR 01

Tracked - Yes
Calories - under
Exercise: No, Rest Day

@priiiiiska Hi and welcome back!!
@readyornot1234 @MzzOptimistic_SuperMom Fantastic weigh in you two!
@Broadbean40 Hi and welcome also! Very nice day!
@Stimpy56 @goodreadsgal Great start to the month you two!