TEAM: The Big Butt Theory (March)

AB0215
AB0215 Posts: 7,141 Member
Welcome to the Challenge new and returning teammates!! This is the conversation/weigh in thread for your Team :) Keep on losing because our first weigh ins begin THIS Sunday! I am here for you should you need anything - simply message me or tag me by putting an '@' just before my username (NO SPACES) and I will get to you asap! ~ Ashley @AB0215.
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Replies

  • cmhubbard92
    cmhubbard92 Posts: 5,064 Member
    Hello BBT teammates! Glad to be joining in the challenge for March! :sunglasses:
    I'm Sandra. I'm 43, married, have a 13 year old son (14 on Tuesday!) and live in Scotland.
    I had lost about 50lb and was only a measly 5lb away from my goal weight. A lot happened in my life...
    my Mum passed away and I was sick with grief and depression, my husband suffered a heart attack and had a triple bypass, my M.I.L had a massive stroke that has left her unable to walk or talk, my eye went squint and I had to have eye surgery etc.. etc.. the list goes on...what a life! :grimace:
    and I gained most of it back over the course of 2 years. (No wonder! :lol: )
    I'm back in the game and am determined that this will be the year I reach my goal weight!I

    This is the link to my Fitbit profile of anyone wants to add me :)

    Username: SlinkyBraveHeart
    https://www.fitbit.com/user/4TGG5Z

    @Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel I am so excited that you are a part of TBBT for March!!! So happy that we're on another team together! :)
  • cmhubbard92
    cmhubbard92 Posts: 5,064 Member
    edited February 2020
    Hello new and returning members of The Big Butt Theory! I am Christine, you team captain. My co-captain is Brandi, @brandi_84. Feel free to add us as a friend, reach out to us if you have a question, whatever you need!

    As I said, my name is Christine and I live in Connecticut, USA, and have been a member of TBBT since February this year. I Began my WLJ in November of 2018, and have lost almost 60 pounds, about 50 or more since joining TBBT. I am 27 years old and have two furry children-a 10 year old golden doodle and a 8 month old "mutt" that's growing quickly! I am a big time football fan, and love watching all the games going on. The Patriots are my team (sorry Patriots-haters!)

    I enjoy outdoor activities with my pups(long walks, hiking around the doggy park, lake visits, etc). I do like the occasional alone walk, but being without my babies can get a little lonely! I try to remain as active as I can, but I can honestly say my activity has dropped a bit since I switched jobs at the end of August... I have been falling victim to the laziness of the weekends, for a change!

    I am constantly learning new meals to cook for my boyfriend and myself that are healthier, so I am always up for recommendations!

    This month I have cut down the number of challenges that I am tracking, back to the ones we originally started with. There will be no food or exercise challenges to track this month.

    Information on our Step/Water Challenge! This month these challenges will run Sunday(Starting March 1st,) to Saturday,(March 7th) to remain in line with the Mini Ultimate Accountabilty Challenge, and our weigh ins!

    Weekly Step Challenge
    This is pretty simple if you track your steps at all(via phone, fitness tracker, pedometer, anything really). You select your own step goal each week and try to reach it. We have two categories for "winners" for the week- Percentage of goal completed, and highest total steps!

    The Water Challenge
    This is a challenge to get you to reach 8 cups of water each day! The team all has the same goal. Aim for 8 glasses(64oz) of water per day, or 448oz or week! The winners in this category are determined by the highest percentage of water you drink!

    Here is the spreadsheet

    IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING THE STEP OR WATER CHALLENGE, PLEASE TAG ME IN YOUR POST @cmhubbard92 AND I WILL ADD YOU TO THE SPREADSHEET, PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR WEEKLY STEP GOAL.

  • brandi_84
    brandi_84 Posts: 1,963 Member
    Hello team TBBT.
    Within the main weight loss challenge we have another optional, but highly recommended, challenge. It is called the Mini Ultimate Accountability Challenge, or the Mini Challenge. It is based on another MFP challenge group by the same name, or UAC.

    The way it works is simple:

    1. Log everything you eat that has calories in MFP.
    2. Stay inside your allotted daily calorie budget.
    3. Do at least 20 minutes of activity daily. This could be anything that gets you off the couch and being active: run, walk, cycle, swim, gardening, housework, yoga, gym, etc.
    4. Report each day on this thread (something to the effect of logged food: yes, under calories: yes, exercise: yes, and a brief description is nice)

    ****When you post your accountability, please put the date, or the day of the week to which you are referring. We are all in different time zones, and some people post in the evening for that day, and others post the next morning, so it gets confusing trying to decipher without a day or date. Thanks!!!*****

    You get one free pass day a week (went over calories, could not log food, rest day, etc.) At the end of the week, if you have managed to be "accountable" (three yes's) for at least 6 of 7 days, you will be recognized on this thread as being in the Winner's Circle!

    This strategy works for weight loss because it is based on CI<CO. When calories in are less than calories out, you stay inside your allotted daily calorie budget, and you will lose weight! And exercise is just good for you, plus it will burn calories and help with the calories out portion of the equation!

    What's great about this challenge is that it works for everyone, as long as you are honest with yourself. There are no dietary restrictions, so you can eat whatever you like, and follow whatever plan you like. Your own daily calorie budget is set by you and MFP and you choose your own exercise and intensity of exercise! Plus it is a practice that can be carried beyond weight loss into maintenance! If you are having a bad week, a new week and a fresh start is just around the corner!

    Consistency and new habits have been shown to be the keys to long term successful weight loss. Why not make the Mini Ultimate Accountability Challenge your new habit, that you do consistently!!

    Week #1 for the Mini Challenge starts Sunday, March 1!!

  • Krysless2
    Krysless2 Posts: 2,080 Member
    I would like to join both mini challenges as well @cmhubbard92. My daily step goal will be 7,500 for March. Thank you 😊
  • brandi_84
    brandi_84 Posts: 1,963 Member
    Hi everyone! I'm Brandi. I am one of the TBBT co-captains. I'm 35. I'm a stay-at-home/ homeschool mom. I have been trying to get back to healthier weight for quite some time now. But I seem to keep going from one end of the 180s to the other.
    This month I will be trying intermittent fasting. I am trying this to cut down on the extra mindless snacking, that I tend to do after dinner.

    I look forward to getting to know all of our new TBBT members and the continued support and inspiration from those that are continuing their journey here.
  • Krysless2
    Krysless2 Posts: 2,080 Member
    brandi_84 wrote: »
    Hi everyone! I'm Brandi. I am one of the TBBT co-captains. I'm 35. I'm a stay-at-home/ homeschool mom. I have been trying to get back to healthier weight for quite some time now. But I seem to keep going from one end of the 180s to the other.
    This month I will be trying intermittent fasting. I am trying this to cut down on the extra mindless snacking, that I tend to do after dinner.

    I look forward to getting to know all of our new TBBT members and the continued support and inspiration from those that are continuing their journey here.

    Hi Brandi, We're the same age and I can relate to the dreaded 180 plateau! I am also doing (attempting to do) IF. In the past I do it for a day and then forget all about it the next. Will you do 16:8? Maybe we can support each other on this one.
  • hapamama23
    hapamama23 Posts: 233 Member
    Hello all, I am new here. My name is Samantha and I live in Southern California. I am a 44 year old wife, homeschooling mom to 3 kids (almost 14,12,7) and photographer. I have been overweight pretty much my entire life, but I really started gaining weight after my 3rd child was born and I turned 40. I am up to 218 lbs and would ultimately like to lose 60 lbs. I haven't been under 200 in 8 years, so that is a mini goal for now. Thanks for having me on your team!
  • brandi_84
    brandi_84 Posts: 1,963 Member
    hapamama23 wrote: »
    Hello all, I am new here. My name is Samantha and I live in Southern California. I am a 44 year old wife, homeschooling mom to 3 kids (almost 14,12,7) and photographer. I have been overweight pretty much my entire life, but I really started gaining weight after my 3rd child was born and I turned 40. I am up to 218 lbs and would ultimately like to lose 60 lbs. I haven't been under 200 in 8 years, so that is a mini goal for now. Thanks for having me on your team!

    @hapamama23
    Hi Samantha! Glad to have you on the team. I'm so excited to meet another homeschooling mom.
  • brandi_84
    brandi_84 Posts: 1,963 Member
    Hey all... My name is Sarah. Great to be back to the TBBT! This is my 3rd month and I'm loving the accountability from just needing to weigh in and report. This is a really supportive group and I enjoy reading all the motivating posts. I started in January and am down 11 lbs... I've kind of hit a plateau over the last few weeks... but a friend just convinced me to run a half marathon so I'm hoping that helps. I HATE running, but am starting to train and adding yoga 2x/week to keep me from getting too tense. We'll see how it goes!

    I'm a busy working mom of 3. Live in Wisconsin... up in the cold. I spend all my free time driving my kids to practice or watching their games. Up this month Drama, gymnastics and track.

    @sarahannsuarez
    Hi Sarah. Awesome to have you back this month. When will you be running in the marathon? Team TBBT will be (virtually) cheering for you!
  • brandi_84
    brandi_84 Posts: 1,963 Member
    Krysless2 wrote: »
    brandi_84 wrote: »
    Hi everyone! I'm Brandi. I am one of the TBBT co-captains. I'm 35. I'm a stay-at-home/ homeschool mom. I have been trying to get back to healthier weight for quite some time now. But I seem to keep going from one end of the 180s to the other.
    This month I will be trying intermittent fasting. I am trying this to cut down on the extra mindless snacking, that I tend to do after dinner.

    I look forward to getting to know all of our new TBBT members and the continued support and inspiration from those that are continuing their journey here.

    Hi Brandi, We're the same age and I can relate to the dreaded 180 plateau! I am also doing (attempting to do) IF. In the past I do it for a day and then forget all about it the next. Will you do 16:8? Maybe we can support each other on this one.

    @Krysless2
    Yes I will be doing 16:8. I would love to have a support buddy!
    It had been hard to get started because my teen has a weird schedule some days so we either have to eat before normal dinner time or late in the evening. So, I am going to do some meal planning and try to change up our typical meal times to fit the 16:8 by the start of the month.
    Welcome back to TBBT!
  • brandi_84
    brandi_84 Posts: 1,963 Member
    Hello TBBT teammates! For the new people, my name is Amber. I’m 28 years old and I live in southern Michigan. I’ve been overweight for my entire life starting as a toddler. I just loved food and I loved to eat. When big traumatic stuff would happen, I’d binge eat. Like eat a whole bag of potato chips or eat a half of a half gallon of ice cream. Then after I’d eat so much, I always felt guilty. In January of 2012, I saw the scale read 297 and I knew I had to change. For the first 2 years on MyFitnessPal, I went from 297 to 217 and I feel like it was cuz I did challenges like this one to motivate me. I felt so confident in myself and I was feeling the best I ever been! Not too long after that, my dad passed away. And I turned back to old habits and just stopped caring. Within 2 years, I gained back everything I lost and gained extra weight on top of that.

    However when I saw the scale read 330 last year, I stopped feeling sorry for myself and finally picked myself up again. Most of last year, I kept going back and forth with tracking and not tracking. And I stood in a standstill when I got down to 315.

    That was until February of this year when I decided to buckle down and fully commit to my journey. And this past month made me realize I can do it if I try. Since I made progress, I’m not giving up! That’s how I did it the first time, not giving up!

    I can’t wait to see everyone transform! Feel free to add me if you want. Sorry for the long story, but I feel like I can keep writing once I start lol

    @rawrxamberx
    Hi Amber! You did fantastic during February. I know you will do awesome this month too. I'm so happy to have you staying on with team TBBT!
    Long posts are awesome. It helps everyone get to know each other. I think everybody does better when they feel they have friends they can relate to here.
  • Krysless2
    Krysless2 Posts: 2,080 Member
    brandi_84 wrote: »
    Krysless2 wrote: »
    brandi_84 wrote: »
    Hi everyone! I'm Brandi. I am one of the TBBT co-captains. I'm 35. I'm a stay-at-home/ homeschool mom. I have been trying to get back to healthier weight for quite some time now. But I seem to keep going from one end of the 180s to the other.
    This month I will be trying intermittent fasting. I am trying this to cut down on the extra mindless snacking, that I tend to do after dinner.

    I look forward to getting to know all of our new TBBT members and the continued support and inspiration from those that are continuing their journey here.

    Hi Brandi, We're the same age and I can relate to the dreaded 180 plateau! I am also doing (attempting to do) IF. In the past I do it for a day and then forget all about it the next. Will you do 16:8? Maybe we can support each other on this one.

    @Krysless2
    Yes I will be doing 16:8. I would love to have a support buddy!
    It had been hard to get started because my teen has a weird schedule some days so we either have to eat before normal dinner time or late in the evening. So, I am going to do some meal planning and try to change up our typical meal times to fit the 16:8 by the start of the month.
    Welcome back to TBBT!

    Thank you it's good to be back with my head out of the sand. I never had the discipline to meal plan or meal prep. The most I do is think about dinner in the morning to thaw out the chicken/beef/pork other than that I am usually making something out of a frozen bag 🙊 to throw in the side. Would love to start a side conversation in our group to gather the teams thoughts on dinner ideas.
  • brandi_84
    brandi_84 Posts: 1,963 Member
    sekotsjd wrote: »
    Hey Team!
    I'm Daniel. I used to be a middle school teacher but recently transitioned into a new role at the University of Nebraska. With this, and with being in a relationship I have really packed on the pounds the past year! I joined this team last month (February) and have had some great success with being held accountable and working towards a goal! I am excited to keep working at this during March! I know this is so far away but I am in a wedding in November and I wanna look GOOD! I also wanna do a half marathon again... it has been three years since I did my first one and I think that was really helpful to me back then. I'm the type of person that does better when I have a goal I am working towards! I try and post every day about how things went that day.... weekends usually get away from me though ;)

    Good luck everyone on TBBT!!

    @sekotsjd
    Hi Daniel!
    It's great to have you back this month. Being in a wedding is great motivation to get fit.
    It is definitely much more helpful to have a goal to work towards.
    My motivation right now for losing weight is that there is a Halloween party I go to every year, and there is a specific costume I want to be able to get a size I can comfortably fit into and look good in.
    You did a really great job in the February challenge. What you're doing seems to be working for you. Keep it up!
  • sekotsjd
    sekotsjd Posts: 40 Member
    Does starting weight just roll over from where we ended if we did the challenge in Feb?
  • cmhubbard92
    cmhubbard92 Posts: 5,064 Member
    sekotsjd wrote: »
    Does starting weight just roll over from where we ended if we did the challenge in Feb?

    @sekotsjd yes! Your last weight for February will be your starting weight for March! :) glad to have you back with us for another month! :)
  • KT587
    KT587 Posts: 11 Member
    Hello everyone! I'm Kristy, 46, social worker living in Knoxville Tennessee. Proud mom to zaylynn a 3 year old blue heeler mix.

    I have struggled with my weight most my life. My earliest memories connect to food... My dad died when I was 4 and I remember my friends giving me chocolate... And our neighbors were always giving me food. Not knowing what to say or do....

    My mom always said I would lose the baby fat... Until I didn't and then it began the many rounds of diets.... Needless to say...I continued to gain and gain.

    I started my weight loss journey again last year for the last time! I started at 326 and I'm currently at 293. I was not taking care of myself and was in a grief cycle that was not healthy. I ended up in the hospital for medical reasons and began to come out of the fog. It was a good wake up call... So I'm here now with hope to continue this journey I'm on. I'm excited to see the 280's this coming month!
  • richmondwriter
    richmondwriter Posts: 683 Member
    I am a 54-year-old empty nester and the mom of two grown children. Over the past 10-15 years, I have steadily packed on the pounds.

    Every day, I walk my 15-year-old Great Dane/Lab mix. He is very slow and stops to smell everything, so I really need to add some cardio to my routine. I hope this month my planned couch to 10K program with my daughter will finally take off. I also would like to add barre twice a week for strength training.

    I am counting calories. My husband is also on a diet--Atkins, much more restrictive--so I feel guilty having snack food around, which is good. He's been much more successful than me, though I am slooooowly losing weight. I am trying to eat more protein and vegetables so that I feel full longer. I always seem to be too low on protein each day. I am also trying to reduce my cholesterol by dietary means. My doctor will be putting me on medication if I do not.

    I am motivated by others, so really appreciate this group. Many thanks to coordinators @cmhubbard92 and @brandi_84 for all their hard work. Brandi, can you add me to the Mini Ultimate Accountability Challenge?

    Best of luck to everyone!
  • GuessimGryffindor
    GuessimGryffindor Posts: 642 Member
    Hi all! Names Herb 40 yr. Currently 248. my high was 260 a couple months ago. My 41st will be the end of May and would really like to be under 200. Exercise and working out has always been the easiest part for me my real struggle is eating right and consistently. Hoping to stay active in the group!

    We all have our struggles and are working towards our goals whatever they may be, and though we may falter we will not fail so long as we continue forward!

    You are all beautiful and I wish the best of success for you!!
  • Runnerjess119
    Runnerjess119 Posts: 25 Member
    Hello Team! I am not totally sure if I am posting correctly (I found this reply box all the way at the bottom of the page! 😂) Anyway, I’m Jess, and I’m excited for the accountability this month :) I put on about ten pounds since the summer after moving for a new job...and I’d love to take it off again!
  • brandi_84
    brandi_84 Posts: 1,963 Member
    Hello Team! I am not totally sure if I am posting correctly (I found this reply box all the way at the bottom of the page! 😂) Anyway, I’m Jess, and I’m excited for the accountability this month :) I put on about ten pounds since the summer after moving for a new job...and I’d love to take it off again!

    Hi Jess! Good to have you on Team TBBT.
  • brandi_84
    brandi_84 Posts: 1,963 Member
    edited March 2020
    Hi all! Names Herb 40 yr. Currently 248. my high was 260 a couple months ago. My 41st will be the end of May and would really like to be under 200. Exercise and working out has always been the easiest part for me my real struggle is eating right and consistently. Hoping to stay active in the group!

    We all have our struggles and are working towards our goals whatever they may be, and though we may falter we will not fail so long as we continue forward!

    You are all beautiful and I wish the best of success for you!!



    @GuessimGryffindor
    Herb, I completely understand your struggle. It is easy for me to get up and exercise because it can be fun. But, eating right seems so hard because the wrong foods can seem easier and a lot of the time they are SO delicious.
  • Username: Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel
    Weigh in week: March, Week 1
    Weigh in day: Sunday
    Previous Week's weight: 165.4
    Todays Weight: 168


    Not a good start for me. I had a hard week. I'm pretty sure I haven't gained a whole 2.6lbs, I'm just retaining pizza and chocolate and crisps and... :confounded: and it'll be gone in a few days.

    @GuessimGryffindor You're so right about exercise being the easy part and eating right being the hard part. I'm the same. :disappointed:

    @cmhubbard92 @brandi_84 Can you add me to the spreadsheet for the mini challenge too please?
  • cmhubbard92
    cmhubbard92 Posts: 5,064 Member
    Username: Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel
    Weigh in week: March, Week 1
    Weigh in day: Sunday
    Previous Week's weight: 165.4
    Todays Weight: 168


    Not a good start for me. I had a hard week. I'm pretty sure I haven't gained a whole 2.6lbs, I'm just retaining pizza and chocolate and crisps and... :confounded: and it'll be gone in a few days.

    @GuessimGryffindor You're so right about exercise being the easy part and eating right being the hard part. I'm the same. :disappointed:

    @cmhubbard92 @brandi_84 Can you add me to the spreadsheet for the mini challenge too please?

    @Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel No stress Sandra! I'm drooling over all the yummy stuff you enjoyed! I have to make new pages for the spreadsheet, but will definitely add you! Do you have a step goal you would like to set?

    I really slacked last month, and will have to REALLY focus on keeping it updated and getting the results out each week! :)
  • cmhubbard92
    cmhubbard92 Posts: 5,064 Member
    Krysless2 wrote: »
    Hi my name's Krystal. I've been with my husband for 17.5 years (married for 12 of them) we have a 14 year old daughter who keeps life... Interesting, to say the least, but I try to take one "teen-drama" day at a time and always keep a positive perspective. I am a Florida native but we did move away for a few years to a farming town an hour south of Chicago, which was a total bust but that's a diff story...

    This is the "Why I'm here" story:
    From the age of 4 until 17 I was a professional swimmer and I was always strong and confident as a kid. Fast forward to approaching the age of 32 and 213lbs I looked in the mirror and I finally said "what are you doing??" I was very uncomfortable in my own skin, I was pulling my back out every few months by just sitting at my desk. I felt tired and bloated and I was unrecognizable to myself! In my mind I was that same swimmer. I just always knew that deep inside, I had an athletic competitor's ability to focus and win blue ribbons, so I could always bounce back if I wanted to. Unfortunately, I ALSO have an Olympic-sized ability to overeat and of course when I stopped swimming twice a day there was no way to stop me from what seemed like my mission to be obese.

    I started my WL journey in April of 2016. Over the next 3 years I took my time researching and familiarizing myself with the keto diet then I would get off, see the scale inching up then get back on it and by the end of 2018 I was down to 185lbs. THEN I joined THIS group and went into beast mode!

    Once I left the group I watched the scale gradually go back up to 165 and so now I'm coming back to hopefully get a much needed reboot.

    My weight loss journey stats(reminder to myself):

    May 2016 Journey SW: 213
    July 2017: 200
    Nov 2018: 189
    2019(Note: When I started food logging and The Biggest Loser Challenge):
    January 2019 SW: 185
    February SW: 175
    March SW: 168
    April SW: 162.6
    May SW: 161.8
    June SW: 159.7
    July 2019 SW: 155.6

    I'm back today
    Feb 23 2019 SW: 164.8

    Let's go Team! (I'm sure this will be my longest post ever 😁)

    @Krysless2 I am so glad you are back with us again, Krystal! I didn't realize it had been quite a while since you left us! Time has been flying, I guess!

    I hope the group brings back much of the success you were experiencing before! I will also add you to the step/water challenge... Would you like me to multiply your daily goal by 7 to get your weekly goal? :)
  • cmhubbard92
    cmhubbard92 Posts: 5,064 Member
    Hello TBBT teammates! For the new people, my name is Amber. I’m 28 years old and I live in southern Michigan. I’ve been overweight for my entire life starting as a toddler. I just loved food and I loved to eat. When big traumatic stuff would happen, I’d binge eat. Like eat a whole bag of potato chips or eat a half of a half gallon of ice cream. Then after I’d eat so much, I always felt guilty. In January of 2012, I saw the scale read 297 and I knew I had to change. For the first 2 years on MyFitnessPal, I went from 297 to 217 and I feel like it was cuz I did challenges like this one to motivate me. I felt so confident in myself and I was feeling the best I ever been! Not too long after that, my dad passed away. And I turned back to old habits and just stopped caring. Within 2 years, I gained back everything I lost and gained extra weight on top of that.

    However when I saw the scale read 330 last year, I stopped feeling sorry for myself and finally picked myself up again. Most of last year, I kept going back and forth with tracking and not tracking. And I stood in a standstill when I got down to 315.

    That was until February of this year when I decided to buckle down and fully commit to my journey. And this past month made me realize I can do it if I try. Since I made progress, I’m not giving up! That’s how I did it the first time, not giving up!

    I can’t wait to see everyone transform! Feel free to add me if you want. Sorry for the long story, but I feel like I can keep writing once I start lol

    @rawrxamberx you did an amazing job in February! I am sorry to hear about the loss of your father! I can relate, with loss attributing to much of my weight gain the first time! I know that you show the dedication needed to kick butt this month! You did amazing last month and are a great asset to our team! Don't give up! We will be here to support you! :)
This discussion has been closed.