(NEW) OPEN CHALLENGE: FIT BY OCTOBER!!!

NAME: Rachael
AGE: 28
HEIGHT: 5'7''
START WEIGHT FOR CHALLENGE: 175
GOAL WEIGHT FOR CHALLENGE: 165
START PANTS SIZE: 14 UK
GOAL PANTS SIZE: 12 UK
FOLLOW ANY SPECIAL DIET: nope just try to eat as many fruit and veg as possible!
DIET GOALS: to drink less alcohol!
EXERCISE GOALS: to complete 30 day shred
OTHER GOALS: need to tone badly!
FUN FACT: I love Incubus

NAME: Ben
AGE: 20
HEIGHT: 5'6''
START WEIGHT FOR CHALLENGE: 168
GOAL WEIGHT FOR CHALLENGE: 155
START PANTS SIZE: 32
GOAL PANTS SIZE: Im a guy, I dont really think about pant sizes
FOLLOW ANY SPECIAL DIET: Not really
DIET GOALS: Calorie Count EVERYTHINGAH!
EXERCISE GOALS: exercise at least 4 days a week
OTHER GOALS: get closer to my goal of 145, then once achieved, start the p90x
FUN FACT: I am a blackbelt, dj, sound technician, pharmacy technician, student, licensed motorcyclist and scuba diver. I have many hats, not a big enough hat rack though

Keep forgeting to check in here, sorry. So far I am down to 148.5 and may reach my challenge goal of 145 early, we'll see. Going on vacation in a week and a half, so I know that may slow it down a bit. BTW, you are all doing great so far .

QOTD #10: How are you tracking your food right now? Do you pre-track or track as you go? Do you track everything you eat, or only certain foods? Do you eat your exercise calories or not? I wanna know everything, hahaha.

I track my food the night before and make changes through the day if I need to. Works better for me to have a rough plan as much as possible. I also eat all of my exercise calories.

QOTD #11: Do you drink diet soda and/or other drinks with artificial sweeteners? Why or why not?

I do drink diet soda (Ifavorites include diet pepsi, diet mt. dew, diet sun drop, and diet cherry pepsi) as well as other diet drinks like diet iced tea and crystal light. I got into drinking them in college when I tried the atkins diet and had to give up regular soda and now think regular soda tastes wierd. It also helps keep me away from worse things sometimes, especially at work.

QOTD #12: What are your goals (weight, food, exercise, other) for September? Lose .5 -1lb each week (starting to slow it down since my ultimate goal is less than 10 lbs away and the challenge goal is 3.5 lbs away). Also plan to finish my 5K and keep running 3 times a week as well do other exercises 2-3 times a week.

I,m down 6.2 pounds this week. Which puts me .4 pounds under my goal weight for this challenge.

As the Challenge goes until Oct 7, I am hoping to lose another 5 pounds by then, and hopefully another 5 pounds by October 21, my husband's birthday.

How is everyone doing toward their challenges?

Feeling very dissapointed my main goal was to be able to run for 20mins but I'm still not able to train due to an injury. I workout everyday but running is a no no ! Guess I won't reach my goal in time.

QOTD #4: Have you "discovered" any new foods since you started eating healthier? Or realized that you DO like some foods that you used to claim to not like?

I am amazed by the new foods I discover All The Time. Everytime I go to the natural food store, I try something new. And by joining a CSA, (localharvest.org), I've discovered veggies that I've never tried before and forced to try ones I *thought* I didn't like. Like tomatoes- thought i didn't like them raw (only in sauces) but after trying local organic ones, I like!!

I'm also in love with hummus, avocado, spinach, almond butter, chickpeas, kale... and all sorts of good things I never tried before or just thought I didn't like are now my staples!

QOTD #5: What do you do to keep yourself on track while traveling or on vacation?
This is a hard one. I usually give myself permission on vacation to indulge once in a while, but at times it's been out of control. I'm hoping to do better on the next vacation- would love some tips! It's especially hard being vegetarian on vacation in a foreign country. I'm going to Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Maldives in November- hoping I can find good food choices!

QOTD #6: What is your main motivation to get in shape right now?
Right now, to look good in a bikini for my next vacation! But in the long run, I'm doing it for my health and to prevent disease.

QOTD #7: Other than working out and losing weight, what have you done to improve your self esteem?
Positive self talk- it's one of the hardest things for me since I've been talking negatively to myself for decades, but I'm hoping to turn it around!

QOTD #8: What's your workout plan this week? List it!
Tuesday- Spinning
Wednesday- Strength Training
Thursday- Spinning
Friday- Yoga
Saturday- Zumba
*Plus hoping to fit in some rollerblading in the evenings at least one day this week!

QOTD #9: How do you stay on track with diet and exercise in times of severe stress?
Remind myself that exercising and eating healthy relieves stress~! And doing the opposite will only make it worse!

QOTD #10: How are you tracking your food right now? Do you pre-track or track as you go? Do you track everything you eat, or only certain foods? Do you eat your exercise calories or not? I wanna know everything, hahaha.
I try to track everything- before or after- usually after since I'm not good at keeping with a plan...lol. I do eat my exercise calories, but I'm wondering if I start working out more, would eating more make sense?

QOTD #11: Do you drink diet soda and/or other drinks with artificial sweeteners? Why or why not?
NEVER!! I avoid artificial sweetener like the plague! I don't like that they are chemicals that our body doesn't know how to process, therefore disrupting our metabolism and causing all sorts of health problems that people aren't even aware of.

QOTD #12: What are your goals (weight, food, exercise, other) for September?
I hope to lose 10 lbs!! Seems like a lofty goal, but I want it bad! Also going to do The Reboot (jointhereboot.com) juicing for 2 weeks.

QOTD #13: (repeat, but important) What's your workout plan for this week? List it!
Tuesday- Spinning
Wednesday- Strength Training-Bootcamp style
Thursday- Spinning
Friday- Yoga
Saturday- Zumba
Sunday - Rest or walk
*Plus hoping to fit in some rollerblading in the evenings at least one day this week!

NAME: April
AGE: 26
HEIGHT: 5'2''
START WEIGHT FOR CHALLENGE: 212
GOAL WEIGHT FOR CHALLENGE: 190
START PANTS SIZE: 18/20 (US)
GOAL PANTS SIZE: 16 (US)
FOLLOW ANY SPECIAL DIET:I just count calories and stay under 1200 the best I can.
DIET GOALS: Eat less!!!!
EXERCISE GOALS: Holiday time is here at work, that keeps me moving (retail).
OTHER GOALS: look better by my anniversary
FUN FACT: I got married on Halloween 08'.

QOTD #13: (repeat, but important) What's your workout plan for this week? List it!

It's looking like rain all week...so I may be stuck indoors...

Monday: 30 DS (20 mins) & Zumba (45 mins) - DONE!
Tuesday: treadmill/elliptical (30 mins) & 30 DS (20 mins) & JD2 (20 mins)
Wednesday: treadmill/elliptical (30 mins) & 30 DS (20 mins) & Zumba (20 mins)
Thursday: treadmill/elliptical (30 mins) & 30 DS (20 mins) & JD2 (20 mins)
Friday: treadmill/elliptical (30 mins) & 30 DS (20 mins)
Saturday: 30 DS (20 mins) & Zumba (45 mins)
Sunday: 30 DS (20 mins)

Let's GO!!!

NAME: Jerry
AGE: 52
HEIGHT: 5' 9"
START WEIGHT FOR CHALLENGE: 224
GOAL WEIGHT FOR CHALLENGE: 214
START PANTS SIZE: 20
GOAL PANTS SIZE: 18T (US)
FOLLOW ANY SPECIAL DIET: Calorie intake 1480
DIET GOALS: To be more aware on what foods I eat.
EXERCISE GOALS: Just to be able to do them more easier
OTHER GOALS: more energy, be toned and sexy :blushing:
FUN FACT: I want to be able to keep up with the grand kids bigsmile:

My daughter is getting married this weekend, and all this week I have been in a situation where I can't entirely control what food is available. So far I've eaten mindfully, enjoying the company and the celebration--but man, is it harder than being at home with all my "safe" food. Also, not in my regular exercise classes, but very active with mowing, housework, endless running around. It'll be interesting to see the results on Monday.

Good luck to all the rest of you in the challenge!

Hi Leah! Just saw this challenge and I'd love to join also. Here are my stats. Also, I'll do a spreadsheet for the group if you guys want to keep track of weight loss each week. I don't think anyone has offered to do that so I will if you'd like.

NAME: Bonnie
AGE: 56
HEIGHT: 5'8''
START WEIGHT FOR CHALLENGE: 230.6
GOAL WEIGHT FOR CHALLENGE: 225
START PANTS SIZE: 1x
GOAL PANTS SIZE: 20
FOLLOW ANY SPECIAL DIET: Weight Watchers
DIET GOALS: Stay under points, do both tracking for WW and logging in MFP
EXERCISE GOALS: Increase my walk to 60 minutes (currently 48 minutes)
OTHER GOALS: be able to do 20 minutes on my neighbor's elliptical machine
FUN FACT: I just "retired" from 20 years of homeschooling my children

I've done an excel spreadsheet with everyone's starting weight and goal weight. I didn't realize this challenge has been going on for quite some time so I'll just count the next four week's weight loss for everyone. If you'd like to report your weight loss so far since you've started I'll log it under week 1 loss and then from then on whoever wants to log their weight with me can. Leah, I hope this is okay. If not, let me know. Don't want to step on any toes. I set my goal a little low because my weight loss has not been great, even though I'm exercising all the time and staying under my calories/points plus. Hope everyone has a great day and feel free to add me as a friend if we're not friends already. Thanks for starting this challenge, Leah. Sorry I didn't find it sooner!

Today I get weighed in by my trainer along with measurements a little worried but that is just me once again being hard on myself. will let you all know.