annabananamc wrote: »

@cmhubbard92 - I don't know about @HASWLRS but I am a 5'5" 59 year old and my calorie limit is just 1200 daily. Post-menopause my metabolism slowed to a CRAWL and my muscle mass decreased like crazy for the first time in my life. (estrogen helps you maintain muscle mass so when it's gone, you start to look 'stringy') I always wondered why my mom ate like a bird to stay at her weight, despite daily walks, swims and yoga and now I see. Getting old is not for whimps!

This. I am 5'7" and 60 years old. 3 lbs to lose, set at .5 and get 1260 calories. Even biking 20 miles one morning last week only netted me about 300 calories. This getting old stuff is for the birds. 😒

@annabananamc and @DaffyGirl88

All of this. I'm 5'4" and 48yo. Pretty active, between running around with my kids, biking 3-5x/week for 10-20 mile rides each, and kayaking extensively on the weekends. I paddled upstream and downstream (6.5 miles) for 2.5 hours this morning and netted a whopping 486 calories. 💪🚣🌳🗻🙂 I have a daily allotment of 1200 calories and I don't eat my exercise calories.

I am actually waffling with whether to continue with the challenge next month. I'm a competitive person, and I work out a lot and hard, and I don't eat much, but I'm finding myself dissatisfied with a1-2lb loss each week in comparison with these other loss logins - 6, 8, even 11 pounds in a week. My brain KNOWS that 1-2lbs is healthy, slow and perfectly successful, but I have to fight my competitive nature (to avoid disordered thinking about nutrition, health, weight loss, and exercise) that says to cut more, work more/harder to lose like the others are (even though I know I can't/shouldn't/won't, my journey is my own, slow and steady is healthier, etc. etc.) 🐢🐇🐢🐇🐢🐇

On the other hand, I'm super grateful for finding such a supportive and fun group of fellow fitness seekers. So there's that.

I'm a thinker by nature, so I'm just working through things in my head a bit. 💜💛💚💙❤

user name = maryc11
Date = Saturday July 24, 2021
Tracked = Yes
Exercise = Yes
Under = Yes
Water = 58 oz
Steps = 7,550

@CycleMomOf3 I'm not sure where you've seen 8 or 11 pound losses in a week. That only happens on TV. I have seen a couple of 5 or 6 pound losses but those were often preceded by a similar sodium/water weight gain the previous week. This is a fictitious game with a bunch of strangers on the internet. I could be a 400 lb man with nothing better to do with my time than create fake profiles on internet forums. Don't let yourself get hung up on beating someone whose posted loss is on the honor system. That probably sounds more cynical than I mean but there it is. 🤷‍♀️ I always think that when someone apologizes for gaining weight and letting the team down.

Having said that...I don't think you should leave. I'm also competitive, which you'd know if you were ever in a Fitbit challenge with me. 🤣🤣 I come here because most of us are NOT internet trolls. We are like minded people who are trying to be healthy and active and enjoy our lives. Sometimes we lose, sometimes we gain, but we're here to support each other along the way. 🥰

Enjoy your Sunday everyone!

argh, I got a free fitbit for my son and now found out my own fitbit didn't sync for three days, so I've been battling the bluetooth this morning. I think I finally got it fixed. I went to log everything and noticed the spreadsheet had changed from MUAC or steps and water. Are we simplifying things now @HASWLRS and @cmhubbard92? I think I may take next week off of tracking anyway being in the middle of nowhere without cell service or wifi. I'll do my final July weigh-in tomorrow, just a few days early.

@cyclemomof3 - I hope you stay. We sound so similar and I know that this works when we work it. When I am careful with exercise and eating well, my weight loss post menopause is max .5lbs a week. Not like in my twenties when I could eat popcorn for a day or two and lose ten pounds! Your posts help ME stay on track, so I'd love it if you hang around. AND remember, ultimately, this is a competition with yourself for a healthier life (at least, that's what I keep telling my 'must get an A' personality). Focus on logging every day, staying under on your numbers, and exercise, and it will come together.

Yesterday we biked to the brewery again where a bbq truck was, and had that for lunch - so FUN to be able to do that. We have to get in shape because we have a BIG hiking trip with our son in December and I am determined to keep up. Good motivation for me!

In happy news, my Covid test was negative so my trip to Utah is on!

One of the common characteristics of this group is we are all competitive. We can't resist comparing our success to that of others. The competition helps us stay on track and keeps the 'game' fresh. But for me, that is where it ends as far as comparison. I love the support of this team and I love seeing others be successful. I appreciate the venting of frustration and the 'picking myself up off the floor' attitude to start over with a new week. That is what is motivating to me now.

My weight loss 'journey' (ug) could be really frustrating to another person. (not saying it is not frustrating to me, it just my journey). I am now slightly less in weight than I was in 2017, but not by much. In 2017, I entered a work sponsored Biggest Loser competition and finished 3rd overall. I lost a whopping 45 lbs (and finished 3rd!). I gained most of it back over the following years (and, of course, the COVID isolation). My sit down, computer focused job just added to the mix. In January, I was expected to return to the office but NONE of the clothes in my closet fit well and there were NO clothes in the stores I wanted to buy. Perfect storm.

I wanted to console myself with yet another gallon of mint chocolate chip Blue Bell ice cream. I didn't. So, I thought, maybe Pecan, Pralines and Cream Blue Bell will do the trick. I didn't.

I logged into MFP and found this group.

In my less than successful 2017 competition, I was losing 4 lbs per week, but only if I spent 4 hours walking every Sunday morning at the park. Skip the walk, I gained ounces. Not terrible but how can you resist losing 4 lbs per week, right? I walked and walked. I felt great.

I got nothing else done. I call it less than successful because it was not a sustainable life style for me.

This time, I am losing, gaining, inconsistent. I am learning while I love refined sugar, it does not love me back. I retain water when I eat even a little and, honestly, feel very poorly. Last time, I didn't figure that out. Now I know a little more about how to eat to keep myself feeling healthy. I am losing slower. I am 4 years older than I was then. But age is not the reason. I know I can lose faster. I chose not to. This is my last 'diet' for weight loss and when it's over, I will be entrenched in a sustainable lifestyle that will serve me well as I continue to age.

That is my goal.

We are all here for different reasons. This is working for me. I hope the others who are here benefit from it as I am. I hope those of you who are here, stay. Because as you help yourself reach your goals, you are helping others.

CycleMomOf3 wrote: »

@annabananamc and @DaffyGirl88

All of this. I'm 5'4" and 48yo. Pretty active, between running around with my kids, biking 3-5x/week for 10-20 mile rides each, and kayaking extensively on the weekends. I paddled upstream and downstream (6.5 miles) for 2.5 hours this morning and netted a whopping 486 calories. 💪🚣🌳🗻🙂 I have a daily allotment of 1200 calories and I don't eat my exercise calories.

I am actually waffling with whether to continue with the challenge next month. I'm a competitive person, and I work out a pretty reasonable amount (for someone who has 8yo twins and a 5yo and is a primary parent), and I don't eat much, but I'm finding myself dissatisfied with a 1-2lb loss each week in comparison with some of these other loss logins - 6, 8, even 11 pounds in a week! My brain KNOWS that 1-2lbs is healthy (for me, at least) and will be more likely to result in long-term results, but I have to fight my competitive nature (to avoid disordered thinking about nutrition, health, weight loss, and exercise) that says to cut more, work more/harder to lose like the others are (even though I know I can't/shouldn't/won't, my journey is my own, slow and steady is healthier, etc. etc.) 🐢🐇🐢🐇🐢🐇

On the other hand, I'm super grateful for finding such a supportive and fun group of fellow fitness seekers. So there's that.

I'm a thinker by nature, so I'm just working through things in my head (and here, I guess) a bit. 🤷🤦💜💛💚💙❤

Brain vs. Heart are at odds chez moi right now.

@CycleMomOf3 I strongly encourage you to continue into the next month's challenge! You may think that you need to lose faster, or compare your loss to others in competition-neither of these are things you should or need to do. When you see some people lose 6, 8 or 10 pounds(I'm assuming on other teams here?), you have to keep in mind that many of those that are reporting such high losses are either losing water weight after a sodium-induced gain, or just beginning and losing a chunk of water weight, or people that weigh much more than you do, and can healthily lose that weight at that speed, but that doesn't last long. You are right that your results will eventually lead to long term results. Over-restricting yourself can definitely lead to speedy losses, but also can lead to quick return of weight.

The support of this group has helped me for over 2 years, and I know that you will find it almost crucial to your weight loss if you stay here with us While we, as a team, do not continuously see wins month by month, we still lift each other up. One thing to also remember, while it is wonderful to lose and be one of the "top" losers at the end of the month, you should only take pride in that if you are losing in a way that will be sustainable over time.

Remember that we are not competing against each other, only ourselves. No matter how big or small your losses are, you are here to make yourself healthier each day. You will succeed, and I hope our team can help you find that success! Some of the members here have been with the team for a very long time, and some have taken time away. Some leave permanently (and leave MFP as well), others later return at a higher weight, where they left off, or some are right back where they started. You have to decide if this group motivates you, as it motivates many of us. Even though I do not participate as often as I used to, I still find this group extremely motivating, and the team makes me want to continue with my losses. I hope that this group keeps you as a teammate, and that you're in this with us for the long haul

maryc11 wrote: »

One of the common characteristics of this group is we are all competitive. We can't resist comparing our success to that of others. The competition helps us stay on track and keeps the 'game' fresh. But for me, that is where it ends as far as comparison. I love the support of this team and I love seeing others be successful. I appreciate the venting of frustration and the 'picking myself up off the floor' attitude to start over with a new week. That is what is motivating to me now.

My weight loss 'journey' (ug) could be really frustrating to another person. (not saying it is not frustrating to me, it just my journey). I am now slightly less in weight than I was in 2017, but not by much. In 2017, I entered a work sponsored Biggest Loser competition and finished 3rd overall. I lost a whopping 45 lbs (and finished 3rd!). I gained most of it back over the following years (and, of course, the COVID isolation). My sit down, computer focused job just added to the mix. In January, I was expected to return to the office but NONE of the clothes in my closet fit well and there were NO clothes in the stores I wanted to buy. Perfect storm.

I wanted to console myself with yet another gallon of mint chocolate chip Blue Bell ice cream. I didn't. So, I thought, maybe Pecan, Pralines and Cream Blue Bell will do the trick. I didn't.

I logged into MFP and found this group.

In my less than successful 2017 competition, I was losing 4 lbs per week, but only if I spent 4 hours walking every Sunday morning at the park. Skip the walk, I gained ounces. Not terrible but how can you resist losing 4 lbs per week, right? I walked and walked. I felt great.

I got nothing else done. I call it less than successful because it was not a sustainable life style for me.

This time, I am losing, gaining, inconsistent. I am learning while I love refined sugar, it does not love me back. I retain water when I eat even a little and, honestly, feel very poorly. Last time, I didn't figure that out. Now I know a little more about how to eat to keep myself feeling healthy. I am losing slower. I am 4 years older than I was then. But age is not the reason. I know I can lose faster. I chose not to. This is my last 'diet' for weight loss and when it's over, I will be entrenched in a sustainable lifestyle that will serve me well as I continue to age.

That is my goal.

We are all here for different reasons. This is working for me. I hope the others who are here benefit from it as I am. I hope those of you who are here, stay. Because as you help yourself reach your goals, you are helping others.

@maryc11 thank you for sharing your story!

I can relate to the length of your journey! When I started in 2018, I weighed in at 248.8, and am currently hovering around 165. That is a huge chunk of weight, and I feel like my losses have not been adequate lately. I am almost over 80lb lost since 2018, but I feel as though I should be further along(at times). I look to this group for the motivation to keep going. Without this team, and the few non-weight challenges I participate in, I don't think I would have had the success that I have now.

A few years before that(around 2014), I did not rely on MFP, and had lost 72lb(starting at the same starting weight) in 6 months. I gained that within two years, and was right back where I started before I started over on MFP. This time around, I have been more successful by losing at a much slower weight, and I plan on continue staying here, even when I officially hit my goal weight.

I know you have that same drive, and you will achieve your goals, and you have a great plan ahead of you. Keep up the great work! May our team continue to motivate and support you!

annabananamc wrote: »

cmhubbard92 wrote: »

@annabananamc yes, I have adjusted the step/water spreadsheet because it is much easier for me to view/complete results. The optional MUAC tracking was something I had added at the beginning of the year, but it was not intended to be used as official tracking. I decided to go back to the bare bones of tracking only steps/water, like it was originally set up. I'm sorry for any inconvenience! It was just getting cluttered when I look at the step/water spreadsheet. Enjoy your vacation!

That makes a lot of sense, thanks for letting me know!

Will we still be doing the MUAC here in our threads, or is that just too much? Maybe with so many of us seemingly struggling a bit lately (at least I am feeling overwhelmed a little) keeping it simpler is wiser. I love that you did that in the sheet for us!

@annabananamc that would be up to @HASWLRS to decide, as she is the one leading the MUAC. I'm pretty sure it's fine to continue posting in the thread, as that was how it was originally done You're not the only one struggling, either! While I haven't been participating in MUAC, I have been trying to hit daily goals outside of our group, and need to get a little better at that again!

@maryc11 Thank you for sharing your story. A lot of it resonated with me. I want to do it all at once, and when I can't, I end up not doing it at all! You said, after one of your successful weight loss runs, that you got nothing done (and therefore it was not actually successful). That is me!! When I am succeeding I get nothing else done. Well, that can only go on for so long, and then it all comes crashing down, with everything needing to be done at once. I truly need to wrap my head around the slower is better than not at all, and much better than gaining!!

I was actually going to leave this group for August, as my husband is off for three weeks (finally!!), but after all the latest discussions, I will stick around.