This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Good Morning Shrinking Asset members! It’s a beautiful day here in Missouri USA. We Finally got some rain and a cool off! I’m looking forward……forward to getting to attend church (mask on) this morning……forward to our first week of the August F2F Challenge…..forward to a new work week…(I’m a 61 y/o RN working in the OR)….and forward to just being a living child if God. Hope everyone is healthy and ready to start our adventure! My weigh in day is Wednesday! Let’s DO THIS!

Good morning and happy August.

Saturday is my weigh-in day and was not home.

PW: 282
CW: 280.6

Had a flair up this week so could not walk like I wanted to. Have been instructed to walk only three times a week until my muscles get stronger. Was mindful this week of what I ate. Didn't meet my water drinking goal but did my best. More of my clothes are starting to fit differently. The shirt I wore yesterday, yeah it was unexpectedly loose.
Though I have been with this group for a short time, it has helped me greatly. It has helped me be more accountable especially with my walking routine. It has helped me with portion control. (Regularly ask how will it affect my weigh-in and not overeat.) This group has even helped me with my stress eating. This group is helping me slowly build my confidence back up.

Thank you, guys!!! Have a great day!!!

Hello … and welcome to all the new Shrinking Assets members! This is a long post, intended to outline what worked for me to move from an overweight BMI to the ‘normal’ range. Here are my stats: 5’4” female weighing with a starting weight of 168 and about 40 pounds lost (128.8 today).

The TL/DR version is this:
I’ve experienced phases when weight loss was faster (1 pound per week) and slower (.25 of a pound per week) but the trend continues to move down, if you stick to your plan when it’s working. When it’s not working, reflect on what you’re learning from MFP tracking data and experienced group members and make adjustments. You can do it and this group can help!

Phase 1 of Journey
I started on my weight loss journey at 168 pounds, which is my highest non-pregnancy weight. I consulted a nutritionist (virtually) in March 2020 and she encouraged me to sign up for MFP and set my macronutrient goals to 50 percent carbs, 30 percent fat, and 20 percent protein. I gave her access to my food diary - and checked in with her a few times by phone - until I built some positive habits (e.g., logging my food, managing portion sizes and addressing my afternoon low energy dip with healthy protein instead of high calorie options, etc.). After the 4-package consultation package, I didn’t need to renew regular check-ins but I built in an annual wellness appointment to my yearly planning (e.g., annual physical, 6-month dental visits, mammogram, skin cancer screening, etc.).

I lost a little over 20 pounds during that first 5-month phase, moving from the overweight BMI category to ‘normal’ about this time last year. That was about an average weight loss of 1 pound per week from ~165 in March 2020 to a little less than 145 at the end of July 2020. I became more active in the MFP community forums in April 2020 and found support through the ‘Accountability buddies’ thread of the MFP Support and Motivation group.

Phase 2 of Journey
Then, I lost another 10 pounds over the next 5-month phase (August-December 2020) when my progress was slower but still fairly steady at about a half pound average loss per week. I felt good at 135, and my clothes fit better, but my ultimate goal is to weigh 125. I’ll adjust, if needed, but I weighed between 120-130 for most of my life, and 125 is at the mid-point of a healthy BMI for my height (5 feet, 4 inches tall).

Phase 3 of Journey
During the next 5-month phase, the last 10 pounds were coming off even more slowly. From January through May 2021, I lost 5 more pounds but I noticed more up and down fluctuations. I decided I needed to make some changes and saw the call for new members in the F2F group. I joined this group two months ago - in June 2021 - and I’ve lost about six pounds since then!

Next Steps on the Journey
At approximately 129 pounds, I’m near my ultimate goal weight of 125 and within my maintenance range of 125-130. So, my daily calorie targets are very close to what I’ll need to maintain. I’m hoping to achieve my goal by the end of 2021. Then, I’ll concentrate on any new knowledge and skills needed for maintenance for at least another year, but probably for life! It takes longer to lose the final pounds but I feel so much more comfortable in my clothes and body. I really want these new habits to stick. I’m working hard on my mental stamina as some of the pandemic restrictions lift and I’m facing more social pressure to veer from my nutrition and exercise routines.

Getting to the Destination Together
I appreciate this space as a place to strengthen my good habits and continue to build new skills. This month’s challenge sounds like a perfect opportunity to reflect on the new temptations I’m feeling (e.g., drinking alcohol at parties, going out with friends or traveling that interrupts workout schedules) and hone my ability to make the choice that’s best for my long term health. Let’s develop, nurture, and maintain these positive- lifelong - habits together! We may be on different paths - or at various points in our journey - but we can support and encourage one another in getting to the final destination. Best wishes for the coming month!

Hello Everyone, I'm Taryn and I live in Texas with my husband and a collection of plants, geriatric pets and a 2 1/2 year old little girl (hello potty training!). I'm a social worker by trade and stay busy with church stuff and if online shopping was a hobby, I'd be a gold medalist. 
My journey: I lost a significant amount of weight about 20 years ago (never all the way where I needed to be) and it's been slowly creeping back.  I work out a few times a week and just did a few months on WW. I'm hoping some accountability will make the difference. 
My motivation:  I'm a 42 year old mom of young kids and I want to be around to be a grandparent. 
Nice to meet yall! 

Congratulations to all the winners! It looks as though @peachplace was part of the overall F2F leader board for this week, and both @chublet25 and @peachplace made the winner’s list for the month of July … in addition to winning the Shrinking Assets top spots! 🎉 In the spirit of the Olympics, great job on achieving medal status! 🏅

Gold - @peachplace (this week) & @chublet25 (July)
Silver - @chublet25 (this week) & @peachplace (July)
Bronze - @Marni3369 (this week)

In June, the Shrinking Assets team appeared on the F2F winner list more often than July. So, I hope we can get back to our winning formula in August! I’ll do my best to contribute by stepping up my workouts and actively encouraging other members to achieve their goals.

Is anyone else setting up goals in the August Habit Tracker?

My goals are to (1) sleep 7-8 hours each night; (2) exercise 30 minutes per day or 3.5 hours per week; (3) complete a 10-minute abdominal workout daily; (4) drink 72 ounces of water; and (5) stay within my daily calorie goal (or at least make sure the average works out for the week if I don’t meet the goal each day). Let’s set some goals together and support one another in achieving success - both individually and as a team!