We are also going to be running (Optional) Mini-challenges again this month: Question of the Week (assuming I can remember to do that) 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.

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: September Week 1
PW =(previous weight)
CW=(current weight)

Please, please setup your posts in that format as it really makes it much easier for us to track your progress for the challenges and the weight loss!!

We'd like to help you be as successful as possible and if we can help in any way, please let us 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, we look for new ways to help engagement and keep people motivated!!

We are committed to this group and to help where we can, and please let us know if we can help in any way!!


REMEMBER WE GOT THIS!💪🏽💪🏽
Your Captain,
Glorious Gloria @gjaholy33👍🏾👍🏾❤❤
***Co-captain Vicky (@vicky2767)

Daily Post

Sunday 8/28

Track yes
Calories yes under
Exercise no
Water 155oz (no AC so lots of water)
Steps 3,294

Hello all! I’m 34/F, living in Oregon and am now a year into creating a healthier lifestyle. I’ve lost 50lbs and feel stronger, have better mental health and have improved my lab results.

My maintenance month has now turned into 4 months when I wasn’t looking, and I stopped tracking for the most part during the last two. I am once again trying to get back on track.

Main goals this month are to track and do my strength training. Again going for a .5lb deficit each week and will probably not make my calories goals at first but got to start again somewhere.

User: KakoHikes
Weigh in day: Sunday
Week 1
PW: 188.2
CW: 189.2
I really want this upward trend to stop please. Any more and I won't be able to say I've lost 50lbs. (Without feeling guilty at least and saying that gained some back). Plus side, had two hikes this week and a walk. Yesterday I actually got 20,000 steps! Once I got home it was at 18.5k so I had to walk around the house to get 20k. I will not be that high of steps again for a long time


Sunday 08/28
Tracked: No
Under Calories: possibly with my exercise calories
Exercise: Yes, another hike. Was a baby one this time, 50 active minutes but much steep and lots of stairs. Plus side 3 baby waterfalls, downside my calves hate me, especially after yesterday’s long hike

KakoHikes wrote: »

While I want to keep MFP for this group if anything else, I’m really thinking about moving to another tracker. I hate the new layout but since I haven’t been logging much I haven’t had to see it. Putting a once free thing, the barcode scanner, behind a paywall really irks me. I get it takes money the keep the app going, so understand the ads but really don’t want to dole out that much for premium, especially now.
Only downside of trying out something new, would have to start over on my saved recipes and past history. Anyone else have another tracker they like?

Yeah I saw that too and absolutely hate the new version especially since I am a big fan of the baroda (makes things so easy) not paying for it tho but only still here for the group as well. I use my Fitbit haven't really look.

KakoHikes wrote: »

While I want to keep MFP for this group if anything else, I’m really thinking about moving to another tracker. I hate the new layout but since I haven’t been logging much I haven’t had to see it. Putting a once free thing, the barcode scanner, behind a paywall really irks me. I get it takes money the keep the app going, so understand the ads but really don’t want to dole out that much for premium, especially now.
Only downside of trying out something new, would have to start over on my saved recipes and past history. Anyone else have another tracker they like?

The bar code scanner is a big deal to me. So many things - even fresh produce sometimes, can be tracked via bar code.

I've been looking at this recently, too. Here's an article I came across that reviews several features of different calorie tracking apps. https://healthline.com/nutrition/5-best-calorie-counters

Daily Post
Monday 8/29
Track yes
Calories under
Exercise walking

KakoHikes wrote: »

Hello all! I’m 34/F, living in Oregon and am now a year into creating a healthier lifestyle. I’ve lost 50lbs and feel stronger, have better mental health and have improved my lab results.

My maintenance month has now turned into 4 months when I wasn’t looking, and I stopped tracking for the most part during the last two. I am once again trying to get back on track.

Main goals this month are to track and do my strength training. Again going for a .5lb deficit each week and will probably not make my calories goals at first but got to start again somewhere.

User: KakoHikes
Weigh in day: Sunday
Week 1
PW: 188.2
CW: 189.2
I really want this upward trend to stop please. Any more and I won't be able to say I've lost 50lbs. (Without feeling guilty at least and saying that gained some back). Plus side, had two hikes this week and a walk. Yesterday I actually got 20,000 steps! Once I got home it was at 18.5k so I had to walk around the house to get 20k. I will not be that high of steps again for a long time


Sunday 08/28
Tracked: No
Under Calories: possibly with my exercise calories
Exercise: Yes, another hike. Was a baby one this time, 50 active minutes but much steep and lots of stairs. Plus side 3 baby waterfalls, downside my calves hate me, especially after yesterday’s long hike

You got this!

KakoHikes wrote: »

While I want to keep MFP for this group if anything else, I’m really thinking about moving to another tracker. I hate the new layout but since I haven’t been logging much I haven’t had to see it. Putting a once free thing, the barcode scanner, behind a paywall really irks me. I get it takes money the keep the app going, so understand the ads but really don’t want to dole out that much for premium, especially now.
Only downside of trying out something new, would have to start over on my saved recipes and past history. Anyone else have another tracker they like?

I haven’t found one I like better so please share if you do.

MarieZI59 wrote: »

Hello Everyone, My name is Marie, 59, and 6"ft. I'll be joining you for the September challenge.

My daily calorie intake is set at 1,600 (I eat usually eat between 1,400 to 1,600) My exercise routine is light to moderate actives, and changes on a daily basis depending on how I'm feeling at the time.

My main goal is not to just lose the lbs, but improve my over all health. It's not easy to start over at nearly 60 years old. (Old habits die hard) as the saying goes. I would like to be in better health as I slowly enter my senior years, so I can truly enjoy them. 😀

Thanks for allowing me to join this awesome group.

Welcome

@gjayholy33-

I'm new and joined for September challenge and wanted to know when we officially post our first weigh-in? This week or next?

Weigh-In Day: Wednesday

MarieZI59 wrote: »

@gjayholy33-

I'm new and joined for September challenge and wanted to know when we officially post our first weigh-in? This week or next?

Weigh-In Day: Wednesday

Welcome and It starts this week.