**CLOSED** New Year, New You Week 3 Mini-Challenge

:happy: :laugh: I'm liking that the clothes fit easier. My tops aren't stretched to the limit and feel a bit loose. I can see some curves now as I feel I've lost a bit of weight under the bust area so have a better shape.
My mindset has changed too. During the weigh in last week I had gained back some weight and felt ready to quit but snapped myself out of it as I know its up to me to shift it no one else. I've been dragging the kids out with me for a power walk too and and make sure I'm getting my 2 miles or some exercise in everyday. Planning my meals so I can have foods I enjoy by having lighter meals other times of the day.
I've lost 4kg since I joined mfp on the 28.09.11 so I was really happy when I jumped on the scales this morning and had to check a few times
I'm feeling motivated. Would love to lose another 4kg by my birthday in the begining of Dec!

4kg is about 9lb. My birthday is 5th December so if I could loose another 9-10lb I would treat myself to something. Not sure what yet. A much needed massage for my legs! lol.Or even a new outfit. It feels good when you can see the pounds coming off after all that hard work and control over the eating!
You've done really well too. I do like this challenge as I can push myself and fit the exercise in and everyone is very motivating.

OK - physically I also will go with the "chubby cheeks" I think my face is one of the first places I see slimming occur. Now I just wish that would extend to my double chin!

Mentally - this is a really tough one. I was on a really good motivated "roll" since starting MFP in March 2011. I had been training to run a 10 mile run and was logging every morsel I ate - feeling really good about myself. Well, in August I got sick with meningitis and was hospitalized for 10 days. I lost 7 lbs because I basically couldn't eat. I came out of the hospital down a total of 27 lbs lost! Then I had to be on medication to keep from having headaches - one of the side effects is that it makes me hungry! So, long story short, I gained back the 7 lbs I lost in the hospital, plus an additional 3 lbs. I had put away all the baggy jeans after getting out of the hospital, and ended up having to go back and get a couple of pairs back out... very demoralizing. So I had stopped logging, stopped even trying to eat right. Then I saw this challenge and something "clicked" again. I'm a week into it and feeling motivated - lost 2.4 lbs this week. I'm starting to wean off the meds, so everything should start to be easier soon (I hope). I've also started training again, and logging the miles for the challenge.

This challenge came at EXACTLY the right time for me... both because I think I was finally ready to go for it again, and because we're taking a cruise over Christmas and I'd love to be able to feel good in a swim suit! Thanks!

1. Physical: I like that my body is an hourglass. No matter how heavy I am, I still have a defined waist. And as I lose weight, the shape becomes more pronounced.

2. Mental: I am becoming more aware of what I put into my mouth and I am more willing to make small changes and try new things. I don't restrict anything because deprivation ALWAYS backfires on me. Because of that, I'm more willing to "save the cookie for later" while eating some hummus and carrots instead. I know the cookie will still be there and nobody is going to tell me no, so I can let myself wait.

1. Something that I love about my physical body- I love my tummy. Yes... despite it being round and fat. I love my tummy. It is where my two beautiful children grew inside of me for 9 months.. it was their home. To hate that part of my body is to hate a part of them!

2. Attitude changes- I am figuring out how to have a workout in my limited amount of time. And workouts may not always be sweaty gym time. Sometimes, it may be running and playing ball with the kids. Also, I am saying NO a lot more these days. No to eating out. No to sitting on my duff at lunch. No to the breakroom treats.

1. I like my feet! I'm sure that sounds ridiculous to all of you - but seriously, I have pretty feet and they get me where i want to go. I can ALWAYS find a beautiful pair of shoes to fit my feet and I never leave a shoe store feeling fat and ugly. Needless to say, I have a few too many shoes!!!

2. What I am thinking these days is: hmmm, this is totally doable. I keep imagining myself thinner and fitter, FEELING LIGHTER and that motivates me. I saw a woman at the Opening Night celebration of our show ( I work at a professional theatre company) wearing an outfit that I really liked. She looked great in it but instead of feeling miserable knowing I could not wear such a thing, I told myself "that's the kind of outfit I will wear when I am as thin as she is and I will look that good too". It was motivating and it was positive and I was not even tempted by the spring rolls at the buffet table. Ha!. It felt really good.

I am liking how clothes are fitting better as well. I've had to go down a size in pants but I love how my dresses and tops look nicer on me. The muffin top and love handles are going away, making the mirror a little less scary.

I have noticed that my attitude is more positive lately. Things have been happening lately that I can choose to look at in a negative way but I have gotten stronger with my "cup half full" way of thinking. I believe this is due to my progress so far. I still have work to do but knowing that I've progressed lets me know what I can accomplish!

Have a great week ladies.

I like how I am getting fitter and I feel so much stronger, I can't wait to see a loss on the scales but until then i like that my fat is being replaced by muscle!! and i'm noticing a difference in my clothes too!! :happy:

Mentally I am very determined, I got sick of looking at myself in the mirror and in photos and remember how i was before i put on the weight, but now that i'm exercising 5 days a week and with this website learnt how to eat better and have support with people in the same boat I feel more positive and more determined to see this through!!

I've just started this challenge so I'm not at a place where I am seeing successes yet, but I still wanted to participate in this weeks challenge. This is not easy for me but I enjoy stretching my comfort level and look forward to continue doing so.

#1 I love that I feel more physically capable. I use to not be able to push myself hard on the cardio because I was so tired that I found it hard to push myself. Now I can push myself for the duration of my workouts and I feel more energetic because of that. I have spent so many years feeling fatigued that I am grateful for the added energy.

#2 What I have noticed about my mental state is that I am more focued and don't use my failure as much to beat myself up. I own up to my mistakes and move on and don't dwell on them as much.

I am thankful for all the support in the MFP universe, I find it has been crucial in my staying focused. :happy: :flowerforyou:

#1 -physicaly im startn to like my butt lol i recently got into size 14 pants and anytime i try clothes on now i always check out my butt lol its not to big and not to small

#2- mentaly i have turned a corner on how i veiw food, i try to eat it slower , i read whats in things, how many calories things i used to eat are. its made me more aware of when i should have eaten ad wen i should hold back from eating untill the next meal time and instead just drink water.

I have gotten quite a few great ideas for mini-challenges...please keep them coming!

This week the request was for us to get a little mental. So, there are a couple of things we are going to reflect on this week.

1) Most of us are horrible about being positive about ourselves and our appearance. So, part 1 is, positive affirmation time. What is one physical trait that you like about your body? Not your eyes, your smile...the body that we are trying to improve...what do you like about it now.

2) What is something that you have noticed has changed about your mental state over the last week or two?

For those who are brave...a positive affirmation a day would be great. I know it's hard to "like" ourselves or we wouldn't be here!!!

1~ I like my Puerto Rican ghetto booty! lol And I like my upper abs (right around my rib cage). I'm still obese but this part is getting TONED!!!!

2~ I'm working on being hard core on myself. My mantra when the workout starts getting me fatigued is "stop being a *****!" LOL. Taking some practice, but I'm working on it!

i also like my hands, they are small and chubby like a baby ( my boyfriend even goes a far to tell me they are freakish small) but i love my little pudgy stubby baby fingers lol

Hi all. I recently joined this group. I joined in the spring 2011 and was very motivated up until my vacation in July. Lost 35 pounds. Since then I have not been motivated and seeing myself slowly gaining again. When I saw this group I knew it was just the push I needed. So Hello! and thank you for allowing me to join in late

One thing I like about my body is that thankfully I feel proportioned... overweight yes.. but not top heavy or bottom heavy (just big all over ... I am thankful that under the extra pounds is a killer body ready to be revealed

over the past couple of weeks, I have been searching deep for motivation and trying to remind myself why I started this journey. I am reminding myself that I want to get to my goal and even though I was starting to feel good with 30+ pounds gone... I am not even 1/2 way there. Most importantly... it's all about living a healthy lifestyle and feeling better. Backsliding makes me feel sluggish.

So at this moment... what I am telling myself is: I can't sit around and "wait" for my mental state to change and the motivation to miraculously appear..... I just have to get up and move! Eat a healthy meal full of lean protein and veggies... drink some water... Take those first steps to FORCE my body to cooperate. THE motivation and energy will come only AFTER I put forth the effort.

THank you soooo much for putting this group together! Today I am telling myself that I can get to goal and deserve to be healthy and lean