Good luck looking for an apartment, Rie! I hope you find one that you love! I know you've been looking forward to getting your own place finally (which I so understand!). I'll keep my fingers crossed that you guys find a great one.
Also, I think several of us here have done other challenges, so we should be able to answer any questions that newcomers have. Or, as you pointed out, they can look at the (awesome) intro for the challenge.
NNS- Yes, beer is my downfall. At least you are working on cutting down, I don't even bother Congrats on your low! That must feel so good.
Dayone- When is your half? I'm sure you already said somewhere... I like to aim high for my goals but I guess it just depends what is more motivation for you- reaching high or actually accomplishing what you set out to.
Nana- Yes I have the hardest time stress eating. I find it helpful to have gum at work when things are crazy to keep me from snacking. There's often so much junk food sitting around our office, it's hard.
Ries- Good luck with the apartment hunting! I definitely think that a new move is a great time to get into better habits, with a complete shift in your environment. I'm now losing weight really for the first time in years and I think a lot of it has to do with my recent move and just getting out of some of those bad habits I had at the old house. Happy birthday! I think you have to indulge on your birthday, don't feel bad about it!
Kay7jay- Welcome! I make my goal really high. For some reason I never seem to hit my goal regardless of how small it is, so better to go big!
Am joining you from an unusually sunny Brighton, UK.
Thank you RIES for this wonderful idea. Like Ries, I am halfway through my journey and would like to see another 50 lbs gone, so this challenge is just the ticket to keep me going. Good luck with the hunt from me, too.
@Tiny: Love the idea of big goals! Now wondering if I should put minus 20 for my summer goal instead of 15...
Hey there everyone! Greetings to all from New Jersey!
Glad to join you all on this Summer Readiness Challenge. I've been trying to get myself back in to a sense of routine in my life (exercise, sleep, eating habits). This will be a great boost of inspiration for me.
Week 1 is a-go! Get your week one weights in by Monday 25th for when the charts will be made .
I have time today to relax a little, so I figured I'd update you. I've definitely been eating less on the whole while in Atlanta, loads of apartment viewings means less time to sit and snack! The family friends we're staying with are very courteous, we've been having home made meals. Not always amazingly healthy, but all fresh produce so that's good.
As for the apartment search, it's been stressful as expected. Monday we saw a lot of dud apartments, the type you walk in, smell the damp and want to walk straight back out. Yesterday we saw a great apartment, it got us excited enough to apply! Unfortunately because I'm an immigrant we hit a snag in the application process, they have to verify that I'm here legally before they can approve us. My credit score also shows as 0 too because I haven't had a credit card long enough. We're very, very nervous we'll be turned away...so we're continuing our search but with a little less vigor. We saw an apartment the same day after we applied, great location but old and not as nice. The location made us contemplate applying though.
Today we're just relaxing, we've got a viewing at 5pm at an apartment complex that is in a great location - however the unit we would apply for isn't available to be seen which is always unnerving. We also might be seeing one that's literally around the corner from where we're staying too. So a lot less frantically looking around now and more being selective with our viewings.
Keep your fingers crossed for us! We really want to hear back before we leave
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NNS - Wow, sounds like you've been exercising up a storm! Running is a mental challenge, it's hard to not stop when you really want to. I'm curious how you found relocating to a new state? Do you feel you have a lot of friends in Colorado now? And how did you make friends? I'm kinda nervous you know, because I've honestly not made my own friends in CO, feels like I can't make friends my own age anymore!
Penny - The Realtor turned out to be a great guy, he was actually doing us a huge favour considering he never shows rentals. He was doing it for his friend who introduced us to him which was nice! It's a shame we didn't find anything where he would get the commission.
Kay - Welcome back! The way I see it is to accept the gain and move forward. Don't remember what you were before but where you can go now. I always enter a goal that enters me into a new decade, no matter how lofty it might be! I can always change it.
Tiny - You're right, I think I got into bad habits in this current house, such as raiding the snacks in the pantry!
milacikova - Welcome! I visited Brighton once with friends, it's a fun place. Good luck with your journey on the challenge!
Happy Hump Day y'all! Man we have been having some crazy weather here. I hunkered down all weekend and pretty much just relaxed and ate food and drank beer. Whoops. It was so good to relax, catch up on housework, run some errands, and do some cooking.
I did a two mile run Monday, and decided to run it as fast as I could. Averaged a 9 min/mile! It was cold though so my asthma was seriously bugging me, but I am impressed with that time! I should probably do HIIT or a longer run tonight. It still feels a bit like I am forcing myself though I don't entirely hate it when I get running. Biked about 10 miles or so last night, going to a few bars with friends so I don't know how much that counts as exercise
dayoneagain - Sounds like you have plenty of time even if it is tough now! I should really run some hills, too. I've read that if you're running hills it is best to sprint on the way down and run slow on the way up because it is better on your knees or something, but maybe that's just my excuse to being slow up hills
kitkat1218 - Welcome! New Jersey, eh? Man I could go for a good bagel. But maybe that's not something I should talk about in this challenge haha
Ries - Wow that sounds so stressful! Good luck and I hope you find something that will work. At least if it isn't perfect you can always move in a year! We actually rented our apartment without seeing it in person - I did a Facetime tour with the leasing agent and that was it. I was so relieved when we got there and it didn't suck.
I've lived in 5 or 6 states now and the move to Colorado has definitely been the easiest because I feel like I mesh so well with the people here. I hope it ends up being like that for you in Atlanta! I've met most of my friends through volunteering and a bike group. I'd just get involved in as much as possible straight away to meet people within your interests. Living closer to the city with transportation will probably make it easier on you as well, compared to where you are now!
I would like to join, but every time I click on the sheet it takes me, then says theres an error with the form and won't let me add any of my information
I would like to join, but every time I click on the sheet it takes me, then says theres an error with the form and won't let me add any of my information
Are you scrolling to the bottom of the sheet to add your info? If you're trying to add it to the top then those are locked because they shouldn't be edited. I just checked the sheet and everything is fine.
I'm in time to get back down to the 120s and hopefully go beyond. Anyone see the news article about what Jennifer Aniston eat every day? That's the kind of diet I like to keep to and it's great seeing she can eat healthy on what normal people can eat even though she has a bigger money budget.
Tiny Tiger, my half is in September so I've got enough time to train but I'm sure it'll be here before I know it!
nonameslob, I totally agree; I try to make the most of the downhill bits and just take my time going up hill, because it is hard!!! A 9 minute mile is fast - I tend to keep my pace at just over 10min/mile, but I should probably think about speeding that up as I am pretty tall and have long legs so should be faster.
Excited to have done a 7km run before work this morning it's the furthest I have ran in a very long while - the last 1.5km was tough, but feeling good today afterwards
I am trying to eat fewer carbs at night and have my evening meal of fresh veg and salad with a fillet of salmon or chicken breast, as I had got into the habit of having quite a heavy meal at night. Seems to be working well and I haven't got bored of it so far, which is great.
Visiting friends this weekend, so the dreaded vino will be thrust upon me... well, actually I can easily say no if I want to, I just have to convince myself that I want to!
Last edited by dayoneagain; 04-22-2016 at 08:54 AM.
We found an apartment!! We heard Wednesday and we're beyond thrilled we were approved, especially after the worrying immigration check. It's a gated apartment complex with a pool and a gym, both are small so I doubt I'll be using them much! Our apartment is a spacious 1 bedroom apartment, but spacious for us isn't difficult after living in a 250 square feet apartment in Japan! I think this one is about 950 square feet. It's got a living room/dining room area with built in shelving and a small built in desk, which is a plus. We also have a balcony with an outside storage room which is useful too. The kitchen is a decent size, oldish appliances but we'll make do, plus a pantry. We also have a 2 sink bathroom, a decent sized bedroom with a big walk in closet. The location is decent, not a "roll out of bed and you're there" type place, but a mile walk from downtown Decatur which is a lovely area. We're very happy, but now comes the stress of moving! Also that pesky green card interview...
We've been eating like kings the last few days which is good and bad. This morning we went to a breakfast place and I ordered 3 pancakes thinking they'd be small plate sized. Nope, 3 giant dinner plate sized thick waffles. I was happy that I only made it through 3/4's of ONE. Welcome to the South, as they say! I'm a bit worried about my lack of training this week also which a 10K around the corner. I think I'll have to map out my runs soon to make sure I train enough before the big day. I'm contemplating doing the Bolder Boulder too if we haven't moved by then. Our move in date isn't confirmed yet, I think we want to see how much we get done in the next couple of weeks.
I'll be flying back to Colorado tomorrow, back to reality!
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NNS - Wow, well done on 9 min/mi!! That was the fastest I ever ran and that was on a race day! Thanks for your advice, I think I'll aggressively start looking into Meetup.com groups and hope for the best. It's actually the thing I'm worried about the most!
skittles - I've not seen that article, do you have a link to it?
dayone - Good luck with the temptation this weekend! Think about all the great work you've been doing
Hi all! Joining from North Carolina here! Continuing with my lonnggg journey of trying to lose 85lbs, 67 more to go lol Ri from what I've been able to scroll through and read, congratulations! That's awesome to hear that you've found something suitable and I wish you all the luck in getting everything else situated! I've always wanted to go to Colorado!
Rie-Congratulations on finding an apartment! It sounds absolutely lovely Ugh moving is so stressful though, but at least time you'll be moving within a country instead of to a whole new one!
NNS-You've gotten so good at running, I'm really impressed/inspired
I've been mostly lurking and probably will be more in lurk mode bc I'm finishing up my semester and things are super stressful. I'm so mad at gaining 10lbs while starting grad school and I really really really want to get it off during this challenge. I feel so big and I hate it
Back in Colorado now, it's good to be back. As the BF said "home is where all your stuff is." We're eager to get going with move out plans, but tonight we're just relaxing.
So after a week of eating great food I'm terrified to step on the scale tomorrow morning. I actually feel like I look bigger, I'm really scared that I'm back in the 170's. Either way, that number ain't gonna be pretty, but I will deal with it by focusing on my health. I've pledged to myself to count calories strictly and to exercise up a storm. My 10K is very soon so it won't be hard to motivate myself. The calorie counting is going to be tough, I stop and start depending on my mood, but it's time to get serious. I'm looking in the mirror and seeing my face get bigger and I HATE that.
Knowing I'm just around the corner from living in my own place too is inspiration to start now so it won't be such a shock when we arrive. Either way, this challenge is going to be interesting, because I know I mean well saying all this now but moving is stressful so I know I'll struggle to stay on plan.
Wish me luck!
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thebakingmom - Welcome to the challenge! And thank you! Colorado is beautiful, but it just doesn't have the job opportunities for us like Atlanta does.
Dott - Great to see you and thank you! Good luck with finishing the semester, hang in there. I'm sure you can lose those pesky 10 lbs, we're here to help!
Congrats on your low! That must feel so good. 
it's the furthest I have ran in a very long while - the last 1.5km was tough, but feeling good today afterwards 
Ugh moving is so stressful though, but at least time you'll be moving within a country instead of to a whole new one! 