The calm before the storm (NYE rush on 3FC)
 

For those of you who are new to 3FC, you may not know that the forum floods in January with new people and new energy and new commitment. It is a FANTASTIC time to join/rejoin 3FC and there are lots of new friends to be made and inspiration around every corner. It's tough to keep up with the posts but it's well worth it.

The newness of the New Year's resolutions starts to wear off in March and the boards tend to quiet down. For me, it's a time when I can easily give up on my weight loss commitments and give in to inertia.

As I have said before, promises aren't worth much without actions. Resolutions aren't worth much unless you have a plan to back them up.

For me, this means that I need to put in place some support systems so that I don't lose momentum!

Here's what I've done:
1) Started a Sunday cycling group with my friends to take a long bike ride to a place for brunch. Adding friends and fun adventures with my weekend exercise means I am more likely to continue it once the "do more exercise" element wears off.

2) Signed up for a class with my university to track and improve my exercise throughout the quarter. This will allow me to establish myself with a program that forces me to continue into March.

3) Recommitted to WeightWatchers so I can track my progress.

What are YOU going to do to make sure your momentum carries you into 2010?

I've not been around in January but hopefully the wave of enthusiasm will have a positive impact on me.

What am I doing? I'm springing for a wii fit to add in some exercise.

What a great post! I'm going to have to think about it.

1. The best thing I've done (I think) is to have made a one year commitment to myself. To keep it...maybe I need to get a special calendar and some special stickers for each day. I bet I can print out a calendar from somewhere online so that it's all one page. Maybe I can add those tiny little star stickers teachers love.

2. Maybe I'll call up my best friend and make her my "commitment buddy". She wants to get more active also. Maybe I'll get some ideas from this thread as to how to keep each other accountable.

Wow, thanks for this! I've only been here since July so I didn't know until I read this that there'd be an influx in January - although of course it stands to reason :)

I will spend the New Year's Week SCOURING ads for sales on "get fit in 2010" promos. I'm REALLY hoping for some "buy one, get one" for dumbbells, kettlebells and anything else I use regularly.

I also signed up for the 21 day vegan challenge with my cousin. Even though I almost passed when I saw the provider was obviously affiliated with PETA. I'm not interested in becoming vegan (I'm veggie-based now) but I think that it will be a fun and interesting thing to do - not to mention shake things up.

I am starting the Wendy Chant lifestyle plan and I am joining the Spring Biggest Loser Challenge here! Also, I am doing the Walk Away the Pounds DVD on very cold days and other days....walking outside. I am hoping that by Jan of 2011 I wont have to make a resolution to lose weight. I am hoping 2010 will take care of that and I can maintain it forever .....those are my goals....Thanks for this post! :carrot:

I'm just returning to the site after having baby number 2 in as many years. My weight has not suffered (I weigh about 30 lbs less than I did when I got pregnant with my first), but I have not made much progress. I'm still pondering what greater changes, but I'm definitely working on it. I'm not quite 3 weeks post-partum and haven't gotten the ok for heavy exercise, but I defintely have to figure out something to get moving regularly. Having two small children should make things more interesting, but nothing is impossible.

I'm going to sign up for my Y's weight loss challenge the top prize is one year free memberships! I actually think the New Year will revive. The holidays and temptation will be gone for me and I can focus 100% again on my weightloss. I started here after the rush so I look forward to all the new posts and sharing my newfound wisdom! Here's to a great year!

I wondered what happened after the 1st of the year with all the Holiday gaining weight and new years resolutions. I plan to get more dedicated to exercise and to continue my weight loss.

lol yes indeed it gets busy here with all of the new people :)

My biggest thing for next year is running my first 10k on the Saturday before Easter. So I've been training for that!

I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing! My resolution this year is to be more social and put the fact that I'm feeling better about myself to good use.

The new years resolutioners who vanish break my heart. So many people who are so gung ho about this being THE year, how they have no more excuses, how they can't live like this anymore - story after story that sounds JUST like you have felt more times than you care to remember.

And then they start disappearing after a few months (as I have from 3FC a couple of times before this) and you wonder how they are doing, will they ever tackle this, will YOU ever tackle this, and how is it possible that we can feel so desperate and still give up on ourselves time and time again despite being smart, competent, determined individuals.

The bright spot is that there are always a few who go the distance. And if we can help each other to be yet another one of those people who makes it, then it's all worth it.

Haha go figure! I STARTED losing weight this March.
Well I'm almost at goal now, and not going anywhere soon. ^_^
To make sure my momentum carries over, I'm going to keep reminding myself that this is a COMMITMENT, and I'm sticking to it whether I feel like it or not. I'll thank myself in the long run. Motivation is far too fickle to rely on.

I was thinking about how crazy it is going to get soon. I know that I'll be using the boards more in the wake of holiday madness, so I don't know what I'm surprised that other people will be doing the same. I'm kinda looking forward to it :)
My plans:
i set aside time in my daily schedule for working-out in my Winter/Spring schedule rather than just attempting to fit it in whenever. I do need to find a new work out buddy since mine is moving :(

I'm spending the post-holiday time to try and find more quick/easy recipes to start moving away from eating so many Smart Ones

I don't have special tactics, but don't think of my weight losing as a new year resolution, it's a whole year commitment instead. I bought the agenda and all. :lol:

I found that the key is not to weigh myself down with complicated systems and logging, so it becomes much more sustainable in the long run.

I've been around here for years...I first joined when I was actually gaining weight as sort of a desperation thing to try to stop myself.... That didn't work and I gained a lot of weight while I was in an unhealthy relationship for three years. I lurked for a while off and on. I got out of the unhealthy relationship and have s l o w l y been losing weight ever since. In 2009, I think I lost 16-20 pounds. My resolution was to at least get down to 199, but I failed and feel pretty bad about it. I guess I just need to be thankful that I have maintained. However, my other main goal for 2009 was to NOT GIVE UP, and I haven't. But, my goal for 2010 is to LOSE THE REST OF THE WEIGHT! I just want to be done already! I will do it by:

1. Exercising Regularly (using my treadmill, the new Wii Fit Plus I am getting for Christmas, and going for walks outside).
2. Eating more fruits and veggies.
3. Keeping track of my calories and adjusting my intake as I need to.

Thanks for this thread. I needed it. :D

I'm one of those "New Year Resolutioners" who didn't give up! I think my first post was in early January of this year. The difference for this resolution (as opposed to all the others over the years) was the fact that I threw myself into 3FC.

My resolution for next year will be to simply keep on track. I would love to also sign up for a 5k; I wanted to do that this year but had difficulties with asthma. That seems to be under control for now, so my plan is to start hitting the gym again after the New Year. My close friend at work has also joined the gym and she prefers to attend classes, so I will try to hit some Body Pump with her.

I'd really like to lose another 10 pounds and then re-evaluate. So those are my goals: Body Pump with my co-worker, lose that last 10 pounds, and sign up for a 5K.

Ok, to keep me here and to keep me motivated, I just entered a bunch of mini goals into my signature. I love reading everyone else's. I also changed my ticker to reflect my mini goals so I'd have the satisfaction of seeing the goal character closer to goal.

Anything to keep us going, right? :p

Oooh, that reminds me - I want to sit down and come up with some cool mini-goals. I'll try and find time to do that today.

I started my journey jan 27th of 08. I am not at goal but I am proud of my accomplishments. I am planning on being at goal by the end of 2010. I will continue on this journey and continue using the healthy habits I have made ...this is for life!!

I will not give up next year because I have this board to visit and keep me motivated. I will not give up next year because I am joining weight watchers and going to weekly meetings. I think the social interaction and accountability of weighing in weekly help keep me on track. I will not stop exercising this year because I am working on making it a habit like brushing teeth. I will see you all on the same thread Dec 2010! :hug:

I'm just trying to do all that I can to lose some weight before 2010. I think it would boost my confidence to continue losing weight next year. I have this mental thing that says if I can do it now then I can do it any time. I think I still have a fear of failing and I'm trying to work through that. Not sure I'll be able to buy anything, but I am trying to read all I can about healthy eating on a budget... because we're trying to save up money to move into a house & pay off debt, and then I might try and find a compact treadmill or elliptical.

I've been there! It doesn't have to cost money to lose weight. Convenience dieting is easier and cheaper, but that doesn't mean it can't be done on a budget. You can make "Lean Cuisine" style meals yourself, for instance, and walking is a great activity. Also, a really terrific exercise is walking up and down the stairs, back and forth. In fact, it's such great exercise, I suggest taking it slow because I killed my legs doing that once. But up and down the stairs 10 times is a great cardio workout as well as a muscle building exercise. No machine necessary.

Good idea about the stairs. I live on the first floor of our apt complex, but the apt above us is empty, so maybe I could climb those stairs. The weather is perfect for that right now if Florida! Not so much in the summertime though.

I guess my new years resolution is to take every day at a time and focus on doing the right things for my plan. Foregoing the cookie and having an apple. I'm not even going to focus on the numbers as much, like I want to lose X amount by X time, although I do have such goals in place to give me something to aim towards.

That is just the neatest idea. Makes me wish my sister and I had bicycles.

i have signed up for the spring biggest loser challenge, and i'm running in several races that I have to register for in January.

I am getting a bicycle for Christmas with a big basket on it. I am planning to start riding to the grocery store in addition to my normal running routine. I am also deciding on which strength building activity I am going to begin. I am considering kickboxing and yoga as they both appeal to me. I know people here talk alot about weights but honestly, it just does not appeal to me on any level.

I've signed up for another advanced swimming class on Sundays at the local Community College, which begins in mid-January. I'm still working on being able to do consecutive laps without resting in between.

I'm going to continue with Pilates classes, when possible, and I want to give yoga another try.

The gyms are another place with a big rush starting in January! Right now, the place is fairly slow since people are out shopping and otherwise occupied with holiday stuff.

My plans for 2010 are to keep on track with my eating habits, including logging my food. I also put together a training program for the half marathon in March which will take me from December 28th up to the day of the race. Then I will tweak it a bit to train for the Iron Girl triathlon, which takes place 14 weeks later. That will take me up to the end of June and then I'll have to put some new goals in place for the latter half of the year.

I would love to hit 250 pounds by December 31st but don't know if that's going to happen. And I would love to be at goal (currently 160 pounds) by 2011!

Julie -- Thanks! Our first ride is on January 3rd and we've already got a few of us going, I've planned AND mapped the route and sent everyone the plans for January 10th & 17th! I'm a little excited about it, can you tell? :) I have some bike friends that organize competitive rides but it means some of us slower bikes are left out. This seemed like a good compromise. And the first two rides are to restaurants along the beach.

LitChick - That is a fabulous idea that I am going to steal -- booking race dates throughout the year to train towards. I already booked a bike race in March but I'd love to do an Olympic Tri this year....

Ah, yes the gym in January. I resolve not to grumble tooooo much about having to wait for machines. Be nice to the new folks, Nada, some of them might stick around.

I rejoined WW about a month ago. Might as well make it to goal weight in 2010! So near and yet so far!

I'm signing up today for a race at midnight Dec 31th! 3.5 miles. I'm not worried about the distance ---I'm worried about running at midnight, hoping adrenaline will keep me awake!!

Work on doing a real push-up.

I'm thinking of joining a gym eventually, maybe 1/3 way to goal, but I'd like it not to be too hectic. When/ what month would you guys advise me to join then? :lol:

Wow, Nada! I am doing a 5K (3.1 miles) on New Year's Day - but it's not til noon, so I have time for a midnight toast and still sleep in a bit. I give you major props for running at midnight! :cp:

Symmetry, I would say go to a gym or two in your area during the time(s) when you'd be going and see what the activity is like. You may find it's not that bad even in January.

Hey! I'm in San Diego (and we've gone cycling before, actually, around Mission Bay). Are you accepting more people into your sunday cycling group? I'd love to join! I'm very bad at hills, and there's a lot of those here. :^:

Symmetry: I think LitChick has the right idea. If you have friends that have joined the gym, they can usually get you in for free so you can check it out.

Thanks for this post! As someone who just came back after a almost 9 month hiatus binge fest and 30lb+ weight gain...I can say, I plan on continuing the great non-weight loss things I've accomplished this year: being kinder to myself (not including treating with food), encourage my new friends and boyfriend to get healthy with me, track my eating.

I also keyed in on a few things about myself as I sat here re-committing. I have just traded old addictions/ compulsions (alcohol, drugs, sex) for a more socially acceptable one: food! I started last night and will continue to acknowledge that I am an all around addict and seek treatment for it via online Overeaters Annonymous support.

Here's to finally getting a grip in 2010!

Newbie here - after lurking for a bit, I decided to go ahead and beat the New Years Rush!

Looking forward to learning my way around, meeting everyone and sharing support!

Thank you! That was very good information and inspiring!

My #1 thing is to get a treadmill in the next few weeks. So I can continue to walk/jog and improve my distance and times.

Hello! I'm new here too with the NYD rush! I've been trying to diet all year though. Nice to meet you all! :hug: