The Winter Solstice Challenge
 

The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year, and means just 6 months before bikini season arrives. While you'll never, ever catch me in a bikini, I'd certainly like to be at goal by the time summer arrives. How about you? Now is the perfect time to start getting on the stick and making those goals that will put us in good shape for summer.

Choose a measurement goal, a weight goal, a clothes size goal, or whatever goal you'd like to make by December 21. This challenge encompasses a major American holiday, Thanksgiving, and for those of us who celebrate Christmas, December is the season for holiday parties. So be sure to plan for those as you make your goals.

My goal: I would like to be able to wear my size 10 jeans in public by December 21.

I've been planning and working at losing a total of 20 pounds by Dec 4th (major christmas party), so far I'm down 5 pounds. But I'd like to keep that going! I believe it would take me down to a size 16, which would also increase my wardrobe (I have a huge huge box of size 14-16 clothes, not to mention a HUGER box of size 8-10 clothes). I'm thinking I might have to low carb it (I have issues with sugar and wheat) to make that goal, because I just can't with eating so many carbs. IBS is a pain. Anyways, to recap, my goal is to lose 15 pounds by Dec 4th!

-Aimee

I'M IN, I'M IN! The REAL Thanksgiving was a few weeks ago :devil:, so I just have all the "festive parties" (as the PC call them) to fret about. I'll never wear a bikini again either, and I don't want to be overly ambitious only to disappoint myself, so my goal will be to lose one pound each and every week from now to December 21, 2004 (someone please do the math and let me know how much I will be losing?). There, I've commited to it. :smug: I guess I'd better sign up for the November points challenge too. May as well be accountable to as many as possible. :lol: So, the challenge commences as of....now?

As for goal, I want it by March 10 (the day I leave for Russia) - so after this current challenge I might start a "Russian to lose with Jill" challenge. :D

The real Thanksgiving is coming up :devil: and I was thinking we should have a challange to get us through the holidays. So I'm in. My new goal is to be 325 by New Years day. So I guess for the 21st I'll go for 21 lbs.

You beat me to it! I started a Turkey Challange last night, but the computer crashed before I could post it.

Here's my goals

1) lose 12 pounds by thanksgiving
2) lose 10 by Dec. 21
3) get the momentum back in exercising. Since the cold set in, I am having a hard time staying motivated. I didn't walk today. It was so much easier to snuggle under the blankies.

Thanksgiving Challange Slogan? To Gobble, or not to Gobble, that is the question!

Hey Howie,

Love the new pic! You're looking younger and younger!

Im going for a 15 lb loss by the 21st. I am so bad around the holidays and this year on top of it we are moving so Im sure the added stress will do nothing for my waistline. So I definately need this challange. Soooo My goal is to be 290 by 12/21. Hey Ill be out of the 3's forever!

I'm going to go for 205, although onderland would be quite nice, I'm going to go for that ultimately, but 205 would be fabulous.

I would LOVE to be at ultimate goal of 130. I gained a little (5 lbs more/less) so I've got a good 22 lbs or so to go to ultimate goal. I'm Definitely in!

I've got to get back into the groove here.. I am definitely in a lull right now!

I've been wondering how you were doing Gretchen. You have not been around much lately. Don't let the small set back get to you. You will wipe that out in no time. You have done fantastic and will continue.

Shelly someone else told me yesterday that I was looking younger. That will really burn Kimberley. Everyone has always guessed me younger than her. We are both 37.

Count me in! And I LOVE the idea of a Winter Solstice Challenge, Sheila! Thanks for starting it!

As of today, I'm 213, so I'm aiming for 199 -- yep, Onederland! :hyper:

Ok, I'm in too. I'm going to go with a goal of 20 pounds by December 21. A little extra motivation to get me through the holidays is exactly what I need. Great idea.

310/289/165

Since I've been plateauing and gaining some I'd like to lose 10 pounds or so and get down to 250.

Oh yeah, and Jill, you're losing 7-8 pounds. Congratulations in advance! ;)

OK, I want in, too. My first goal is a weight one. By December 21, I would like to be at 210, for a loss of 15 pounds, 55 overall. That will require hopping off my current plateau for starters, but I am pretty sure I can make 210. Of course, I would prefer to be at Onederland by the end of the year but don't want to set myself up for failure, especially given the holidays.

My second goal is a less tangible one related to the holidays. Christmas is not much of a challenge for me, since hubby and I only lightly celebrate it, but Thanksgiving is ALL ABOUT THE FOOD for my family. My goals, therefore, are to a) keep the eating sensible and 2) keep up my exercise while I'm home. I'd love to get my mom walking with me; she's pretty sedentary, and I think a little exercise would help her both physically and emotionally.

Thanks for getting this challenge up and running. We're off...!

I'm in for 20 pounds! Good idea, Sheila! I already have a standing goal of 240 by my birthday (12/27), but two goals are better than one...

i'm in too
 

all i want is to be at or below my first 10% which is 245. if i make it to pre pregnancy weight of 242 (with my daughter) that will be even greater!

I took measurments the other day, and it would be cool to get the waist one to change a little bit.

Small, but satisfying. :)

Also, to keep myself working out regularly.

I've never done one of the challenge things before ~ I'm not good at knowing how to choose a goal weight and what is a reasonable time to do it in. I mess it up and end up feeling like I've failed one more time. So, my challenge to myself is a less tangible one. I want to make it through the hollidays ~ participate in the different celebrations that happen ~ eat keeping mindful of portion sizes, and not have a binge because of it. Participate and get right back on track.

Glynne, that sounds like a great goal! And I know you can do it! :)

Excellent I'm in.
 

Well I've been reading your challenges and have been well and truly motivated to participate!!!!! Go for it - that's what I say!!!

I'm joining the 14 pounds theme and going for being 184 by 21st!!!! Father Christmas won't recognise me, so I may go to bed on Christmas Eve with a few pillows stuffed up my pajamas just in case!
:hat: :hat: :hat: :hat: Here's to the best challenge achievement so far!

My goal is to stay with in my WW points (24) and to do upper body workouts til my knee is better. I would like to lose 10 lbs. I hope for more but I'm not sure what I can do since my knee is out. I'm hoping that with the upper body workout and diet I can lose 10.
Mez

I've also never done a 100lb club challenge before - but I'm in! I need a kick up the butt because i have done the math and worked out that I need to lose 7lb every month for the next 17 months, if I want to be 140lb by March 2006 - which is when i am getting married (or thereabouts).

I will aim to lose 14lb (1 stone), which is just about right to keep to my monthly goals.

Love Amanda x

I'm going for the minimum goal of one pound per week. I'm working on my achilles heel of abandoning the sweet taste of sugar. My real goal is to have a sugar free diet by Dec. 21. But I want to be at 325 by then as well.

Alright - so far, so good. For one thing, I made it through Halloween unscathed. The secret was to find "shell-outs" that I'd have no desire to dip into between visits from the li'l monsters. It was a difficult task at first, as anything of a chocolate nature was out (ditto chips, cheesies and the like). I was almost at my wit's end and considered handing out sardines when I remembered an intense dislike for "sours" and "gummies". And so my treat basket was filled with packets of "Cherry Blasters", "Gummi Bears" and "Sour Worms". Whew.....close call. :D

Making it through a weekend is a big deal for me. Weekdays are a breeze - I'm into a good routine food and exercise-wise and usually lose my safe Weight Watchers 1-2 lbs. a week, only to gain it back over my unstructured weekends. I think I've lost and gained the same single pound every week since June, which, in a yo-yoish way, is a warped form of maintenance, I guess. However, seeing as I'm 25lbs. from goal, its not an ideal situation. I just know if I can string together a few good weekends (like I did for two years for heaven's sake) it'll all be good. Challenge indeed - bring it on!! :smug:

Originally Posted by Jillegal:
For one thing, I made it through Halloween unscathed.

Me too! :) I was dumb enough to buy chocolate for the kids this year, but didn't eat any of it. That's huge for me!!! In my past life, I could polish of a bag of Halloween candy before I acknowledged what I was doing (it didn't even have to be Halloween :ink: )... I'm down 1.5 pounds for my 20 pound challenge-- that's the upside of starting a challenge while teetering on the back edge of a plateau. But I'll take it any way I can get it!

Best of luck to everyone on your chosen goals. I have learned so much from all of you. Thank you for the inspiration! Your successes make me want to be successful too!

I'm in on this one as well. The october challange is the first that I have made it through so I need the extra motivation to get me through the holidays.

Ok my goal is to loose 15lbs by Dec. 21

Good luck all!

Can I tell you how much I love that we called it Solstice Challenge? Not that I'm super PC or anything - but Christmas brings up a world of grumpiness for me (I have trouble with this holiday, Bah humbug). (I'm sure I could dig up my rant on the winter holidays from last year...)

By Solstice, I'd like to be 235. That's a lot for me but I'm really got gusto this month and I'm hoping it will carry all the way until... May. :)

Originally Posted by Goddess Jessica:
Can I tell you how much I love that we called it Solstice Challenge?

Amen! I think it's WONDERFUL!! Thank you again, Sheila!

Originally Posted by Goddess Jessica:
By Solstice, I'd like to be 235. That's a lot for me but I'm really got gusto this month and I'm hoping it will carry all the way until... May. :)

Jessica, it's ambitious but doable, with great focus and singlemindedness of purpose. :s: I'm here for you, babe, if you need any support at all. Just name it! Go, YOU! :hyper:

Well I had a successful first day back on track - I've stuck to my daily menu plan and went swimming for the first time in a month, so I'm pleased with that.

Love Amanda x

I'm game for the challenge. I would like to lose an ambitious 30 pounds by the 21st.

V

Welcome to the challenge, Vivian! 30 pounds in 50 days?? Wow, that's 4.2 pounds per week.....at the risk of TOTALLY overstepping my bounds, I feel like saying that I'm fearing a teensy bit for your muscle tissue! When you lose weight that quickly, you run the risk of losing a lot of lean muscle, and that not only makes you look flabbier while still being lighter on the scale, it also slows down your metabolism. I'm so sorry to jump on you.... :^: I mean well, I really, really do. Just want to help. :)

Whatever you decide I'll cheer you on though! :cp: Again, BIGtime congratulations on the 18 pounds you lost during your first month! You go, girl!

I'm going to also add for my solstice goal to do 85 miles from now until then (I'm shooting for 50 miles in November)

Originally Posted by vivian10:
Thanks for the concern Sarah. Feel free to jump away...I love your personality on here as I read the threads. Yes...I know 30 is a stretch, but I will be working out 2x a day to hopefully avoid muscle loss. I am at 290 now and can drop to the 70's quite easily as I tend to hover at that weight, so the last 12 pounds will be the more substantive weight.

Gotcha. You go, knowing your body and putting a plan in place. :yes: And you even love my personality?? Well, I think you're a FABULOUS addition to the group, yes indeed! :lol:

Seriously, I'm glad you're aware of what is achievable and why -- sounds like you're well along the way on your learning curve, Ms. Vivian.

And AGAIN, seriously, you're a great addition to our group. :goodvibes

I don't know about the rest of you, but I awoke to snow this morning. :( Seems like an ideal time for a winter solstice challenge update. How's everyone doing?

I'm doing good over all. I had some miner set backs this past weekend but I'm right back on track for 328 by the 21st.

Excellent news Howie!
Well I'm 1 down and 13 to go!

I've had a couple of wobbly days foodwise (PMS :rollpin: :rollpin: :rollpin: ) - but I did go swimming 4 times last week, cycled once and went for 2 walks. So it could have been better, but it could have been MUCH worse also!

Love Amanda x

Down 4.5...only 9 more to go. Looks like I'll finally meet one of these challenges :D

Great Dawnyal!