On reflection, I decided to revise my goal weight down another 5, and to put the ticker back on my signature. I'm going to need the numbers in front of me through the holidays!

dancer, thanks for the ideas on the pre-eating - I've had good results with those methods in the recent past. I'll be more aggressive about driving the lunch locations after this next week - arrangements are made, and it is what it is. :)

Funny, I hit goal - bounced back up - and now it's like I'm back in challenge mode to hit Halloween numbers again. I peaked too soon! :lol:

My family came out to visit for a wedding and I have been off plan since that and have gained 4 pounds :-(

Time to get back on my plan.

I am not going to make my Halloween goal---but look forward to a Thanksgiving goal.

ICU - how did you decide you needed to lose 5 more lbs? I'm shooting for around 145 too - mainly by memory - I remember being happy with the way I looked at that weight but it's hardly a scientific method (and it's well within the BMI normal range which is a plus). I'd be interested in hearing your thought process.

I'm down 2lbs so far this week after a few weeks of holding steady mainly due to travel so my 11/1 goal is still a possibility if I kill it next week. No matter what, I'll be a heck of a lot closer to 160 than I was when we started this - I have to keep reminding myself of that ;)

cheekie - just keep at it! I know I'll be joining the Thanksgiving Challenge, and the Christmas Challenge and the New Year Challenge, and the MLK Day Challenge ... lol!

Dancer - the revision comes from a couple of different directions. 1) The last couple of pounds I lost (153 down to 150) made a huge difference in my lower belly and inner thighs. I'd really like to see where the next ones are. 2) I want to get further under 150 so that my "redline threshold" for maintenance is 149.5 - it's like the difference between $0.99 and $1, y'know? I want to settle in one decade - it's a mental thing. 3) Since I hit goal I've slacked off more than I want to admit, and I would prefer to have a losing mindset going into the holidays. It's already more difficult than it was because I'm adding muscle from swimming - it very well could take the rest of the year to take off that 5. 4) I think 5 more pounds would put me solidly into a size 8, which is music to my ears!

Hope that helps explain it a bit! Congrats on the whoosh, too! Aren't they just the best?? :D

ICU - Size 8 sounds good to me too - I'm thinking 145 gets me there but we'll see. Thanks for walking me through your thinking -it's always interesting to know how others set their goals. You are just going to be a calorie-burning engine with all of those swimming muscles so you might find it easier than you think!

dancer, thanks for the pep talk! You always know the right things to say ... and I can tell from your ticker, you know what you're talkin' about! :hug:

ICU - You are too kind! Now that I'm a little closer to goal, I've been checking out the featherweights thread a bit and saw your comment about another poster getting started on running. Do you run at all or are you an all swimming all the time kind of gal? If you don't, I would think you would love it - the runners' highs are incredible and it completely reshapes your legs.

Ok, guys - this thread is getting on the quiet side and we just have a few more days until Halloween! Maybe we need a quick check in on results so far.

I'll start - I was 170 when we kicked off this thread after labor day and I'm 162.5 as of this past weekend. My original goal was to be 160 by Halloween (really 11/1) so I'm pushing it to try to make it but we'll see.

How's everyone else doing?

So this is where all the regulars are..... guess I should have joined in the challenge. What's next Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's? I'm ready, even with a vacation coming up.

I've been kicking butt and plan to continue.

Hiya, CAT! Yes, you most certainly have been kickin' tail. You ask a great question - should we take a poll? Thanksgiving is really, really close - I'd be lucky to drop a pound in that time. Christmas ... quite doable. New Year's - very traditional ... What I need is a challenge for Thanksgiving, and then another IMMEDIATELY following that has a weigh-in on Jan 2. :)

Dancer - I tried running for 5 years when I had shoulder problems that made me stop swimming. I got to a point where I even ran in some 10 mile races. I totally agree - it works VERY well for muscle definition! I just never really enjoyed it. :P I'll have to see if maybe being a lower weight makes it tolerable (or possibly even enjoyable!)

I think this challenge started right after the Labor Day one - and I was around 154-155 then. I was at my lowest, 148.5, on 10/16 - and then started swimming. Today ... 151. I was shooting for 150 for Halloween - and I have no clue whether I'll be there or not. :shrug: It's still all good.

Cat - look at you! you got back to your pre surgery weight and then some, right? Love the new avatar too!

What do you guys think about a Christmas challenge? The timing seems about right.

ICU - if running's not your thing, no biggee. It might be worth another shot, as you mentioned.

I guess I'm going to be a lifelong challenge person. Can't quite seem to stick with the challenges over the long haul. I've been struggling with motivation the last few weeks. I'm up about one lb, but pre-tom, so I'll consider that holding steady.

Had a 3 day vacation...schools closed for h1n1, but still couldn't motivate to exercise.

Where is the lost and found for my motivation? sigh.

ICU and dancer.....thanks for sticking with it and giving me hope. It is such a mind battle.

sukierd - it ebbs and it flows! I'm back in the groove finally, and got things going in the right direction by doing the same thing I did January/Feb this year - I read the goal and mini-goal threads. I looked back through my food logs and saw what I was doing when the weight was coming off. There's a great thread stickied in the Maintainers group called "Relapse!". This site is such an encyclopedia - and when I surround myself with the Chicks, I get caught up in the enthusiasm. Regular (daily!) visits here have been my salvation.

That being said - you have practiced the very difficult stage of Maintenance, and there's nothing to be down about! You're going to spend more time there than in any other place, so take credit for it! Lots of Chicks refuse to get involved in the time-based challenges because not hitting a number by a certain date feels like "failure". It's not ... and holding lost weight off is just a big a victory as losing more. :hug:

Thanksgiving is kind of close and I'll be away from the 12th-28th so looking at maintenance during that time, realistically I probably will gain a few.

Christmas is good but January would be better..... just checked other winter holidays, here is one I've never heard of that I think is fitting, National Freedom Day on February 1st. That is also mine and Mack's anniversary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Freedom_Day

What do you all think?

I'm totally flexible - whatever sounds good to everyone else - I have a feeling I'll be doing back to back challenges for quite a while. There's a slim chance that I'll be getting to goal by Feb/Mar but we'll have to see if things slow down as I get towards the end (which is often what I hear from all you success stories).

suki - totally agree with ICU - maintenance is a great skill to practice and taking a maintenance break is a good way to set yourself up for strong losses when you get back into it. You'll probably think this is weird but cleaning out closets, drawers and cabinets gets me pumped up for sticking to plan the rest of the day - it's like taking charge of the clutter makes me feel like I can take charge of the rest. If that's not your personal trigger, you'll find the one that is. And we'll be here to cheer you on! Looking forward to seeing you in future challenges!

Thanks for the words of motivation chickies. I am glad I'm not gaining a ton right now!

Dancer.......Have you read "Does this clutter make my butt look fat?". It was one of my summer reads and it is exactly about what you are saying...get rid of clutter, lose weight. How did you know I'm a packrat? lol

I think I'll start reading that relapse thread and work my way through the goals pages again. Hopefully I'll stay motivated to not eat too much candy or holiday food.