I can't weight to start a mini challenge. The water challenge would probably be the most difficult (For some reason I hate water) but I would be willing to give it a shot!!

1. What would you like us to call you? My name Is Mary Ann, or you can call me by my user name; I will answer to either.

2. What eating plan are you using? Counting calories

3. What do you do for exercise? Walking but I want to step up my exercise a little, challenge myself.

4. What is one area you struggle with? Finding time to exercise and plan meals. I have three children ages, 6, 4 and 2 and I work full time so things get hectic and its so easy to get fast food, or find a quick snack rather then sitting down and eating a healthy meal.

5. Tell us something about yourself that you are most proud of...and it cant be kids or family. I am proud that although I have a family, and a full time job, I am also going to school. Its hard to juggle so many things but somehow I am doing it and have been for over a year now. :-)

6. Where are you from? Originally Ocean City, Maryland but now live in Pasadena Maryland

7. What is your FS4 challenge goal? To lose 15 - 20 lbs __________________

1. What would you like us to call you? Kim or Azure are fine.

2. What eating plan are you using? Atkins!

3. What do you do for exercise? Now that I'm back at school, I'm planning on at least 20 min of activity daily. Tues/Thurs I take a Cardio Kickboxing class at the gym for an hour. Mon/Wed/Fri I'm trying to get to the gym to lift weights and do HIIT.

4. What is one area you struggle with? I have two. Exercise and staying on plan with my diet for more than four or five days at a time

5. Tell us something about yourself that you are most proud of...and it cant be kids or family. My GPA is 3.9 and I'll be graduating with my B.A. in the Spring (if I maintain my GPA, I'll graduate Manga Cum Laude!). I'm also applying to Grad. Schools this winter...so by Spring I'll also know if/where I'll be going to get my M.A.!

6. Where are you from? *optional* Massachusetts

7. What is your FS4 challenge goal? The goal is to lose 2 pounds/week. That puts me at my goal (actually 1 pound under goal) by the end of the challenge!

Good morning ladies! I had a pretty bad weekend eating-wise, but excellent weekend exercise-wise. I have such a hard time staying OP when I'm around friends, I think its because if everyone wants to go out to a restaurant, I neither want to miss out on social time, or make everyone go somewhere I want to go (ie..healthy!). Ugggh. At least my friends like to do physical activity. Well now that i'm back to my work week, I should be able to avoid a lot of that. Going for a walk tonight.

I'm so inspired by all of you ladies that have many responsibilities like children, school, AND work! you guys are awesome for keeping up w/exercise and healthy eating! I have a hard time just keeping up with myself because i have 2 PT jobs! Luckly that will be changing in about a week and a half, i'm switchin to just one job, which will become full time,horay!

I hope everyone has a healthy Monday

Oh, and my HALLOWEEN mini-challenge will be hitting 160 or lower!

Felt great to get the work out in - but now ready to drop - headed off for a much needed nap! Great idea tina on jotting names down - feel like theres no way to remember all the names (I'm dreadful at remembering anything but u/n's) . . . I tried to Post in blue too - but wouldn't work(???) Need a new battery for my pedometer - back when it was working I'd shoot for over 10,000 steps - I'm ready for a mini-challenge as soon as I get it working. Here's my questionnaire answers - cya all around 3am:

1. What would you like us to call you?
aud

2. What eating plan are you using?
Atkins

3. What do you do for exercise?
Circuit weights/walking and adding pilates & swimming

4. What is one area you struggle with?
Balance. Balancing work with home life. Balancing food and exercise.

5. Tell us something about yourself that you are most proud of...and it cant be kids or family. I've been elected twice as a union official - by landslides!

6. Where are you from? MO

7. What is your FS4 challenge goal? Not sure yet . . . I've got a lofty goal for Halloween - 23lbs - so I'll see where I'm at then. Mainly, I want to continue to be OP and keep up the exercise. I also want to consider this whole process as a way of life and not a "diet," ya know?

1. What would you like us to call you? Christine

2. What eating plan are you using? Slim Fast Optima plan

3. What do you do for exercise? 30 min jogging 3 times a week, lifting 3 times a week, ab workout 6 times a week, and I also play college volleyball and basketball.

4. What is one area you struggle with? My scedule changes constantly and I have a hard time adapting to changes. I'm also a recovering binge eater.

5. Tell us something about yourself that you are most proud of...and it cant be kids or family. I most proud of losing close to 50 poinds to date.

6. Where are you from? Buffalo, NY

7. What is your FS4 challenge goal? 179

Morning everyone!

My Hot by Halloween Goal is to be under 190lbs... I can't wait to kiss the 190s goodbye and good riddance!

I found a neat tool online yesterday to help with water. If you use google services, you can add neat widgets to your personal google page (www.google.com/ig). I have two different weight trackers and a water tracker, and they are sooo helpful!

Chelle,
Unless you're messing up your SSN, they won't mess up your taxes. You're more likely to run into problems if you don't change everything over at roughly the same time, say within a month or 6 weeks of starting the process. It's weird. I went from an 11-letter maiden name to a 4-letter married name - it's AWESOME! LOL.
Gearing up for lunch here, looks like I will be walking - kinda gloomy out but not actually raining!
Kim

Hey Blue team!!

1. What would you like us to call you? Dea

2. What eating plan are you using? portion control, healthier choices

3. What do you do for exercise? walking, jogging, biking and Turbo Jam

4. What is one area you struggle with? breads/pasta!!

5. Tell us something about yourself that you are most proud of...and it cant be kids or family. The 36 pounds that I have worked to get rid off!

6. Where are you from? *optional* Ontario, Canada

7. What is your FS4 challenge goal? I am going to carry over my exercise goal of 1200 minutes, and 9 lbs loss for this month from 'chicks up for a challenge' thread.

I started the week out with a good loss....thanks to the flu bug that kept me from eating for two days. I am sure some of that weight will re-appear now that I am able to eat again (hooray!!) I can also exercise again...which I missed alot!
So, here we go blue team.....looking forward to sharing the journey

Hi Bluesies! I'm really looking forward to getting to know each of you and getting healthier and sexier together! I'm 42 years old,a wife of 14 years and Mom to two daughters (11 and 7) and three little ankle biters. I telecommute from home for a "major healthcare administrator." I've been overweight all of my life and finally reached my 'aha moment' in January. I've been diagnosed with insulin resistance and I'm had the fun experience of instant menopause in October 05. I only mention this to encourage other women.....losing weight can still be done! Since then, I've lost 27 pounds and I'm looking forward to losing 27 more with my team. Go Blue!



1. What would you like us to call you? You can call me sweetheart....nah! Just kidding. Rhonda works...some people just call me GGS.

2. What eating plan are you using? Southbeach and calorie counting...between 1600-1800 calories a day.

3. What do you do for exercise? Hmmm...havent been exercising, so nothing yet would be the right answer. I do have a treadmill, so my goal is 60 minutes of walking a day and resistance band training three times a week.

4. What is one area you struggle with? Emotional eating...life just has a way of getting in the way sometimes! And, I don't get enough sleep which causes me to head for the kitchen for some "energy" to help me get through my day.

5. Tell us something about yourself that you are most proud of...and it cant be kids or family. I'm not really afraid of anything (except big dogs!)....I like to speak in front of an audience and I like to facilitate meetings at work.
6. Where are you from? *optional* Dad was Air Force, but we settled in Florida. I just recently moved to Georgia with Hubby and the girls.
7. What is your FS4 challenge goal? I'd like to reach One-derland this year.

Cool! My Hot for Halloween Goal is 218. Hopefully more gone but at least that!

And since you all brought up the subject, my maiden name was 10 letters, married one is 5, love mine too. LOL.
And also made my first and last initial the same. Now I'm SRS instead of SRR. My Ss are prettier than my Rs ever were too.
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Also, I wanted to share this with you all. I go to the website for Dr. Norman Vincent Peale every day. I love positive thinking. Here is today's quote:
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Tip of the Day
Monday, September 10, 2007

Look for the good in yourself. Stop putting yourself down. Wipe away thoughts of failures and memories of mistakes. See yourself as the competent and worthwhile person you really are. When you feel good about yourself, you'll begin to feel good about everything else.

Ok you guys we have to step up on our chats!

Red team has almost twice the posts on theirs! I don't want them beating us at anything!

Please come and post to say hello once a day or even 3 times a week.

Just takes a minute or two and it'll be worth it. You will feel more connected with the group and feel all the more encouraged after reading what others are going through, etc.

Have a Happy Monday Blue teamers!!

1. What would you like us to call you? Cathy

2. What eating plan are you using? WW flex

3. What do you do for exercise? walk outdoors, WATP & TBL workouts

4. What is one area you struggle with? night time snacking

5. Tell us something about yourself that you are most proud of...and it cant be kids or family. I quit smoking in March of this year, breaking a 29yr habit

6. Where are you from? *optional* Texas, but live in Michigan

7. What is your FS4 challenge goal? To drop 30lbs by the end of it.

A little more on me, I'll be 44 at the end of the month, mom to 2 boys ages 9 & 11, been married for 15yrs to a great guy. I subcontract work for him brushcoating basement walls, which is pretty slow right now, even with the other builder who I did work for this summer. I love to cross stitch which I do have a project that I've neglected over summer, so I'll be doing that to help with my night time snacking.
I love these challenges, Thanks so much Chelle for doing all that you do!!!!
My Hot for Halloween goal will be to be at 230.
I look forward to getting to know everyone!!
LET'S GO BLUE!!

Hi, Rhonda. This is Ronda. I just thought it very coincidental that I also telecommute for a healthcare administrator. Oh, and we are the same age. Weird. You just spell your name wrong. lol

Hello everyone! My Halloween goal will be to lose 10 lbs (so to be down to 197), though I would be happy to get back down to under 200!

1. What would you like us to call you? Charity

2. What eating plan are you using? Weight Watchers - Flex Plan

3. What do you do for exercise? Not much right now, I am so busy! But, I am trying to get back to my old routine, which included running, the FIRM, and some biking.

4. What is one area you struggle with? If I have to name only one, going out to eat!!! This is where I gain most of my weight!

5. Tell us something about yourself that you are most proud of...and it cant be kids or family. That I am finally making progress on my dissertation and that I have lost over 60 lbs. thus far.

6. Where are you from? Originally from KY, but am living in IN now.

7. What is your FS4 challenge goal? 185 (-22 lbs!)

Hi ladies...just finished my walk/jog.....and I jogged further tonight than I have ever jogged (as far back as I can remember!!) Every minuted counts!!
have a great tomorrow everyone!!