TBL "Watch Me Bloom" Challenge FAQ
 

Yay! I'm finally getting a free moment to get the FAQ done! A lot of this stuff is going to look familiar but make sure that you go over it once again for good measure. You can never be too careful.

Most of these are coming from the previous challenges I've run so feel free to add new questions. I'll try to post answer them as soon as possible :D

Q: When does the challenge start and when does it end?
A: The challenge starts officially on January 13th and ends on April 5th. I'll start collecting starting weights on January 6th and collect them until January 12th.

Q: Do I have to follow the Biggest Loser Diet plan?
A: No, you can be on whatever diet and exercise plan you are currently practicing or you can start a new one. I can testify that I've been on about 4 different diet plans since I've joined the boards, you try what works and you stick with it.

Q: When will I know what team I'm on? Where will my team post to each other?
A: The teams will be announced on January 12th in the late evening.

Q: Do I have to participate in team discussion and chats?
A: We obviously can not force you to participate. But being on a team means communication and that is key for moving towards a common goal in this challenge. We really are looking for individuals who will check in with their team and participate so we know how you are doing.

Q: I heard a rumor that there won't be any team threads this round. Is that true?
A: Yes, the rumors are true! Because I want to keep a minimalistic approach to this challenge, I'm only going to create (and allow :devil:) one chat thread for all teams. This is because of the sheer amount of drop outs that leave the challenge. Once a team losses so many members, the chat threads go dead. So really this challenge is a test to see if you can keep up with communication which is key.

Q: Where do I weigh in? When do I weigh in? How do I weigh in?
A: Two threads will be created for each team for their weigh ins. You can weigh in any day of the week just as long as it's before the cut off day and time. You can keep any preexisting weigh in days that you may have already in place. For instance I tend to weigh in on Thursdays or Fridays. For others it may be different. There's a specific format that we use to weigh in (see below) and I ask that once you weigh in that you please do not change your weights. You'll simply be editing the same post in your team's weigh in thread every week so it's all based on the honor system.

Q: What is the format? How do I edit the same post?
A: This is the format for this challenge:

Week 1 (1/13 - 1/19):
Week 2 (1/20 - 1/26):
Week 3 (1/27 - 2/2):
Week 4 (2/3 - 2/9):
Week 5 (2/10 - 2/16):
Week 6 (2/17 - 2/23):
Week 7 (2/24 - 3/1):
Week 8 (3/2 - 3/8):
Week 9 (3/9 - 3/15):
Week 10 (3/16 - 3/22):
Week 11 (3/23 - 3/29):
Week 12 (3/30 - 4/5):

Some people also find it helpful to add the weigh in deadlines to their format to help remind them when the last day to weigh in is.

Week 1 (1/13 - 1/19): Monday 1/21
Week 2 (1/20 - 1/26): Monday 1/28
Week 3 (1/27 - 2/2): Monday 2/4
Week 4 (2/3 - 2/9): Monday 2/11
Week 5 (2/10 - 2/16): Monday 2/18
Week 6 (2/17 - 2/23): Monday 2/25
Week 7 (2/24 - 3/1): Monday 3/3
Week 8 (3/2 - 3/8): Monday 3/10
Week 9 (3/9 - 3/15): Monday 3/17
Week 10 (3/16 - 3/22): Monday 3/24
Week 11 (3/23 - 3/29): Monday 3/31
Week 12 (3/30 - 4/5): Monday 4/7

You can copy these formats from here and post it in your teams weigh in thread. You edit your post each week by clicking the edit button on the lower right hand corner of your post and then add your weight for that week then press save.

Q: What is the cutoff time to weigh in?
A: The cutoff time is every Monday following the week of the weigh in and all weights must be recorded on your weigh in post by 11:59 pm EST. After 11:59 pm the team leaders will review the weights and attempt to contact you for a final time. If we don't hear from you we'll have to take action. This does not apply to the week of January 6th to January 12th.

Q: What holidays are going to be occurring during this challenge?
A: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - January 21st
Ash Wednesday - February 6th
Chinese New Year - February 7th
Valentine's Day - February 14th
President's Day - February 18th
Daylight Savings Begins - March 9th (Be advised that this will affect the weigh in deadline and can not be used as an excuse for a missed weigh in.)
Palm Sunday - March 16th
Good Friday - March 21st
Easter Sunday - March 23rd
Easter Monday (Canada) - March 24th

Q: I notice we are playing during sometime that I'm taking vacation. What can I do to keep from being removed?
A: If for some reason you are taking vacation and are unable to weigh in, you need to let your team leader know ASAP. You have the option to either weigh in early, or you can use a freebie week.

Q: What's a "freebie week"?
A: Freebie weeks are weeks were you either you can't get to the computer or something has come up that you can't weigh in. You have 2 of these for the entire 12 weeks of the challenge. So for instance if you can't weigh in, the leaders use your last weigh in as your weight for the week you miss. Once you use both freebie weeks, and you don't weigh in, you'll be removed from the team.

Q: I noticed there are a lot of side challenges to participate in. Is it required?
A: None of the side challenges are required, but it's encouraged that you participate to help out your team.

Q: How do you determine a winner / winning team?
A: We base everything off of percentage of weight loss just like the show.

Q: Will there be a Black Team this challenge?
A: Yes, there will be a black team in this challenge.

Q: Will there be a team for people that can't make the January 5th deadline?
A: No, while we tried this before with the black team, it is difficult to organize late comers into a challenge and have everyone feel the hearty welcome they deserve.

Q: How do you chose who is on what team?
A: The teams are chosen at random but are placed by weight to make the teams as even as possible to begin the challenge.

Q: Why are you calling this challenge "Watch Me Bloom"?
A: The one thing that I want to incorporate in this challenge is a way to gauge how much people have really lost from beginning to end of the challenge. So I would really like for people to take pictures of themselves from week to week or to take measurements from week to week so they can see how much they are actually losing aside from the weight results. It's very exciting to all of us that watch the show to see how they look at the finale. This is the same concept. (There will be a separate thread created to post these pictures and measurements.)

Again feel free to post any questions that come along and I'll be happy to add them to this list.

:D

Chellez, I LOVE this idea! You rock! I am so excited to see how everyone progresses, on the scales, the measuring tape and in their shapes. :carrot:

Ditto. Excellent, excellent. It might be too much for everyone to load in the siggy, which was the first thing that popped into my mind, but the thread is a great idea! Awesome job.

could we use the picture in the avatar area?

true, some people do a split screen pre/and current avatar already. That would work!

The idea of doing progress pictures is to have a log of all 12 weeks so you can see how you are changing.

By using the avatar area as your only way of displaying your pictures, it kind of eliminates the original idea and just becomes an avatar. While split screen avatars are neat, it makes the picture kind of small so the overall idea may be passed on.

I may need a lesson in how to post photos....never done it before!

I'll have to make a little tutorial for you!

ok i'm in

i'll have my bf take pics of me when we begin so i can have the progress pictures.

i'd like to join the challenge. new to 3fc but not tbl. i like the accountability and the community.
thanks
:woops

Hey sxulcmnky and caligurl1 - make sure you sign up in the sign up thread over here! This thread is just info about the challenge, not the official sign up! Wouldn't want you to miss out!

sxul
Hi, nice to see you. Please make sure you get signed up.

i'm signed up... at least i posted a reply... that means i'm signed up right? just have to wait for the PM to come to me right?

sure did

Coolbeaners!
BTW, my best friend just moved to Alexandria with her new hubby! :)

ohh where at? i've over by the Landmark Mall area... it's more of the 'burb's than Old Town. When i move though i might move to old town... who knows

i just need my own place... no more roommates

Chellez : I would appreciate a lesson on posting pictures to I am clueless heck I don't even know how to get a picture on my computer lol

measurements and pics?
 

I signed up for the TBL. (YEA SO EXCITED) I have no idea how to post pics (help-'k I am a bit computer illiterate) and wanted to know how the measurements would be. I also do the following to keep track: neck, upper arm, elbow, wrist, above bust (under arm to under arm-around), bust, waist, belly,hip, upper thigh, abover knee, knee, calf, and ankle.

If anyone knows, lemme know. And for the pics, what should we wear ie reg clothing or say a bathing suit (yikes!) or tight clothing.

Thanks!

Question: I only have a few pounds left to lose. Can I still participate? I'm concerned that I might mess up a team by not really being able to contribute a lot. Do other featherweights participate?

I believe it is percentage based. Obviously the really, really heavy people have the most to lose and would have higher percentages. I figure though anything that anyone loses is a good thing.

I'd like to be involved if I could.

Thanks,
Belinda

I also signed up,
I don't know how they will have the measurements, but I used to take measurements as a fitness consultant,
we would use 'smallest part' of waste (belly button)
'largest part' of hips and butt
mid thigh & mid arm

Not sure about the rules on pics-
I will be wearing clothing in any picture I put on the internet. I have seen some people post pics without their heads (for those underwear/bathing suit pics), but I will still opt to be wearing clothing.

In the past, when I did comparison pics I just took front view and side view pictures wearing the same clothes every time I took a new picture, which helped to show the differences.

Currently, I am doing measurement comparisons on neck, bicep, forearm, chest, waist, hips, thigh and calf.

Just thought I would throw that out there for ideas!

I would love to have a person who actually lost and kept off even 5 pounds on my team! :carrot:

Chellez,moderator,will set up the threads for pictures and measurements. She is generally very clear. At this point no one knows but her so you haven't missed anything. You could post your questions in the FAQ sticky.

i lived in NC for a couple of years... it's definatly different... i love it down there. Charlotte is BEAUTIFUL! I am from this area and in turned moved home to be closer to family/friends

Yeah I will probably need some help on the posting of pictures as well.

vix
That is where I take my measurements. Only do them once a month lol.

I'm confused now; I don't think I saw the thread by practiceliving about signing up. I just looked for it and didn't find it --
I really would like to do this. I didn't realize last time how important the discussion thread(s) are, so I will be more participatory this time!
And I really like the idea about the weekly pictures!!

It's the thread right underneath this one, spinymouse. It says Sticky in red, then Signups for Biggest... in blue. Click that and just say that you want to join.

Sorry its taking me so long to get a tutorial together.... need to sit down and work on this tonight..... :dizzy:

Picture Posting Tutorial
 

Since it was requested, I made this handy dandy tutorial complete with step by step instructions for 2 methods of posting pictures. Its in pdf format so you'll need to have Adobe Acrobat to view the file. Good news is you can keep it in case you need it for other sections of the forum. :D

Thank you for that!

I am too scared to take pictures!!! :( I will take measurements.....


I know this is the start day for wieghing in....do I PM it or will there be a thread?

Thanks!

ckatgo--Chellez will pm you.

Thanks a bunch

Do we have teams? I haven't received a PM yet to confirm that I'm in the challenge.
I saw the tutorial about pictures. I'm excited!