How is our week 4 dropout rate compared to previous challenges? This challenge starting so close to the New Year could have been a big reason for the dropouts this time around.

Hello ladies and gent!

QOTD: If you could change one thing about the TBL challenge, what would it be? Also, how do you think we should deal with no participating chat members?

I don't know what I would change...my first challenge so... And not really sure how to deal with members not posting...you can't force someone to do something they don't want to do. I personally don't understand joining a challenge and not participating though. But on another note...I probably don't post as much as I probably should and there is a reason for that. I guess I am not feeling much like part of the team and I wonder if others might feel this way. I am NOT whining, or complaining so don't take it that way. But on most days I feel out of place...seems like theres a few who just post to one another and no one else. Also, I feel odd just doing a "me" post because it's about us as a team and not me. I'm not on the computer all day either but I do try to check in every day, sometimes twice a day, except when really busy or sick.

CHELLE...I think you are doing and have done a great job with all this. Kuddos to you missy! There's some things we just can't change and that's people. But I appreciate you and all you do!

Not a lot going on with me today. Getting some laundry done, did 65 minutes of exercise and going to do more. Hubby and I are headed to dinner at Olive Garden this evening, early. Gotta watch that place...it's my fav!

I have a question for the calorie counters - how the heck did you decide on a calorie range? It seems like every calculator I've tried has given me vastly different numbers - anywhere from 1200-2200/day... I'm going to check out the CC forum here, but I'm curious to know what you all aim for too!

zinke - Aw thanks! That habit-forming technique is from a great article on LifeHack called 18 Tricks to Make New Habits Stick. I'm starting today with 30days OP.

Erin - That's really interesting about the weekly loss expectations! Interesting that those studied quit, rather than changing their expectations!

Kelly - Thanks I think you're right that 1lb average would be a reasonable goal! I'll be doing mini-workouts during the BL commercials tonight - pushups, situps, jumping jacks, etc., if you want to join me!

Back from the doc. I have a parasitic infection:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eosinophil
which he says 64% of the population has according to the CDC, but since there are few symptoms, you only know if you get blood work done. All my other numbers are pretty good. HDL is great, LDL could use a a little work, but my total is good.

I have some iron issues and some of my hormones are on the lower side of normal, so we will be using some supplements to get that going. Everything else was lovely.

The parasitic infection is one of the main causes for my weight plateau. Last year I had a sinus infection and my family doc said that your body cannot lose weight easily if it is busy fighting infection. Same thing applies here according to the new guy. He was not expecting my labs today, so he did not schedule time for us to review them. I go back next week.

I'm one of the non-participating members of this team. I joined the challenge because I truly thought I was ready to make the changes I needed to in my life and get serious about losing weight. Obviously I'm not where I thought I was so I'm going to ask to remove myself from this challenge. If I come back for another challenge you will know that I've made the changes and am serious about it.

Watch the show challenge for this week!:

1) workout of your choice during the show

and/or

2) 1-commercial break holding chair pose as long as you can. Rest and hold it again! do it as many times as you can for a whole commercial break! AND 1-commerical break holding plank pose for as long as you can. Rest and hold it again! Try to do that for a whole commercial break! AND (thought you were done huh?) 1-commercial break, shoulder press either with a light weight or without. (hold your arms out to your sides either holding a weight or pretending to, press your arms up over your head and back down. slow up-breathe out, slow down-breathe in)

Good luck!! and dont forget to post up to your team how you did!!

Hmm, so my tendency towards chronic sinus infections could be causing my plateau? That makes sense to me.

I've been undereating, calorie wise, for about 6 months, while adding in up to 2 hours of exercise a day. I'm getting ready to start a new lifting program and the author gave a formula to figure out how many maintenance calories you need. (The book is New Rules of Lifting for Women, by Lou Schuler) I should be eating between 1900-2100 (nonlifting days/lifting days). I've been eating less than 1500, upped a few weeks ago from 1200. Hmm, wonder why my body doesn't want to give up the pounds.

The point to this ramble is that this week I'm going to try to eat the entire 1800 calories and not workout at all. I need to give my body a break, I'm coming down with yet another sinus infection and I want to use my engery to fight it, rather than workout. If I feel like going for a walk, I will, but I'm going to let myself sleep in and not rush off to the gym at 5:45am. If I gain, I'll use a freebie week, but hopefully I won't have to. Then next week I'll start fresh.

Yep, this post was all about me.

mommytoacacia - I hope you rejoin us when you're ready.

Marianne - I think finding the calorie range that is right for you is more experimentation than science. I average 1350 each day (and that number is too low for me and I know it, but I'm scared to up it), but I vary through the week with 2 days below 1300, 4 days at 1350, and one day at about 1600. Theoretically I've heard this prevents plateaus so I figure it does no harm. I plugged your stats into the calculator I use (I put 35 for tha age but have NO idea how old you are) and it said your BMR is 1675. If you just pick a number at a slight deficit to that, like say 1400 or 1500, you could eat that for a couple weeks and see what your weight does and how you feel, then adjust either up or down from there. Hope that helped some.

Marianne--I use Jillian's first book to work my calories for the week, then split them out through the week, different # each day helps prevent a plateau (your body gets used the same calories daily and can plateau, switching it up is supposed to stop that). She has a little formula in the book that uses your BMR, activity level, exercise cals burned, age, current weight, height, and you get a calorie level to maintain, then subtract out 1500 calories per lb. you'd like to lose...but you should not go under 1200 a day for a woman and even that is very low for me and hard to stick with.

It sounds complicated but it actually isn't once you get the formula down it's quick to work out, write down the limit for the week and get on with it. It has worked wonders for me! If I go over one day I can pull from a day later in the week...and toward the end of the week I can't do that so it stops me from binging a lot of times because I don't have another day to pull from and I don't want to eat away my loss. So far, when I really stick to the planned exercise and weekly calorie limits I always lose at least the # lb. aimed at for the week, if not more.

WOW, I just read the results thread and don't get how our numbers could be THAT low, wow. I know I had a slight gain but never imagined it would be that low as a team. I am sorry I let us down this week guys, but I gurantee not to let it happen next week Let's blow them totally out of the water next week ladies and gent!

I didn't eat anything at all today until a half hour ago I know that is so bad, but I wasn't hungry and circumstances today just got in the way. i had a very horrible morning with just little thing going wrong, then sat through lunch at my daughter's school watching my kids eat McDs, but I didn't want anything from there. DD turns 6 tomorrow and I have to go to her school for her party and sat this afternoon in the pick up line at her school stuffing the goody bags...smelling chocolate but not even wanting to eat it By the time we got home it was after 3, hubby was on the phone wanting me to do something for him on computer, kids were fighting and whining, and I had to finish stuffing the baggies, help daughter with homework and writing out her valentines, make supper, son was throwing puzzle pieces all over the dining room, etc. It's just been insanity all day!

I was hungry by the time I got supper so I had a really big salad loaded with fresh vegies and some cut up chicken breast and I feel somewhat better. I have been wanting to exercise all day...just craving it...but haven't had a chance. Kids are now in their rooms for early play time, ready to hit the bed at 7, and then I am going to EXERCISE through the entire BL show tonight as usual. I can't wait!

I am feeling back to normal today despite all the stress. Just feels like my slump has lifted and I'm back to craving exercise, not wanting the bad foods, and ready to knock off the next 20 lb. and hit my 20% goal. I'M READY again! I knew that low period couldn't last long, and I guess a week wasn't too bad to tough it out, but it was very miserable for me the last week

Marianne -- About calorie counting -- I found my range through experimentation. When I first started, I limited myself to the 1400-1500 calorie range. That worked well until I hit about 175 pounds or so, and I kind of stalled out for a year. By this point, I was exercising a lot (60 minutes of high intensity work on most days). I upped my calorie range to 1600-1800 calories (with an anticipated "splurge" on Friday nights), and now the scale is inching down again! I'm hopeful that, if I keep up the workouts, I'll be able to maintain at a range of 2000-2200 calories (which seems *insane* to me!!).

Also, on the topic of posting, I rarely post a personal unless someone directs one to me. This is my first challenge, so I came in not knowing anybody. But I read everyone's posting every day, and I try to post an answer to the Question of the Day. I think the QOTDs are a good way to jump in without having to devote time to individual postings. I don't take it personally if I don't get responses to my posts. I know from previous experiences in group settings like Weight Watchers that it's impossible for every person to get every issue addressed every day!

I think that the key to these types of challenges is knowing that it's a "team" but realizing that it's a big "team" of people of diverse backgrounds, ages, weights, geographic locations, etc. Sometimes you'll find someone with a similar problem and click. Sometimes you won't.

Hey team,

Just wanted to let you know that I weighed in early last week because I went away skiing, and already I am down another few pounds. By next Monday, I'll hopefully be posting a 3-5 pound weight loss! Hopefully that'll help boost our numbers!

Cheers, Ginger

I want to say we did good but i know we could do lots better.
I cant type that good but trying.so take it easy on me when you read
my writeing.dont laugh to hard, Karen i like your glasses you look great.
Lets all try to lose at least 2 this week I have a hard time makeing myself
exercise.but i will do better i promise i am proud of all but we need to get
up and get going.Teresa you are right we need someone to lift us up when
we lose 1 or 2 pounds.we all need praise i know i do ,i will workout with
th
e bl tonight.please lets all stick together and win this for ourself.

I know, it is bad! When I looked yesterday and couldn't see even 10 pounds I was shocked. We have a lot of pounds to make up!! Onward!

I think it's a good goal to shoot for all of us to make a loss happen this week. NO GAINS!! (Unless it's TOM)

It was CRAZY how close black and red were to eachother. Congratulations to them!!

Question about freebie weeks. I haven't used one yet since I've had a loss each week (even though they are tiny, tiny, tiny losses!), but wouldn't you use them on weeks you had a gain instead of posting that gain? What else would they be for? Cable/power outages happen I know, but what are they actually created for?

Sorry, I feel like I'm an impersonal poster. I love it when people take the time to do personals - it's very nice to feel that friendship. I'll try to be better about it. I feel like if I do it to a few and then miss someone (OR SOME HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT LIKE THERESA'S HUGE WEIGHTLOSS!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!) it's worse though...so often I don't do it. Lame I know.

Marianne - regarding calorie counting, I agree with Jordan. Start with a number (1,800 for example - or less depending on your activity level) and see how it goes. I aim for 1600-1800 a day. I need to keep it more to 1600, but I hate to go too low this early on in my weightloss. I already know that I'll probably only be able to maintain on 1200/day.

Zinke - WTG on your new NO EXCUSES policy!! It'll pay off!

Anna - glad you are getting answers! Hopefully you will be able to get to your happy weight soon!

Dee - I also want to get that NRLW book. Sounds like you have a good plan going on with shaking things up a bit.

QOTD: If you could change one thing about the TBL challenge, what would it be? Also, how do you think we should deal with no participating chat members?

This is also my first time in an online competition and it's been a good experience so far. I knew it would be WAY different than one at work or the gym or where you are seeing each other IRL. I think there should be a limit to the number of times you can post a weight gain? Or not 2 weeks in a row? I guess that's kinda mean though. Especially for those close to their goal or that have been on the journey for a long time - that happens. Plus a rule like that could cause cheating/lying instead of honesty with the scale. Regarding the no participation chat members, I dont' know. It honestly doesn't really bother me, never kept me up at night - but it's odd to join a competition and then not be along with your team members. Get a star chart for your fridge instead. But, life is crazy and hectic and not everyone is an "online chatty person". I don't think 1 time a week is too much to require though?

I was frustrated with my personal trainer today. For the first time. He knows my strength - what I can do/lift. He hands me the weights half of the time. Why in the world would he have me start doing front raises with 6 pound weights? Whatever. I'm paying him to challenge me and all day today he was trying to start me way under my usual numbers. Wasting my time and money! Granted, I'm a bit irritable today because 4yo dd was up off and on from 2:45am-5:15am because of nightmares. I'll go next week and see how it is!

I did work out for 1 hour and 45 min today though! Maybe I'll do some pilates/stretches during the BL tonight.

Hey Everyone!

I made it to my parents house and I'm making stuffed peppers tonight and I'll have them for lunch again tomorrow.

I plan on taking part in the workout during the biggest loser tonight even if my dinner isn't ready! I dont have a treadmill but Melissa's challenge sounds easy enough without equipment. Worse comes to worse I'll wrestle my puppy Kujo who is a heavy 60 lbs.

I'm going to come back after I pop my peppers in the oven to respond to the QOTD comments.

Make sure that if you do participate in the "last chance workout" during the show tonight that you add your $$ to the Blue's Cruise Challenge.