Just saying hi to you all as I'm new here. I've got a bit to lose but have been stuck for so long I don't know if I can do it anymore but I'm trying. Am drinking 8 glasses of water a day and walking at least a half hour daily. I'm hoping to get a little bit off this week and take that first step. How do you get one of those ticker tapes at the bottom - how long do I have to wait as a newbie to get one?

Thanks and hope you all can make it a good day for yourself. You deserve that.

Breeze:hug:

:welcome: Tropical! The tickers have a time and number of posts requirement, I think it's a month, but can't remember how many posts. I'm sure someone will chime in with the correct info.

We're just back from our 5-day stint at the cottage. The snow is gone, except in the woods, so I'm active without effort when we're up there. This morning's weigh-in showed two more pounds gone, so I am one away from my Mother's Day Goal. :broc:

I've joined the TBL Just Beachy -- GO BLUE! -- for a weight loss challenge, but I think my goal for the next mini-challenge here will be for exercise, 'cause I've been slouching on that big-time when we're here in the city.

From what I've read here, it looks like several people are closing in on their mini-challenge goals. :cheer: I saw someone say something about 'admitting' defeat on not achieving their challenge goal. I personally don't see that you were 'defeated': you succeeded in losing weight on the challenge, so you're that much further ahead! Good for you!

:wave: Have a great day, everyone!

Great job on being so close Daffy and Layri! I'm giving it my best shot and hope to get as close in 2 weeks! Should we start thinking about what our next challenge will be for everyone rocking the scales ahead of schedule?

Works for me, FB.

This is my first mini-goal/challenge, but I know the last one was Easter, which was about 7 weeks between the two. July 1 is Canada Day, and Friday, July 4 is Independence Day, and that is nearly 7 weeks from Mother's Day, so the timing would be about right. I can live with the American-themed identifier given how outnumbered we Canucks are.

How about whomever makes goal first picks between the two dates and then starts the challenge? That would be fair!

Debi and Switzie, hang in there! Crossing my fingers for a big loss in your near future!

Big :carrot: to all those who lost this week! woohoo!

Beliter and Breeze, welcome! :celebrate:

No official ticker change yet, since I round up for the ticker, but I was 203.6 on the scale this morning! That's my first time seeing a two-oh-three anything yet! I need to figure out how to attack those last few pounds, because I really want out of the stinkin' 200s!

Another pound bites the dust! 202.6 on the scale this morning. :carrot:
4 lbs to go before Mother's Day...I'd better figure out how to kick it in gear!

Cheryl,congrats on the loss.I'm not weighing myself till Fri. morn,but I don't feel like anythiongs missing!LOL!I walked a mile & rode my xercise bike 1.5 miles already today.Now going oputside to grill some hotdogs.

Way to go Cheryl! I see Onederland in your near future...geez, I must be psychic! ;)

FB, I seem to recall someone saying last week they'd already made it to their mini-challenge goal, then again, my memory hasn't been so great as of late.

A FU visit to the weight management clinic yesterday - I participated in a research study in 01/02, and they like us to come back. My blood pressure's up, not the top number that usually is, but the bottom number, for the first time ever, despite my being on meds. Must be that new boss I can't stand!

I now have no choice but to cut way back on the salt - I've been staying close to the recommended 2300 mg a day, but now should be down around 1500mg...no more quickie greek salad for me! :( I also need to get back on that treadmill, and I'm starting slow-breathing sessions once a day, which apparently lower blood pressure. I refuse to give up my 4 oz of white wine a day. Sorry, that is just not going to happen.

I met my goal! Yay!

WTG Jam! You are so freaking close to being out of the 2's. Gosh, I can't wait until I'm there.

Oh Daffy, I hope the blood pressure evens out. I have a terrible salt intake myself and find it incredibly hard to reduce to a number below 3000. I have this thing for smoked salmon and can't give it up. I know I have to get the intake lower, but it's more challenging than calories for me.

Rock on peachcake!

I'm getting closer and closer to my unrealistic aspiration. It's not impossible, nothing is. I won't be disappointed if I don't make it, because I'm proud I've come so far. Still trying though.

Thanks, FB, Daffy and Beliter, for the cheers and encouragement! :hug:

FB, you are rocking these challenges...you are my hero! I don't know how you pull 20 lbs, but whatever you're doing is working. I hope you get your bike. I love those kind of bikes...comfy to ride AND :cool: styling, of course!

Peach, congrats on making ONEderland and your MD goal! :carrot:

My report:
Another pound bites the dust today: 202.0 this morning!
3 lbs to go!

I kinda think we should go with Canada Day. It doesn't have to be all about US holidays.

Can you tell I'm bored and ignoring my important computer work today?:dizzy:

I think doing a Canadian holiday is great! I agree it doesn't always have to be about the majority. What's Canada Day though? How do you celebrate? My knowledge of all things Canadian is, well, nil and ignorant to be honest. Wasn't 'Kids in the Hall' (90's TV) Canadian?

Congrats on the pound Cheryl! Ever closer! Isn't it funny how scales work? No movement for awhile and then POW!

Thanky Cheryl! I don't know how I'm doing this 20 pound thing either. Maybe it's from having been completely sedentary and now I exercise? Maybe it's because I used to live off of buffalo sauce and now I eat healthy? Likely the combination of the two. I have no idea, but I'm not going to complain. I really want that bike!

Totally OT...
 

I don't know much about how you American folks celebrate the 4th, other than what I've see on TV, but I suspect we celebrate Canada Day pretty much the same way: Get-togethers with family and friends for food and drinks. Lots of folks do BBQ's or picnics. I'm close to Ottawa, our Nation's Capital, and there is a big show on Parliament Hill, usually with some local and cultural talent, and one or two big names, with fireworks to end it all. Many other towns and cities have formal parties and a lot of people also do fireworks on their own. We wear a lot of red and white, and wave the flag.

As a nation, we didn't have to battle for our independence the way the US did. Rather, it was a negotiated 'coming together' under Confederation, and that is what we celebrate July 1. The last of the provinces/territories joined in 1867, so this year is our 141st birthday as a Nation.

July 1 is a little less celebrated in Quebec, because of the whole English/French/Separatist thing. In the rest of Canada, July 1 is the holiday that has to be taken on that day, and isn't moved to the closest Friday or Monday. In Quebec, July 1 can be moved, but June 24, St. Jean Baptiste Day, which is commonly accepted as the Separatist Movement's holiday, cannot be moved.

Thus ends the mini cultural/history lesson. ;)

As for the next challenge, whatever date is picked is fine with me, just so long as we have one!

Have a great day, all! :wave:

Thanks for the excellent explanation Daffy! It sounds about exactly like what we do here. Very interesting to me. I really am ashamed of my lack of knowledge about Canada- it's a shame.

Here's my cultural information, in my part of the US anyhow the 4th is pretty down and dirty:

Grill with family and friends
Drink copious amounts of beer
Explode things
Run from explosions
There's usually a party/picnic in every town with fireworks, with a very large one nearby which sounds much like yours on Parliament Hill.

My husband and I join in the down and dirty experience with our own silly tradition. We send our son to his grandmother's, act like dirtrockers, wearing our best '80's hair metal band shirts, drink the most godawful cheap beer available and generally make fools of ourselves. He stays barefoot and drunk the entire weekend (which is funny because he normally doesn't drink and is clean cut) no matter where we go. I try to keep up with him.

Ha! I just remembered my son was conceived one crazy Fourth of July weekend... now I don't have to act anymore, I truly am a dirtball.

xox,
A Model Mom

Well.....
I finally broke my plateau!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am down to 303.4!!
YAY! i can't believe it! I don't know about making it below 300 before Mother's Day, but I sure am trying!

FB, you're killin' me! :lol3:

Daffy, thanks for the description...fascinating! I love history and my son does also. We will have to take a tour of the Canadian story soon! We usually read something over breakfast every weekday morning.

Foodvictim, welcome to 3FC, and welcome to the CC challenge thread! If you have any trouble making your Mother's Day goal, don't worry, because there will be a new challenge after that...looks like Canada Day, July 1, will be the next one!

Blue, I am so happy for you! I hope it keeps dropping, now that it's moving again! I'm still not sure why mine started moving again, but I'm definitely happy about it, too.

Layri, congratulations! :celebrate:

Rock on Layri and Blue! I'm so happy for you both!

Another pound gone AND today is the day I've lost 60 pounds! That sounds so... big. That's like a child. An old child who has outgrown their babyfat, not a toddler. That's like a gijillion bags of Cheetos, a bizillion buffalo shrimp or a whole lot of candy bars or my giant leg :p

Go FB! That's an amazing amount! You are doing so well! :hug: :celebrate:

So this morning, it looks like I finally broke through my mini plateau. I hit 149!!! 30 lbs gone!!!! Even if I don't hit my Mom's day goal I am happy as a clam:-). My final goal is 135 by July 14th, the week of my first 5K. That's about 1 1/2 lb per week. Doable... have a great week everyone.

Wow, there's a lot of milestones being hit in this thread!

60 lbs -- way to go FB!

30 lbs -- sumu1, congrats!

Blueyedlvgrl broke through her plateau -- I'm sure that's a relief...good on you for hangin' in there

Layri hit her 10 lbs! Layri, you will have to post a pix of the parasol...I'm very curious.

Me, I have nothing to report because, for the first time in weeks, I have managed to stay off the scales for a whole week! It might have something to do with not being so OP lately :o No matter what, I get on tomorrow AM for the TBL challenge, so no hiding, but it's all good.

A little correction to the Canuck history lesson: the first provinces (not the last) to join confederation did so in 1867. I gotta say, this genealogy trip is really improving my history knowledge. Maybe if they had personalized history a little more in HS, I would have remembered (or even paid attention!)

Thanks much girls!

Good job on the scale Daffy! I weigh in every morning. Breaking that habit would be harder than breaking the habit of sending my husband to Walgreen's for candy runs. Hope the WI tomorrow goes well.

Ya Layri- I'd like to see a pic of the parasol too. Your reward always piqued my curiosity.

You DO sound happy as a clam sumu! Congrats!

Sumu, congrats on breaking through your plateau! Good luck with your 5K! I ran my first 5K in March, and it was fun.

Daffy, good luck with your weigh-in today, and your TBL challenge. :)

My report: another pound bites the dust! 200.4 on the scale this morning, so 1.4 lbs to go on my Mother's Day goal! TOM showed up this week, and I keep expecting the scale to go up, but for some reason, it hasn't yet. Whatever, I'm not complaining!

Okay, the scale finally went up...dang! 2 lbs in a day, though, so I figure it's not fat weight, and I refuse to put it back on my ticker. ;) Still eating like a perfect angel, and hoping my knee will let me get back to my exercise plan today...wish me luck! Where is everybody?

TA-DA!
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/n...ing04/bike.jpg

Heya Cheryl! Hope your knee is feeling better. My knees have bothered me a few times before and it's the worst. Using my knees pain free is something I take for granted until they hurt.

I'd love to run a 5k. I can't wait until I can! When I walk my crazy dog we interval train together. It's lame but I base it on passing cars (fat girl doesn't like to be yelled at by passing cars) so I never know whether I have 15 seconds or 2 minutes to run. Highly effective and well regarded program ;) I should look at that C25k, but I'm not good about programs or schedules.

That scale reading was a farce, totally not true. You'll be right back on track! That happened to me a week or so ago, even knowing it was just my cycle doesn't take away from the brief disappointment.

I've been busy- my son RE-fractured his arm! Can you believe it? 2 weeks after the cast came off.

FB, you did it! I'm so jealous of your bike! :celebrate: :hug: :celebrate:
(and, thanks for the support..I knew the scale was lying!) I like your "interval training" idea, too. On my road, though, I could be out there for 20 minutes, lol, unless it's rush hour, then it would be like 2 seconds, since everyone uses our country road as a speedway to get home.

Oh, FB, that bike is SO cool...way to go! I like your interval training idea...I may use it when I'm able to start running again.

Cheryl, have you read 'The Secret'? ;) You will make it to Onederland...it WILL happen... Thanks for the TBL wishes...not sure I will stay in...I like focusing on losing, but not sure I'm motivated to 'lose as much as I possibly can in X weeks', and I don't want to drag the team down.

Well, Tuesday's weigh-in was still at 226 :mad:...but, for the first time ever, I saw a 225.something yesterday! :carrot: So now I refuse to weigh myself until Sunday morning. That weigh every day habit is h a r d to break, tho'

Hey thanks you two!

Daffy- I signed up for TBL challenge and then had second thoughts before it started, so I PM'd the person runs it to drop out. I worried that it wouldn't be positive for me. I'm sure it's great for other people, but personally I get too hung up on numbers. I could forsee myself getting disappointed over losses, any loss and I want this whole thing to be happy. I'm simple like that. You have to do what's best for you!

Congrats on seeing the new number- very exciting!

Jam- Do you live in a rural area? Country roads scare me to death! People drive crazy on them. I wouldn't be brave enough without a wide shoulder to walk/run on.

Ok, so I lied....I couldn't wait until tomorrow, and jumped on the scales this morning. It wavered between 225.0 and 225.2, but settled on 225.0! :carrot: :broc: I made it, just barely!

In other news, I dropped out of the TBL challenge. It just wasn't for me. On to the Can-Am Nation Day Challenge! (or whatever it is called).

Congrats to everyone who made their goal weight loss and those (like me) who didn't make the full goal, but any loss is a victory!

I don't think I'll be making 199.0 by tomorrow, but I'm still happy with my weight loss this round, and I'm going to stick with this ONEderland goal before setting a new goal for the next challenge.

Switzie, we'll get it next time!

Layri, that is beautiful! What a great idea for an incentive!

Daffy, what is "the Secret"?

Don't toss those daily numbers yet, ladies! Here's a use for them, if you've been writing them down: add up your daily numbers for each week, divide by 7, then round to the nearest tenth of a pound. Compare your average weight week to week, and it smooths out the water weight fluctuations, to show your weight loss trend.

It is really inspiring, and a little more accurate, I think, than recording only one day a week. For example, if I looked at two weeks of daily weigh-ins stacked one on top of another, Monday might show I'd lost 5 lbs in a week, Tuesday might show no loss, Wednesday might show a gain of .5 lb, etc. Taking the average of all the days, then comparing weekly averages, it only shows the loss or whatever is going on, without all the spikes that come from TOM, or water weight gained after a hard workout, etc.

Just as a sample, here's my data from this challenge, showing average weights in pounds, with weight lost in parentheses:

Start 210.8
Wk 1 209.1 (-1.7)
Wk 2 208.2 (-0.9)
Wk 3 207.5 (-0.7)
Wk 4 206.6 (-0.9)
Wk 5 205.8 (-0.8)
Wk 6 205.8 (-0.0)
Wk 7 204.5 (-1.3)
Wk 8 201.9 (-2.6)
Total weight lost, using averages, for this challenge: 8.9 lbs

It puts my start and finish weights a little higher than what's on my ticker, because my ticker is recording the lowest weights I've seen, but as you can see, it shows the weight lost week to week, while smoothing out the water weight spikes, which I find inspiring and helpful. If you have your daily numbers, give this a try!

Layri, that parasol is beautiful...reminds me of a scene from Notting Hill

Cheryl, I never looked at daily weighing from that perspective; thanks. Further confirmation that weight loss is not a one size fits all endeavour, and folks should just keep trying different approaches until they find something that works for them.

'The Secret' is a book/video/ fad/trend/way of life, depending on your view. More details here, but essentially, the theory is that truly believing you will get what you want gets you what you want. Personally, I'm more of a 'no doubt the Universe is unfolding as it should' type, but I did experience the premise of 'The Secret' working for me, in a big way, before I even had heard about it.

:wave: Happy Mother's Day to all...

Daffy, I know what you mean, I've seen it before myself. :)

Well, I did not make my goal in time (201.8 today, on a downward trend after TOM), but I'll get there. The cool thing about using the averages, I can already see that I'm losing something this week. That really helps when a person is pushing for a pound a week! If nobody has started up a new thread yet, I'll put one up...I assume everybody is okay with going for Canada Day, July 1, since I haven't seen any protests.

I'll switch to the new thread, but will wait to set a new goal until I see how long it takes me to meet this one. I'm guess it might be another 2-3 weeks, at this rate, so my new goal might have to be 5 lbs or something like that. Maybe I can improve that if I tweak my calories and exercise a bit. See you all over on the new thread!

well,I didn't make this goal.I actually gained some!
I'm ready to give up...AGAIN!
I've tried everything from pills to points...nothing works for me cuz I have no will power.
I really wantd to lose some before my vacation,thought that would be motivation enough.NOT!
I'm in tears most of the time,but I know it's my own fault.
Sorry,I just needed to chat.

Beliter, if any of us had "will power", we wouldn't be here in the first place. You don't need it, and honestly, even if you had it, it's like sugar, it burns up quick and won't carry you down this road to the end.

If you feel like giving up, IMO, you're trying to change too much, too fast. Back up and get some realistic goals, and I don't mean about weight loss, low fat, fat free, restrictive calorie goals. I mean, is there one thing that you're eating now, that you know is contributing to you holding onto that weight, that would be pretty easy to give up? Like, could you stop buying and cooking with potatoes? or pasta? or could you use one slice of bread instead of two? Could you use less cheese or stop buying that? Could you eat a big serving of steamed veggies or a salad to start your meal, then take a break of, oh, ten or fifteen minutes, maybe have some tea or coffee, before serving meat and other portions of the meal? Then, have your meat, rice, fruit, or whatever. The veggies will help fill you up, and the break between gives your body a chance to send the signal that you're not so hungry any more. If you were eating 4000 calories a day before, could you shoot for 3000 a day? If you were eating 3000 a day, could you go for 2500?

Any of those changes, just small changes like that, one at a time even, will start to change your body. Anything that's better than before will cause a change, really. Start small, and just do what you can do, what you can do TODAY, not next Tuesday, but today. If all you can do today is have a chicken breast instead of a burger, that's a victory. If you can have half a coke instead of a whole one, that's something.

It's great to have goals and ideals of where you'd like to be someday, but don't expect to get there instantly. Just take a step in the right direction today. Tomorrow, take that same step again. When taking that one step gets easy, then pick something else that you can do, and do that day after day until it's no challenge at all, it's just the way you are. Forget about will power...you don't need it to take one tiny step forward on your plan.

I didn't meet my goal either but I'm in the downward trend. I weighed in at 148. I haven't seen the 140s in quite awhile and now I'm actually considered normal weight:-). See everyone on the Canada day board! Oh... and to beliter...come join us on that board, jams is right, small changes...DON'T give up.

I ended up gaining 1/2 pound on this challenge! I let stress get to me and didn't seem to get it together again. I avoided coming back to this thread because I was sure I was the only one who didn't reach my goal this round. I'm getting it back together now and will stop hiding ;)