Valentine's Day
 

I know that Christmas hasn't even come, but I really like the idea of these challenges. I have just began to realize that I really need to lose weight...again, and I know that this challenge will help me out. So, since Christmas is only a few weeks away, I have chosen Valentine's day. Valentines Day is just shy of 10 weeks away. My goal is to be 185 pounds.

:wave:

Hello! Ten weeks away - methinks I will join you and say I might try and lose 10lbs... :o I think a pound a week is realistic since Christmas is right around the corner and trying to lose a bit more than that a week is a bit ambitious with all the Holiday junk around! :)

StephyK, SFPrincess, what's your plan? How many calories are you aiming for per day? How much exercise are you going to do? Are you going to lift? Remember lifting weights can sometimes cause Scale-Stall :rolleyes: But it's doing good things inside. :)

Me personally am aiming for as low as 1400 some days and as high as 2500 on one day a week, and one day a week at 2000. I keep a running total of my average daily intake.. Cause I'm a nerd and use excel and colour-in little blocks when I've done some cardio or some weights! :lol:

I have a fitday account...so I am attempting to remember to enter my foods in everyday. I am aiming to eat about 1400-1500 calories a day. My biggest weakness is baked goods....yum....so far in 2 weeks I have only had one square. There are cookies in our cookie jar, but so far I have resisted temptation..lol. I am trying to do 30 minutes of exercise 4 times a week. I should do more I am sure.
One thing that I am finding a little frustrating is that I don't have a scale, so I really have no idea where I am at, if I am losing. My in-laws have a scale, they only live a few minutes from here...but I don't want to just drop in to weigh myself. Iknow though that if we had a scale here I would weigh myself everyday. bah!

on a funnier note, I came downstairs the other day and my husband looked at me and he said "do those pants fit you better? They are looking a little baggier." I laughed...enjoyed the compliment, and then had to explain that I hadn't washed them since the last time I wore them...so they were probably just a little stretched out. hahaha

I'm doing a BFL challenge that actually ends on January 29th ( I think) I suppose I could kinda follow along with you gals. What's another two weeks gonna hurt?

My basics are 5 or 6 small meals each containing a good carb and a lean protein. Out of six days each week I do 3 cardio and 3 weights (alternating upper and lower body).

Hey, maybe with holidays and a vacation stuck in there ... I'll need until Valentines:)

I'm doing Power90, which is a 90 day exercise program, so I will be finishing right along with the rest of you. I'm in! :D Hopefully by February, I'll be a bit smaller and ready to hit the town in this cute red dress I own.

I started that in challenges, a lil birdy directed me here. Can I join ya?

Count me in too! I'd like to drop 7-10 pounds by then. So what's the plan, should we weigh in here once a week, give our total calories daily, menu from the day before? Talking is fun but I need to put my sins in writing for all to see!

Bobbi

I am part of the goal for losing before Christmas, but my boyfriend is coming to visit me around Valentine's, so a Valentine's challenge is right up my alley! I'd say about 20 lbs. or so would be good to shoot for (as far as I go). Bringing me down to 165. Yay! I'm in.

I'm in! My personal goal is 29 by St Patrick's Day, which is not only a huge family holiday but also my sister's wedding :) However, I'd love to have 12 lbs gone by Valentine's Day, so I'm all in!

I'd love to join. I'm new to calorie counting, but not to dieting. I've done the counting the points:dizzy: I've recently gained the 5lbs that it took me 3 months to loose:mad: So here I am. I've just had a physical and my Dr said that 130 would be a good weight for me. I'd like to do that with my clothes on. Not balancing on one toe on my bathroom scales:D (I know you've all tried it. Garfield just made it look good).

So here are my goals for Valantines day.

1) Write it down. EVERYTHING THAT PASSES THESE LIPS:drill:

2) Lift weights 3 times a week, and find time for yoga.

3) My target is 128lbs sans clothes. 130lbs at the Dr's office

Good luck fellow calories counters. I glad to be on board.

Gina:val1:

Hi all...I'll shoot for 10 by Valentines Day! I need a goal. By April I want to my first 5k so this would be a great start and give me a reason to monitor myself over the holiday. Here I go!

I like the size idea. If I could firm up and definitely be one size ... I'd be happy. You know? I can wear a size Q but only if I wear a baggy shirt over it ... or use control top hose!

What's the plan?
 

STEPHYK.....So, what's the plan? When do we start? Like I said earlier, it's fun talking to everyone but we also need to report in daily with some or all of our journaling. We could report everything we did the day before, for instance:
Thursday's Journal (Goal calories 1200)

Calories...1,114
Activity...Ski Machine 11 minutes
Weight -/+ or same= down 1/2 pound

Stephyk, did you have something else in mind? Please let us know, we need some direction. I counted at least 10 people interested so far, maybe someone else has a better plan?

Bobbi

Well since this started a week ago - my weekly weigh-in is I guess up 2lbs :dunno: I didn't weigh this morning, but I weighed a day or two ago and I was up. So I'll weigh tomorrow and officially check in!

Average kcals for the week... 2343 :rolleyes: It's been a cwappy week!

Activity - 3 and a bit hours of cardio....

I've been sick, so next week will be better!

9 weeks to go.... :D

Thanks for the information 2frustrated, I guess I missed the starting point. Looks like Dec 7th it was posted and you're right, 9 weeks left. I just started my diet and re-joined 3FF on Dec 11th so my stats look pretty good. The first few pounds I know are water loss not fat.
Thursdays Journal:
Goal 1200/actual Calories...1,114
Activities...11 min on Ski Machine
Weight...-/+/Same... 1/2 pound
Total loss...3 pounds

Bobbi

Good morning all.:coffee: I have worked out. 20 mins high intensity cardio section of the Biggest Looser dvd. Then 20 mins of Pilates. I usually go to the local YMCA with a girlfriend and swim laps during the week. We've slacked off alot recently. But, now that I'm on the challenge, the days I don't go I'll do it at home. The pilates is something that I want to get into everyday.

My cals for the day is 1400.
Have a great day and I'll keep checking in and see how you are doing as the day goes along.

Gina:val1:

Today's weight 158...December 7 weight 160
Since it's 8 weeks and I am losing a bit over 2 lbs per week, I'm going to challenge myself to lose 17 lbs. That also keeps me on my BIG challenge to be 130 by St Patrick's Day for my sister's wedding :)

Ok, I'm shooting for 155.. I know it's a lot, but I'm determined and I did the math. It's only 3 lbs. a week and if I'm strict, which I need to be and workout everyday (minus my one day/wk. off), I can do it.

Good morning :)
I lost another pound! I am beginning to think that for me, cycling my calories works :) I had 1719 calories in, 2959 out. No real cardio, except playing with the baby, cleaning and some floor work (I use my 32 lb toddler as a weight and "bench press" her a lot - she thinks it's funny). I like cycling because A. it's working and B. it gives me variation. If I do a strict "1300-a-day" diet for more than a week or so, I find that I eat the same things over and over again and eventually wind up on a binge of epic proportions.
This will be the first Christmas EVER where I am not going to gain weight!

Saturday's chat
 

Friday's journal wasn't too great. I don't drive into town much but when I do go, I'm gone most of the day. I missed lunch and my calories are low.
Calories...887
Activity...11 minutes on Ski machine, plus a zillion steps shopping.
Weight -/+/Same....Same

2Frustrated...did you get the dreaded flu? DH and I have already had it, nasty stuff.
Emily...you have a great motivator, June 16th wedding. What are you going to do about a dress, wait until the last minute to see what size you'll be?
Twin Cities Neighbor...Wow, checked out your bio and you've lost lots of weight. What did you do to lose 70 pounds? What diet plan and how long did it take?
Calejo...I think 3 pounds a week will wear you out! I hope you don't like icing, working around cakes might be tempting for you. I took a cake decorating class a few years ago and loved it. I had so much fun making cakes, I frosted a two tier Wedding cake on styrofoam for a Bridal Shop. They used it for a couple of years, until it started falling apart and dusty.

Keep those journals filled and see ya all tomorrow.

Bobbi

Hi Bobbi...
My diet plan is pretty much counting calories. I didn't start exercising until about 6-8 weeks in (well, I did small things like walking). I'm including a link to my blog on MySpace and I hope I'm allowed to do that...a lot of people have asked me about my weight loss so I sat down the other night and wrote it all out :)

http://blog.myspace.com/mnirishangel

I could NEVER decorate cakes! It killed me last week to ice 36 cupcakes for my 2 year old's birthday (but I didn't give in to temptation -- the thought of typing "1 cup vanilla frosting" into MyFitday saved me!)...I am one of those chicks who could eat a can of frosting with a spoon & skip the cake. Everytime I see a cool decorated cake in a magazine, I laugh because I know mine would never look like that because I'd eat half the frosting before it got on the cake :)

Twin Cities Gal............I just read your bio link and you're very inspiring! Thank you so much, I'm going to go back and re-read it later. I'm on my way out the door.

Bobbi

Oh how fun! Thank you, SusanB, for turning me on to this forum. Ten pounds by Valentine's Day. Now what's a ticker???

Those little slider things folks have in their signatures. You should be able to muddle thru the ones here or they have nice ones at tickerfactory.com too.

Just keep asking questions ... we'll help.

I know it seems like a lot to shoot for with 3/wk., but I take it one day at a time, I watch what I eat carefully and so far I've lost one pound (and it's only been 1 day). I know it won't be easy, but it's doable, I hope... lol.

As far as the "tempation" factor.. once you use it all the time and work with it a lot, you really don't want to eat it. Not to mention the thought of losing my job for snacking on cake and frosting... Long story short, I don't really want to eat it anymore.

I made up for Friday's lack of calories (887)
I actually went over my 1200 calorie goal.

Saturday's Journal:
Calories...1,409
Exercise....12 min. on Ski Machine
Weight-/+/Same.....Same

do you mind a late joiner - I would really love to be 165 by Valentines day. Ithink this a prefect way to get there!

right now I am at 186 but it's that TOM and in a few days I expect a loss when the bloat is gone. I think 20 pounds is doable. I hope.

The more, the Merrier!

Bobbi

I have been doing really well with watching my eating and excercising... so far, I'm down 2 lbs! My official weigh-in will be tomm. morning though. I am so excited!

I finished my New Year's goal early so...I'm in!

Iwould like to join . I'm shooting for 21 lbs by Valentines Day. Maybe the goal is a little high but I'm going to try for it. My birthday is on Feb 15 and I would love to be at goal or at least a lot nearer to it by then. I would love a new red dress for Valentines.

My goals are 3 meals and a snack a day. Get daily exercise, drink more water instead of pop.

Woooohoooo! I lost those 2lbs I put on last week! :dancer: Back to an even playing field until V-day!

Sunday's Journal
 

Yesterday I had a migraine headache all day and did NOTHING! I hadn't planned on exercising, the only day of the week I take off. I laid on the couch with ice on my head most of the day. I stayed under my goal of 1200 calories, actually ate 1,139.
Cath...I see you have 4 boys, you must get lots of exercising just chasing after them.
Calejo...congrats on the 2 pound weight loss, where do you weigh in? WW?
ennay...Cute picture of Alex? Lots of dark hair on the baby. I see your New Year's eve goal is 160, looks like you already made goal if you're 159 now, way to go!
Kokomo... Welcome our Canadian friend, I have a friend that lives on VanCouver island that e-mails me daily jokes, she is a hoot! Two thumbs up on the red dress and more water.
Frus...I bet you're fun to listen to with your British Accent. Congrats on your two pound weight loss, I'm envious of your height. I'm only 5' 3", which is why I wear spike heels when I dress up. I've bought a zillion of them on e-bay, my favorite place to shop.
Where's everyone else, I've counted 14 people plus myself that was interested in the Valentine challenge.

Have a good one....Bobbi

I am back to calorie counting on fitday. Think this is better for me than points. Only day 4 but I am much more conscience of what is going in my mouth. My scale is going down, but it isn't official until I have been doing this for a week. I am thinking Th will be weigh in days. I always forget on Mondays. Too busy getting the kids to school. My goal isn' t really a certain amount of pounds but a certain size. (My second waredrobe) But I won't be able to do it if I don't loose the pounds.

Late joiner, sorry!

I'd love to be 250 by Valentine's day so that's 23 pounds for me!

Ok ... I've wobbled off track for a few days but ... I did my walk/jog thing today and I feel much more like it now.