Okay! I have been a lurker here for the past 5 years. I am ready to start a challenge. I decided to use the 5 pounds a month, because it was doable. I hope to loose more than that in the first few months, but if not, it will be okay. Because in 1 year, I can still be down 60 pounds. 60 pounds , I can barely lift 60 pounds. I am sure I will feel soooo much better with 60 pounds less to carry around.

************************************************** ************************************
Let me know if you need me to change any numbers.

Jan. 1 Goal
Weight:


******************Starting: *****Jan.Goal:*****Ending


Losing4Another:*******250***********245********241
MotherMavis:*********153***********148********153
Slisette(Sonja)********148***********143********14 4
Mom2SBM (Rachel)*****205***********200********205.5 (did get down to 199.5...darn holiday treats)
Grazer**************175***********170********
Sexyshadow*********204************199********

__________________________________________________ ________________________________________

5 pound race:

Losing4Another:................................... ...................-9
MotherMavis:...................................... ....................-0
Slisette(Sonja):.................................. .....................-4
Mom2SBM (Rachel):......................................... .........+.5
Grazer:
Sexyshodow:

__________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

Self promises:
Losing4Another:
MotherMavis:
Slisette(Sonja):
Mom2SBM (Rachel):
Grazer:
Sexshadow:

__________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

Monthly weight loss:

Losing4Another:
MotherMavis:
Slisette(Sonja):
Mom2SBM (Rachel):
Grazer:
Sexyshadow:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________
Sexy Shadow 5 pound a month goals:
Date:...............................Goal:......... .......Actual
Jan 1, 08......................... 199 ..................
Feb 1, 08......................... 194
Mar 1, 08......................... 189
April 1, 08........................ 184
May 1, 08........................ 179
Jun 1, 08......................... 174
July 1, 08......................... 169
Aug 1, 08......................... 164
Sept 1, 08........................ 159
Oct 1, 08......................... 154
Nov 1, 08......................... 149
Dec 1, 08......................... 144

################################################## ############################
Slisette 5 pound a month challenge:
Month:............Start........Goal
Dec:................148.................143
Jan:.................143.................138
Feb:................138.................133
Mar: ...............133.................128
Apr:.................128................123!!!!!!
################################################## ###########################
Mom2SBM:
Date:...............................Goal:......... .......Actual:
Jan. 1, O8.........................200..................
Feb. 1..............................195
Mar. 1..............................190
April 1..............................185
May 1..............................180
Jun. 1..............................175
July 1..............................170
Aug. 1.............................165
Sept. 1............................160
Oct. 1.............................155
Nov. 1.............................150
Dec. 1.............................145
Jan. 1, 09.........................140

I'm in....what about making it a game and see you can get there first each month? Just a thought

I like that idea too. My next 5 will bring me to 148!! Let's go.

I'm new to the challenge boards, but this sounds great!!
Five lbs a month is my favorite number. Nice and reasonable (yet somehow so unattainable for me!!)
So, in a few days, we'll all start checking in with each other? Is there anything in particular we need to know/do to be a part of the challenge?
--Sonja

Hello everyone! I am so glad to not be doing this challenge by myself.

I like the idea to see who can get there first. Since we started late in November, I put Jan. 1 as the official 1st Month ending date for the weigh in. Please keep the ideas coming.

I am hoping this will be the big motivation I need. I can't count the times, I have half heartedly started a "diet", and then stopped. Well, my youngest daughter will be 1 year old in Dec. I am still nursing her, but trying to wean. She's not liking that idea. I am hoping that once I am done totally nursing, I won't be hungry as much.

Start weight: 205 (Nov. 26th)

Date: Goal: Actual:

Jan. 1, O8 200 (so far 203 11/28/07)

Just to get that extra motivation-- I have mini goals for this week. I chose one thing I was going to change in my diet, one thing for cardio, and one thing for toning. I always go gung ho, and then I quit because I don't always stick to what was planned. Well, this is what I HAVE to do, and then if I feel motivated (which is the hope), I will do more. If not, then I still get a pat on the back for completing my goal. Next week, I wan't to continue with what I am doing, and add more changes.

Also, every week that I complete all my mini-goals, I get to have a night that I can do what ever I want. Usually when I do this, I feel guilty that I left my husband alone with my kids. Now, I will have EARNED my free night with no guilt. So now I will still get my night with no guilt. So this Friday, I plan on going to my bedroom with a good book or a good movie and tuning everyone out. No cooking and no cleaning!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am also going to get a reward for every 10 pounds I loose. We really can't afford it, but all my life I have always put everyone first (which I love to do and really want to do), but I am going to do this for myself this one time. Anyways, for every 10 pounds I loose, I am going to get $100. I want to put the majority of the money away for my goal weight, so I can go on a shopping spree. I just want to buy some nice clothes for my new improved healthy body. So maybe, since I just lost 2 pounds, I will withdrawl $20 from the ATM, and put it away. Then that way, if I take a little out at a time, it won't seem like I'm taking away from my family too much. By the way, my husband totally agrees that I should take the money.

My Mini-goals:

1. Drink at least 3 quarts of water a day.

Monday: drank 4 quarts (man was I going to the bathroom a lot)


2. Walk at least 10 minutes on Treadmill.

Monday: Walked 20 minutes on Treadmill.

3. Do 100 crunches.

Monday: 100 crunches, 100 inner leglifts and 100 outher leglifts (while nursing-thought I could do something while I was just laying in bed last night trying to get my baby to sleep), 100 stomach suckins (can't think of the name of these), 100 Buttlifts, 100 alternate buttlifts, 20 wall pushups.

Wow Rachel! You go!!!
I like the idea of specific goals.
Let's see, here's what I've been toying with:
1500 cals/day
30 min exercise, 6 days/week. Ideally: Mon/Thurs gym classes, Tues/Fri yoga classes, Wed/Sun jogging, or treadmill at the gym if too cold.
No drinking or smoking
I'm not planning to start really counting until December, but so far I've been OK with the calories and the cigarettes! And not too bad with the wine...one glass a night sure beats my previous habit of one bottle!

Last, I don't want to be exclusionary, but I'm wondering if we want to close off the group when Dec arrives? I only say this because personally, I would love to get to know the folks who are participating, and hold you all accountable!! If we have people dropping in and out, then I think it might get confusing. Please let me know if you all think this is a good idea, otherwise I'm fine not doing that too!!
Sonja

My goals for this week are to keep writing down my points. I joined weight watchers yesterday. I used to do the diet on my own at home this is the first time I went to the meetings. Meeting do help ..you leave thinking YAY I can do this.

I'm okay with anything you all want to do. Just give me a run down of what we are doing when everyone decides so that I remember

Momtoscott~ I'm actually up 3 pounds from my ticker. I'm 250 so my 5 pounds would be 245. I'm actually hoping to be closer to 242 by Jan 1st but we will see....Would it be okay if I WI on tuesdays?

Losingforanother: changed the numbers.

I am up for anything. What do you think? We keep the
challenge open for anyone that wants to join, but by the 5th of every month, we no longer can add names to the challenge.

We try to weigh in at least once a week, for the support...it doesn't matter what day, I don't want to make this too strict. My main point is to have support and give support.

For the Jan. weigh in, lets have our info. for the Jan. 1st deadline in by Jan. 3rd. If you know you will not be here, because of vacation, just give us your number before you leave. How does that sound?

This can be a fourfold challenge????

1.
Making your own 5 pound a month challenge. Lets say this month, I loose 9 pounds, but next month, I only loose 1 pound, I still made my goal, because my personal goal was to loose 10 pounds in two months. Everyone that meets this goal, wins.

2.
The second is to see who looses 5 pounds first. (then second, third, etc.)

3.
The third is to see who looses the most weight for the month.

4.
The fourth, and in my opinion, the best, is to make goal/goals for the week (or even day to day promises) to do with exercise &/or nutrition, and keep them. Everyone that can keep their promise to themselves for the entire month are winners. Now remember, if you are going on vacation or even the holidays, you still can make promises to yourself. For instance, I promise only to eat one slice of cake versus the whole cake. To me, this is the way we will get to our ultimate goal. Keep self promises. Now, I know that someone might not keep their self promise one time during the month, so lets keep track of how many days you didn't keep self promises. The goal is to have a zero beside your name. But, to keep this a competition, we can see how we did compared to others. It is all about keeping each other motivated.

I know we don't all have time to "write" our self promises on this board, so you can if you want to.

So, lets get started! The 5th of December is the cut off date for any new names on the board.

How does this sound???????????

My Mini-goals:

1. Drink at least 3 quarts of water a day.

Monday: drank 4 quarts (man was I going to the bathroom a lot)
Tues: 3 quarts down (still using alot of TP)


2. Walk at least 10 minutes on Treadmill.

Monday: Walked 20 minutes on Treadmill.
Tues: Walked 10 minutes (would not have done this if I didn't have my Fri. to look forward to.)

3. Do 100 crunches.

Monday: 100 crunches, 100 inner leglifts and 100 outher leglifts (while nursing-thought I could do something while I was just laying in bed last night trying to get my baby to sleep), 100 stomach suckins (can't think of the name of these), 100 Buttlifts, 100 alternate buttlifts, 20 wall pushups.

Tues: 100 Crunches, 20 push-ups, 100 alterante buttlifts.

Count me in. By Jan 1 I should be 173lbs. I'll post mini goals later. I'm currently setting mini goals as part of another challenge. Crediting that support for motivation to lose!

Slisette(Sonja):
Five lbs a month is my favorite number. Nice and reasonable (yet somehow so unattainable for me!!)

This cracked me up so much! It seems that every Jan. 1st I take out the calendar and write on the last day of each month what I would weigh if I only lost 5 pounds/month.
Seems so easy and yes so unobtainable.


Wow: your self promises, I feel winded just looking at them. So how are you doing?

Losing4another:

I have heard wonderful things about Weight Watchers. Two times since I had my last child (last Dec.), I have tried to loose weight and said if this does not work, I am going to go to Weight Watchers. Well, they didn't work, and I still didn't go. Ummm, maybe I'll try one more time. Actually, I truly believe this is the last time. I am going to give it all I have. I am taking it slowly at first; making a few changes at a time that I have to stick to, and if I make other changes that are healthy at the same time then great.

So how are you doing?

MotherMavis:

Just wanted to say hello and hope all is going well. It looks like you are doing great.

Grazer:

Welcome! I am so happy that you have come to join us.