***~~December to Remember Challenge~~***
 

Remember that we're working hard at what needs to be done.
remember that obstacles can be overcome and...
remember that we can do this together!

**This is the 9th and final challenge of 2004**

December is often a difficult time to be on this weight loss journey. Too much and all the wrong foods, lack of exercise and excessive holiday parties often “get in the way” of what we really need to do for ourselves. So this is a perfect time to put yourself first and remember why we are on this journey.


Ralph Marston says:
“Before you consider the difficulties, consider the rewards you'll enjoy after getting past those difficulties. Before looking at the effort you must put forth, look at what you have an opportunity to accomplish.
Yes, there are obstacles that stand in front of you. And the most effective way to get through them is with a meaningful, compelling reason.
Look, in your imagination, to the other side of the mountain. For it is the strength of your vision that will carry you over that mountain.
When your heart is in the effort, you'll find a way to prevail against whatever may block your path. When your heart is in the effort, you'll be fully and effectively engaged every step of the way.
See, hear, feel and taste the end of the journey before you even begin. The more vividly you visualize and relate to the goal, the more energy you'll have to get there.
Difficult as it may be, there is a path from here to there. Connect solidly with your purpose for going, and you'll surely complete the journey.”

Avatars for the "December to Remember Challenge

Whatever your program, whatever your fitness level, you can participate.

Post your goal(s) for the next 4 weeks, and join us for support and encouragement. Anyone is welcome to jump in and join us- please, make yourself at home.

This Challenge thread is a place where we can all come to share our progress, our struggles, our triumphs, and to cheer on those who are committed to a healthier lifestyle, and to just talk!

Remember the goal, Remember yourself and remember that we are all here together!

I'm in...and in desperate need of the tazer & a prod...
 

I've had too many distractions and issues that I keep letting get in the way of my goals, and my health. I backslid, and in a big way. Not good. Doing this month after month, after such a strong start...I'm embarrassed to say I'm not doing anything that I know I should be doing. I can't do it without my planning, and my chickies. I need the accountability.

So, before the holiday pressures start, I need to focus again, and get things back in gear. Consider it "practice" to be down a few pounds by January 1, 2005, and have something to celebrate in the new year.

Things I HAVE to do for myself:

Food:
*Stay on plan
*Prepare in advance
*Bad meal days:
Christmas- better choices, but able to have a small "taste" of some
of the bad stuff.
New Year's Eve- champagne toast at midnight, and hors d'ourves,
within reason. small snack-like meals during the day to minimize damage

Water:
*72 oz water before I leave work each day (3 24oz glasses) minimum!
*Limit caffeine to 1 cup of tea & 1 can of diet coke, daily.
*Keep Crystal Light & Kool Aid made with Splenda on hand at all times

Exercise:
*Exercise a minimum of 5 days each week
*Get re-acquainted with my exercise bike NOW

Misc:
*Journal food & exercise every day-and 3FC just added special areas to
their journal entries for tracking both....how cool is that???
*NO MORE EXCUSES- enough is enough!

I can do this...I HAVE done this...time to get back to that.

Here I AM!!
 

Hi,
I'm new. I started my weight loss journey 3 years ago after my last child was born. ( I have 3 children ..ages 16,15 and 3) A month after I had him I weighed 222. I went to the gym and managed to get down to 170 in a year. Over the next year my weight fluctuated between 180 and 160. Finally in my 3rd year my weight has fluctuated between 170 and 146. Yes...I got down to 146 and said WOOOHOO and then jumped back up to 165. The weight I currently am. I feel a great weight range for me would be 140-150 max.( I'm 5'5") I would love to be 150 by Christmas. I'm gonna have to hit it hard! Ultimately I would like to be 140 by Jan 31st for a cruise my dh and I will be taking! Hubba, Hubba! Also!! My 20th high school reunion will be this year! And I would OHHHHHHHHH SOOOOOOOOOO LOVE for everyone to speculate if I have had plastic surgery because I couldn't possibly look that Great after 3 kids and damned near 40! LOL! So...Please tell me what I need to do to join in because I'm ready for the challenge!!

Happy Holidays!
Janet 222/167/150 then 140

Progress Pictures :
http://chat.provida.com/forum/photos...lter=chocolots
You can click on the pic for a better view of the destruction and construction. LOL!
I was 30 in the wedding photo

Janet
222/167/140-150

I would love to join....
My goals:
Stay on my ww point range
Drink at least 5 glasses of water daily
Exercise at least 150minutes a week
Keep up my food journal
Lose some pounds

You know I'm here, chickies!

Goals:
Exercise 4-5 days per week
Keep calories around 1500 per day
Drink as much water as possible
Eat more fruits and veggies
Lose whatever pounds decide to be lost :D

Evening all! :wave:

OK....I'm in. Goals for December are pretty basic.....I just want to maintain. sorry if that sounds lame,:sorry: but I know the temptations are going to be great....and there is no reason to set an unattainable goal. It will be enuf for me just to hold steady. Since I do know that I will indulge, I have to combat the results with a plan:
exercise EVERY day
60-oz of water at least 5 days a week
cut out the diet coke (this is getting easier and easier)
monitor every morsel going into my mouth

Jenn.....Life happens...:shrug:.....you have probably figured that part out already. But we have to make our healthy living plan a second nature, like breathing. So, when life jerks us around, our plan is not jeopardized.

Julie.....Thank you for the Marston quote..:thanks:...a great idea to focus on the long term goal instead of getting bogged down in the daily details. great avatars, by the way!

Janet.....Welcome! :) It is always nice to see a new face! You will find plenty of support here at this site

Scorchin.....you have a great plan going there, chickie! I like the idea :idea: of a weekly personal goal!

Elisha.....you are halfway to your goal.....keep up the momentum! You did great on the last 100-mile challenge. :dancer: I am proud of you!

And the rest of you!....get in here and join our merry little band! We all need to encourage one another :goodvibes: to make this next goal a reality!

Well I am in. I haven't ben posting lately nor even exercising. With my husband having problems and Jasmine being sick, it has been hard to keep up with what I was doing before. I am ready to get started again. I am at the same weight I was before... 145 and want to be down 5 lbs by the end of the year. That was my goal for Thanksgiving but I will make it my goal again since I didn't get far at all on that.

My plan? Watch what I eat... portion control. Drink mostly waterand lots of it... limit my soda intake since I got back to drinking one a day. Workout 6 days a week (Taebo 3 days with situps and pushups and maybe a walk and run the other 3 for 30 minutes to an hour-intervals if I want it. Also adding squats to it some days) And get enough rest... sort of going to be hard to do since hubby is back on nights and wakes me up when he gets in. Limit myself to the TV and read only 1 hour a day... if laying down that is. And bring Jasmine to the park for about 2 hours a day if weather allows.

Hope that I can make it to my goal this time. Haven't made my other goals but will work real hard to make this one. This will be the real test to see if I can make my long term goal by date that I have in mind.

i have been interested in joining a challenge for so log now! but it seems i always find them after they begin which triggers my old tapes.... but i got here right on the fringes of begin. YAY!

my goals:

stay within my point range

drink 2 1/4 litres of water a day ( i have a 3/4 litre water bottle, so thats only 3 a day.... water has been the hardest bit for me to get back into the groove with)

exercise: 30 minute walk minimum 5 days a week. and you would think with that adorable pooch of mine this should be easy. but noooooooo with old man winter breathing down our necks and my procrastinating ways...... did you know that later turns into really late?? ~laughing~

journaling: i am excellent at writing everything i eat. what i do not excel at is..... making sure i get adequate amount of the right foods. like 5 fruit/veggies a day, and 2 milk servings. so i will be meticulous in this area!

and like miss_elisha.......... lose whatever weight decides to be lost. for me that would be a perk for doing what i should be doing.


i am really looking forward to not only this, but getting to know you ladies as well!!

sincerely,
sassy

Hey everybody :wave: I'm IN :yes:

My goals for the month of December (and hopefully forever new habits)

1. Eat within points range DAILY

2. Get some form of exercise DAILY
I don't want to discount some of the things I need to get done before Christmas (like painting and heavy duty cleaning) as exercise. Because sometimes it's one or the other and being an all or nothing kinda person I have to be able to count it so I'm on track (does this make sense :crazy:)

3. Drink at least 8 glasses of water (or herbal tea)[DAILY I've been really shirking on the water since the weather has turned colder.

4. Keep in touch here (good or bad) DAILY


5. Journal DAILY Love the new exercise and food logs on the journal site.

6. Become better organized (nothing to do with weight, but everything to do with self esteem)

7. I would like to (WILL) lose five pounds in the month of December .

Today I moved a lot of furniture :strong: (in anticipation of painting our master bedroom and ensuite). After dinner DH and FIL went for a brisk 3 mile walk. I stayed OP having (with the exception of a stick of game pepperoni which I'm not sure how many points it has) 23 of 28 points so far. I've had 6 glasses of water and 1 herbal tea so far (I'm off to get another). I've had my quota now... :lol3: I'm trying to become more organized by becoming a "flybaby"...

Thanks for starting this post and for that incredible quote, Hikein. I will try to read it each day when I log in.... :encore:

I look forward to working with you all .... Hikein and Jennifer and Chocolots and Scorchin and MsRD abd Miss Elisha and Sweetandsassified and gabwill and any others that join. Together WE CAN!

I know that for me personally December is an incredibly difficult month. So much around -- and I have so little will power (especially if I'm hungry). There's always candy around the office, I think I will bring in some sugar free candy - maybe that will help. I've already turned down a cookie party.... because I don't want to have the goods in the house or make a bunch. Being Type II I'm not supposed to eat it anyways.... :shrug: It's tough tho.... cause it's kinda also a family event and a chance to visit with female family members.... we'll see...

Anyways.... I better go do my journalling. I'm going to weigh myself tomorrow (I don't usually weigh other than Wed. at WW) morning to see if I lost my eight pounds in November before my anniversay (goal). I think I may be close.... wish me luck.;)

:grouphug:
:-J

Morning ladies!

Motivation level: 7

Feeling pretty good this morning. My muscles are a little sore though, for some unapparent reason. Probably lack of exercise.

I weighed in this morning at 197, which means I'm down 2 pounds. Don't know how that happened. My weight fluctuates more than... I dunno, something that fluctuates a lot. :D Now if I can just drink my water and eat right and keep it going downward, then we'll be in good shape. Literally.

Man, I'm a dork this morning. And I'm ok with that.

I'd love to be 195 by New Years. Heck, I'd love to be 190 by New Years, but let's be realistic. It's December. It's going to be hard enough to lose 2 pounds, let alone 7.

I had a nice relaxing weekend with the BF, but now I feel like it's crunch time. I've got the GRE coming up, and applications to fill out, and Christmas stuff, and work's going to be busy, and on and on and on. That reminds me, have to go get some recommendations this week... See what I mean?

And I'm thinking, I don't really want to go back to school. But there is no other way to get to where I want to be, so I don't really have a choice. I don't really want to exercise either, but again, it's the only way to get to where I want to be, so I guess I'll have to do it eventually.

Ok, Elisha, enough complaining! There's too much to do to be sitting around whining about everything that needs done!

So, off I go to do something. Have a healthy day, everyone!
~Elisha

Is anyone thinking of a December exercise challenge? If anyone is up for it, let me know and I'll set it up. I'm thinking of an Aerobic Exercise Only challenge (which just means that our daily pedometer miles won't count, unless we're actually walking specifically for exercise and not because we have to), though I'd lower the goal to, say, 50 miles in one month, where 15 minutes = 1 mile for those not walking (or however long it takes you to actually walk a mile at the same intensity).

My reasoning for that is that I get in plenty of pedometer miles, but none of it is actually exercise, it's just my normal daily walking. The point of exercise is to work your body over and above what you normally do, so if you normally walk 4 miles in your daily routine, it's not considered exercise. So I'm thinking that maybe, just maybe, if I set an actual exercise goal, I'll be more motivated to actually workout.

Anyway, let me know what you think!
~Elisha

December Goals...
 

Oh, I am sooooo HERE!!!!! Of course! I mean...I did set up (with Jennifer's help, BTW...aren't those avatars awesome?...and the title...where would we be without her?) this challenge, so I need to get my goals in gear!

I could just copy and paste my goals from the last few months, but then nothing would change, would it? So I am giving some thought to my goals now...serious thought!

Where DO I want to be? I want this to be natural for me...to enjoy healthy eating and exercise...daily...at a weight which my body is comfortable with. It may be that is more than I REALLY want to weight, but hey...my body knows, right? But I don't think for a woman of 5'2" at 43 years age, 130 is too much to ask...do you? But for this challenge, I want to maintain where I am at and even lose a couple if I can! I weighed today at 172!!!! OUCH!!! That's the highest I've been since this summer and THAT, my friends, is coming OFF this week!!! If I can get back down to 168 by Dec 13, which is VERY doable), then I will concentrate on maintaining that through the rest of the month...and if I should lose more...well then...that will be a bonus! I will certainly work on that!

How DO I visualize myself at the end of the journey? I want to look good in certain clothes...dresses, jeans, BATHING SUIT, shorts and sleeveless blouses! I want to be able to keep up when I am 50 (and that's not so far away, either) with my daughter when she wants to run on the beach or go for a bike ride or hike in the woods!

What IS the REASON I am doing this? For ME! For no one else but me because I am worth so much more than being overweight for the rest of my life!!!!!! :)


What ARE the obstacles? Lack of self control, laziness, procrastination, disorganization which leads to procrastination...pain and fatigue at times...I'm sure there is more and I will get back to those!

What are the REWARDS? Great heavens! We all know the rewards, don't we? A body that men will look at ;) (not that I'm looking for that, but it sure is a nice reward!), a body that will look good in clothes, the ability to do what I want to do without pain or fatigue, self worth and self esteem--knowing that *I* did it and no one (except me) could stop me!!!! :)

So I need to keep the focus and keep striving for more because I am so worth it! I need to be accountable...to myself first and to all of you as well!

It's great to see all of you here...some familiar faces and some new ones! The goals look good!

Elisha...I'm all over that challenge! I'm with you on the pedometer miles...it doesn't motivate me like I thought it would...so if you set it up, I'll be there!

Heya

Here's my plan:

1. Journal!
2. When I get home (sat) go to aerobics twice a week and rebound at least once.
3. Average under 1600 calories a day each week.

This week, I want to not totally give up although it isn't going to be on plan!

Dill

Goody goody gumdrops! I joined 3FC after the first of November so I've been waiting for Decembers challenge to be posted so I could join in with the fun, heh. What I'd like to accomplish for December is:

Exercise: I walk everyday now but I wanna get in the habit of also lifting weights and riding my stationary bike CONSISTENTLY 3 times a week each. I only do that sporadically right now.

Water: I've kinda slacked off. I need to start drinking at least 64oz a day again. Oddly I feel better and seem to lose more when I drink a lot of water?

Pounds: I wanna weigh 180 by January 1st which would start my new year out with a 100 pound weight loss :D

I'd like to thank everyone here for their support and kindness. There's not a lot of that in the world anymore. We all know what it's like and how hard it is and I'm glad we have this place to come where everyone else is in the same boat. Good luck with all our December challenges!

Hello All :wave:

Today was great.....breakfast was cereal & milk & tea.....lunch was carrot sticks and granola bar and pineapple......mid afternoon was orange juice......dinner was turkey & potatoes& dressing & cranberry relish (yes, a Thanksgiving re-run! :lol:) I have pretty much kicked the 9pm snack habit....and when I indulge, it is something at least semi-nutritous. Water was right on plan....over 70-oz!

Gabrielle......welcome back! I have missed you! :cool: Sorry to hear of DH problems and Jasmine being sick......hope they are feeling better! Through all of this, you still maintained.....how great is that!

Sassy.....welcome! We are always happy to have new folks in our group. :) You will find using a water bottle will help immensely with your water intake......my bottle is just 20-ounces. I go through 1 bottle on the commute to/from work.......one more mid morning thru lunch.....and one more late afternoon....and then I am up to 60-oz!

Joy....December is going to be hard for me too...:cookie:..I bake a lot for the holidays. This year, I am going to cut it back to just 2 or 3 different treats.....which go into the freezer (out of sight, out of mind) immediately.....and don't come out until the guests are on the doorstep.

Elisha.....I like the idea of an aerobic challenge where 15 minutes = 1 mile. I do the aerobics anyway...:dancer:....so maybe this would keep me on track EVERY day.

Dill......you've got a good plan there! And I like your "not totally giving up" attitude...:sunny:....even when the week has been less than stellar, you can still salvage it by not giving up!

ChaoticFish.....Welcome! Glad you could join us! You will get a lot of encouragement and support here...:grouphug:....because we completely understand the struggles you are going thru.

It has been Monday all day...:spin:...and, as much as I would like relax in the easy chair, there is still a whole list of things still to be done tonight!