[aphil]

THE CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay everyone-here it is!!! My sick motivation to have everyone ogle me and not my sister in law, paired with Kina's idea of the challenge has me with an idea...
Everyone here who wants to join in the challenge is encouraged!
Here are the goals for now until Christmas:
1.)Drink our water daily-(6-10 glasses)
2.)Exercise regularly-at least 3 days a week, I am going for more!
3.)Stay totally on plan with our eating, with the only exeption allowed for a few extra being on Thanksgiving. (But still trying to do in moderation on that day as well-just a little over plan, not an all out eating fest!)
4.)Everyone report their weekly weigh ins-whether it be good OR bad!
(Those of us on maintenance plans are welcome also-their goal will be to maintain their weight throughout Thanksgiving and Christmas.)
On Christmas day will be the end of this challenge-the big WINNER (or should I say LOSER) at the end of the besides getting a ton of dancing banana men from everyone-will PERSONALLY get a present from me, if you don't mind me knowing your full name and such at the end of the challenge! If I should happen to be the winner-then I will get something for myself! So-everyone keep track of not only your total loss, but your loss starting from today!!!!LET"S GO GIRLS!!!!!! THE PRESSURE IS ON!!!!!!!!!!
BTW-If anyone is interested, go to the Keebler website, and they have a section of healthy dessert recipes on their site, if anyone wants to use them for the holidays-great stuff like Pumpkin mousse pie for about 200 calories! Definitely an addition to your diet recipe book!!!!!!
Well, I started this challenge-I better get moving!
Aphil

[Kina]

Did I hear CHALLENGE? Okay my weigh in today is 195! Ugh! My 18 jeans are starting to fit a bit tight in places I care not to mention...LOL! Okay I think I can do this. Now since I don't follow a calorie or food plan I guess my goal is not junk food eat and don't fast food eat; also to cut my meals in half.

Thanks for the challenge Aphil! It's exactly what I need. So our weigh in will be every Saturday?

I'll go now and do some studying. Until next time.
Kina

[DNW]

Hi

Would like to start posting on your thread. I am counting calories and journaling at Fitday.com, along with doing exercise. Since I have begun visiting the 3FC site in September I have lost 10 lbs., and find most of the people on the threads great!

[aphil]

Hi everyone!
Yes Kina-you heard right-CHALLENGE!!!!! You can weigh in on whatever day you like, as long as you rlast weigh in is on Christmas to post as your challenge finish weight. I usually weigh in on Mondays, so whatever you want to do.
Deadnursewife-WELCOME!!!!
I am glad you decided to join us! With your plan, it seems you are going to fit in just fine!!!! You are also welcome to join in the challenge I just came up with-starting today until Christmas! The one of us who loses the most between now and then will get a present from me!!!!! That gives us all about a month and 5 days-there is a possibility of losing from 2-12 pounds by then!
Let's get with it-we are going to do great!
Aphil

[Kina]

We are going to do great and WE ARE GOING TO LOOK OH SO FINE ON CHRISTMAS DAY!!!

I am thinking of coloring my hair Aphil. BUT my natural hair is so dark and there isn't a color that I ever get that makes such a noticeable difference. At the same time my eyebrows are just as dark as my hair color. Do you know anything about hair coloring? I am planning to make an appointment for the salon to get my eyebrows done. I got your hints about applying eyeshadow. I never wear eyeshadow but because I don't know how to apply it. But thanks to you once I get that visit to the salon I will be at the makeup counter buying some shadows. But how do I know what colors are best. I know something about your skin tones have something to do with it. I have been buying small try-me samples of lipstick because I think I need a different shade. I don't know! Sounds crazy huh?

Welcome Nurse. This a great thread and the people are wonderful.

Well it is off to bed for me right after I do my 20 ab rolls. I have school in the morning then a turkey luncheon at our youngest daughter's school. Talk to you all again.
Kina*

[Snowey]

Hi Girls,,,

I am so in for this challenge!!! We can be kicking some serious butt by Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome Dead Nurse~~~ we would love to have you here with us. You picked a great group to come too. All the ladies here are wonderful!!! I hope you will post often!!

Do you believe that it is almost 1:00am here? Remember my part time job as asst mall manager?(that I have been working full time at lately) Well it had kept me busy till 12:00 midnight. We were decorating the Mall for Christmas and did not finish till then. MY sweet hubby even went and helped. I am feeling drained but wanted to post a hello to everyone!

At WW today I was down another 2.6 pounds WOOHOO!!
I now weigh 185.2 pounds !! I am feeling so good about this.. the 70's arent all that far off!!!!

I am going to say good night for now I am feeling really tired and its back to work at 8 30am..
Have a great day everyone and remember our challenge....we will succeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Night Night

Nancy
198.8/185.2/150ish

[aphil]

Yay Nancy!


Going from 198 to 185 gets a big BRAVO from me!!!!!!!
Kina-just from your picture, you seem to have a darker skin tone...I would go with a lighter beige colored shadow, really natural looking on your eyes, and then the lighter ivory blended in near your brows to highlight them.
Since your hair is so dark...I would recommend that you maybe get highlights in a reddish/dark auburn shade, or if you want an all over color, maybe a semipermanent color in one of those burgandy hues. It would not be real noticable indoors, but would be a real kick when natural light hits it outside! Saxy Mama!
Yes, today is the day I really get down to business for this Christmas challenge!!!! I just keep thinking of my sister in law, and how much better I want to look by Christmas, and how from now until then besides doing this weight challenge, that I want to get my hair highlighted, and have my nails done, and LOOK really good by then. Heck, I may even whiten my teeth...
And for the big shabang at Easter dinner...I want a pair of those black pants like Holly keeps talking about.
I think after seeing her last weekend, I have all of the motivation I need!!!!!!!
DeadNurseWife-since you are new, I will explain-I am suffering from perfect sister in law syndrome-she is the family favorite, and everyone last weekend made over her losing 10 pounds, and I am right there and have lost 12-and noone says a thing. So-I am on a mission planning ot outdo her at Christmas and Easter!
Everyone-get your groove on-the CHALLENGE HAS BEGUN!!!!
Aphil

[DNW]

THank you for the warm welcome everyone; and to make it easier on everyone, on other threads people just refer to me as DNW, so they don't have to type so much. I am looking forward to this Xmas challenge as it will keep me from eating my own cookies that I bake for others as presents in my office.

Went to the gym this morning and did weights for 40 minutes and the treadmill for 33 minutes.

Going to try to keep my food in the 1900 calories range. But I am starving so off to the cafeteria for a tea and rice cake with fake butter on it.

Take care all!!

[tryin'hard]

Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I posted! Welcome DNW! THis is a great place to hang out!
I love the challenge, Aphil! My Christmas goal is to not gain any weight. I want to weigh in on CHristmas morning and be right where I am right now. I remember when I was losing that I had a 'holiday' goal and it makes it so much easier to stay on track and keep it all in perspective. Remember, the holiday is only ONE DAY!
One other thing that has been helping me is really concentrating on my walk. Even though I walk with a partner, we both really try to focus on what we're doing and maintain the intensity. We keep reminding ourselves that we're not out there just to stroll! We've started running a little bit too! Does anyone else 'leak' when they run? I've been wearing a pad, but I was wondering if anyone has any other suggestions...
Nancy--way to go! You are doing so well!!
Well, back to work. Hope you are all having a great day! Keep up the amazing work!

[aphil]

tryin'hard-that is an interestin comment that you made about the leaking, so to speak. I am glad you brought up a topic like this, it is a common problem that women sometimes have-glad you weren't emberassed to bring it up.
It is very common for women to have slight bladder control problems, especially if they are older, or have had children. It is common for you to be fine most of the time, but for an occasional episode to happen when laughing hard, sneezing, or jogging-or similar situations.
I always laughed at my old boss in the salon when she would talk about it, until I had my first child...my daughter was very BIG-10 pounds4oz, and very large framed round the head, chest, and shoulders when she was born-and since I had an idiot doctor who was convinced I was having a normal baby-it was just that I was not pushing hard enough-he had me push for over 4 HOURS!!! All of that pushing caused a bit of a problem a few hours after she was born, when I got up out of bed and proceeded to pee all over the floor!!!! What they told me was that all of the stress from pushing so long had caused me to have numbing in my urinary tract-they said that the feeling would return in a few days. So-for about 4 days I had NO idea if I had to pee or not, because I could not feel it, or feel if I was "holding it" or not-I just had to make sure to go to the bathroom every hour or two on the dot to make sure my bladder stayed empty. Fun, Fun,Fun...
My bladder muscles seemed a lot weaker after that, and I learned how to do Kegel (sp?) exercises to strenghten my bladder and vaginal muscles. What you basically do is contract your muscles like you have to pee and are trying to hold it-hold for a few counts and release...do this periodically throughout the day daily to strengthen them.
It helps over time...other than that, just doing what you are doing, wearing a pantiliner while you are running is about all you can do.
Boy-the things we talk about here...hee hee hee
Aphil

[DNW]

ditto on the kegels...every once and a while that happens to me and I kegel for a while and the leaking stops....if it gets to be a problem there is a surgical procedure that is pretty simple that will take care of that and I believe its a matter of repositioning the muscle that the bladder lies on. It's a same day procedure and a urologist could help you out here since that is the person who would, and should, be doing such a procedure. BTW I am not a nurse, but married to one...so I'm no expert...just read a lot.

[Kanola]

I am just on my way to work.... so I will post later.... today I am starting the challenge with all of you!!

I need a kick in the butt after 11 weeks of WW and having a few weeks where I have not lost any weight.



What a great idea!

Talk soon!

[aphil]

Yay Kanola!!!!
This challenge is shaping up nicely! (As will all of us be by the end of it!)
Aphil

[Kina]

Woohoo! We are ALL going to be SAXY MAMA's! I can't wait til the end.

Great tips Aphil! I will keep them in mind when I go to the salon.

Guess what I was offered a part time job as a sales clerk at Beall's department store. I am totally excited but at the same time I am very nervous. I haven't really had a person to person contact job like that in so long. OMG! Well we shall see how things shape up. Now that means I actually have to get dressed up for work. Wish me luck at the same time i have to figure out what to do with the kids.

I really must go now. Take care and talk to you all later.
Kina

PS nice hearing from you NOla. Way to go Snowey you are doing awesomely. Tryinhard jump right in you are always welcome but you know that. Hugs to you all.

[aphil]

Kina,
That job at the store sounds great-I know when I was actively working in the salon, working around people all the time made me more aware and in more of a habit of taking better care of my appearance. I still get regular haircuts and wear makeup about every day, but then it was the whole thing-nails always polished, hair always highlighted or colored, tanning bed in the summer-you know. I think as time goes on-I will start to do a few of those high maintenance babe things again. It will never be to the extremes like when I was single with no kids-but I may be able to handle some more regular hair coloring, and scented lotions and such again. You are so right about us all becoming sexy mamas!
Well, today my calorie intake came in at 1280-and here is what I have eaten. I have totally skipped out on dairy today-which is bad-I will do better with that tomorrow!
Breakfast-
Bakers Breakfast cookie-250 (For the newbies, this is a meal replacement cookie made without refined sugar or butter, and only oats and wheat flour instead of white flour-they use pureed bananas and other healthy stuff like that in them)
Lunch-
Healthy Choice Turkey dinner with vegetables-330
Snack-
Archway mini oatmeal cookie-30
Dinner-
3 Taco Bell Chicken Soft tacos-600
Snack-
2 clementines-70 (a clementine is an AWESOME cousin of the tangerine, sort of like a mandarin orange. They are seedless and peel VERY easily-if you see them, I TOTALLY recommend you try them.)
TOTAL-1280 calories
I like to post a daily food diary up here now and then-if any of you want to do that now and then-I'd love to see what you are eating.
Well, I had better get some housework done before I get to bed.
All you sexy mamas have a good night! We are two days into the challenge!
Aphil