i had a question

do people get eliminated from teams like on the tv show? why do people drop out?

Lucky for all of us, no one is eliminated, not even if you really have a terrible week, everyone here still will be your friend, but you can eliminate yourself.
You need to post your weekly weight by 12pm on each Monday, you do have two freebies to use whenever you feel the need {like due to TOM or vacation, or you just plain forget to post} There is a sticky with all the rules and guidelines.

Welcome to all the newbies and Great to see all the returning red and blue team members!!

Hi I'm back, had alot of life happen lately, and what else to do, then slip back into old ways.

So ready to start my third challenge, and hope to stay on until the end this time. This challenge really does help me to stay accountable, and I must say, I do enjoy chatting with all of you.

Hi everyone. I'm new to the board but very excited about starting the BL challenge. My name is Shannon and I am 25 years old, single, and living and teaching currently in South Korea. I am starting the Biggest Loser Diet on September 1, 2009. I have done several diets for many years but always gain back and never stick with anything. I'm going to the doctor on Monday to get my current weight, but last month I weighed in at 379lbs. That is the highest I have ever been. I am keeping a blog during this time as well if anyone is interested and wants to drop by. Its:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/diet-blogs/shan84/

So...at 379lbs, 5'10, I am ready for a lifestyle change now. I'm committed and while my diet is going to be adjusted since I'm in South Korea and some products are not available here, I will be sticking very close to the biggest loser diet. I live on an island off the southern most tip of South Korea so there is lots of hiking and walking to be done. I also walk to and from work daily which is about a 20 minute walk. As I said, I'm doing the BL diet so I am counting calories. Probably going to be the most intensive life change I have ever accomplished but I know I can do it and I am so ready to get started. Look forward to being on a team for the challenge, and good luck to everyone out there.

Hi!!

I'm Liz. I'm 28, married and no kids, and no plans to change the no kids aspect ever I have two very spoiled chihuahuas

I signed up for the summer challenge, but kind of forgot about it, and then never really felt like I 'belonged' in the group (just my own issues ) since I missed the first two WI and chat threads.

Anyway, I hit my highest weight of 290 something at the end of 2006. I ended 2007 with a 12ish lb weight loss, and then became more serious in 2008, since I was getting married that year. I was 253 when I was married.

I'm 233.8 as of this morning. I really hope to get under 200 lbs by the end of the year. I know I can do it, if I'm committed and serious about this. But I tend to slack off at times.

Hi everyone. So glad I found this challenge, it will definitely help me on my journey.

I did Medifast for 6 month and lost 115 lbs ending in Feb of last year. But when I started adding back food, I found that my gallbladder was shot from the rapid weight loss and had to have it removed. BTW - I won the biggest loser challenge on the MF site while on the diet. Gallbladder surgery isnt that big of a deal, but while in surgery they flipped me on my side and because of being sedated and no back support, and an underlying back issue (which I was unaware of) the flip pinched several nerves in my middle back.

Long story short, or kinda short, I went thru a year of steroid ephidurals in my middle back (alot more painful then in lower back) lots of painpills, next to no sleep, and no activity (I was a work out queen and really miss working out).

The pinched nerves caused excrutiating pain that wrapped around my ribs. I thought the gallbladder pain was bad, but it didnt touch what I went thru with the pinched nerves. I gained 10-12 lbs after each epidural, regardless of how good I ate. That plus no activity and binge eating at times out of pure disappointment and depression put a lot of lbs back on.

But, I FINALLY am to the point of normal life again with only occasional pain now. I still cant work out like before, and am building back slowly as I can only walk right now. I recently started doing home delivery of fresh foods (about 1400-1500 cals a day) and am now starting to lose weight again.

I would love to lose quick again, but I just cant bring myself to go back on MF after all I went thru and feel like even if it takes me a long time to get the weight back off, slower is going to be better for me in the long run. (I keep trying to remind myself of that haha)

I loved doing the challenges on the MF site and was a team captain many times. It really helped on my journey to feel part of a group who were experiencing many of the same things as myself. So I am so glad this challenge is starting up and I look forward to getting to know y'all

So where do I find out what team I am on and when do I weight in?

Success to us all !
Brenda

Thanks Dixied for creating this thread, love the title!!

Hi everyone!!!

I'm so excited about the biggest loser challenge!!!

I have a question - which of the two teams is Jillian's team ? And is it possible to request to be on that team?

I've not watched the show before, but I'm currently watching season 6, and i love it!!!

A little bit of information about me:

I'm a phd student, currently studying for my final viva examination (on the 28th sept).

I'm following Paul Mckenna's 4 golden rules and doing the P90x workout.

I'm from London, UK

This is my first BL challenge, and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm relatively new to 3FC and love it here!!!

Good luck everyone!!! I cant wait for the teams to be announced!!

LOL! i was thinking the same thing - I want to be on the Jillian team = P

I love reading everyone's introductions and backgrounds. I have a lot in common with many of you and can't wait to get to know you all during the challenge. I can't wait for it to start already!

Hiya all! I'm really looking forward to this challenge. I participated in a summer challenge a yr or two ago. I really enjoyed the team aspect of doing this - it helped me to hold myself accountable, esp for exercising. That is what I am most looking forward to on this one.

I'm 38, married with one little monkey, and work outside the home. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism last November and this is my first real attempt at losing weight since starting treatment. I feel like I have so much to learn...

Sorry I have another question!

Since the 8th of september is the deadline for declaring our starting weight, what happens for example,
I declare my weight today. but by the 7th of sept my weight has changed, either gained or lost. is it okay, for me to edit my starting weight on the 7th of september.

but i totally understand that once the challenge starts, that we're only allowed to weigh in once, and not edit it

I was wondering the same thing, Echo! I PM'd my weight already but then realized we still have like 2 weeks until it starts and I intend to lose more in that time frame...so would it all count toward the first week's loss for my team?

I'm so glad that we're doing introductions for this round. Maybe the Blue Team leader will finally get her stuff together and run a decent challenge....oh wait, that's me. Nope, probably no chance in getting everything done in a challenge I'd want..I'm too busy running.

Hello, my name is Dee and I'm a running addict.

I never thought I'd say that. I've been overweight since I was about 23. Before that I was very thin. It took me a long time to recognize that I was actually fat. I've been accused of reverse anorexia, I'd look in the mirror and see a thin person. So even though I've been dieting since age 24, I never really thought I was that big. After about 1000 dieting attempts and enough walking that I could have circled the globe, I think I've finally got a handle on it.

What changed?

1) These BL Challenges. Sticking around here (and posting regularlly) had kept me on track and accountible. If I disappear for more than 3 days, you can bet I'm on the counch with some ice cream.

2) I finally gave up walking for exercise. For 13 years walking was the only form of regular exercise I got. And it didn't work for me. I'm not saying that some people can't drop massive amounts of weight with just walking, because I know thay can. But I'm not one of them. The reason I list this is that you must learn to listen to what your body wants. In my case that means running and weight training. Once I began running the pounds flew off. I've lost 60 pounds in the last 2-1/2 years, and all but 15 of them have been since last October.

3) I didn't give up. In the first year I only lost 15 pounds, and then I maintained that for another 6 months. And sure, I backslide occasionally, we all do. But I didn't stop trying. And I didn't drop out of the challenges (well, maybe 1?).

4) I got professional help. I went to my doctor and explained the problem. I took my food and exerise journal. This was the same week I had decided to try to learn to run using the C25K (Couch-to-5k program). I wanted to make sure it was okay to start running. Also, I listed on paper everything that bothered me about my helath and my body. I had only recently switched to this female doctor after having two different male doctors who didn't seem to grasp female issues. My doctor took a look at my list and then asked a few questions. Then I finally got answers. Turns out I have PCOS, which can make losing weight more difficult. That's the reason why the walking didn't work for me. I needed higher intensityand my diet has to be stricter that average. Boo! Hiss! But at least I got a reason.

So here I am 10 months later, at the lowest weight I can remember as an adult, with 14 or so pounds to go. My focus right now is on two things, lowering my body fat and training to run a half-marathon next August. I still backslide every now and then, but I've learned what I need to do is to get back on track literally, and go for a run.

Advice to Challenge Newbies

Post! Post! Post! Even if it's just a quick "hello, I'm still here" post. I know we probably will have some folks that like to lurk more than they like to post, but please let us support you. That's really the point of having teams, not competition.

The first two weeks there will be a lot of posting. There will be chatter between returning team members, but please don't feel left out. Some of us have been doing these challenges together for years now. Team members come and leave and come back again. You'll be surprised how quickly you're inducted into the cult...I mean into the team.

Got questions? Ask away...

I am new to 3FC but I am excited to be part of this challenge. I am 37 years old and a mother of four. 7, 9, 14, and 16 all girls. I have always been heavy with the exception of my senior year in high school and a couple years after graduation. Then I had my first daughter and never lost all of the baby fat after she was born. Two years later had my second daughter, although I lost more weight after she was born I was still no where near my before baby weight. The weight has gradually increased over the last 14 years.
I have been working full time and going to school full time for the last 9 years. I have decided to take a break from school for a couple of years and decided that I needed to start focusing on my health with the same passion I focused on my education. I have a master's degree plus 50 additional credits and I have maintained a 4.0 GPA. If I can dedicate the time and energy into weight loss that I did with my education then I will have it made.
I started my weight loss journey on July 6th of this year by hiring a trainer and going to the gym every day. Nearly two months later I am down 20 lbs and still going to the gym every day. This last week was going to be my biggest obstacle so far since it was the first week of school (I teach 4th grade). I made it through the week and continued going to the gym.

I'm not sure how this challenge works since I am new to the challenge and pretty new to 3FC. If someone can give me some info on what I need to do I would really appreciate it. Thanks.