Questions & Answers (from the thread so far)

I'm going to start a Q&A thread where you can post your questions, but I'll go ahead and answer these here too. I think I got all the questions, but I may have missed some. (Disclaimer: The Blue Team Leader isn't perfect, if I missed you question I'm sorry, please go ask in the Q&A thread)


Personally, I post my weight as soon as its allowed. That way I show a nice big loss for the first week which gives my spirits a boost. Or you could wait. The one time I waited to post I binged between challenges because I wasn't accountable to my team.

Nope, we don't kick anyone out. You can take yourself out of the challenge is something life altering happens, or you can be eliminated for not weighing in. You get two "freebie" weeks, after that we have to assume you've dropped out. On that note, if you do decided to drop out, please let you Team Leader know so we can adjust our team spreadsheets. Once you have dropped out, or missed weigh-ins more than twice, we do try to take your weigh-in posts off the team weigh-in thread. It just makes it faster to pull the numbers on Mondays.

You can edit your original post, post a new message, or PM me. Any oft hose will work. If I haven't got your weight on by 6th, I will try to PM you.

Rhetorically answering, you could get a divorce, get a new job, lose your current job, transfer to Europe, go back to school, join the Peace Corps, adopt some kids, decide to try out for American Idol.... I'm out of ideas...no wait, you could join the circus!

Thanks for the answers DixieD really appreciate it!

I've only been in one challenge, so I am by no means an expert on this but this is usually how it goes. This is just a summary for any newbies that are wondering what this is all about and how it goes. I was new to this in the spring and I felt lost, so hopefully this helps someone.

You sign up and enter your starting weight. They close sign ups, take everyone and split them into two teams, each one led by a team leader. They take everyone's weight and add it up for the team's total.

Each team leader has a thread to introduce everyone and encourage their team through advice, inspiration and just plain ol' chatting to keep up with everyone and their progress or struggles. Both team leaders and participants post QOTD (questions of the day), which you don't have to answer, but help to keep the conversation going. They will close that thread when it gets too long and start a new one. To win the biggest loser title, you not only have to win at losing weight, but you also have to check into these chat threads at least once a week. And it can be as simple as just saying, "Hi, I'm just checking in to say I lost/gained this much this week!" They may also post separate threads with mini-challenges to your teams, and although optional, they can really help motivate you to ramp it up and keep you on track.

There's no set exercise plan or diet. You do what works best for you. This is all about having support and accountability. Some people work harder because they want to win or because they don't want to let their team down. Some benefit from the support of having a team that is there for them. Whatever reason or combination of reasons to join, the desired result is healthy weight loss. Not necessarily massive, quick weight loss, but steady, continued loss over the 13 or however many weeks.

Each leader will start a weigh in thread for their team, where you make one post and list all the weeks in the challenge (usually they help by posting a template) and you edit that post each week with your updates, for example: +1.5, -2 or freebie week (you can only have two). Just make sure you post your weight before the set time Monday so they can tally them and figure out the standings.

Then they take each person's weight and compare it to their last weigh in and figure out the percentage of weight lost for each individual, then for the team as a whole. They also remove people who drop out and edit the team's weight, the weigh in thread and the spreadsheets to reflect who's still in. Then the leaders post to a thread where both teams enter the team's combined weight and weight loss, plus the biggest loser of that particular week and the runners up and any other accomplishments or notes they feel necessary.

Then at the end of challenge, they figure out which team won and which individual was the biggest loser. There's no affiliation with the show or big prize, it's just a title and the awesomeness of knowing that that person stuck it out till the end, lost all that weight and won.

And that's this competition in a nutshell. A really large nutshell.

Hi, I'm a 30 year old mom and student and recent runner I've been overweight nearly all my life and I'm looking to get healthy. I am steadily losing weight for the first time in my life, and I am ready for a little more challenge. I'm running my first 5k in October, and I want to get stronger.

I have never seen the Biggest Loser TV show, but I understand the premise, and can't wait for this challenge to begin!!

Hi, my name's Ellie. Just had my 44th b'day this past week. My highest wt was 206 back at the end of 2006. Then I got serious and lost about 31 pounds, then slacked off and regained about 10. This summer's BL challenge was my first one; unfortunately, I was sick most of the summer with a bad cough/cold, which sidelined my efforts and put me in a funk, both physically and emotionally. But I did manage to get rid of just over 5 pounds, so I did accomplish my goal of ending the challenge weighing less than when I started, even if not by what I'd hoped!

I am psyched and ready for this one now (and, please, no runaway viruses this time, lol)! It's gonna be my feet running, not my nose!

Thanks inklestinkle. I had figured out most of that by lurking in the last challenge (I was too late to join but very curious about it all). But that seems like a really good summary for those just tuning in.

My name is Jen. I'm married and we have a beautiful little boy. Like I told my doctor on Monday "I just don't know what to do anymore, I have been dieting on and off for 13 years" . . . my doctor (who I adore) told me "No, you have been doing the wrong things for 13 years". I was diagnosed offically with PCOS June 22, 2009. Right now I'm working on figuring out how to work past that, and what I have to do to beat it. I have an appointment with a nutritionist in a couple of weeks, but until then I'm just trying to just eat healthier and watch my carb and sugar intake. Exercise is next on my list.

This is either my 3rd or 4th BL Challenge and I'm excited to be back. Support is very important to me and I know I can get lots of that here.

Hi guys, I'm Ruth, and I'm from Australia. Because of this I often fall behind in the chats and things, because you lot are gabbing on while I'm sleeping! But I'll try to keep up.

I've lost 28lb so far in 12 months. Slow and steady, that's me. Having said that, I did take a 6 month hiatus to maintain because I was a bit over it. I didn't put on any weight in this time, and now I'm refocussed and back with a passion.

That's why I'm here really. I like the motivation and kick-in-the-pants style of the challenges. I like the way everyone groups behind people who are having trouble to refocus and remotivate them. The support here is unbelievable.

So cheers chickies, and let's move it move it!

Good morning everyone.

I posted my starting weight. My menu for today is planned. Exercise is scheduled. Now I just need to get my butt in gear and get the family the rest of the way on the new school schedule. School starts in one week and while I have the kids on a good routine mine still stinks. I have to get with it soon.

I wish everyone a POP day.

Hi everyone. I am a classical pianist living in Southern Ontario, married with one daughter (6). I have been overweight basically since puberty. I've been able to exercise effectively, even running a half-marathon once, but dieting is my downfall, mostly due to emotional eating. I think I have the tools to conquer this now, though, and I hope this challenge will help. Looking forward to getting to know you all.
cheers
Erika

Hi All! My name is Mel. I'm 41, married with 3 kids ages 9,7 & 5.
I started my lifestyle change in January of this year , then started C25K running program in Feb & ran a 5k on Mother's Day.

I participated in the Summer Challenge (my first) & am looking forward to the fall challenge to help keep me accountable & motivated.

My running slacked off for Aug- so I'm starting to get back into that which will hopefully help the scale move in a downward trend.
Looking forward to getting to know everyone & share this journey together!

Hi my name is Candice. I am a 30 yo married, photographer work-a-holic. I signed up for this challenge (and a couple others) because I need to focus on me and not feel bad for it. This time of year is my busiest and I easily work 70-80 hours a week and then feel guilty for not working longer. It doesn't help that we live in a fast food society where everyone wants everything now.

I am also a recent runner. I run intervals with the C25K but I've gone backwards to week 3 and I am running much faster. I can't move to longer intervals as much but I seemed to have fixed a hip flexor problem.

I am losing VERY slow (especially since running) and I struggle with this mentally because I thought running was supposed to make the lbs fly off??? I am also fairly competitive and since I am losing slow I worry that this challenge will actually make me more frustrated...but why not try right?

Ok and my favorite trainer is Jillian and I don't care that she sells supplements because 1. Business people sell things and being rich or even making money doesn't make them bad. 2. She has ALWAYS endorsed supplements as well as every other trainer I have ever known. 3. I try not to judge on personal decisions. I don't eat all organic and stuff but i don't mind that she does.

Hi! My name is Mary. I am a 43 yo mom of three ( ds-26, dd-19, dd-17) and grandmother to Olivia (2).I have been married for 22 years. I have been overweight most of my life. Morbid Obesity runs in my family. So needless to say dieting has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was a skinny teenager thanks to diet pills but as I got older my system could no longer take the side effects and I started gaining weight. Three years ago I hit 199 and said enough is enough. I would not let myself get over 200. I started seriously in January counting cals and working out, I was doing pretty good and my dh got sick. He started treatments in March and it totally changed his personality. I had a rough couple of months adjusting to it so needless to say my eating went to the wayside but thankfully i kept working out so the damage is only a few lbs. but sadly no new lbs lost since April. I am ready to start over again and look forward to the beginning of this challenge. I am a elementary school guidance counselor and go back to work on Thursday. I find it easier to stick with a plan when I am working so this Thursday is my official start date.

I am looking forward to getting to know all of you.

Candice- I so agree with you. I wouldn't follow anyone blindly anyway. I believe it is up to the consumer to decide what is good for them. Jillian does give a lot of good advice but I find that I don't like all of her exercises either. But for the most part her advice is spot on, so I take what I like and leave the rest.

Hi, My name is Jacky and have struggled with weight my whole life. I wish now I would have just maintained instead of yo-yo dieting which has really messed with my ability to lose as I get older. I will most likely be doing the WW plan on my own. I am really looking forward to this challange and am hoping that this will keep me in check as I will now be accountable to a whole team and not just myself. I wish everyone lots of success on this journey.