Arghhhh!!!! Nightmare!! I got on the scales and I've gained EIGHT POUNDS since 18th December. Which, incidentally, was exactly the same amount of weight I worked so hard to lose during the Christmas Challenge. (Why is it SO much easier to gain weight than to lose it????? )

So.... I'm starting this 13 week New Year to Easter Challenge at 12st 12lbs (180 pounds). My jeans size is between a size 16 (which is loose) and a size 14 (tight). My target is to get in to a pair of size 12's by Easter, for which I estimate I will need to lose my Christmas gain plus another 10lbs - making a total of 18lbs. (I'm going to have to REALLY work at this because I lose weight V-E-R-Y slowly!!!!)

I'll put up a weigh-in thread each Thursday between now and Easter and it would be lovely if everyone could post on this thread with their start weights and a brief outline of your chosen diet/exercise plan - but if you don't want to thats fine, too.

My personal cunning plan is a sort of combo of RC's GI Jeans and the Diet Doctors recommendations - basically I'm aiming for:
a) 1200 cals per day for the first week or two then increasing to 1500.
b) Low GI and aim to eat mainly 'Angel' foods
c) No snacking after dinner

To anyone new to this forum reading this.... we're all in the same boat here and no-one is judgemental, rude or nasty - so you are very welcome to join us in our Challenge and we can all work together towards a healthy and slimmer new year.

Ick!

12 stone 9lbs - race you to 11 and a half stone Sarah

The cunning plan is
1) Approx 1600 kcals a day with weekends sometimes higher
2) Lots of training (4-5 hrs a week)
3) Weights 4/5 times a week
4) Tempo or HIIT cardio 4/5 times a week
5) As much protein as possible when I get my new protein powder

Ok....well I got a little excited yesterday thinking I was down more than I was but here we go.

This morning I was at 164, so about 3 solid pounds on for the holidays. My goal is to be 155 by Easter. Right now I'm comfortable in a size 10, but I bought a pair of size 8 jeans at the gap as goal jeans (they were 9.99 so I figured they would be good inspiration

It would be nice if I could get those on without looking like the pillsbury dough girl when they are buttoned.

So those are my goals, 155 and wearing the size 8 jeans.

I'll do my usual calorie counting (1600 or so) and exercise every day. I do a combo of walking, running, spin, step and I take a weight lifting class 3 times a week.

Well I managed to lose 1 pound over xmas which is a surprise cos I wasn't dieting. However I'm still 2 pounds up on this time last month due to a huge 3.5 pound gain 2 weeks before xmas. I want to be in size 14 comfortably by easter- am a comfortable 16 at the moment but have some way to go before a 14 is a possibility.

Frus - You'll win, hands down but I'm willing to give the race a try though!!!!

My back is still playing me up so my exercise is very much restricted to a fairly slow 90 minute walk - followed by a lie down on a firm surface to wait for the pain to go away - which means that I've got to be even more strict with calories that I've ever been.

Sarahgrace - Well done on losing over Christmas!!! I managed to do that last year but only because I ignored Christmas completely and just dieted straight through. (It was amazing how motivating a few pains in the chest were!)

My main stategies were not having lots of nibbles around the house and going for lots of walks. I only got 2 small boxes of Thorntons this year and we didn't go mad on XMas day. However I didn't count points at all until Tuesday and certainly didn't go without what I wanted.

Well I'm in and would like to get to 175 so that's 19.5 lbs to go.

I need to keep counting points, journal and drink the water.

Cut down on the processed foods and white flours. More fibre.

Try and increase the exercise.

Count me in.

The plan:-

1. Eat between 1500 and 1800 cals per day.
2. Cardio at least 3 x week.
3. Weights at least 2 x week.
4. Eat more veggies. I finally admitted that I am a veggiephobe and this needs to change.
5. I will record everything I eat.

I'd like to drop 10 lbs by Easter. I'd also like to be in a (US) size 12 by then. I'm almost there, I have one pair of dress pants size 12 that fit just great but jeans are still a major squeeze.

anyone who can loose over chrimbo must have some sort of miracle diet..... i want in lol

my plans are
1) stay about 1300 4 times a week 1400 3 times a week.
2) exercise in some way (including walking) 6/7 times a week
3) loose 18lbs to my goal weight of 14stone,
4) and hopefully ill be in 16 jeans soon.(takes about 20lbs for me to change dress size.

man this is gonna be hard, my life has just got incredible stressfull and im such an emotional eater...:-( rubbish.

Challenge start - 273 (19 st 7)

Challenge target - 247 (17 st 9)

Plan - weightwatchers and lose 26 pounds.

I've put on soooo much weight I'm going for 2 pounds a week.

Hi everyone,
Looking forward to getting to know you all better!

I would like to lose 35lbs by Easter.
Weight at start of challenge - 275lbs
Weight at Easter - 240lbs

2007 is going to be a good year!

ok.... here it begins
JAN 4th - 89.9 kilos / 198 pounds
Cunning plan (hahaha)
- eat more veggies and fruits ( and chihcken) .... less CARBS!!!!!
- Exercise everyday in some way (walking ofcourse BUT running on treadmill in gym !!!!!!!)
- Be proud to tell people that am making an effort to lose weight and mot be shy about it
- Be atleeeeeast a size 12 - 14 , having lost atleeeesat 25 pounds by the end of this challenge ( 30 if am lucky!!! but does seem a bit greedy!)

good luck every one!!!!!

well i put on 2lb... had a bit of a rest back to it now!....

going good so far...... been spinning & not eatting rubbish...

plan: sticking to SW plan....
spin at least 3 x a week...

need to get this wt off... for a few reasons... other than health..... we want to try for a baby this yr.. i will carry first.. and we are to see the venue yet but.... will prob have our civil partnership ceremony in October!.. eeek... 9 months...

its gd motivation!...

keep up the good work .. we can do it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

had a chat with my diet coach last night (my boyfriend) and he said **** help me try and go runnning on sunday, and next week. watched a programme about weight loss and running is the most effective for burning fat....so i need that kick up the arse. also i need to tone my legs more, and runnning will do that.gooonnna TRY and go swimming. it was my new exercise thing to do after i lost 24lbs (which i now have) but getting in a pool in a swimming costume feels so daunting.
i really need to kick start my moetabolism, its gone into anxy teenager mode, and is not doing anythhing but holding water. oh well. wish me luck. im gonna need it.