Time for a new challenge! That means new questions to be answered and new rules to be added. Please post all of your questions regarding the challenge here. If you still need to sign up before April 13th you can do that here.

So last time I ran the challenge there were some things I learned. This challenge is a bit different since holidays and vacations are coming up.

Q: When does the challenge start and when does it end?
A: The challenge starts officially on April 22nd and ends on July 16th. I'll start collecting starting weights on April 15th and collect them until April 20th.

Q: When will I know what team I'm on? Where will my team post to each other?
A: The teams will be announced on April 21st. Two chat threads will be made for each team. You will post to your team in the appropriate thread.

Q: Where do I weigh in? When do I weigh in? How do I weigh in?
A: Two threads will be created for each team for their weigh ins. You can weigh in any day of the week just as long as it's before the cut off day and time. There's a specific format that we use to weigh in (see below) and I ask that once you weigh in that you please do not change your weights. You'll simply be editing the same post in your team's weigh in thread every week so it's all based on the honor system.

Q: What is the format? How do I edit the same post?
A: This is the format for this challenge:

Week 1 (4/22 - 4/28):
Week 2 (4/29 - 5/5):
Week 3 (5/6 - 5/12):
Week 4 (5/13 - 5/19):
Week 5 (5/20 - 5/26):
Week 6 (5/27 - 6/2):
Week 7 (6/3 - 6/9):
Week 8 (6/10 - 6/16):
Week 9 (6/17 - 6/23):
Week 10 (6/24 - 6/30):
Week 11 (7/1 - 7/7):
Week 12 (7/8 - 7/14):

You can copy this format from here and post it in your teams weigh in thread. You edit your post each week by clicking the edit button on the lower right hand corner of your post and then add your weight for that week then press save.

Q: What is the cutoff time to weigh in?
A: The cutoff time is every Monday following the week of the weigh in and all weights must be recorded on your weigh in post by 10 pm EST. After 10 pm the team leaders will review the weights and attempt to contact you for a final time. If we don't here from you we'll have to take action. This does not apply to the week of April 15th to April 20th.

Q: I notice we are playing during sometime that I'm taking vacation. What can I do to keep from being removed?
A: If for some reason you are taking vacation and are unable to weigh in, you need to let your team leader know ASAP. You have the option to either weigh in early, or you can use a freebie week.

Q: What's a "freebie week"?
A: Freebie weeks are weeks were you either you can't get to the computer or something has come up that you can't weigh in. You have 2 of these for the entire 12 weeks of the challenge. So for instance if you can't weigh in, the leaders use your last weigh in as your weight for the week you miss. Once you use both freebie weeks, and you don't weigh in, you'll be removed from the team.

Q: I noticed last challenge people had to sit out. Are we doing that this challenge?
A: No we will not. Everyone is participating and everyone is getting counted this time. This is true even if the two teams are uneven.

Q: I noticed there are a lot of side challenges to participate in. Is it required?
A: None of the side challenges are required, but it's incouraged that you participate to help out your team.

I'll add to this list as more questions come in. Hope this helps out!

Chellez - did you mean that the challenge ends on July 16th - not June 16th?

(edit) I see in your weigh-in format that it ends in July.

chellez, thanks again for taking the lead on all this!

I have a question that arose from the start of the NY/NY TBL. We'll be sending you a starting weight to help you make up the teams. When we officially start the challenge, is that still our starting weight, and the first week of results reflects change to that weight?

I need some protein...how DO you keep this all straight?

choosie.

Thanks! I must have been more tired than I thought this morning!

A: Right. From April 15th to the 20th, you will be pming me your starting weight. It doesn't matter which day it is just as long as you have it submitted by April 20th. Then when we officially start the challenge Week One will be the weight you've lost since your starting weight.

A: You follow whatever diet and exercise routine you are on now. You do not have to follow the biggest loser diet in order to participate in this challenge.

I just have a quick question. I know you are collecting starting weights until April 20 and then announcing teams on the 21st. Does that mean anyone not giving their start weights by the 20th will not be included? I thought this was probably the way it was going to be, but I just thought it might be good to clarify for everyone, to make sure everyone gets their weights in on time and isn't left out of the challenge.

I am so excited for this challenge to start!!!

A: Because the freebie weeks don't start until the challenge starts, Yes, anyone that doesn't turn in their starting weight by April 20th can not be counted in on the challenge.

I'm going to make a thread on the 15th so that people can start submitting their starting weights. Everyone that's signed up has from April 15th to the 20th.

Where can I find an example of some of the challenges? I a newbie here.

Alot of the stuff from the last challenge has fallen further into the forum. Check around pages 3 or 4 and you should find the beginning stuff.

Should you keep your normal WI day? Like, I WI on Wed - should I just use that as my WI for the week, or would you prefer a Sunday WI?

You can weigh in any day that you like, just make sure its before the Monday 10pm EST cutoff time.

That's what I thought, but I wanted to double check - thanks.

Are you going to put the cutoff date for the weighins for each week like you did last time? I know I'm being difficult and creating more work for you but it was really nice to have that right there with the timetable.

I was like this for example
Week 1 (4/22-4/28) Monday 4/28
Thanks!