OK HERE IT IS --- WEEK ONE OF THE --- 12 WEEK CHALLENGE

Hey there Challengettes -- Welcome to both our returning Vet's and all who are interested in joining the fray!

If any are reading this post for the first time and wondering, "What the heck is this 12 Week Challenge"... check out the INFO on the DEC. 10TH - 12 WEEK CHALLENGE posting for details.

'Tis the season to be with family (can be great - but also can be really stressful)... to be in the spirit of giving (and spend lots of money we may not have... to be festive and gay (and then go to parties, luncheons. dinners, etc with sooooo many tempting foods.)

But, it's also a time for gratitude and rememberance of those who have been such a wonderful support, and to remember that we too have given it back to others.

So, I thought our opening question for Week One might be twofold...

For all of us who have done this before... why keep coming back? Why does this work for you? What have you gotten out of it, and what inspiration have you gotten and can give newcomers? And of course, what's key for you this week, with Chanukah just starting, and two weeks left before Christmas? Yikes!

For all who are joining for the first time - We'd love to give ya a major Welcome! What's your biggest challenge this week? What would you like to commit to for "just one week"? What's doable? And realistically, what's not? And what are you grateful for - just for "today"?

For all who'd like to commit to a REALISTIC goal for the next three months, please feel free to post that as well. Rememeber the holidays and events you may have coming up and give yourselves a break by factoring them in as well.

Happy Holidays.... Patch

I found the first posting of the original 12 WEEK CHALLENGE and thought I'd post it for "rememberance":

June 2001 - "My WW leader has offered a 12 Week Journal Diary Challenge. Anyone want to join me? She guaranteed that anyone sticking to keeping the journal would lose weight. Anyone game?

You can get these spiral bound Journals at your WW meeting, or log on daily on this Lifetime / Maintenance thread. The notebooks, cost $4 - and if you can't get online daily, they will be the best four bucks you've ever spent.

If you want we can update each other once a week:
160 orig / 135 goal / 132 ideal / 143 current
- Goal: lose 10 lbs by mid Aug. (but I'll be ok with 5+)

Enjoy using the Reflections page in the notebook - I put down for leverage... Jeans way too tight and used to be loose. Belt on last loop. Thunder thighs, Stomach rolling. And by August 2001 I want to be OK wearing a bathing suit. What's your leverage?

I also wrote: It's become real apparent that I have got to pull myself back to basics. Specific goals: max 4 alchoholic drinks per week. (I love wine with dinner) Aggressively limit fat and bread (restaurants slay me) Limit or cut out cheese this week. Bring Healthy Pop popcorn (2 points the whole bag) and 2 point Bars to movie. Buy and bring fruit to work.

Who's up for the challenge???"

Dec 10th UPDATE - I'm now 127 lbs. the tight jeans are very loose, I just fit back into (barely) a size 6 skirt, and I managed to get through Thanksgiving week without pigging out. A first! Ya know I had forgotten how I felt when I started this first challenge and couldn't see how I was going to relose 13 lbs. It's good to remember.

First 12 Week Challenge
June (just started to seriously track points) -- 143 yikes!
July -- 138.8
August -- 132.4

Second 12 Week Challenge
September -- 136.6 - must buckle down and get back to program
October -- 133.4 -- 132.0 -- 133.0 -- 132.0 -- blew it. Didn't weight in
November -- 130.4 -- no weigh in -- no weigh in -- 127.6 -- Lost to stress, no drinking, and exercising to get out the demons

December
Dec 3 ------ > 127.0 - I'm looking to maintain this thru the holidays

Third 12 Week Challenge
Dec 10 ----- > 128
I guess the "controlled" eating was 'not so' controlled. Hard week to focus with parties and MIL coming into town.

Hi Patch! Thanks for getting the next part of the challenge going.

Why do I keep coming back? Because this challenge keeps me motivated and on track. I can get feedback from others who post, give feedback, get ideas, etc. As far as inspiration to newcomers, this is a great place to report in. I've met new "friends" who are in the same position as myself in the weightloss/maintenance journey.

The next two weeks will be challenging and this place will give me a place to report in and be accountable. It's too easy for me to lose my focus and the challenge will keep me on track.

My goal for the next 3 months is to get back to my comfort zone of 139 and maintain it! To do this I need to continue to journal and exercise at least 3 times a week. At the end of this challenge I want to be back to that zone.

Thanks for this challenge, Patch.

Well, here's what happened to me... I was bitten by a Black Widow Spider around Sept. 20 and was sick for the last couple of months. I'm still in physical therapy for my arm,where I was bitten. Between the meds my doc gave me and eating because of the pain, I managed to gain 11 of the pounds back that I had lost. I feel pretty bad about all of this, although I should be happy I'm alive.

Anyway, I was at goal in Sept. and now my clothes hardly fit. Patch, I feel pretty much the way you described above. I really worked at getting to goal. I've always been pretty motivated, but when this happened it was hard to stay on track. With this challenge and with help, I know I can get that great feeling of accomplishment back.

Thank you for this challenge.
(Hugs),
Dena
177/132/136ww goal-Now 143

hi all and a special welcome and get well soon to dena. Your story is very scary, but stay around here and you'll get lots of support and motivation. Patch keeps us on track and very inspired.

why oh why am i back for my next challenge?????

well, I did okay the last one and this time I have very little travel scheduled (don't laugh laurel, so I think my chances of decreasing my weight is greater.

So, here goes. Starting challenge, 132 lbs and 13 lbs from goal.

goal #1 - to be down a few by cousin's wedding jan 5.
goal #2 - to be down a few more (say 5#) by end of jan

goal for this week- drink water, exercise 6 days and keep under 23 pts a day. Journalling is not my problem, eating more than 25 pts is.

and as a returning challengette- I wish for world peace, an end to the recession and for mint skinny cows to be found in the seattle metropolitan area. I enjoy stamp collecting and want to meet all the seattle seahawks (joke) .

lala

Patch, I'm so glad we are continuing the challenge. I'm really bad at setting concrete goals. I just want to continue on my downward slide and get back to goal. It has been so long since I've been there, but it has been a long time since I was this weight as well. I plan to continue to stay OP, exercise, journal, drink my water and hopefully I can lose something if not every week, most weeks and get back to being a real lifetimer.

Thanks for the invite to join you Patch. Where am I??Well--I joined WW the Thursday after Thanksgiving--not quite 2 weeks ago. Was out of town babysitting on the first weigh in day so I didn't get to it until Sat. Had lost 6.4 pounds which was a tremendous moral booster. Had a rough weekend though--1 birthday party--did great, 1 dinner out--did great, 1 baptism and potluck--really over did the sweets Today I'm back OP and working hard.

My goals for the next 12 weeks are--continue exercising (I walk M-F) and adding a few evenings of a different type of exercise. Journaling , drinking my water and finding myself closer to a healthy weight at the end of the challenge. From reading the posts I gather that most of you are lifetime members so maybe I need to add that another goal is to make it to my goal so I can be a lifetime member

Won't be posting on a daily basis but I will post when I can. Have a great journey everyone.
Jo(grandma 3--who after last Thursday can change my name to grandma 4--it was a girl!!)

I'm back for the challenge because I honestly didn't try very hard during the first two. I keep saying I want to lose the final few pounds to be at my personal goal, but I haven't been working very hard to get there.

On my home scales this morning I was 146. My goal is to lose 8 pounds by the end of this challenge. To get there, I need to journal each and every day, stay within my point range, drink water on a regular basis, and make sure I exercise a minimum of three times a week - preferably four. That's how I lost the first 25 two years ago.

Welcome to dena and grandma3/4. I hope you will find inspiration and success here.
Welcome back everyone else. We can do this!

Congrats and a special welcome to Dena and Grandma4... and all the rest coming to join.

Why am I here? Because left to my own devices... I would (and have) put the weight back on. The Challenge and all you great people keep me focused and full of hope and determination.

Grandma3 + 1! I can sure relate to these tempting holiday and family gatherings... I've got a few coming up this week and weekend. and boy does the kid in me want to just forget I'm on program. Water too is key for me.

Dena - We sure know how it feels. We've all found the Challenge to be a great boost and support. What a scary thing to be bitten by a black widow spider. But I'm sure glad to hear you're on the mend. Don't be too hard on yourself. You survived and had to recuperate. You've got a lifetime ahead of you. Enjoy.

Myra - I think you're doing great. This has been a tough year for a lot of us and you're doing amazing. Keep it up . Am I glad we're doing this again too!

Lala - as always... you just slay me! and yes I want whirled peas and mint skinny cows too!

Hey Melissa good to see ya and thanks for your insight.

Hi there Seasaw - don't know why I didn't see your post. So glad to have ya back. You can do this!

Love to all
Patch

Gosh--looks like a lot of takers to this challenge Patch--the more the merrier. I had a good day. Walked before work and stayed op all day. Tomorrow will be more of a challenge--I'm eating out but I did take the time to pre-plan my meal--I'll be a a local mall so I looked up the points for Arbys and have decided ahead of time what I'll order--should be a breeze! So far there haven't been too many tempting goodies sitting around at work--I did arrive to find a table full of cookies this morning but I didn't give in to temptation! I knew one would send me back for more. We also constantly have a popcorn popper going at work too--the smell almost does me in--but so far I've kept my hand out of the machine. The few times I've allowed myself to eat it--I've put it in a bowl and counted the points before indulging. I know I have to watch all those BLT's (bites, licks and tastes)

Have a great evening everyone.
Jo

Grandma4 - know what you mean. Everyonce in a while I goes through salt cravings and "have" to have a whole bag of popcorn. I usually get the 94% fat free ones - some are only 2 pts for the whole bag! Can you make that at work? BTW... I think it's great you spent the time and planned for the mall.

Here's the week so far... I'll be adding as I go.

M -- 22 - (bnkd 3, actvty earned 7)
T --- 23 - (bnkd add'l 2)... total banked 5, act - 7
W -- 34 - 7 bnkd/actvy = 27 (remaining 5 activity)
Th -- 18 - bnkd 7 / earned 3 activity (7 bnkd/11 activity avail)
F --- 29 - 5 = 25 (still have 7 bnkd/ 6 actvty)
Sa -- 34.5 - 10 activity points (earned those 10 today...) = 24.5
Su -- 31 - 6 avail banked = 25

Challenges this week:

Wed - MIL coming to Chanukah Dinner (gotta watch those potato pancakes!)
Thurs - Networking Dinner - I get nervous and eat to cover it.
Fri - Made Chicken Parmesean for stepson, hubby and MIL with spaghetti Danger, Danger, Danger Patch30!!!
Sat - Dinner out, Theater, and Party after
Sun - Afternoon Party and Dinner out

Help me! I've fallen down and I can't get up~!!!

It is a real tough time of the year, Patch. Just do the best you can. I WI tonite. I will post my totals and my loss, I hope it is a loss, then.

Thanks Myra ... and good luck to night.

Will be posting my numbers on Fridays for a few weeks since my Wed mtg is on hiatus until January. No loss expected & probably a gain since I've been chowing down on the cookie dough while baking this past week.

Good luck to all!

*deep breath* here are my numbers for this past week. I had my weigh in today at noon so my starting weight for this challenge is 144.2

I calculate from Wednesday-Tuesday so here are my numbers:

Wed: 21.5
Thurs: 23
Fri: 22
Sat: 30 (Mexican lunch/pizza for dinner!)
Sun: 20
Mon: 19
Tues: 21

Weight: 144.2

Part of the challenge this time for me is to move more by getting out and walking.

Have a great day everyone