Inspired by boopchick's challenge last Summer, I now bring you the Winter to Spring Challenge, which runs from today, December 21st until March 20th

Whether you are looking to lose weight or maintain, all are welcome. Feel free to join in at any time.

Post your starting and goal weights and your weekly progress on your day of choice.

I think the winter is going to be my roughest time of year so far to try to lose weight, so I can use all the motivation and support I can get and the fabulous group of ladies here on 3FC always are fabulous to support one another. So let's get through the cold cold winter (at least for those of us in the northern Hemisphere) together.

WINTER to SPRING Challenge

I'd really like to be down to 187.4, or 80 pounds down by the end of this season, since my 1 year mark is just 2 days before the season ends. But with the slowdown in weight loss, and the fact that winter seems to be difficult for me, I just don't see that happening. So I'm going to set my goal at 192.4, which is 15 pounds down for me. Given how slowly the fall went, that might still be a stretch, but that's what I'm going to aim for. As the days get longer, I hope to get more exercise in (the cold doesn't bother me as much as the dark - if I can see the ice, I can avoid it or be careful). I'm also going to try for more protein over the winter, to compensate for having not as many winter veggies I enjoy.

Honestly though, my goal for 2019 is just 40 pounds total, so even if I just lose 10 pounds a season, that'll be great. But I'm figuring it will likely slow down even more as I get closer to goal, so I need to keep up 1+ pounds a week as long as possible.

Love this thread, thanks for starting it Lacerta. Winter is tough for me also. The dark, ice, snow, cold, etc. This thread will be a place to get through it all.

Your goals seem totally realistic and achievable. There is no doubt you'll be in ondederland by spring.

I hope to lose 15 pounds by spring.

SW 179.4
GW 164

I play little games with myself to get through winter. Like see how long I can get away with wearing my leather jacket with a warm lining ... before I have to break out the big gun winter coat.

I have all next week off so my plan is to do some intermittent fasting by only having 2 meals per day from Dec 22 to Jan 1st. Late brunch, early supper and stay low-carb. Xmas dinner at my sister's will be the 'tempt' night so to speak. I will have turkey and vegetables. It's funny that I'm on duty to bring pumpkin pie and whipping cream. Because I won't be having any of that.

I train my brain to think differently ... I "can" eat that stuff if I want to but I "choose" not to because the short-term sacrifice will reward me with long-term results. I visualize myself slim ... often. I visualize myself fitting into a pair of pants, a dress or whatever. I remind myself that walking instead of waddling is super cool. And I tell myself that focusing on others instead of me and my bottomless pit of need is the person I want to be. Trust me, I literally do have these conversations in my head .. it's the only way I can think of staying mindful. It continues to fascinate me that some people who are not over-eaters like me, don't even have to be vigilant. They simply don't desire to eat beyond satiety.

All the best to all of us as we navigate this winter !!

SW: 266
GW: 252

This is probably very optimistic given last season's results but it would be another stone, which would be nice.

Usually I like walking in the dark (it's pretty safe around here - lots of houses and only the odd dog walker out) but we've had a lot of rain and high winds in the past couple of months. I don't really have much space to exercise inside, although I could lift dumbbells if I hadn't injured my forearm - hopefully that'll improve soon. I love dancing too and for the last couple of years my friend has done 'A Dance a Day,' which is exactly what it says, and I joined in for a while. One dance usually leads to six and suddenly I've done 20 minutes of cardio. I need to start doing it again because I'd much rather dance than do any other cardio. My friend always used to post the songs she'd danced to but I wasn't too good at sticking to that (there seemed to be some song snobbery!).

So the aim is: more (deliberate) steps, definitely more cardio, hopefully some weights and, once Christmas is over, much less chocolate and snacks in general. My overall eating is good, but for the past six weeks (and especially the last two) the bad stuff has been creeping back in and my calories have been 5-600 calories/day higher than they were, all from snacks!

Good luck to everyone taking part!

Good luck to everyone this challenge! I'm excited for what 2019 has to bring for me. December I will graduate college and finally be a nurse, and if I can maintain my weight loss accordingly I should make it to my goal of 180 this time next year! I just started working as a nurse extern so we'll see how that goes lol I have 2 very exciting "rewards" for myself when I make it to milestones that I can't wait for lol this Summer I would like to go zip lining, and for reaching my overall goal I want to visit a ski resort and learn how to snowboard, it's something I have wanted to do ever since I was a kid. This challenge I am aiming to be at 245

Lacerta: 10 pounds per season is fantastic when we think a season is really only 3 months. I put my goal for 15, but may have to be more realistic on 10 pounds. Looks like a lot of us are aiming high and that's okay!! All the power to us.
Newlyn: dancing is such an awesome way to exercise and I've always wanted to try Zumba ... but I am SO uncoordinated. Sounds like you have a really good plan in place for exercise going forward. I have to do some thinking on my plan.
Ophelia: I know your name is Casey but I love calling you Ophelia ... I looked at your profile picture and you are so pretty and you look like an Ophelia ha ha. I'm super stoked for you goal because it's at least 10 pounds lower than mine so it gives me hope.
Sunny: your post was just delightful. Congratulations on finishing nursing school. And I love your goals of zip lining and snowboarding!! So perfect.

I'm a little nervous about my 15 pound goal because Feb 13 - March 5 I'll be in Costa Rica and you know how vacations can wreak havoc on eating plans. I definitely won't be low carb because rice and wraps are big there. But there's also a lot of fish on the menu. My sister and her husband are light eaters so I will do as they do. And I'm not a huge drinker so a beer here and there on the beach but mostly I want to keep up with my water. I've heard water is safe to drink but doesn't taste as good. I'll do my very best.

I'm sorry to be a downer, but that is an unrealistic promise. Losing 1 pound a day is neither sustainable nor healthy. In the short term, while you are dropping the water weight, sure. You could definitely lose 7 pounds the first week. Maybe even the first couple weeks, but beyond that, it is practically impossible and definitely not healthy. Even on shows like the Biggest Loser, after the first few weeks, they only sometimes lose a pound a day, and they do it working with a trainer like 10+ hours a day and starving themselves. And like 99% of them put all the weight back on (plus more) because losing that way KILLS their metabolism.

PLEASE don't try to lose a pound a day. After the whoosh of the first week or two, healthy is considered to be maybe 4-10 pounds a month, but you're talking about triple that. If you DID lose that fast, you'd be losing mostly muscle, not fat, and since muscle burns more calories than fat, that's a BAD thing.

I really hope you decide to lose in a healthy way instead of a crash diet and stay here with us, but either way, I wish you good health.

Follena Thank you! I worded that weird I guess, I won't graduate till December 2019, unfortunately lol it will be here before I know it though!

And I agree with you Lacerta, 1 pound a day is not safe imo. Maybe they meant 1 pound a week though, theres 52 weeks in a year, right? So maybe thats 1 years weight loss plan

I hope that's what they meant.

I figured out a good plan for sticking to my two meals per day during my week off from work. I hung a pretty summer dress on my walk-in closet door so I can see it every day and remind myself ... I want to fit into said dress.

I'm also going to focus as much on NSVs as the weight on the scale. Today's non scale victory: when I walked in Walmart, my pant felt lose.

Good morning everyone,

I'd like to join this challenge, I have a trip to Brazil coming up in July and I'd love to be in the 170s by then. I've had a rough couple weeks and am trying really hard to get back on track. My goal is to be down 20 pounds by March 21. I am on the WW plan which works for me when I follow the plan.

I wish you all much success with this challenge.

GettinFit: welcome! Brazil is a lovely reward ... that's on my bucket list. That's great you found a plan that works for you. You can do this.
bg124: glad you joined - slow weight loss or not, we just string those healthy days together.
Sunny: oh I see you don't graduate until December 2019 ... well what a nice graduation gift to yourself, to be in best shape ever. It's hard to eat healthy and be a student, I remember that well. So all the power to you!!

I just paid $69 at a second hand clothing store for a ton of summer clothes for my Costa Rica trip. I have 7 weeks until the trip to lose some more weight. I'm hoping for 10 pounds ... we'll see.

everyone! Lacerta, thanks for this challenge and count me in. I'm participating in a year long health and wellness course at the university I work at with 10 other women. My weight loss has been reasonable and steady this fall and I want it to continue. My goal is 175-180 pounds by the time the challenge ends.

curvynotlumpy and Gettinfit: Welcome!! Let's all get to Onederland together. Love having you both here at around my same weight so we can all motivate each other.

Follena: I love the goal dress plan. I have one too that I hope to get into soon. I also have a pair of goal shorts I hope to fit into by spring when I can wear them. I also try to do 2 meals a day, but I actually have an easier time on my short days and days off. I struggle most on my 8 hour workdays, as I have trouble working them into my schedule. Way to go on the $69 haul at the thrift store.

bg124: I don't think 5 pounds a month is all that slow once you're within 50 pounds of your goal. A pound a week is basically my goal for this year, and that's less than 5 pounds a month. Keep it up and that becomes 50-60 pounds in a year. Very respectable.

I'm off to a decent start. I've made it past Christmas and am still down over a pound so far. Got a lot of heavy lifting in today at work getting things boxed up for the new year to make room for next year, and had a pretty healthy dinner of grilled chicken, grilled asparagus and about 200 calories worth of fettuccine alfredo. I'd never tried grilled asparagus before, only steamed. I liked it a lot. Going to do that more in the future. It was a good day.