I have completed the following challenges:

3 servings of veggies every day - 21 days complete, 0 pauses left
64 ounces of water every day - 23 days complete, 3 pauses left
15 min of activity - (30 min. Zumba, + 30 min. strength training, including 2 3 30second planks) - 23 days complete, 1 pause left

I'll be back later today once I decide on new challenges.

Pretty happy that I made it easily through the day yesterday. Tracked my food.
I had the "hungry horrors" in the afternoon and going to my WW meeting saved me. Instead of a fast food fix that would have added extra points to my dinner, I went home directly from the meeting and went through my veggie drawer in the fridge. Prepared cut up peppers, squash and onion and coated them with olive oil and cooked them all on the grille alongside my fresh fish. It was such a fresh and great meal that was satisfying for me. Just lemon on the fish (living in New England has it's advantages, fresh fish can be had at a reasonable price and it's never day old from the market I use) and it was so very good.

I ended the day with a chocolate WW smoothie made with non-fat milk. I was not all that impressed with the aftertaste of this product, but I got by. Not sure if I would buy them again, but will use up what I have.

It was so hot yesterday, it was tempted to eat the wrong foods, but I stuck with my program and did well. 96 degrees here in NH and so muggy. It was like living in a sauna.

Does anyone else not like how 3FC has changed the format here? Might have been awhile ago, but I've been back and really trying lately. I do not care for how the most recent posts appear at the top vs. the bottom. I'm having a hard time with it, for whatever reason.

At any rate, I am now on day 3.
I tracked everything and stayed within my points range. I'm kind of proud of myself as I had some bad news about a friend's son passing away and a few other things going on. I did have a piece of chocolate and some cookies, but journaled them and sacrificed other food in order to have those things.

Today, I hope, will be a better day emotionally. But, at least right now, I do not feel out of control.

Derry - Glad to hear you're doing so well on WW and fending off the hunger horrors and the urge for fast food. Your fish and veggie dinner sounds so yummy! I'm not seeing the new format...Hmmm...My most recent posts show on the bottom as always. I'm using IE8. Maybe the browser makes a difference. Congrats on doing so well with the tracking and staying within points despite the bad news. My sincere condolences to your friend.

I still haven't defined my new challenges. I've been so busy at work and after work that I haven't had time to think straight. But I'm staying OP with my eating and getting in at least 1/2 hour of exercise every day.

Derry, I think you can change how your posts appear. Go into the User CP at the top left of the page and then go into Edit Options. Near the bottom you will see how to choose how your posts appear.
Try that. If that doesn't work then maybe it is a browser thing, but I don't think it is.....

Hi everyone -

Red and Derry - How are things going?

I still haven't formally declared my new round of challenges...but I'm staying OP with calories, eating fruits and veggies, drinking water and exercising.

Had a great PT session yesterday. I can tell my strength is improving. Then after PT, I ran a couple errands then went to Zumba class where I did Zumba on an exercise ball. Today, I've got a little yard work to do, I'm hoping to go to the gym and walk against the current in the lazy river at the gym's waterpark.

Red - With all the stress you've got going on, COMBINED with all the extra stress Mom Nature is piling on you with the quakes and such...it's no wonder you're having trouble staying OP. Rather than focusing on calorie reduction or counting calories...can you try substitution? In other words, choosing nutrient dense, low fat, low calorie foods rather than higher calorie/fat foods with no nutritional value. I don't know what you eat/drink, but you'd have an easier time staying under 1,500 calories (for example) if you cut back on booze and other "empty calories".

For me, I started adding more fruits and veggies...rather than eliminate stuff. That helped me take off 12 pounds. Now I'm going to add even more, and try and eliminate one of the biggest sources of empty calories for me...sugared soda. That way it doesn't seem like a lot of effort...nor is it time consuming.

Good luck, Red. I know you can do this!! I know you want to do this, and I know you can!

Okay....here are my next round of challenges:

64 ounces of water daily (0 pauses allowed)
4 servings of fruits/vegs daily (2 pauses allowed)
30 minutes of exercise daily (3 pauses allowed)
No sugared soda (3 pauses allowed)

Wow - yesterday was an emotional rollercoaster for me...very difficult.

I had to work hard to steer clear of the yummy, fattening foods in the cafeteria and opt for a salad (so I didn't go over my calorie limit for the day). The salad was really yummy too.

Then when I got home from the gym...there it was in the frig...a regular, sugary, Sunkist Orange Soda all cold and inviting and calling my name, I swear. But I thought to myself, "Do I really want to take a pause on the first day of the challenge? Seriously? Do I really want to DRINK my calories?"

So I resisted and Day 1 was completed successfully:

64 ounces of water - 1 day complete, 0 pauses allowed
4 servings of fruits/vegs - 1 day complete, 2 pauses left
30 minutes of exercise (30 min. ball Zumba, 30 min. strength training) - 1 day complete, 3 pauses left
No sugared soda - 1 day complete, 3 pauses left

Here's where I'm at today:

64 ounces of water - 2 days complete, 0 pauses allowed
4 servings of fruits/vegs - 2 days complete, 2 pauses left
30 minutes of exercise (30 min. ball Zumba) - 2 days complete, 3 pauses left
No sugared soda - 2 days complete, 3 pauses left

Derry - how is WW going?

Red - How are you doing on your challenges?

Day 3 complete:

Here's where I'm at today:

64 ounces of water - 3 days complete, 0 pauses allowed
4 servings of fruits/vegs - 3 days complete, 2 pauses left
30 minutes of exercise (45 min. walking against the current in a lazy river at the gym waterpark) - 3 days complete, 3 pauses left
No sugared soda - 3 days complete, 3 pauses left

Okay...am I really all alone here? Derry? Red? Apple?

Day 4 complete:

Here's where I'm at today:

64 ounces of water - 4 days complete, 0 pauses allowed
4 servings of fruits/vegs - 4 days complete, 2 pauses left
30 minutes of exercise (45 min. physical therapy circuit training workout, followed by 30 min. of Ball Zumba) - 4 days complete, 3 pauses left
No sugared soda - 4 days complete, 3 pauses left

The "no sugared soda" is getting tough for me. I almost caved yesterday.

Hey, Red! It's me Diyana....not Derry. I hope Derry comes back to check in soon.

What a crazy busy weekend...and I caved to the No Sugared Soda. I used 2 pauses.

So here's where I'm at today:

64 ounces of water - 7 days complete, 0 pauses allowed
4 servings of fruits/vegs - 7 days complete, 2 pauses left
30 minutes of exercise - 7 days complete, 3 pauses left
No sugared soda - 5 days complete, 1 pause left