21-Day Challenge #2 - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Amarantha2 · 08-01-2003, 07:40 PM

Posting a 21-DAY CHALLENGE to myself and anyone who feels in the mood to attempt this really awesome feat! (It's really hard!!)

Ok, ONE MORE TIME! We all know the drill on the 21-day challenge. This is for extra focus and support and not meant to compete with any other threads. Post a behavior or behavioral set that'll help in reaching your goal. Do it for 21 consecutive days. If you slip up, you have to start counting the days all over again, do not pass go, do not collect $2,000!!!! When you get to 21 days, you ... well, you get to 21 days and then you ... start over again with the same or a new behavior! You make all the rules for your own challenge.

Well, there you have it!

I first heard of the 21-day challenge from Wood Nymph Arabella, who has finished a number of them here on 3FC, I believe! I've been trying to do this for more than a year on this and nameless other forums!!! THIS TIME I INTEND TO SUCCEED! I'll ante up in a separate post, so I can use more smilies!

Amarantha2 · 08-01-2003, 07:44 PM

Ok, dokey, here I am and hope to be found by all the 21-day challengers!!! Ahhhh, a new thread and I've pledged to be brief!!! Yowza! I'm on Day 20 of my first block, with my challenge being to eat no more than 1799 (or maybe I said 1795? Not sure, but no diff, as I'm almost done with block one!!)!!

I'll start a new level two challenge for myself on Sunday!!!

Apple Blossom · 08-01-2003, 11:34 PM

OK, Day 8.

The pizza monster won

But, according to fitday, my caloric intake is still at about 1500. Only because I skipped dinner.

Well, I don't usually skip meals but I had to justify the pizza.
I hope to get my step video in tonight, if I don't fall asleep with the kids.
By the way, my goal is to lose 10 pounds by Sept. 21 (Going to a wedding)
So far I've lost 4 pounds!!!! 158 down to 154. Ultimately I'd like to be 140 or even 135. I'm not doing any special diet, just eat less, exercise more. Counting calories really helps me keep track of what goes down the hatch.
Congrats to all who are kicking butt!!!!!

Amarantha2 · 08-02-2003, 01:40 AM

AB for a successful pizza save for Day 8 success!!! Yowza!!!

I'm ending eating day at 1735 ... have been unable to get out of the 1700s lately ... hoped for spectacular finish in the 1600s but it's not happening ... dunno whether my 150s will hold, but that's ok ... more important to eat enough to keep metabolism strong ... wondering if my recent depression is the metabolism fighting me, as it always does ... very happy to say I'm gonna win all these battles and TOMORROW IS MY LAST DAY OF THE BLOCK! IS AMARANTHA GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE FINISH LINE?

Find out tomorrow! Same bat time, same bat station!!!

Wowza!! Pow!!! Zam!

Promised to be brief on this new thread, so bye!

redballoon · 08-02-2003, 02:29 AM

I found you Amarantha. Of course, you're going to make it to the finish line!! Nothing can stop you now.

Just checking in midway through Day 12. So far so good on the sugar. No cycling yet. Very busy with work.

Congrats to all! Apple Blossom, great save. If we can do that kind of thing then there's nothing to fear. You'll make 10 lbs easily. Just keep up the good work. I'm going to be motivated to really whip my butt into shape next challenge with all this fantastic energy on this site. Keep it going!

By the way, I dreamed of a hamster last night. Must be from the cute pic I use on this site. Love animals, and when I saw that one I thought it fit me -- pushing away food all the time. But, cute or not, I may just have to change it to something more reflective of me in the not-all-too-distant future!! Yeah!

Amarantha2 · 08-02-2003, 11:10 AM

Hmmm, Red Balloon, perhaps you should be a sleek angora feline, disdainful of all but the most appropriate and wonderful food for your health and fitness ... you have been SO strong in refusing to eat sugar for so many days. I'm quite inspired.

AB: I am equally inspired by your dedication to your plan and think often throughout the day of the visage of your proud and wise canine ... so on top of the program ... everything under control and weight management accomplished.

Well, I'm on Day 21 and about to (drumroll) ASCEND TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF 21-DAYNESS!!! ... I don't feel I'll have a problem, as I'm not about to blow 20 days of calorie control.

Off to gym now. Beam me up, Scotty!

Apple Blossom · 08-02-2003, 01:00 PM

Yeah Amarantha!!! You did it!!!!

I have a feeling that today is going to be tough so I'm logging on early. I can't get to the fitday website right now, for some reason. I need reassurance that I haven't already eaten too much. If I think it through...probably only 300 cals so far. I don't know why I'm feeling so guilty....

Well, I have alot of housework to do. The man is coming home tonight.
Tomorrow is the day I should worry about. There might be CAKE about the house tomorrow...

redballoon · 08-02-2003, 09:36 PM

Amarantha, Thank you for your compliments on my willpower. I like the idea of the feline, as I have four of them here, and though, not all are especially sleek, they all are beautiful. I used to be very into weight-training and muscle and still am but want to lose the fat before putting on muscle. Just a little bit of fat (and I have a LOT more than a little bit) makes the muscle look like way too much. Really, I am inspired to finally seriously go after that body I've always wanted. I always had parts of it but never the whole package at one time.

Also, I am equally inspired by YOU! You are there. You have done it (OK, one more day) but that will be a snap. I think you'll agree that every time you go around it gets easier and then one day we're there. You're there now. I'm very very in awe!

Apple Blossom: Don't feel guilty! You're probably just feeling like you want to go easy on yourself after all your effort. Try to find something to take your mind off food for a change, something that maybe doesn't allow you to think of it in a positive way either, such as clothes-shopping. A walk outside that is just for sightseeing, a trip to a zoo, I don't know, something you enjoy that is not aboutÊfood and looks.

Don't fret about the cake. Just ask to get it away from you. At work, I move whatever sweets are laying around to a place far away and tell people to get them away from me. They do, they put them in drawers or out of reach. I make no bones about being tempted to scarf the whole box of chocolates or cookies down (even though I probably wouldn't). They feel helpful by keeping them out of reach of uncontrollable me!

Be strong AB! You are doing it. You can keep doing it!

redballoon · 08-02-2003, 09:41 PM

A reminder!!!

I just realized that the reason I hadn't been notified of posts to this thread was that when the new thread started I was no longer "subscribed." I was wondering why no one was posting and when I looked at the thread they had been. I just didn't know because I hadn't hit "subscribe to this thread" on the new one.

I hope people find this but maybe there's a way of letting them know. What do you think Amarantha?

Amarantha2 · 08-02-2003, 11:38 PM

I'm calling this day good at 1545 calories, as I'm no longer hungry and that's a wrap for this 21-dayer. I'm going right into a new one, will declare the parameters of that tomorrow ... have some ideas but they're not final yet!!!

FOR ME!!! I've arrived at BLOCK TWO!!! Yahoo!!!

Red Balloon, I never subscribe to any threads, so didn't think about that. We are missing some people we started with, but that's pretty normal thread attrition. Glad you and AB are here, though!!!

I am totally sold on the 21-day challenge as a tool to get me to my goal in a healthy fashion!!!

I am sleeping late tomorrow and will see everyone then!

Apple Blossom · 08-03-2003, 02:06 AM

Thank you guys, for all the great support. I ended up about 1400 cals, so a good day. I just wonder why I'm feeling so bloated. Its not pms....
All right A

Best wishes for another 21!!
Cake will be around for my nefews b'day. Would it be rude to say no? Oh, of course not. I'll have a teeney tiny piece if I do well at dinner.
Ack, it's so hard to stay away from food when there are 2 little kids around who seem to eat constantly!!!
Might not be around tomorrow, have a great day!!!

redballoon · 08-03-2003, 03:04 AM

Congratulations Amarantha!!! Way to go. I can not imagine counting calories for 21 days straight. What an accomplishment. I hope you are really, really proud of yourself.

I'm dying to hear of your next challenge. I'm kind of thinking of my next one but right now am swamped with work. Have been transcribing tapes for the past 8 hours and have an 1,800-word story to start and finish in the next 5 hours! Panic is starting to set in. And panic spells sugar cravings! Oh no!! I used to sit at the computer sucking hard candy after hard candy. Let's hope I can stay away!

Apple Blossom, a little bit of cake isn't a problem. And it's not IF you're good at dinner, it's AFTER you ARE good at dinner you can plan for the cake. Right?! You know that. You're on a roll!

This, by the way is my Day 13. Let's hope I can make it through clean!

Amarantha2 · 08-03-2003, 11:22 AM

Yo! Down half a pound and as you can see I am now a holder of a genuine BLOCK ONE certificate from the Official Order of the (wait for it) 21-DAY CHALLENGE ACCREDITATION ASSOCIATION (TODCAA)

to AB for her steadfastness in this quest and for vowing to have a little bit of cake ... go for it, it will help, not hinder ... it'll give your metabolism something to think about ... reassure it that you are NOT planning on depriving it of cake or anything else forever!!! Great job, AB!!! You're doing wonderfully.

As are you, Red Balloon!!!

for reaching your Day 13!!! Keep a'goin' ... YOU WILL MAKE IT THROUGH! P.S. I often need crunchy, junky stuff on deadline, so I've been buying Baked Lay's potato chips ... approximately 11 calories per chip, almost no fat ... they're still junk food, but a bit better. Also, is sugar free hard candy available there? It's surprisingly close to the real thing these days?

Avanti, all! I'm going to usurp yet more computer space on this forum and post my next challenge separately! I'm going to do a cut and paste report format thingie for my parameters.

gossip:

Amarantha2 · 08-03-2003, 11:23 AM

Ok, my next 21 days will take me almost up to my Labor Day weigh-in with the Laborious Losers! My challenge is thusly:

For 21 consecutive days, I WILL:

1) Eat no more than 1750 calories per day!

2) Practice at least one good weight management lifestyle behavior (GWMLB) daily, with me being the sole judge of what that means. Sample GWMLB's include (but are not limited to) parking car further from a destination than I really want to or have time for; eating ONE Krispy Kreme when I want TWO; not having a Krispy Kreme at all when I'm in the store with the Krispy Kremes; cleaning the house faster and longer than I feel like cleaning it; making a concious effort on a given day to drink extra water; making a concious effort on a given day to eat a piece of produce (as my nutrition is very bad); "lowballing" calories all day ... e.g., counting for the entire item I'm eating but giving some to Old Dog or just throwing a bit of it away (this really adds up) and NOT replacing it with more calories; making a concious effort on a given day to eat more fiber; taking an extra walk; even if it's just a few minutes, getting an extra exercise session in away from the gym or an extra stretching session; and, etc., etc., etc.

That's my challenge. The hunt is on, Watson! I'll report on each parameter each day that it is possible to do so!

redballoon · 08-03-2003, 06:23 PM

Amarantha, Thanks for the encouragement as always. I did it. I made it through the crunch with no munchies. I did have a couple bits of sugarless gum (the only thing I allow myself) and even those tasted horribly sweet and chemical. I'm staying far away from sweeteners as well because I want to retrain my taste buds. They have already changed. But, like cigarettes (I used to smoke) it's not hard to get back into the habit.

So, I'm starting Day 14 now. I just noticed that the calendar days coincide with my days. Aug. 4 is Day 14, Aug. 5, the 15th and so on. So, that makes it easy to remember. My birthday is on the 8th but I'm not worried. There's lots of other things to do or eat other than birthday cake! Besides, no on makes a thing of birthdays over here anyhow.

I read with great interest your new challenge and take my hat off to you. Not only are you continuing the calorie watch but the second part, the self-monitoring, now that is tough! You have assumed all responsibility for your behavior. We all know we're only cheating ourselves when we twist and turn our regimes so they're "legal" but not quite, meaning the things we "get away with" aren't really helping us in our individual quests. But you've said no to such carrying on. Awesome.

I'm eager to hear what your GWLMBs will be.

Others, where are you!?!?