25 pound challenge: Jul-Nov '09

This is a continuation group for the members of "25 pound challenge" which started in Feb and is to end June 30th.  I know many of us need to continue in our goals, and to kick it off I decided to start a new group -- hopefully this will give us extra motivation too!

The woman who started it all "pook" had the following original post, and I wanted to post it here so that we have the same ideas/goals/points.

I hope to see all the members of the old group, and any additional people who would like to join us!

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Original Post (modified with current dates):

I’m looking to start a support and accountability group whose main goal is to lose 25 pounds by the end of November. That’s about 1.5 lbs a week, which I think is very doable. I’m looking for folks who are losing with healthy diet and exercise, any plan is fine, but no “cabbage soup” fad diet nonsense, no pills, etc.  Just healthy lifestyle changes.

Goal: To lose 25 pounds by November 30th.

Motto: Who dares, wins!

Members: Anyone with 25 or more pounds to lose.

Post: Daily if possible. Post goals, daily food and exercise stats, problems, anything related to your weight loss journey. Post tips, articles, stories, anything helpful or motivating. Post recipes and exercise routines too, if you want.

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If you’re in, do an introductory post including: stats, weight loss plan, exercise plan, weight history, etc. and anything else you'd like us to know!!

Here's my introductory post:

SW: 278 (2005)
       220 (2006)

CW: 211

GW: 180-175

Lowest Weight: 197 (Nov. 08)

I'm ekai, 25, 5'11.  I like to exercise and lift weights, but nothing specific because I switch it up a lot.  Anything that makes me move is good!  I need to eat 1200 calories a day in order to lose weight but I need some encouragement because I've not been sticking to it lately...  that's where you guys come in!

HEY ALL!!!

I can't lie...  I've been hiding.  :(  I'm really disappointed with myself...  lack of dedication, motivation...  I don't know what it wrong with me!  Mentally, my morale is just nonexistant.  I know 100% that I can do this, but for whatever reason, I don't do it.  BUT...  I know that hiding out isn't good, because you guys are here for support, so I have to be here to get support.  lol, I can't believe how simply my brain is thinking..  this is just ridiculous!  I'm praying something (whatever it is) will click so I can get this all moving. 

CW 209.5.

I'm pretty behind on the posts, but I skimmed them a little.  Sounds like everyone had a rough 4th but seem to be recovering from it now.  Good job guys!

elly: I'm so proud of you!  You originally said that you would "try" to branch out and communicate here; you've don't just an outstanding job.  I'm really glad to have you in the group.  Congrats on your success so far.  Are you back from NY now or still struggling with the foods of travel?

pizzacottontail: sounds like you're doing great if you're seeing a change in size! (in the right direction that is..  haha!)  congrats!!

mia: glad to see you here!  I was wondering where you went!  Not too many people from the old group have posted here.  Let's keep at it girl!

tryin2lose25: I hear ya on the long-standing plateau.  I've been this weight since January..  so frustrating.  Hope to see us both kick it!

jkpenrod: glad to see you here!  keep it up and keep us updated!  :)  I think you can definitely meet your goal by Labor Day!  good luck!

mfajita: you're not kidding about everything revolving around food.  What is up with that?  Instead of family bbq's we need to do family mile walks, haha.  I guess it's good that some of us are realizing this so we can prepare ourselves!

akasharaine: don't let it get you down!  we want to see you succeed just as much as you do!  you can jump "back on the wagon" with me this week, lol!

madamebones: sounds like you had a great 4th!  too bad we don't have more long weekends huh?

Good luck guys...  I'm just praying I will find my dedication.  I know its out there!

SW: 335.8

CW: 315.4

GW (short term): below 300 by Labor Day

GW (long term): 175-185

Weekly weight change: -3.0 

Challenge weight change: -1.8

looks like everyone is trying a lot harder than i am.  but tomorrow, i promise i promise i PROMISE i will go back to my normal life style.  i've kind of just decided to live it up the last couple days in ny, not binge, just give myself permission to have the brownie and an extra piece of bread, eat the whole serving of pasta at the italian restaurant.  and i'm feeling pretty peaceful actually.  tomorrow i fly out and tomorrow it is off the sugar and carbs (not completely, i am a carb and sweets person) and back to more healthy stuff although i did eat two good salads today.  i'm planning on tomorrow through sunday being a little restrictive and then going back to normal monday when i start dancing again.  i'm hoping because of all the walking i've been doing that my eating won't have set me back too much.

keep it up everyone!  and glad to see you back ekai :)

so back from ny and doing well!  i am back down to 109.4 after only 2 days of eating well so i think the weight i gained was water weight and the walking all day must have canceled out all the food calories so some extent.

hope everyone is doing well! keep it up!

Hello everyone!  I've been doing ok with my eating and since being back on the wagon I've really been trying.  I think I should be losing more than I am.  Oh well, I'll take what I can get.  LOL 

lofudge ~  I'm glad you didn't gain on your trip.  Way to go!!!  :)

 EDIT:  Adding my weight

July 10th - 187 lbs

July 16th - 185 lbs

Here's my introductory post:

    SW: 175.8 (7/16)

    CW: 175.8

    GW: 150.8

    Lowest Weight: 165.5 (6/25)

    I'm John, 50, 5'7".  I like to run, walk, jog and hike. I'm trying to eat 800 to 1600 calories a day.

This challenge is perfect for me beacuse my goal weight is 150# and my goal date is December 1. So this ties perfectly to this challenge!

Well, I haven't exactly been hiding per sey, but I have been lazy. Aunt Flo came to visit so I was occupied for a week. Today I'm 100% back on track and feeling better. I kept my running up while flo was here, but I was useless on my off days. I didn't count calories.

Today

Intake: +1,255

Output: -1,890

Deficit: -635

Weight: 154.6

Goal for challenge: 129.6

Welcome, Rancho!  Keep it up, madame!

I took a friend to the airport today:  a scenic 10 hour round trip drive across the desert.  The only downsides are no exercise and a Taco Bell diet.  Back on track tomorrow. 

Actually, not tomorrow.  My parents are coming to visit, which means I'll be eating Catholic style--getting guilted into seconds--for the next couple of days.  Any suggestions on portion control when family's in town?

Only fill up a half plate for firsts and the same for seconds! then you only have one portion! HA! HA!

I win...

Oh, unless someone else is filling your plate?

You could just tell them that you are full...like REALLY full. It was so deliscious you ate too fast!

so i've done well today :)  totaling about 1,000 calories.

tryin2lose25 you are doing better then you think!  2 pounds in 6 days is very good!  keep it up!

and ranchobernardo you should at least eat 1,000 calories if not 1,200.  especially if you are exercising.  you don't want your body to go into starvation mode, trust me i was borderline anorexic and eating that little screwed up my metabolism and it has taken me about a year to get it back to normalish.  you will stop losing weight if you eat too little and then gain it back and more when you start eating normal again if you are like me.  but just proceed with caution :)

madamebones, nice to hear from you.  the best thing to do is just get right back on track!

and pizzacottontail, i think madamebones advice is about as good as i've heard :) good luck!

keep it up everyone!

hey everybody!  I'm just checking in before the weekend.

Tomorrow I'll have to swap my normal 2 hour workout for a 5 hour volunteer session, which will still burn calories cause I'll be painting.  Hoping to have a decent weighin tomorrow morning too...  we'll see!

Good luck on the weekend everybody! 

lofudge13: congrats on surviving the NY trip!

ranchobernardo: nice to have you here!  definitely a perfect fit!  I do agree with lofudge13; you need to eat at least 1200.  I used to eat only 1000 or less a day and lost a lot of weight, but was by no means anorexic.  Now my metabolism is screwed up, and its soooo hard to lose.  It's really not worth it because after being so thrilled that I lost weight, I now can barely lose anything, and it's devastating.  Take care of yourself, please!!!

Ranchobernardo- I'm going to be the third person in here to tell you I ate 800-1400 calories a day for three years during puberty and I went through starvation mode too. Sometimes if I go for a few days not eating enough I gain weight. Just try eating at least 1,200 calories every day. I doubt you will be disappointed.

Today seems promising. I went for a run. I took my vitamins...only problem is that I am sick and I'm manager on duty today. Bleh

154lbs this morning.

madamebones, sorry you are sick.  being sick always sucks and it is also hard for me to make myself exercise.

and i weighed myself this morning and... 108.9!  so excited!  on this challenge i've lost 4.1 pounds so far! i am determined to do well today! i am going to the beach so battling the waves to get out and swim a little should burn some calories... and i should be able to keep my eating under control.  breakfast and lunch at home, frozen yogurt and possibly dinner while i'm out, it shouldn't be too hard.  i really want to lose that .9 and be 108.0 on monday when i go back to ballet.  my teachers have been in europe visiting their families for three weeks. not that they will notice a three pound loss... but i'll feel good :)

keep it up everyone!

SW: 175.8 (7/16)

CW: 174.5 (7/17)

GW: 150.8 (11/30)

Lowest Weight: 165.5 (6/25)

My current BMR is 1664. In order to reach my goal, I need to lose 1.3# per week.  I need to net -3500 calories per pound or -4270 calories per week.  That's an average of -610 per day, so my net calorie target calculates to 1054 per day.  I've heard that your body can get too used to the same number of calories every single day and adjust to stay stable (plateaued) on that, so I leave room to bounce around, thus the low-end minimum for sedentary days of 800 and the higher end maximum of 1600 for days when I burn a few hundred calories.

Yesterday for example, I calculated that I burned 506 calories walking and jogging on the beach.  So my target was 1054+506=1560.

ranchobernardo, sounds like you know what you are doing.  the only thing is you would literally have to be doing nothing to only burn 1664 calories per day.  if you are doing dishes, typing, doing laundry, driving, etc., you are burning more calories.  you have the right idea, just don't go to low.

good luck! keep it up everyone!

Good work, lofudge13! and thanks for the support! Likely you're right and your instructors will notice your form and whether you are in practice and not so much your weight-loss, but a nice silhouette makes those moves look even better! I'm sure they will be impressed.

So far today:

Intake: +1,283 (goal 1,400 and I had a bad day. I didn't eat my salad and granola bar that I had packed for lunch cause one of the charities that works with us brought us cookies from the local bakery and I ate those instead...don't have many calories for dinner, tho do I? Oh, bad, bad me...)

Output: -2,253 (projected 2,450. As bad as I am about calories, I am so good about exercise. After I ate those cookies, I took a 3 mile bike ride on my lunch break.)

so far: deficiet -970 calories. We'll see where dinner takes me!

Hi, my name is Stephanie I hope it isn't too late to join in on the fun. This is exactly the amount I want to lose and when I want to do it by!

SW: 220 (2008)

CW: 176

GW: 150

Lowest weight: 168 (feb '09)

Calorie intake range: 1200-1300ish

I am 33, 5'6 with 3 kids. I work the overnight shift as a Medical Secretary in the ER, as well as a Portrait Artist ( so everything I do is sit down) I think I can safely say I am very sedentary even with 3 kids! exercise is a dirty word, though I try I know deep down I don't try hard enough in that department. 

I lost my way after getting sick for a while and lost my motivation. I recently gained 10 pounds and with that my motivation is back! I refuse to gain another pound!! I have 150 in my sight and I am hoping with a little push and motivation it will happen this time.

welcome to the group stephanie!  i'm sure i speak for everyone when i say we will be here to support and help you.

and exercise doesn't have to be going to the gym.  it can be playing with your kids, going for a walk with them, etc.

good luck!  we're here for you :)

-Elly

Stephanie (sgbear98) is my best friend and she says I have to join .

I also am in the 25 pound range for wanting to lose weight.  I truly need to go further but 25 would get me to a healthy BMI and the rest would be the 10 pounds of toning at the end.  And to complete it by Nov 09 would just be awesome. 

SW: 220 (Jan 2006)

CW: 180

GW: 144 but I will start with 155.

Lowest weight recently: 158 (Nov 2007 the day I found out I was pregnant)

Calorie intake range: 1500

I am 31, 5'7" with 4 kids. I am an office manager for an irrigation company (underground sprinklers).  Sit down computer job.  However the 4 kids keep me busy after hours unless I am parked at the computer messing with facebook.  (Evil site )

I have recently started looking into eating right for my blood type and while I am not using it as a bible I am looking specifically at the foods they say encourages and discourages weight loss.  Anything that helps right?  Especially since it just helps me to eat healthy food instead of processed.

I recently lost 3+ pounds as I have started my weight loss journey again.  And again.  And sometimes again.  Its been a slow start since having the baby and I think I am finally getting the hang of it now that I am not breastfeeding and he is reaching a year old.

Nice to meet everyone!

welcome paperedkeri2000!  sounds like you are up for the challenge.  good luck and keep us updated!  it is nice that you and stephanie are doing this together.