300+ Countdown to Jan 1, 2009 !

   T O T A L   L O S T   I N   2 0 0 8 :   9 9 3 . 9  L B S   

       LINK to *NEW* Jan 2009 / Jan 2010 Thread 

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      We share a long journey.
      January 1, 2009 is coming ... IS HERE ! 
      What progress we'll make ... WE'VE MADE !
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~ THE 2008 300+ COUNTDOWN CLUB ~
      Counting down to JAN 1, 2009!
 1. Post your 1st of month weigh in.
 2. Check your updated number below.
 3. Let me know of any corrections.

.......................... GROUP WEIGHT LOSS ..........................
SW: 320.0   JAN 1st 2009 185.0     Lost  135.0  bigbrett22
SW: 340.0   JAN 1st 2009 173.0     Lost  167.0  danielle_20077
SW: 343.0   JAN 1st 2009 275.0     Lost    68.0  denise07
SW: 326.0   JAN 1st 2009 280.0     Lost    38.0  freethrowtommy 
SW: 354.0   JAN 1st 2009 328.0     Lost    26.0  humorpam
SW: 329.0   JAN 1st 2009 295.0     Lost    34.0  korali
SW: 329.0   JAN 1st 2009 221.0     Lost  108.0  laurabow
SW: 370.0   JAN 1st 2009 286.0     Lost    84.0  mnic
SW: 442.2   JAN 1st 2009 392.0     Lost    50.2  mwiowa
SW: 325.0   JAN 1st 2009 267.0     Lost    58.0  punkrockriot
SW: 315.0   JAN 1st 2009 226.0     Lost  100.0  renaer14
SW: 317.0   JAN 1st 2009 311.0     Lost      6.0  shnitzel (tracy)
SW: 465.0   JAN 1st 2009 220.8     Lost  244.0  sun123
SW: 385.0   JAN 1st 2009 336.8     Lost    52.0  sunnyone24
SW: 305.0   JAN 1st 2009 234.5     Lost    70.5  Tina_4792
SW: 367.0   JAN 1st 2009 299.0     Lost    69.4  topeze
SW: 576.0   JAN 1st 2009 447.0     Lost  129.0  velvetkiss 
SW: 325.0   JAN 1st 2009 255.0     Lost    70.0  watchmeshine82
SW: 355.0   JAN 1st 2009 287.0     Lost    68.0  wobbley
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Thank you Wobbley and you are right there behind me on our way down the scale!  I remember crossing over 300 and betting youre already experiencing transformations.  They'll keep coming and if you ever find yourself losing your drive, find some special - important to work towards and know we're all behind you!

I agree about the follow up after christmas.  So much focus on being healty and not so many temptations beckoning.  Theyre not louder than that dress staring me down in my office daily LOL but its cool when so many take focus on the things we can make better about ourselves (although nice having a jump start too :P).

Last night, went walking - first night since I spent last week practicing heels.  Back to the late, almost midnight peaceful walk and only two houses down when I encountered a frog.  First Ive seen in years which is good because Ive a phobia like you wouldnt believe. Screamed my head off. Not a single person opened a door and realized the theory I could scream for help if attacked while walking got a reality check.  Granted it was a streetlight so never can be sure especially since it wasnt but a second before I'd run cross the street.

Then I was afraid. Afraid to continue in the phobic irrational way because of the dark. Wasted 45 minutes but ended up going out only to find my toes were being crushed. My awesome new (free) sneakers were killing them.  Not muscle pain but squeezing my toes pain and yet they feel great going on.  Ended up removing them and doing the walk in my socks.  Disappointed but tonight I will give them one last try - not putting them on until the moment I leave and removing them getting home.  The may have a time limit and I just need them for 30 minutes. Wish me luck!

So how'd the walk go Sun?  That has got to be miserable trying to walk in a pair of shoes that are not comfortable.

Oh how I wish I could walk...Maybe someday....I can always hope for that day to come.  Right now I am just praying to be able walk a few feet to my living room or a few feet to my bathroom.  I tried to do that and could only get across the hall from my bedroom,  into my den and at the desk,  because of a pinched sciatic nerve.  Even when that is not an issue,  I can only go about 50 feet.  But maybe someday that will change.  I'm just thinking out loud.

Think outloud and keep hope. I dont profess to know any specifics other than as your weight drops, it will provide relief and of course to what degree is to be seen but anyone with walking challenges required to carry additional weight has an additional issue.

At first I thought I would just start being able to walk. Then when it didnt happen, I still made some progress. In my case it took starting at the few houses and pushing myself (not necessarily the best for all - depends on each persons specific limitations) but I'd given up some hope.  That was premature though beacauset continued pushing a little further plus carrying a continually lighter load made the difference.

As far as my walk, I am going - maybe at midnight. Im working but peeking in for weigh in updates . BTW know I mentioned it before but really love you new avatar pic, Pam!

Thanks for the encouraging words Sun!  I am going to try to get started doing something a little more tomorrow.  Tonight I did some leg lifts and other back and leg exercises.  Tomorrow I will do those and a few more and try to walk maybe to the corner of the street and back several times.  Not all at once though.  But I appreciate your motivation. And thanks for the comment on my pic.  It was my most recent picture,  with my hair all freshly permed.  I felt good about it.  Today I got my hair cut but I haven't had a picture taken yet.  But I think I will just keep the other one up for now,  because I think it is one of my best pictures so far.

I know I had a little moan yesterday about only losing a coule of pounds last month but I actually acheived another mini-goal and hadn't realised. I checked my BMI and it is now 29.9! Which is now no longer obese- just overweight! I literally cannot remember the last time I had a BMI under 30. :o)

Congratulations Laura! That is terrific!

Hi Everyone!

I'm back to my lowest weight before the Thanksgiving Holidays. I've worked real hard to get there the last few days. Boy was it hard to get through Thanksgiving, it was my first holiday.  I gained around 10 pounds some of it water gain from eating ham I'm sure. I had went to two dinners on two different days, and my will power didn't show up for neither one of them.  It's so scary to see how fast them pounds can come back on you, or how hard it is to get back on track.  I've done a lot of reading on journals of ones that has lost a lot of weight and looked at several THEN and NOW pictures. It really got me back on track.  I want that for me. I've lost 84 pounds and only 16 pounds away from losing a 100. So I've got to work real hard and hopefully nothing will come up to tempt me for awhile.

For my December posting: 

SW 370

CW 286

mnic, what a loss considering your holiday gain! Thinking these last day had to have been effective work youve done.  Your track record says you will have whats inspired you to get back and wishing you focus with just 16 lbs until your at 100 lbs lost.

Obese to overweight is a threshold - yay, Laura! I'd forgot about BMIs since first registering and after my February goal passes thats an goal idea for me I hope to remember then. 

Pam, I crashed last night! I'd had a 3pm dr appt with bloodwork so I fasted all day (ugh! my fault, I wasnt willing to wait until a morning appt).  Then Im told at 4pm its too late to draw because the lab wont get it time.  Double ugh! So I ate afterwards but had to start my fast late last night for this morn (bloodworks done). Guessing it exhausted me because I fell asleep but did sneak in the walk at 6am and will head out tonight.  Big improvement but not perfect.  It was only until second half of the second lap before it was getting too much with no option but to continue home. Think this is manageable - can escalate legs for a while before minimize foot swelling too.

Great on the exercises, Pam! Dont be discouraged if progress comes slow - it did for me but the days add up and its like weightloss - the progress accumulates to where the times been put to good use instead of being where you were when you started.  I know your walking issues so if you try the outside, update us. You might remember I had to use an underarm crutch when i started out and needed it to continue (including taking breaks as the length got longer) until I finally was around the block. It wasnt a fast process but I'd never be walking without it twice now, no crutch or breaks if I hadnt built myself (and never knew I would be here walking wise). We all progress differently though with physical issues so good luck!!

Hi.  Checking in with my December 1st Weigh in.

SW 442.2

CW 386.1 (not too bad for Thanksgiving and TTOM) :)

I decided I have a mini mini goal for January 1st and that is to be down to 372.2 which would be an even 70 lbs lost.  I'm going to try my hardest and finish 2008 with a bang!

Good wishes to everyone else!  You all look like you are doing great!

Michelle

Thanks again Sun for added encouragement and motivation.  I think I will go outside and try walking a bit while my back is not pinching my sciatic nerve.  Gotta do it while I can,  huh?

mnic - That is outstanding to have lost as much as you have.  I stand and applaud you!

Michelle - That is an awesome weight loss too! All three of you have done really well and I commend you on such hard work,  especially through the holidays.

Not bad at all, Michelle !  Thats  may be mini mini time but a good loss and we'll be here to support you through to December to go for it. 

Any others with Jan 1 goals?  Im shooting for 230, with fingers crossed and focus set.

Ang - sorry, somehow thought I'd updated you but your up there for Dec now. 

Well,  I just went outside and walked two houses up and back,  which is the distance to the nearest bus stop.  It took me 370 steps to get there and back,  total.  I thought I would die by the time I got back,  but I am proud of myself.  I don't know exactly what the distance was but I calculated that according to my 16 inch stride,  and 185 steps each way,  that it is about 246 feet each way for a total distance walked of 492 feet to the bus stop and back.  So that at least gives me an idea of my starting ability today.  I had to stop and stretch my back and get my breath before I could walk back,  but I did make it. YAY!

My goal is to be at 315 by January 1st.

Quite alright sun I hadn't even noticed.:) Glad to see everyone is pulling through the holidays and so many are doing fantastic!

michelle, sounds like a great goal to me you can do it! Awesome weigh in you're doing great!

mnic, you will be amazed at how many of those gains you will have during this process, you just have to remember it's mostly just water. For some reason we are just drawn to sodium filled food when we cheat, so it does come off fairly quickly, I tend to plan for it now. You are so close to the 100lb mark I bet we hit it at almost the exact same time. I'll race you to it. :) Great job and keep up the good work!

laura, YAH!! that's awesome. I often forget about that thing, but do occasionally look at it. The last time I looked at it it said severely over weight, which can be a bit frustrating, but soon enough we'll all be at that fabulous weight of non obesity. Thanks for the reminder and awesome job hitting that goal!

 pam, Ouchie! I can't even imagine trying to exercise with that going on. Just watch your calories and you will still be able to drop those pounds. I've always been a walker so I've never had to many problems with that, but I know others have on here and this is a great place to keep your spirits high and keep you pushing towards that all important motivational goal. You can do it.

wobbly, I'm with you, so ready for the holidays to be over, than we can get down to the nitty gritty of dieting, no more temptations! Good luck on the SB diet if that's what your interested in.

I hit 220 this morning right on the nose. I actually tried cheating jumping on the bike for about 3 min to see if it would bump me to 219, but it didn't work. I can't be to disappointed I should be there tomorrow. I'm really liking the bike to exercise with, but I'm having some issues with my tail bone, apparently there just isn't enough padding there now, it actually feels bruised. Before it was to much fluff to be comfortable and now I don't have enough. Sheesh if it's not one thing it's another. I tried sitting on a pillow, lol, that was different it felt like I was humpty dumpty. I'll figure something out. Anyway all is well slowing getting back down to my original weight hoping to see it or be close by this weekend. My Jan. 1st goal is def to be as close to 200 as possible, hopefully 205. Put a couple new pictures up from Thanksgiving.

Good luck bringing in the new year!

-Angie

Pam, can I be second proud of you!!  Im horrible with understandig distances but hearing how you pushed yourself and again, thinking that is so great!! Does it seem like something you could repeat? This may not apply to all but I found the earliest outings the hardest because my muscles hadnt strengthened at all, but they do strengthen. One of the biggest pluses besides the mobility is the less pressure on my knee joints having stronger leg muscles provides.  If you continue with it, would love to hear!

Ang, it is so funny to hear you speak of your tailbone because I was thinking the same thing!  When I went to the movie that night, sitting in one spot after a certain point I was shifting yet noticed my average weight friend hadnt moved at all. Its not the first time Ive noticed the, 'Ow my butt' before either after staying on a uncushioned surface for a while.  Love the thanksgiving pic, Ang! How great you look and comparing you with the woman in the white shirt versus you and her at your 'heaviest weight' photo - your like a mini version of yourself!

Well,  may I give myself a pat on the back here?  I have walked a total of 1200 steps today,  and I figured that out to be 1600 feet which is .3 mile plus 16 feet.  I am going to stop with that for today.  It took me four times outside to do it all,  but I was determined to give it a shot.  I sure do thank you all for your encouragement and inspiration!

I can totally relate to the tailbone issue when it comes to riding the stationary bike.  I have the same problem.  I can't do it now because of my knee,  but when I did do it,  I only could do 15 minutes at one sitting and even with that,  my tailbone was crying.  But now I know that it had a lot to do with everything else that is wrong with my back.

297.6 for this month.  Which is a whopping 2.6 lb loss.  Yeah, that's sad.  But my goal is 10.6 lbs away by Jan 3rd, so I have to kick my bum back in gear.  Will write more and read more later...determined to go for that walk and lift tonight.  Even if it kills me.

You are the inspiration I need today, Pam. I walked 6am but didnt really 'walk' today - thats a delayed walk from yesterday, so you are a great mental 'push' that I still need to go walking tonight.  And .3+ miles?!  I can work fractions and figured where that was on walk plus how I worked myself up to it so Im a bit speechless on that one. Do you have an soreness tonight? If so, wishing its not too bad.  Hope youre able to keep up walking. Great for you plus just reading a given day that you went walking is reinforement for me, like and online walk buddy.

Saturday approaches, which means company party and dress. Feeling had I not these weeks returned to walking, not have had the extra plus to get me into my party dress but feeling very comfortable about it as at thanksgiving it was looking okay on so just a week later should be fine if not better. We're only 9 people (and their guests). Half saw me thanksgiving in one of my non-tent dresses but the other half has never seen me in anything 'fitted' plus probably not since months ago so feeling good about the 'updated' appearance.

You are the inspiration I need today, Pam. I walked 6am but didnt really 'walk' today - thats a delayed walk from yesterday, so you are a great mental 'push' that I still need to go walking tonight.  And .3+ miles?!  I can work fractions and figured where that was on walk plus how I worked myself up to it so Im a bit speechless on that one. Do you have an soreness tonight? If so, wishing its not too bad.  Hope youre able to keep up walking. Great for you plus just reading a given day that you went walking is reinforement for me, like and online walk buddy.

Saturday approaches, which means company party and dress. Feeling had I not these weeks returned to walking, not have had the extra plus to get me into my party dress but feeling very comfortable about it as at thanksgiving it was looking okay on so just a week later should be fine if not better. We're only 9 people (and their guests). Half saw me thanksgiving in one of my non-tent dresses but the other half has never seen me in anything 'fitted' plus probably not since months ago so feeling good about the 'updated' appearance.

Hi Everyone,

Pam your going to do great with starting your walking program. It doesn't matter how short your walks are because it will get better as time goes by.

Renaer I can't believe your only 5 pounds from a 100. I checked out yours and Sun's Then and Now pictures and you both look so good! It made me want to work that much more to see the change in me when I get more weight off.

My goal for Jan. 1st is to lose over 10 pounds.  

Yes! I am terribly sore.  But I just keep doing stretching exercises and that is helping a bit.  Tomorrow is a new day,  and I am going to try to do the 1200 steps again tomorrow if the roads are not slick and my sciatic nerve is not pinched and if I can breathe ok.

Sun,  I bet that is going to look great on you - your fitted dress.  Congratulations for being able to wear that.  I would say,  "Knock 'em dead", but I don't want to promote death and dying. LOL.