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20 pounds by July 31st Challenge!!!

I know this is a hefty challenge, so only people that are serious, want to work hard for it, and wont get their heart broken if they don't meet the deadline!

I'm doing this by eating very small meals throughout the day, getting up early to exercise hard at the gym each morning for at least an hour, and cutting out sugar and wheat.

Just like an athlete trains to get in shape, I'm training hard for these 9 weeks and then I'll slowly back off and add 100 calories per week until I'm at my maintenance level.

It always helps to have each others support!! Want to join me?

CW:153

GW:125

Height: 5' 8"

Frame: Med to Small

By July 31st I want to be: 130-135

I am in too. We have to get a plan together..any suggestions? I think we should all post in and list weight on MONDAYS since many of us may be inclined to slack on weekends..we may inspire to stay steady over the weekends AND get fired up for the week to come.

I am 38 female 5"7" weighing 165. i have a 2 1/2 year old son and haven't been able to lose my baby weight. i hit 195 at 9 months prego. i want to get back to 145..heck even 150 so i can wear my clothes. On August 17th i am going to a wedding and can not bear the idea of everyone seeing me STILL over weight!

i started a diet 2 weeks ago at 172. I happened upon this site looking up avocados. i have yoyo'd on the scale (attirbute to weeknd cocktails) and have seen weight loss but need to do better. my initial weight loss came after bike riding 3x week for 45 mins..then, no exercise, no weight loss i find.

so, until Monday!! Let's go, let's go, let's GO!!!

i am going to try 1200-1500 cals dependnig on days i exercise, minimum 3 days week bike riding and pray for strength on the weekend! plus i just got "wii fit" and as soon as i have it hooked up, i'll do that too.

COUNT ME IN!  This sounds great!

CW:166

GW:130

I'm definately IN!!! In 2003 i lost about 90lbs but slowly put some back....I'm currently 14lbs from my goal and having a very hard time getting there so any support would be great! And I'm always up for a challenge!

CW: 164

GW: 150

5'4

51 yr old female

I wanna do it! Definitely! I'm 5'6, F, 170#. GW120. Would love to be 150 by the end of July bc 149.4 is technically within the "healthy range" for me. yaaaayyy!!!

I'm in too...need some more support to stay on top of my diet and exercise.  Want to lose 16 lbs.  Supertempo2 - what did you do to lose 90lbs?!  You rock!!!

I started in March and in less than 3 months, I dropped my cholesterol down 21 points.  My doctor was very impressed since I just simply changing my diet from eating less carbs, changing from simple to complex carbs, eating lots of veggies, eating more lean meats, and exercising 20-30 mins 3 times a week.  I've been trying to eat 1300-1400 calories/day.  Weekends are tough since I have lots of family gathering and we all like to eat. 

I only lost 4-5 lbs since March, but my clothes are looser, so I'm guessing I'm building muscle.  But since I haven't lost anymore weight in the last several weeks, I'm feeling less motivated and have trouble keeping on top of my program.  I started back up yesterday to being more strict so I'm feeling better already.   Btw, I'm not looking to be a size 0, just a size 6.

CW: 136

GW: 120

5'2

Btw, what are you guys doing to lose weight?  Any specific exercise program that worked for you?  Anyone tried the Cardio Free program by Jim Karas?

Count me in! I'm getting married July 12th, and I need to be motivated. This helps!

so i've decided that the thing that is going to help most losing this 20 is exercise. (i've already been dieting for months.. so that'd just be the same old routine)

if there are any busy ladies like myself out there looking for an easy way to squeeze in some work out time... i have found something. over my lunch break recently, i've been going on utube and searching workout/pilates videos. there's a ton of them and most are only 10 minute blurbs. it's fast, simple (because i can do it in my office before my lunch break is over), and it sure does make me sweat.... or at least get outta breath & my muscles burn.

just thought i'd throw that out there for anyone in the challange looking for a way to squeeze some work out time in there. :-)

I lost the 90lbs in 2003 on the Atkins Diet.....over the course of the next 3yrs I put back 40 of that, which I didnt think was all that bad due to the fact that everyone thought I'd gain it ALL back.    Right now I'm basically counting calories....approx. 1200 day...and just trying to keep a balanced diet. I try to keep the fiber up and the carbs on the low side.       It's very frustrating at this point being only 14lbs from my goal...I've lost 22lbs so far this year but it's coming off just sooooooo slooooowwwww.     &n bsp;  As for excercise, I got to Curves at least 3 times per week. I like it because it's just a 30 minute workout and I can handle that!   haha

It's Wednesday, two days into our challenge! How's everyone doing....?

Welcome new people :) Sounds like you guys are ready to kick some butt, and being accountable to everyone else like skinieminie12 said is kind of the idea of this whole thing... keep us on track.

Youngrebel- Good idea about the new forum. If we tag it each week then we'll be able to keep track of our posts. How about at the end of each week I'll throw a new one up there and provide the link to everyone. That post with the link will be the last post in the individual forum, and we'll go to the next one until there are 9 of them. Then we'll be done! :)

The only other idea I had is to start using Journals to organize this. Keep this as a main one, and then post a Journal every week and people can use the comments to leave their weight loss, motivation, ranting and raving, ect. Then it's all organized in one profile, with all the journals (weeks) right there.

So I need opinions guys cause we're all in this together. Would you like to use a new forum every week and just recieve the link to that, or would you like to use the profile system? Let me know and I'll set it up.

Colorado_sunshine- yay for family coming in August! That's my long term goal.. by the end of August I WILL be back to my goal weight. We can do it! Lucky for us they have to love our beautiful bodies anyway they look :) And I think you're doing awesome for having to juggle 5 kids. You're a hero.

Hi Roze- nice have you join us. Are you in the Army? I'm from a military family so I'm familiar with their food. mmm ;) Have you ever thought of stress relief techniques? I just took a class on different tecniques to help throughout the day. It's amazing how our bodies react and how we can train them to not let our cortisol levels shoot through the roof. Good luck camping, just eat when you're hungry and a little less than you normally would and you'll be losing. You're body will take care of the rest... but if you're stressed it could inhibit it a bit so I hope you can take a little breather.

ibii- we're about the exact same stats and goals. I weighed in 151 this morning, I'm 20, and 5'8". My long lost twin. nice to see someone with the same issues! a personal trainer I went to at the gym put me on the scale and as she read off my weight she was like, "I have no idea where you put it because I'd guess you were 130, 125." Ha.... 153, and I think that pounds 35-50 have found them selves a nice home on my belly. I hope they're enjoying themselves... because they WONT be sticking around any longer. It's frustrating, I envy people that can carry their weight so well while I want to go look for maternity clothes.

And I agree on the carbs thing... If we deprive ourselves we are more likely to overeat them later to compensate. Basically, the only rule we have to live by in weight control is "Everything in Moderation." Have some carbs, but make sure each meal is balanced, your blood sugars are stable, you never overeat, and you try not to eat processed sugary foods that don't have much nutritional value. Before I put anything in my mouth I ask myself, "Is this going to be nutritious for my body" In other words, can my body actually use this... like white bread vrs sprouted 9 grain bread, or pasta with sauce vrs polenta and marinara. Like motivateme said, switch from simple to complex carbs and add good whole foods. Around 5 small meals a day, exercise as much as you can, and you're set.

Ccloan- thanks for the suggestion about posting on Mondays. It's been planned for Tuesday because that's the day the challenge started and people began to sign up. If everyone would prefer Monday I'm fine with that, so if people have opinions please let us know. If not, we'll just keep it at Tuesday so it's consistant.

Great idea about the utube videos lune_ash. I'm insanely busy, and the only time I find to work out is either 5:30 in the morning or after 8 or 10 at night. That might help....

Anyway guys, keep it up, you're doing great. Please give me your opinions to how to organize this group (and make it more of a concrete group) and when you actually do want the weigh in date.

Also... if you're reading around the forum and you see people asking for help and you have an idea or something that worked for you, please start sharing with eachother! We need to be active in this as much as we can to stay motivated, and it will be hard for just me to answer peoples questions. Plus, some of you have different experiences or techniques that I don't have... so share, share, share!

Keep focused on your goal!

CW:306

GW:252

Height: 6"-2"

Frame: Large

By July 31st I want to be: 280-285

well its day two coming to a close here in good old Blighty! day one was fine i think, was under the 2350 allowance by around 500, and on course to be inside it again by around 300 so that sounds ok. Analysis has been spot on A both days too. am real pleased to be on the team.

Geoff UK

I'll join.  Great idea. 

CW:  174

GW:  127

Either Monday or Tuesday weigh-in's work for me.

Oh my gosh I hope I can still join! I just read through everyone's post and they are making me so motivated!

age: 23

Height: 5'7"

Frame: med/small

CW: 152

GW: 132

I was already planning on getting to 130 and I've already started. I just left the recommended time frame that CC set for me. But this is a GREAT idea.

I have been exercising for about 1.5 months now, but didn't lose any weight until I cut my calories back. For about 9 days I've been on CC logging my calories and activity. I started at 159 and so far I have lost 7 lbs! I am eating between 1200-1400 cals per day and work out 5 days a week in the am at the gym on the elliptical for about 30-45 minutes. Sometimes I do the weight machines if I have enough time left. I did a free week trial so I could try out fitness classes and they were awesome! So now I am going to join the Y and get to a fitness class (yoga, pilates, step, kickboxing) at least 3 times a week after work. Because they are soo much fun!

What a great idea! GOOD LUCK! (:

I'm in... I just came off of chemo and I gained 40 lbs in 3 months during it, probably from the steroids and lack of activity.. I've lost 6 lbs in 3 weeks so far.  This will be a nice jump start to get me more then halfway to my goal.. I

'm walk/jogging or biking 4-8 miles a day 5 days a week and doing 20 minutes on the rowing machine 3 times a week. I am getting the wii fit soon so I'll see how that helps too. Eating 1300-1400 calories a day

age:34

Height: 5'8"

Frame: Medium

CW: 185

GW: 150

I soo want to be in on this. I actually have 60 lbs to reach my goal weight, but the 20 lbs challenge sounds great! i have cut my calories down between 1200 - 1300 per day and I am currently doing the slim in 6 workout.

CW:190

GW:130

Height: 5' 8"

Frame: Med

By July 31st I want to be: 170

ME TOO

CW: 144

Wow this is a really busy forum.

I know one thing that helped a lot was drinking green tea.  I hit a plateau about a month ago and I increased my workouts and decreased my calories and that didn't help.  A friend then told me about green tea and how it helps speed up your metabolism.  So I started drinking it, within a week I loss 4 lbs.  So I guessed it help. 

Another tip I find that works it when you wake up in the morning have three cups of water right away and in an hour have your breakfast and your breakfast should be high in protein (I usually have egg whites with tomatoes).  It will make you fill full until lunch (1:00 p.m. for me)

On another topic has anyone tries Turbo Jam?  What do you think about it?

well guys and gals, time to bid you a goodnight as its 11pm here in UK and am at end of day 2 on calorie-count, and second day too into this 20lb challenge. been great start to it all for me and am really encouraged by the support that is being shown to each and every one. if anyone feels led to mail me it would be great to awake in the morning to some correspondance, to kick the day off positively

God Bless

Geoff UK

I would love to join this. I have been on calorie count for 2 weeks, and lost 5 pounds. Losing 20 by July 31 would be great!

SW: 220

CW: 214.4

GW: by July 31

GW: 165

25 years old, med/large frame

For some reason this forum just grabbed me and I am so in! This might be just what I need to get me motivated and back on track. Might take me a bit past July 31st, but hell, its worth a shot :)

CW: 147

GW: 117

Frame: Small

Age: 25

Honestly if I could just get back down to 125 I'd be happy. All I really wanna do is feel comfortable again. In the mean time I'm going back to eating 5/6 times a day, healthy foods and healthy portions (no soda or junk food), and I'll be doing cardio in my house untill payday, then I'll probably join a gym. I guess we'll just have to see what happens.

Good luck to all!