Lose 30 Pounds By Christmas

Or if you don't celebrate, lose 30 pounds by December 25th.

I'm starting a weight loss club for people who wanna lose 30 pounds to look good around the holidays. It's a time of year when you're around family much more often, and see many people that only come around once a year. Wouldn't it be great to shock them this year with your new body?

We will have weekly weigh-ins to keep track of everyone's progress. And with everyone's support and encouragement in this group from their peers, we should all feel more motivated to reach our goals.

When joining this group, please post a little bit about yourself, your strengths, weaknesses and your expectations, so we can all get to know each other a little better.

WHO'S WITH ME?  :)

Original Post by wannaloseitall:

Anyone have any plans on how to get through Thanksgiving without over doing it or will you just eat and not worry about it? 

I have thought long and hard about this, and I decided it's actually quite simple. Although there is an abundance of food during the next few months with the parties and the holidays and family and everything going on, if you tell yourself ahead of time to control your portion sizes and don't eat everything in sight, you'll be just fine. :)

I plan to have a little - LITTLE - bit of everything. :)

Deloughy- I like your idea.  It makes sense to me at least! Another two thoughts which help me through parties: 1) Do I REALLY want this? (and everything which "this" implies.... caloric value, etc) sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes its actually no. 2) If I recognize that I can always have this item at a later time, do I still want it?  The answer is usually no, I can wait to have it.

Start weight on CC (March 13, 2008) 230

Starting weight (this challenge): 194
GOAL (for this challenge): 175

• FIRST weigh-in (Sept1): 194
• Week 2 (Sept 8): 192.5
• Week 3 Sept 15): 192 
• Week 4 (Sept 22): 192.5
• Week 5 (Sept 29): 191.5
• Week 6 (Oct 5): 189.5
• Week 7 (Oct 12): 186.75
• Week 8 (Oct 19): 185.5
• Week 9 (Oct 26): 186.5
• Week 10: (Nov 2): 185.25
• Week 11 (Nov 9): 184.5
• Week 12 (Nov 16): 183.25
• Week 13 (Nov 23): 181.5
• Week 14 (Nov 30):
• Week 15 (Dec 7):
• Week 16 (Dec 14):
• Week 17 LAST Weigh in (Dec 21):
• Total Weight Loss: -12.5

It's nice to see things moving fairly steadily in the right direction. With just 4 weeks to go, I don't know if I'll make my goal, but I'm happy with my progress so far.

I'm planning to deal with Thanksgiving the same way as deloughy. I have to think of this as "real life" eating, not just a temporary diet. In real life I want to eat turkey and mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, so portion control has to be the way to accomplish it. Good luck to all of us and Happy Thanksgiving to us yanks!

Side note to posthumanfetus: I tried your cabbage spaghetti last night. Yummy!! I added just a couple of tablespoons of sauce for color and flavor; with the cabbage, italian sausage and parmesan it was really good. Thanks!

Another side note: my daughter and I went to Applebee's for dinner on Friday (after going to see Twilight). Their Weight Watcher's choices all look wonderful. I had the steak and portobello mushrooms (comes with potato and broccoli). It was delicious, the portion-size was perfect and it was only 330 calories! (I don't know if I believe the calorie count, but that's what it said, and that's what I logged).

Hey hey guys! Glad to see you sticking through this! It's very admirable!! :D

I haven't been logging my weight regularly because I figured I might as well only log when I notice a difference. So yesterday I weighed 160.8 and this morning I weigh 160.4. So I'm moving steadily along. :) I have carb-up and carb-down days which I think is helping a lot. I also try to go to the gym twice a day. This can be difficult depending on my sleep schedule, as although they are open very early until very late, they do still close at some point. This would be much easier if I could find a 24-hour gym!

I have another 24 pounds to lose before I reach my main weight-loss goal, but I think only another 15 - 20 until I reach this challenge's goal. I don't remember what my specific starting weight was when I started this challenge, all I know is I've been stuck at 175 pounds for about the past two years. It feels good to not be so blubbery anymore. Well, maybe just a little blubbery! :)

Start weight (Aug 26) 283

GOAL: 253

• FIRST Week (Sept1): 278
• Week 2 (Sept 8): 277
• Week 3 (Sept 15): 275.5
• Week 4 (Sept 22): 275
• Week 5 (Sept 29): 276.5
• Week 6 (Oct 6): 272.5
• Week 7 (Oct 13): 272.0
• Week 8 (Oct 20):  271.7
• Week 9 (Oct 27): 271.9
• Week 10 (Nov 3): 270.0 
• Week 11 (Nov 10): 269.0
• Week 12 (Nov 17):  268.5
• Week 13 (Nov 24): 268
• Week 14 (Dec 1):
• Week 15 (Dec 8):
• Week 16 (Dec 15):
• LAST Week (Dec 22):

Total Weight Loss: 15.0 lbs

Week 10: (Oct 24) 133
Week 11: (Oct 31) 130
Week 12: (Nov 7) 132
Week 13: (Nov 14)129
Week 14: (Nov 21)130
Week 15: (Nov 28)127
Week 16: (Dec 5)
Week 17: (Dec 12)
Week 18: (Dec 19)
Final Week: (Dec 26)

total weight loss 6 lbs

yay!

Hey, sorry, I won't be able to weigh in until monday, as I am out of town right now... sorry

Well, the scale said 161.5 this morning, and I am kind of hoping that it goes down....

Once again, I am out of town this sunday, so I won't be able to weigh-in. Sorry!

Hey guys,

I haven't been able to post since pre-Thanksgiving because, well, to put it mildly, I had the most awful holiday weekend.

I got home Wednesday night and noticed large, open sores on my cat, so I rushed him to the vet hospital. Well, five days and over $900 later, I'm sitting here worrying what's wrong with him. They had to do a biopsy and right now they are keeping him overnight for observation. He also had to be quarantined since Wednesday night since the vet had no idea what he had, and didn't know if it would be transmittable to people or other animals. I get the results of the biopsy later this week. I'm so afraid it's gunna be something terrible like Leukemia or something. I live alone - he's all I have. :[

Aside from that, I did gain a couple pounds this week - who doesn't? :p I did manage to control myself on Thanksgiving - however, it was all the leftover food, plus my parents came to visit and of course that means going out to eat every night, and my boyfriend was home too so we ordered in a night or two. 

I went to the gym twice today. I am hoping to go again tomorrow morning, but that depends on how early the vet calls me. If they don't call me by 9am I'll prolly head over to work out. I also have to start dieting again hardcore to make up for all the crap I ate the past....five days. My boyfriend doesn't come home again until a few days before Christmas, so I have plenty of time to focus on my diet again, plus my parents will be too busy with the Christmas season to come and visit, so more time for me to focus on me! I have to start grocery shopping again next week, I haven't gone in over three weeks now and I am running out of healthy options!

Anyway, I'm done ranting. See you all later!!

Start weight on CC (March 13, 2008) 230

Starting weight (this challenge): 194
GOAL (for this challenge): 175

• FIRST weigh-in (Sept1): 194
• Week 2 (Sept 8): 192.5
• Week 3 Sept 15): 192 
• Week 4 (Sept 22): 192.5
• Week 5 (Sept 29): 191.5
• Week 6 (Oct 5): 189.5
• Week 7 (Oct 12): 186.75
• Week 8 (Oct 19): 185.5
• Week 9 (Oct 26): 186.5
• Week 10: (Nov 2): 185.25
• Week 11 (Nov 9): 184.5
• Week 12 (Nov 16): 183.25
• Week 13 (Nov 23): 181.5
• Week 14 (Nov 30): 184
• Week 15 (Dec 7):
• Week 16 (Dec 14):
• Week 17 LAST Weigh in (Dec 21):
• Total Weight Loss: -10

deloughy, I'm so sorry to hear about your cat. I hope the news is good tomorrow. Let us know.

I was so disappointed when I got on the scale this week. I didn't think I would gain. Boo hiss! I'm telling myself it must be muscle because I have been lifting weights for a couple of weeks (sure it is!). :)

Way to go, gurl0411 and punkrockriot! You guys are doing great!

Well, some of that weight came off. I weighed n at 159 this morning, which is SO much better than 161.5.

I'm sorry to hear about your cat as well. I wish you the best of luck...

Keep us posted?

Man, sorry to be the only one to keep posting here, but I was just happy, because this morning when I stepped on the scale, I was at 158, which is where I was before the holidays...  My goal is to be at 155 by my birthday, which is december 20th.  I know that its a far cry away from 30 pounds lost, but I'll take 15!

So this week has been a hellish nightmare for me what with my cat, the holidays and my family staying for a few days and going out to eat every morning and night.

I also basically didn't get paid last week because all my money immediately went toward bills and vet expenses, so I haven't been grocery shopping and instead of having fresh, healthy food I've resorted to eating prepackaged frozen crap that is deep fried, breaded and loaded with carbs (i.e. pierogies, chicken fingers, pot stickers, chicken pot pie).

A typical diet on any day my parents are visiting goes as follows:

Breakfast - Jumbo bagels loaded with cream cheese, hash browns or home fries, scrambled eggs with milk & cheeses added, pork roll (Taylor ham), bacon, chocolate chip pancakes or french toast - OR - we all go to ihop where of course, no one can resist the stuffed french toast (though I have been avoiding it successfully for over six months now).

Lunch - Foot-long subs with extra meats and cheeses, usually Italian, with bacon added, extra mayo, on regular white bread - OR - fast food. And who can resist the plethora of barbecued potato chips when subs are around?

Dinner - We always - ALWAYS go out to eat. Where do we go? TGI Friday's, Applebee's, the diner, where everything ordered is going to be high in calorie content. Even Friday's has a low-calorie menu, but the meals are still around 500 calories. This throws you off severely if you are trying to consume around 350 calories per meal and are already almost at your limit - not to mention soda adds another 300 or so, and appetizers, well, let's just not even get into those.... And the diner here has portion sizes that could feed ten people! It's no wonder America's fat! The plates are about a foot in diameter - maybe even more. Even a salad at the diner is over 700 calories. And who wraps up a salad? The dressing would destroy the lettuce in an hour or so.

So yeah, needless to say, it is quite difficult sticking to my diet when my family is around. :)

Either way, I told myself I'm starting to focus on myself and only myself until Christmas, or until I reach my goal. I can't keep putting off my diet day after day just because of certain circumstances, otherwise I'll never reach it. And with the added pressure of being in a group of people who are all expecting you to do what you said you would do, that helps too. :)

I signed up for a competition at the gym tomorrow at 11am. The competition runs all week and you work with a personal trainer who times you on 15 different exercises at 50 reps each. At the end of the week, the times are calculated and whoever has the best timing wins! :)

"Thank you" to those of you who expressed concern for my cat, Anubis. The vet called and said he is improving, and they also told me his bloodwork came back negative for Leukemia and AIDS, so that's good. But the results of his biopsy aren't in yet and I am hoping it's something that can be cured or fixed. I'm really hoping he is gunna be okay. Usually I generally only hear the word "biopsy" when it's associated with something terrible like cancer. I don't even wanna know what the cost is gunna be...he's been there for three days now and the cost has since gone up. I'll let you guys know how he turns out. :)

Well, I have my work cut out for me for quite some time ahead.

Anubis was diagnosed with an incredibly rare fungal infection called Cryptococcosis. It attacks the central nervous system and respiratory system. It is found in bird droppings and soil. About a month or so ago, I had brought my plants in from outdoors and one of them was too heavy to lift, so I left it in my entranceway until I had someone come over to lift it out of the way. Anubis was digging in it, and stirred up the airborne fungi as a result. Most things have an immune system strong enough to combat the infection before it spreads, but because my cat is Siamese, his immune system is weaker naturally. The scary part is, this fungus is transmitted to humans and other animals, so both myself and my dog are at risk. 

The bad? His condition looks pretty bleak. The vet said the success rate of this medicine is like one out of three. Other case studies have shown a success rate of 76%. His infection also looks like it's hitting him pretty hard, and pretty fast. His improvement and response to medication also might not be noticeable for several weeks to even months.

The good? I have the strongest anti-fungal medication available and it has been shown to work even in advanced cases. There is still a chance. So I'm taking it!

hi deloughy, I'm sorry to hear about your cat and what your are having to deal with.  Our pets are such a big part of our lives, and it's hard to have sickness come to them.  It's good that you are taking something for yourself and I hope you stay well. 

Sorry about your difficulties.  I'm glad to hear that your cat at least has a chance to make it though.

I got back from my swim meet, and although the first day and a half went really well, I got horribly sick Saturday afternoon, to the throwing up point. I am feeling better now and can keep food down, but I'm disappointed that I couldn't swim the last part of my meet.  I guess the only good news is that because I've hardly eaten anything for the past two days I'm down to 155.5, although I expect once I am a little bit more hydrated and have actual food in my system, that number will go up.

Start weight on CC (March 13, 2008) 230

Starting weight (this challenge): 194
GOAL (for this challenge): 175

• FIRST weigh-in (Sept1): 194
• Week 2 (Sept 8): 192.5
• Week 3 Sept 15): 192 
• Week 4 (Sept 22): 192.5
• Week 5 (Sept 29): 191.5
• Week 6 (Oct 5): 189.5
• Week 7 (Oct 12): 186.75
• Week 8 (Oct 19): 185.5
• Week 9 (Oct 26): 186.5
• Week 10: (Nov 2): 185.25
• Week 11 (Nov 9): 184.5
• Week 12 (Nov 16): 183.25
• Week 13 (Nov 23): 181.5
• Week 14 (Nov 30): 184
• Week 15 (Dec 7): 182.5
• Week 16 (Dec 14):
• Week 17 LAST Weigh in (Dec 21):
• Total Weight Loss: -11.5

With only 2 weeks left, it doesn't look like I'm going to "lose 30 pounds by Christmas" or my lower goal of 19 pounds; probably not even 1 pound a week (16 lbs.). Even so, having to report weekly has kept me on track and I appreciate that!

Hey guys,

thanks for your concern and kind words. :) Anubis is a little drowsy and out of it, but overall he seems okay. I took him to the vet today and they absolutely love him there, everyone knows him and the vet even treated him for free today because they feel so bad for him! So that was the first good thing to happen to me all week. :)

I have had an AWFUL cold for the past week, and that on top of Anubis being sick, it's been hell. Not to mention I entered a circuit-training competition. My arms are STILL sore from Thursday. THURSDAY!!! This is the first day I can fully straighten my arms out. They still hurt - but now I can be productive and do things because I can use my arms finally! WOOO!! So yeah, I've been Out of Order for a bit. ;)

I haven't been cooking too much because I've been to paranoid of contaminating my food with this weirdo disease. It sucks because going out and getting food is really bad! I thought McDonald's did away with trans fats - NOPE! I have to get back on track this Thursday when I come home from work. Once I get my house cleaned up, sanitized, and organized, and once I can see Anubis showing some improvement (as long as I'm stressed about this I will put off everything else) I think I'll be okay.

Today is the first day I've felt better from my bad cold/competition, so hopefully I'll still be feeling good by Thursday so I can get these things done. :) Even if I get down to 150 by Christmas, I'll be thrilled.

Thank you guys all for sticking through this! Keep up the good work!

Hang in there deloughly! I'm glad Anubis is doing ok. Hope you feel better soon. I hope your doing better Tyrdrop. During challenging times is when I tend to slip up.  I've been kind of stresses and tired, and have been eating more than usual.  I think I have to change to different meals now that its getting colder.  Soup and chili sound good these past few days.  I need to find some healthy recipies.  I still have 9 lbs to go till the end.  I'd at least like to lose 6 lbs to get to 150, but if I get  even close to that I'll be ok till after the holidays.

SW177

CW156

GW147

Everyone have a great day!