"The Thanksgiving Ten" - losing those last annoying pounds challenge & support group

I have realized that as we get within about 10lbs of our goal weight, the challenges and struggles that we have to deal with are a bit different than for those earlier pounds.  I want this thread to serve as a sort of "kick in the pants" to get those last pounds off.  I also want this to serve as a "support group" where we can share struggles and successes or just to vent frustrations.  I chose Thanksgiving as the goal date because many people will be seeing their families and want to look their best!  I also think Thanksgiving in 8.5 weeks is a long enough time to get those last roughly 10lbs off.  Someone had mentioned having the goal be the Monday after Thanksgiving and everyone is free to chose their own goal date, but for me personally, I want to do it before the holiday.  We can then help each other develop strategies as to how to avoid the Thanksgiving overeating while still being able to enjoy our favorite seasonal foods and the decreased motivation to keep exercising and eating well between Thanksgiving and Christmas that seems to always happen.  We will also share tips and ideas about starting a maintenance plan and keeping those pounds off!  

Please post your stats: age, sex, height, current weight and goal weight for Thanksgiving (November 22nd, 2007).

We will start on Monday October 1st.  Feel free to weigh in and post at any time.  I won't impose and official weigh in day, but I was thinking that Saturdays might work well as a motivation not to over do it during the weekend.  I will keep a running tally of where everyone is.

For weigh-ins, please send me a private message, I think it will be easier this way.  I will then update this post.  You can weigh in at any time, but I suggested Saturday as a good day.

WEEK 7 UPDATES: 

PLEASE CHECK YOUR NUMBERS!!!

I have only included those that have sent me their stats.  Feel free to keep sending.  Good job everyone!!!

142by42 SW 169 CW 163 GW 155 PL 6.0

daniellew79 SW 150 CW 142.5 GW 140 PL 7.5

hbbroadbent SW 140.8 CW 130 GW 130 PL 10.8

iridescent_identity SW 135 CW 124.4 GW 125 PL 10.6

mamamunoz SW 172 CW 166 GW 162 PL 6.0

mctami SW 143.2 CW 135.8 GW 135 PL 7.4

smader SW 147 CW 139.5 GW 137 PL 7.5

southcarolinaguy SW 190 CW 182.3 GW 180 PL 7.7

caniche SW 147 CW 143.5 GW 137 PL 3.5

roc07 SW 117.6 CW 116.6 GW 110 PL 1.0

tabathar SW 133 CW 122 GW 120 PL 11.0

x17star17x SW 152 CW 139 GW 142 PL 13.0


Good job everyone!!! 

Kate, there's nothing like fitting back into some clothes you love. How bout this, my "pre-baby #1" clothes fit again , and I have 4 kids! Yeah!

Can't wait to reach my goal....I'm feeling so healthy.

Age: 47

Sex: F

Height 5' 3"

Current weight 127

Goal weight 119

 

I noticed that it seems like a good bit of the women in this club are around the same height as I am, 5'3".  Can I ask how many calories per day you are eating?  I find it hard to stick with 1200 calories per day sometimes when I'm really busy during the day with all of my school activities... I either don't have time to pack low calorie lunches and have to eat at the college snack shop instead, or I do really well throughout the day but then find myself starving at night and end up telling myself that I can eat up to my maintenance calories just that one day... but then I do the same the next day, and the next day, and I've been on this plateau for over a month...

Anyways, this question is for you 5'3" ladies out there... how many calories do you eat per day?  Do you compensate for exercise, and if so, how much?  How much do you lose per week eating that amount of calories?

I'm really excited to have other people to talk to about these things!  I hope we are all skinny-minis by Thanksgiving!

I feel kinda out of place here, but what the heck I'm going to give it a try... Seems like everyone is in the 130-150 range...

melbo... i'm a little shorter, 5'2" but i've been struggling with this... the website says i should eat about 1300 a day but I'm thinking i may be underestimating what i burn throughout the day plus exercise so i'm in the process of upping to 1400-1500 to try and get past this plateau..

Melbo and Willin,

I would suggest some trial and error.  Take the amount of calories you eat in any time period (5 days, 7 days, 10days), the see how much weight you lose in that time.  From there, by using some relatively simple math, you can figure out how many calories you burn per day.  This will give you a rough average.  Then you can adjust from there.  Everyone is different.  I find that my average comes out to about 2200 calories per day that I burn.  When I was like 150lbs, that was between 2500-2600 cals.

I'm a day behind but thought I'd join in. 

 

Age: 35

Height: 5'2 and 1/2 - yes I count the 1/2

Current Weight 129

Goal Weight 110

Thanksgiving Weight 115

 

I hope I'm not too late to join!!

Age: 31
Sex: Female
Height: 5'4"
Current Weight: 138
Goal Weight: 130

 

Hi to "hard time eating healthy". 

Most mornings I have 1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal with a half small banana and a small half serving of low cal protein shake.  (I'm allergic to eggs...and garlic).  Morning snack 2 - 3 hours later is non fat plain yogurt with splenda or stevia, 2 tablespoons dry sweet dairy whey and more protein powder mixed in, or I have a protein shake with a half to one cup frozen berries.

I also totally suggest a "T-Fal" grill; it's more expensive but worth every cent.  Dinner or lunch is on the table in about 10 minutes...it's delicious.  I grill 4 oz. chicken, fish, steak for my fresh protein at lunch and dinner.  I also grill veggies for one of those meals: asparagus,  bell peppers, zucchini, squash, etc. with no fat olive oil spray added.  I grill ahead sometimes for 2 days of meals.  I steam broccoli, green beans also for variety.

Everyday, at the lunch meal usually, I have a huge 2.5 oz of mixed fresh greens or spinach with one shaved carrot, 1/2 chopped green pepper, 4 -5 chopped grape (tiny) tomatoes, 2 chopped green onions, and one tablespoon of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, half tablespoon of soy sauce for the dressing.

Afternoon snack is either more yogurt, protein powder, etc., a protein shake, or sometimes an ounce of nuts.  If I have the calories left, I also try to have one tablespoon of flax seed oil  ..mixed in a shake or yogurt...sometimes in a dressing.

My last suggestion is to buy a copy of "The 28 Day Shapeover" - it has it all put together for you: exercise, how many calories, and easy, easy meal plan ideas.  I use DVDs for weight training and yoga stretching at home and my elliptical trainer alternating with aerobic step DVDS for cardio cross training.  (I've tried many, many books and weight loss plans over my ten month journey - "Shapeover" is the best in my opinion).

I hope this very long email helps...I've lost 2 pounds this week!  Thank you katethegreat and everyone here for all your inspiration, help, and courage.  I'm psyched for the official weigh in this Saturday.

Hi Everyone! Hope we are all doing well. I have officially 76 people signed up! I did say that I wouldn't impose a weigh in day, so when does everyone plan to weigh in. Maybe you all can send me updated weights over the weekend (Friday to Monday)? That way by the end of Monday, everyone will have a new current weight updated. But its all up to you. I weigh in twice a week. Once on the weekend and once mid-week.

I'm having a pretty good week, except that I was really hungry yesterday. I'm not sure why. I just ate my usual and went to bed and it seems OK today, but I was ready to scarf down some protein bars last night LOL. I think watching the Biggest Loser prevented me from doing that. I am trying to work out my maintenance plan. Trying to figure out when I should start increasing increasing calories, by how much etc. My head is spinning. I would like to get down to 122lbs on my current plan and then start increasing hopefully dropping another 2-4 pounds after that. I am at 125.5 as of this morning, so 3.5 more to go!

I just finally decided to take the plunge and see what all the fuss about cottage cheese as a snack was. I've been wary of trying it because the texture weirded me out - but I love yoghurt in every shape and form and figured this would be close. 

And I have to say that I love it!! I'm usually hungry around 4pm - and with 13g of protein per serving, (I also add a teaspoon of cinnamon and if I want it sweet, a dash of splenda) this is quite filling. Even more so than drinking a protein shake with the same amount of protein. I guess EATING something adds to satiety. I had the 2% fat kind.

 Just thot I'd share :) Like kate mentioned, I find myself giving in to having a cookie or those small ice cream sandwiches being close to my goal weight. Atleast this is a healthier alternative. 

i was so excited when i weighed on sunday and went down to 130, finally, but yesterday i was back up all the way to 135...ugh these fluctuations are so frustrating...today i'm back to 133, so at least went down a little, but still, 130 was so motivating

i hear ya!!! these past few days have been rough for me.. im actually up 1 pound, hopefully by weigh in this weekend i can even it out.. :-/

melbo18...I'll tell you what I do, but my body may react differently than yours. I'm 5'3'' myself.   An average day in the past week: I eat first thing in the morning, like the recommended cereal & milk or cream of wheat (Farina) with a cup of coffee. I eat a snack like a cup of grapes at work around 10am to keep me going till lunch at around 12-1230, then have a sandwith with wheat bread light mayo and sliced deli chicken(cutting out cheese is ok, but if you get the 2% milk fat kind it'd only 70cal a slice) depending on what kind. I'll usually savor this with water and a magazine and have another light snack around 2pm, maybe pretzels or a pear..maybe cherry tomatoes, something light and low cal.  Depending on my cal count when i get home I'll allow a slice of wheat toast w/ 1 tablespoon reg creamy peanut butter and a cuppa coffee. I don't usually do this, just coffee normally. I do a workout of calisthenics; either 15 min on ab lounge (crunches) or a cardio tape that's 41 minutes long (Tae-Bo) After I try to have chicken (skinless boneless) breast, fish, or a well measured out bit of 90% lean beef. I make a vegetable with it and have a cup of skim milk. I generally make a little extra of the dinner and put it in a to go container the night before to have it ready for work's lunch the next day. I try to keep some fruit and veg in the house as much as possible (they're easy to throw in a baggie too), They're great fillers and VERY low calories!

Holy crap I'm writing a book! opps! well my calorie goal is 1500 or so, but i try to stay at no more than 1300 so I'm not just maintaining, but giving my body the potential to lose! I dunno if this'll help... I've lost 2.5 pounds since 9-26, so this might be working for me! I hope so, cuz I REALLY wanna see the 120's!

Hi All!  I am just wondering how many calories y'all are taking in on average.  I am at 125.5 now, and my goal is 118, but I'm debating on when to start increasing calories and how much to increase them by.  I figure that the first few weeks of increasing calories I will still be losing consistently.  Right now I am losing about 1.5lbs a week, so I figure for the first two weeks of increasing cals (about 100 per week) I will still lose quite a bit.  Agh, so confusing.

I think I?ll weigh in on Saturdays, as someone said good motivation not to binge but then there is always Sunday! I?m trying to be good on the weekends, these are my hardest days.

I?m a recovering ?weighing myself everyday? addict, I just can never resist the temptation to hop on the scale and see how much I weigh but I have managed not to weigh myself for almost a week now so I?m making some progress.

I have been trying to keep my calorie intake at about 1500 kcals! Sometimes I end up eating much more (200- 300 kcals) especially when I have had an intensive workout! For some reason I feel I haven?t lost anything, maybe I have reached a stand still, well I?ll find out on Saturday.

Good Luck everyone

OK I know it's too late too join officially, but I'd like to sign up here for accountability's sake. It's Thursday and therefore 8 weeks to Thanksgiving, by which time I'd like to have lost 10lbs. I'll weigh in on Thursdays...

 

Age: 30

Sex: F

Height: 5'9

Current Weight: 145lbs

Thanksgiving Goal: 135

Overall goal: 130  

Naija, I must confess i am a 'weigh myself everyday addict'. Most of the time more than once a day:/ I don't know how to kick that habit. Anyway, I'm taking in about 1500 cals a day and this week I went back to logging my foods for accountability. Hopefully this will help me when it's time for weigh-in's.

Press On Everybody!

Yep...know the feeling...it's hard to resist the scale...I sometimes weigh in the morning and the evening...knowing there is big difference in the time of day and your weight.  My goal this week is to not weigh until Wednesday.  I originally told myself I would only weigh and measure on Wednesday.  I weighed myself this morning...but no more until Wed....promise.

So I was hoping to join in.  I can keep try of my weight on my own.  I am 5"2 and 142 looking to go down to 132.  My ultimate goal is 120.  I have been trying to lose these last couple of lbs, but need some motivation I think.  I am in a wedding in early nov. for a friend and they are all super tiny ( 5' 90 lbs) and I don't want to be the fat bridesmaid.

 I find it hard with friends and especially my boyfriend who can eat everything and not gain a pound.  (something 3 pizzas in one sitting) I also have a hard time knowing how many calories I should be eating.  CC tells me b/w 1700 or 1200.  I never know.  I tend to eat really well for a couple of days and then something happens were I get off track and say I will only eat this one bad thing (pasta, cookie) and then I struggle the following days to get back on the wagon.

 I hope this 10lbs by thanksgiving will work.  thanks for starting this group.