2015 Make-the-Most-of-it March WISH challenge! All are welcome!

[pjlla]

Welcome to our MAKE-THE-MOST-OF-IT MARCH WISH CHALLENGE!!

Please read the complete instructions in post 2, and then let me know if you have any questions.

We are up and running at FULL SPEED for March!! Please come join us and let me know that you plan to participate this month so I can add you to the list!! No stress, no worries if you know you won't be here for a week or will miss a weigh-in day.... join in when/where you can!! ........................P

 

[pjlla]

Quick overview:

BIGGEST CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS.... I WILL BE ASKING YOU TO DO THE MATH and figure out your percentage lost and PM me that information along with the other numbers you usually send!!


Weigh in Days--Weight Loss
PM Weight to pjlla

March 1 or 2 (starting weight AND pounds lost goal for month in the subject line of your PM, i.e. Weigh In 8/1 145 start goal 5 )

March 6 (present weight in the subject line of your PM, i.e. W/I 8/8 144 AND PERCENTAGE LOST FOR THE MONTH)

March 13

March 20

March 27-31 ( you may wait until the very end of the month to do your final weigh-in if you wish!)


Weight Loss Goals:
10% orange
25% bright pink
50% purple
75% turquoise
90% red--FINISH STRONG!
100% WISH green

Weigh in Days--Maintainers:
Same as for losers. I will depend on YOU to let me know if you have reached your goal of staying within your goal range (which for our purposes is usually +/- 4 pounds) for each week.

Maintainer Goals
25% bright pink
50% purple
75% turquoise
100% WISH green

PM weights to pjlla: Please note the only way to sign up and update your numbers to send them by PM -- I don't want to miss a post.

How the challenge works:
This is the new and improved challenge that replaced the BL challenges. Like the show has evolved, so have our challenges and this format takes the best of that long standing tradition and makes it even better!

The goal of the new challenge is to meet your weight loss/maintain goals on a monthly basis. Results will be posted as percentages toward goal and your color will change as you approach your goal, similar to the exercise thread on the WISH boards. We hope that this format will encourage some great discussions about weight loss, maintaining, diet, exercise and healthy living!

It is up to the hostess each month as to whether she wants to have coaches/Question of the day, mini-challenges, etc. It is her month, so she can choose to handle it how she wants.

Here's how the new challenge will work. It is going to be a monthly individual challenge. Each month is a new start. You are competing against yourself to meet your goals for the month. No one will know your actual weight (unless you share it) except the hostess for the month. NO GOAL IS TOO SMALL.

Let me repeat: NO GOAL IS TOO SMALL. A loss is a loss is a loss. Your color will change based on your % lost toward goal.

On March 1 or 2 you will PM pjlla (hostess for March) your starting weight AND your goal for the month. On all Fridays of the month you can PM pjlla an updated weight and your percentage toward goal. Final weigh-in is March 27 -30. On Monday nights the thread will be updated with percentage toward goal.

Here is an example of what the stats will look like.

Updated August 8, 2014
Minnie Mouse 25.00%
Daisy Duck 12.00%
Goofy 0.00 %
Donald Duck 33.33%
Mickey Mouse 50.00%

In this case Goofy, put on a few pounds, but that will be reported as 0%. We are not going to call people out, but just report positive moves towards your goal!

Minnie Mouse had a starting weight of 110 with a goal of 4 pounds. At her weigh in she reported a weight of 109 with a percentage loss of 25%.

Your color will change based on your % loss. If you gain, your percentage will decrease, and your color will change, but no one will know your weight except the hostess. Only your % loss toward goal will be reported. Negative percentages will not be reported.

Participants (other than the hostess) will not know your pound lost goal or actual weight unless you choose to share it with them.

Maintainers will set a goal for the month of number of weeks they would like to stay in maintain range (+/- 4 pounds).
They will weigh in on the first day of the month and then on each of the weekends. Their results will be reported as percentages along with their goal.

For example:
Pluto 1/4 25%.

Pluto has a goal of maintaining all four weeks. He put on 1 pound at the first weigh in, but is in his maintain range.

It really is pretty simple. Remember, no one will see your weight or pound loss goal except the hostess unless you choose to share it.

Percentage loss will be updated once a week. If you miss sending in your weight over the weekend, no big deal, just send an update the following weekend. Please understand that this is a volunteer job and the hostess will only be updating once a week.

 

[pjlla]

Reserved for list of participants!

50s jayne 100%
BernardandMissBianca
Flossbolna
GrandAdmiralStrife 125%
MissDisney121
pixiegirl131415 76%
pjlla 0%
Zim 33.3%
Zoesmama03

 

[pjlla]

We are STILL in need of hostesses for the remainder of 2015! These challenges don't run themselves!! But it isn't hard either and it is a GREAT motivator to keep yourself on track! Consider volunteering for a month this year!!

Future challenge hosts:

April 2015: ohMom
May 2015: MissDisney121
June 2015:** PICTURE YOUR NAME HERE!!
July 2015: ** OR EVEN HERE!!
August 2015:

 

[pjlla]

Welcome to returning friends, newbies, and anyone/everyone who would like to chat about weight loss, weight maintenance, exercise, and anything related! No rules here EXCEPT to be kind and supportive of each other! No negative energy allowed!

We talk about calories, Weight Watchers, low-carb, SparkPeople, MFP, Fitbits, Jawbones, marathon training, walking, recipes, vitamins, meal planning, smoothies, juicing, motivation, YOU NAME IT!! No positive/healthy talk is off limits!

I'm going with the idea of a theme for each day of the week again (as I did in February), so if there is anything in particular you would like to talk about (or NOT talk about), let me know! I am definitely open for suggestions!

Again for this month I am going to ask you to send your weight loss pounds as well as percentages (of goal) to me in a PM every Friday/Saturday. I don't mind keeping up with the statistics, but math is NOT my strong point!

Off to post our first Sunday post of the month!.......................P

 

[pjlla]

Welcome to What's for Supper Sunday!!

Just like in February, we will talk on Sundays about getting prepared for a successful week ahead. Sunday is the day to share recipes, meal plans, or talk about struggles with meal planning (be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner that you struggle with).

QOTD for Sunday, March 1, 2015:

Do you do any kind of meal planning? What is your system? How do you keep up with it?

 

[50sjayne]

QOTD for Sunday, March 1, 2015:

Do you do any kind of meal planning? What is your system? How do you keep up with it?

I usually have something planned for a few nights a week then there's leftovers from both. What I really need to start planning is lunches at work. I'm tired of running around the store looking for something healthy and something I want to eat when all I need to do is bring something from home to heat up in the microwave. Today I will try to not forget!

Finally I have lost the dreaded pound I fought so hard for the last 3 weeks! Maybe since the dreaded plateau is finally broken i can start losing some weight again!
I had my first swim lesson Friday. Last week i got called in early so wasn't able to. I love it! I am putting my face in the water now and actually swimming. It is extremely taxing still and I need to work on slowing down my pace and getting comfortable with the breathing but I'm doing it! My instructor is really as awesome as they all say...
Got my fitbit back yesterday--said I was 660 under-- think this is what I will shoot for every day as I don't know how to adjust the pace for which you want to lose right now and I think the goal is the same for mfp (They're sync'd)

 

[Zoesmama03]

I see we are on to March and I wasn't too involved in Feb. Its been an adjustment going from unemployed to employed and I have yet to have a full day off. ugh! I don't want to get burned out or so stressed out my anxiety returns. I have had one minor panic episode on freeway coming home one night didn't seem over anxious till right in the moment. Hopefully they will find someone for these weekend shifts soon. They told me they'd find work on week days but then keep calling me on the weekends too and its soooo frustrating. I want the hours but not feeling like I'm on call all day everyday. I hate the sound of my ringtone. I really really do. And I shouldn't. lol

I think I will check into the planet fitness this weekend. The wife of my client I see Mon and Wed for four hours each day was telling me I should be able to use her as reference and I get $1 down. She usually keeps the black membership which has hydro massage and that sounds soooooo fantastic. She said its limited only when busy. Not sure if I want to pay that much more but I think if I make time to stop there after work it will be some nice stress relief. Even better if they let kids join otherwise I could bring her home and go back out.

Welcome to What's for Supper Sunday!!

Just like in February, we will talk on Sundays about getting prepared for a successful week ahead. Sunday is the day to share recipes, meal plans, or talk about struggles with meal planning (be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner that you struggle with).

QOTD for Sunday, March 1, 2015:

Do you do any kind of meal planning? What is your system? How do you keep up with it?

I haven't ever gotten a good system down. Sometimes I like to go buy stuff for 5-7 meals and we decide each day which it will be. But I keep getting off track. I do want to eat more whole foods and prefer to so I need to be doing better planning. Interesting to see if there is a trick to keeping up with QOTD.

 

[pjlla]

I usually have something planned for a few nights a week then there's leftovers from both. What I really need to start planning is lunches at work. I'm tired of running around the store looking for something healthy and something I want to eat when all I need to do is bring something from home to heat up in the microwave. Today I will try to not forget!

Could you cook MORE so that there are more leftovers available for lunches? Or perhaps make up a big batch of something like a casserole, soup, or stew that you can divide up and have available for multiple lunches during the week? How about thinking a little outside the lunchbox (ha, ha) and having oatmeal or something like that for lunch?

Finally I have lost the dreaded pound I fought so hard for the last 3 weeks! Maybe since the dreaded plateau is finally broken i can start losing some weight again!
I had my first swim lesson Friday. Last week i got called in early so wasn't able to. I love it! I am putting my face in the water now and actually swimming. It is extremely taxing still and I need to work on slowing down my pace and getting comfortable with the breathing but I'm doing it! My instructor is really as awesome as they all say...
Got my fitbit back yesterday--said I was 660 under-- think this is what I will shoot for every day as I don't know how to adjust the pace for which you want to lose right now and I think the goal is the same for mfp (They're sync'd)

Glad to hear that the pound is gone..... I think I found it.... Woohoo that the swimming is going well!!

I see we are on to March and I wasn't too involved in Feb. Its been an adjustment going from unemployed to employed and I have yet to have a full day off. ugh! I don't want to get burned out or so stressed out my anxiety returns. I have had one minor panic episode on freeway coming home one night didn't seem over anxious till right in the moment. Hopefully they will find someone for these weekend shifts soon. They told me they'd find work on week days but then keep calling me on the weekends too and its soooo frustrating. I want the hours but not feeling like I'm on call all day everyday. I hate the sound of my ringtone. I really really do. And I shouldn't. lol

Sorry that the new job is so demanding and stressful. Could you plan a small splurge with the extra income so that maybe you look forward to it? I don't love my jobs (either of them), but since it is partially used for "fun money" it definitely makes it more appealing! How about starting a small vacation savings jar? You could take a percentage of the pay from any "extra" days of work (like the weekends) and save it for a vacation. Or put more towards an emergency account or college account? I do like seeing the numbers grow in those accounts. It gives me a very "secure" feeling.

I think I will check into the planet fitness this weekend. The wife of my client I see Mon and Wed for four hours each day was telling me I should be able to use her as reference and I get $1 down. She usually keeps the black membership which has hydro massage and that sounds soooooo fantastic. She said its limited only when busy. Not sure if I want to pay that much more but I think if I make time to stop there after work it will be some nice stress relief. Even better if they let kids join otherwise I could bring her home and go back out.

If it is affordable it may be a great way to relieve stress!!

I haven't ever gotten a good system down. Sometimes I like to go buy stuff for 5-7 meals and we decide each day which it will be. But I keep getting off track. I do want to eat more whole foods and prefer to so I need to be doing better planning. Interesting to see if there is a trick to keeping up with QOTD.

Hope you can find a way to fit us into your day most of the time!! Your contributions and participation are appreciated!!

**********************

I'll answer my own QOTD from yesterday to keep things moving here before I post today's stuff.

I am PRETTY GOOD with meal planning.... which was especially important a few years ago when I was out of the house literally every single evening and weekend between DD's swim and DS's robotics and other sports. I would sometimes plan many, many weeks in advance! It seemed extreme to some people, but worked well for me. I did it as a simple weekly paper calendar that I wrote the dinner meal on along with notes about what to defrost and prep for other meals.

Since DD went off to school things have definitely gotten a bit simpler here and it isn't quite as necessary to have lots of stuff planned. But I still plan my meals weekly MOST of the time and make good use of my crockpot and do some batch cooking on the weekends when I can. This robotics season has been insane and for next year I need to plan more "on the go" kind of meals for DS to be able to pack up and bring along (like sandwiches or soup in a thermos), since sometimes they meet from 8-3 on a Saturday or from 4-8 on a school night.

Because the end of last week was so busy with robotics competition and then I was gone overnight Saturday and nearly all day yesterday, I haven't done my meal planning for this week yet, but tonight is broccoli cheddar soup (hoping I have enough ingredients to make a double or triple batch) and tomorrow will probably be beef stew in the crockpot (since it is a work night for me). I leave Friday to drive to DD's school, pick her up, and we leave Boston early, early Saturday morning for a short trip to Atlanta. My meals for my men are already cooked and frozen (Friday night through Tuesday night), so that is a blessing!!

Off to post for today!..............................P

 

[pjlla]

GOOD MORNING ALL! Welcome to your first March Motivational Monday!

I think we could ALL use the "clean slate" of a new month!!

Let this be "that" Monday!! Are you ready to change your life? I hope your answer is yes.... and I hope you know it CAN BE DONE~! I am living proof! You CAN LOSE THE WEIGHT FOR GOOD without starving or becoming a tri-athlete! You CAN still eat treats and fun foods OCCASIONALLY! You CAN find a way to LOVE eating HEALTHY! You can find a way to fit in healthy exercise WITHOUT having to train for a marathon!

READY.... SET.... GO!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Hi everyone!! I will be back later to answer the questions, but wanted to say that I am in for the new month!

And I feel like the new month is off to a great start! I went for a 45 minute run yesterday that did not feel totally dreadful (my last runs were all really horrible). I made a nice meal plan on Saturday and did all the shopping for the week! I had a fitbit weekend challenge with my sister and ended up with 36.000 steps for the two days! Just the scale is still not loving me at all... The only positive I can say that my start weight on Sunday was a pound less than the February start weight and when I take the quote that Pam posted the other week about only loosing one pound every week and turn it into a pound a month, this still means that I would be 12 pounds lighter than at the beginning of the year... Considering that I only am 5 pounds overweight that would actually not be too bad...

So, off to a successful March!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Pam, I still plan to do the 10 day without sugar challenge, but stupid me bought a tub of delicious vanilla yoghurt for work snacks this week and that needs to be finished before I can start the challenge. My thought was to cut out all food that has sweetness added to it, things that area naturally sweet are allowed, with the exception that food that is only eaten for its sweetness is not allowed (meaning honey, maple syrup etc.). I am not ready to cut out fruit yet, but am thinking to at least leave out the bananas and try to restrict myself to less sugary fruits (need to investigate that).

I would propose to start next Monday?

And of course anyone is welcome to join in!!! I think it would be fun if we are a group to support each other!

 

[pjlla]

Hi everyone!! I will be back later to answer the questions, but wanted to say that I am in for the new month!

WOOHOO! Glad you are here!!

And I feel like the new month is off to a great start! I went for a 45 minute run yesterday that did not feel totally dreadful (my last runs were all really horrible). I made a nice meal plan on Saturday and did all the shopping for the week! I had a fitbit weekend challenge with my sister and ended up with 36.000 steps for the two days! Just the scale is still not loving me at all... The only positive I can say that my start weight on Sunday was a pound less than the February start weight and when I take the quote that Pam posted the other week about only loosing one pound every week and turn it into a pound a month, this still means that I would be 12 pounds lighter than at the beginning of the year... Considering that I only am 5 pounds overweight that would actually not be too bad...

So, off to a successful March!!

I am so delighted that you put such a positive spin on that pound!! I think if more people would take the time to be happy with the "little victories" in weight loss (and in life) we would all be happier and more satisfied!

Pam, I still plan to do the 10 day without sugar challenge, but stupid me bought a tub of delicious vanilla yoghurt for work snacks this week and that needs to be finished before I can start the challenge. My thought was to cut out all food that has sweetness added to it, things that area naturally sweet are allowed, with the exception that food that is only eaten for its sweetness is not allowed (meaning honey, maple syrup etc.). I am not ready to cut out fruit yet, but am thinking to at least leave out the bananas and try to restrict myself to less sugary fruits (need to investigate that).

I would propose to start next Monday?

And of course anyone is welcome to join in!!! I think it would be fun if we are a group to support each other!

I'll be traveling next weekend on a mini spring break vacation with DD (Sat-Tues), so no promises there. I would be happy to jump in on Wednesday though! I agree with the "no bananas" thing.... I only recently started eating more bananas..... I really avoided them except for the occasional treat for a long time (part of DH's low carb lifestyle rubbing off on me). Also on the list of "high carb fruits" is tangerines (and I'm guessing clementines), cherries, grapes, pomegranates, figs, and mangos (mmmmm... mango!). Plums, kiwi, pears, pineapple, and oranges are on the mid to high carb range. The lowest carb fruits are berries and melon, followed by apples, papaya, and watermelon. So I guess it would be up to each individual to decide on the fruit they want to keep and the fruit they want to cut for a sugar challenge.

Personally, this time of year I mostly eat apples, melon, and grapefruit, as well as organic frozen berries in my yogurt a few days a week. So other than the occasional banana I wouldn't have to worry too much about it. And I so rarely eat honey or maple syrup, so no issues there. The things I would really have to watch would be raisins (I LOVE raisins and occasionally add them to my oatmeal), WW snack bars (don't eat them often, but they are nice when I am having a candy or cookie craving), and the occasional LifeSaver (I keep the wintergreen ones in my purse for once in a while treat).

I do use stevia to sweeten my tea, my yogurt, and my oatmeal. Would that be okay???

*******************

I do see a few PM's in my box, so it looks like folks are ready to get started for March!! I'll update the participants list later tonight and finalize February's list!..................P

 

[Flossbolna]

I would be happy to jump in on Wednesday though!

Well, then let's start Wednesday, March 11!! Works perfectly that we only have one weekend in the 10 days...

I agree with the "no bananas" thing.... I only recently started eating more bananas..... I really avoided them except for the occasional treat for a long time (part of DH's low carb lifestyle rubbing off on me). Also on the list of "high carb fruits" is tangerines (and I'm guessing clementines), cherries, grapes, pomegranates, figs, and mangos (mmmmm... mango!). Plums, kiwi, pears, pineapple, and oranges are on the mid to high carb range. The lowest carb fruits are berries and melon, followed by apples, papaya, and watermelon.

Thanks, that is very helpful!! Considering the season where I just can't get melon and watermelon, I would say just cut out the high carb category. It is interesting that those is the fruit that needed to be counted on WW in the past...

I do use stevia to sweeten my tea, my yogurt, and my oatmeal. Would that be okay???

Hmmm, I would say it is really up to you. For me part of the goal of the challenge is to get the need for something sweet out of my system and so I would not use stevia either. It does not have calories, but it is something that is only added for sweetness, so according to my rules it is not allowed.

I hope we will get some people to join us!! I will post a starting post next Tuesday to get people motivated to join in!

 

[MissDisney121]

I'm joining in again this month. I gained a pound last week and that has motivated me to do better this week. I hated going to my ww meeting and not having anything positive to talk about. Plus my goal was to reach my.5% milestone by valentines day and I'm now more than two weeks past that and have not reached it yet but I have a good feeling about this week and I'm going to work hard to reach my goal.

 

[50sjayne]

Could you cook MORE so that there are more leftovers available for lunches? Or perhaps make up a big batch of something like a casserole, soup, or stew that you can divide up and have available for multiple lunches during the week? How about thinking a little outside the lunchbox (ha, ha) and having oatmeal or something like that for lunch?
Well, so far I've taken 2 things to work the last 2 days--some fajita and some of that costco kale salad. It was soooo nice to just go in the breakroom, sit down and eat. And think out of the lunchbox---

 

[pjlla]

Hey all!! Welcome to TIP TUESDAY!!

TODAY we are each going to share our FAVORITE weight loss/healthy eating TIP!!

I'll go first to get the ball rolling........

My biggest tip.... PLAN AHEAD!!! This includes have a snack with you when you are out and about, in case the day gets away from you, or having a PLAN of what you will eat during a meal out, or a plan to always have your sneakers with you in case you have time for a walk. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!! Remember..."If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." ...................P

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I'm here!!! Oh how I've missed you! Ready to get back into the swing of things.

Tip for Tuesday. Do not, I repeat do not go to the grocery store hungry!!

 

[pjlla]

I'm here!!! Oh how I've missed you! Ready to get back into the swing of things.

Tip for Tuesday. Do not, I repeat do not go to the grocery store hungry!!

HEY FRIEND!! Welcome back!! You have been sorely missed!!!

And your tip is SPOT ON!!

***********************

Hello all! Just a minute to pop on and say goodnight! Drove home from WW tonight in blowing snow.... enough already!

BB in the morning!.......................P

 

[Flossbolna]

TIP TUESDAY!!

My tip: Don't expect the world (and your weight) change in a day. Change is often slow, so make sure to track it somehow in order to be able to visualise it during your journey.

I'm here!!! Oh how I've missed you! Ready to get back into the swing of things.

Welcome back Buffy! We missed you too!