Biggest Loser 8 Fall Challenge -- tell us what you would like!

[lisah0711]

Our Between the BLs Summer Challenge will be ending on 9/4. There are three more weeks left of our challenge and lots of time to make a difference!

The BL 8 Fall Challenge will be a 14 week challenge starting 9/11/09 and ending 12/18/09. The dates may be adjusted when we find out when BL 8 ends on NBC.

The format will be the same a other BL challenges, i.e. weekly coaches, weigh-ins, and a COW (challenge of the week). But a new component of this BL will be a separate challenge for those of you who are in maintenance mode. Maintainers will be on a separate team and scored differently by keeping within a percentage or pounds within goal.

If you haven't participated before, here is some information about our summer challenge http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2173748 The fall challenge will be similar. You can also read our thread.

We need your input for this challenge. Do you like teams and separate threads? Or teams and one big thread? Or teams and separate threads merging into one thread as time goes on? If you are going to be part of the maintainers group, how do you think it should be measured -- % or pounds?

Let us know what you liked and didn't like about the summer challenge (or previous challenges) and what you would like to see in the fall challenge. We're a democratic group and your input is important to us. It is everyone's challenge and we want it to be what works best for you.

And if you would like to participate as a weekly coach, please let us know, too.

Thanks for your help!

 

[lisah0711]

I like one big thread with teams of losers and maintainers. If we have a bigger group we can have multiple teams. The big thread is cumbersome at first but gets more manageable fairly quickly. I think that you miss a lot of good advice and info when we get split up.

But that's just what I think, we really want to know what you think!

 

[princessbride6205]

I voted for one big thread with maintainers and losers. I've only done the summer BL so far, so I'm not sure how crazy the one big thread gets. But I agree that I don't want to miss out on advice or info from another thread.

Will it be possible to switch to a maintainer team part way through? I know that's kind of a weird request, but I'm not too far from my goal weight, and I'd like to be a loser for a few more pounds!

 

[corinnak]

I am so excited for this fall's challenge! I voted for multiple teams combining later - I feel like that is a good way to get to know people a little at a time. The BIG thread moves VERY fast. I would also be glad to help with coaching this fall, if you'll have me.

Thanks again for organizing!

 

[LuvBaloo]

I voted for one big thread with maintainers and losers. I've only done the summer BL so far, so I'm not sure how crazy the one big thread gets. But I agree that I don't want to miss out on advice or info from another thread.

Will it be possible to switch to a maintainer team part way through? I know that's kind of a weird request, but I'm not too far from my goal weight, and I'd like to be a loser for a few more pounds!

Yes! You can definitely go from a loser to a maintainer mid-challenge!
The intention behind a maintainers team, is that some people like the accountability of reporting in, so the thought is that maintainers will be listed as successes (stay with a certain pounds or % of goal weight). I don't know that there will be a winner for maintainers; I see it more of a did it or not; so if we have 10 maintainers and they all stay within accepted range, they are all successful maintainers. This part is a new idea, so we're very open to ideas on how to do it.

I voted for the one thread, but if the numbers are really large, then I'm okay with teams. The BL 7.1 teams got very quiet on the purple thread, and so I ended up lurking on the green thread a fair bit, but didn't really post there since it wasn't my team.

Looking forward to hearing some fresh ideas!

 

[lisah0711]

Yep, I think it will be more of a list type of thing for the maintainers. Maybe that team can have mini-goals like 95% maintained for 4 weeks in a row or something like that. For those of you who will be on the maintainer team, we will need a team captain so be thinking if you would like like that glamorous, highly paid position! (you know I am kidding about the payment part, right?)

I think that we should encourage free dialogue between the teams if we have different threads. I mean we are posting on a public board -- it's not like we will be discusing secret team strategies!

Thanks for sharing your ideas!

 

[mikamah]

I definitely like having one big thread, but know how overwhelming it is in the beginning, so if lots sign up, I know it would be better to start with team threads, and then maybe merge halfway through the challenge or something.

I think the maintainers challenge is a great idea. We all know how hard it is to lose the weight, and I can imagine it is just as hard if not moreso to keep it off. That's why it is a lifestyle change we are all striving for.

I enjoyed being a weekly coach, and thought having a different coach each week helped to keep the thread lively and active.

Looking forward to being a loser with you all this fall!!

 

[getnthinr]

I'm so excited -- I've always managed to miss the beginning of these challenges, but this time I stumbled across the thread at the right time.

I'm too wet-behind-the-ears to offer any opinions, but I look forward to learning more and signing up!

 

[lisah0711]

I'm so excited -- I've always managed to miss the beginning of these challenges, but this time I stumbled across the thread at the right time.

I'm too wet-behind-the-ears to offer any opinions, but I look forward to learning more and signing up!

Welcome! We love newbies!

 

[donac]

I'm in for the next challenge.

 

[princessbride6205]

While I voted for one giant thread, I can see how it might move too quickly with lots of members. How would we merge them later, as you mentioned, Lisa? Just if one thread gets too slow? Just curious how it all works.

Shannon & Lisa - thanks for your new ideas regarding maintainers. I love the idea of little mini challenges or goals since you can't have a winner of maintaining each week. I'm open to either percentage or pounds for maintainers.

 

[LuvBaloo]

If we go with teams, there would a team leader for each team. My thoughts are is that when the threads start to slow down, the team leaders would make the call to close the threads and go to one main thread? I've never been involved when the teams were merged, so I don't know how its been done in the past. I don't know how many maintainers we'll have, and if there isn't very many, a separate maintainers thread may not have much activity.
It'll be interesting to see how many people join in as summer comes to an end

 

[TammyNC]

I voted for one thread...I do agree at first it is a little tough but there is so much great advice and encouragement I think it is worth it. I got a little discouraged one challenge when there were separate threads and near the end there just wasn't a lot of communicating going on. I haven't done as well as I'd hoped during the summer challenge but only because I didn't apply myself so I'm really up for this next one.

 

[lisah0711]

I believe that if we had two (or more threads) for teams and the team captains thought it was time to merge them, then a new thread would be started and our moderator, ohMom, would close the other two. I don't know that teams ever were merged in the past but I think that it is important to have that option because things will slow down in the challenge. Also, we could have teams to make thing a little more competitive but still remain in one thread.

There are really no hard and fast rules about how the challenges are conducted, except how the weigh losses are calculated, to make sure they are always the same. If we try something and it doesn't work, then we can change it. Or extend a challenge if we need to. Or take a break from the COW like we did this summer. The maintainers portion is all new so we will be learning as we go. The important thing is to make these challenges work for the participants.

That is why we really appreciate your thoughts and input.

 

[treehugnmama]

can I asked to join in this thread then? I haven't joined before so no advice here.

 

[lisah0711]

can I asked to join in this thread then? I haven't joined before so no advice here.

Welcome! We are happy to have you join us. This thread is just chattering about how the challenge will be organized and in about a week or so the sign up thread will be posted. We will mention here as well as other places when the regular thread is posted.

In the meantime, feel free to come over to the summer challenge thread and check it out and chat. We are in the last part of that challenge but you are welcome to come visit until the fall challenge gets going!

 

[LuvBaloo]

Just wanted to get some input on how the losses/gains are calculated.

This summer I was calculating losses / gains the simplest way, which is current weight - previous weight divided by previous weight. On the BL show, if a person has a gain, the next weigh-in the don't count the loss until it gets below that gain.

For example:
week 1 = 200
week 2 = 203
week 3 = 198

Simplest way: for week 3 (198-203)/203 = 2.46% loss
More like the show: for week 3, previous week was a gain so (198-200)/200 = 1%.

The advantage of the simplest way is that its the easiest calculation. If people prefer it to be more like the show, I can make the show's method work, it just takes a little more effort.

Similarily, if people miss reporting one week, I don't take their next result and average it over 2 weeks. I could start doing that if the group feels that would be best.

I know I've been doing it the same as Eeyores Butterfly did in BL7.1, and it is the easiest way to do it.

 

[disneychrista]

I think method 2 is more accurate then method 1 for true loss. However if you want to look at each week individually then method 1 is correct.

If someone misses a week I would just take their previous weight/last reported weight and use that.

 

[LuvBaloo]

Thanks for the input, Christa. I agree that method 2 is more accurate, and I think I'm leaning towards it for next time. I think that's how Dare2Dream did it.

 

[jenjolt]

I started this summer and then fell out..I was not ready mentally, however I have started back with my weight loss and would love to have the encouragement that comes along with the BL program here!! I can't wait to join up on 9/4...right now I'm 17lbs down and counting!!!!