Biggest Loser Alumni Thread! ALL participants (past and present) welcome!

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Welcome Past, Present and Future WISH Biggest Loser Participants!

All teams are merged into this alumni thread to help us get through the holidays and still have a “home” until the next round of Biggest Loser starts ~ WISH style! We will be starting a new Biggest Loser challenge on January 2nd, and the sign up will be December 22nd. There will be some changes this time around, stay tuned for some exciting changes! Until then lets support each other as we navigate the tricky holiday feasts.

For the Alumni thread, we are going to keep track of our weight loss ourselves, no need to Email or PM Brenda. She gets a well deserved Christmas break from the weight keeper duties. Again, a BIG thank you to your Brenda for all of your hard work, organizing and tallying all of the weights. You are awesome!!!

We have 2 weeks of the alumni thread, for the first week I will be the “coach” and the second week Dona will take over the coaching duties. We are here to offer support, cheer you on, and every so often ask Question of the Day to keep it all “fresh”.

So, for the first Question of the day…

Please introduce yourselves and tell us a little about yourself, and what you are hoping the alumni thread can do for you.

 

[shewelch]

Vija- Thanks for starting the alumni thread. I need to make sure I don't fall off the wagon- simply enough.


I exercised today and stayed on point until our Christmas dinner with my work staff- a hamburger and several glasses of wine later...


What I love it that tomorrow starts a new day, and I will exercise and stay on point- hopefully all day this time.

I can now get into a work suit that was not an option at all before the challenge. I still have a few pounds to go for it to fit just right, but progress going down a size feels like real success!

 

[disneychrista]

Hi everyone. I am Christa. I started my weight loss journey about 2 years ago. Kicking BUTT last year, this year I have been up and down but all in all maintaining. My goal for this thread & the rest of the year is to keep weight within a 5 pound range (I am in the middle of that range as of las weigh-in). I also want to put my name in the mix for the next challange but I am leaving for Disneyland on the 23rd and will return on the 2nd so I will be MIA most of this alumni thread. I will have internet access but will not have much time to check in.

Hope everyone has a great holiday.

 

[Melisa1]

Hi, I am Melisa.
I started my diet in June and so far I have lost about 45 pounds, I have about 24 more to go before I am at my goal.
I am definately up for the next BL to help me get to my goal!

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Hi everyone, We have SNOW! approx 6-8 in so far and the streets aren't plowed yet I have to leave early for work, so I will resume the coaching duties tonight... wish me luck to get into work!

 

[dare2dream]

Yes it is time already to plan our WISH Biggest Loser 7 Challenge. There will be some slight changes this go around.

* There will be no teams this time.
* There will one mega-thread for the entire 13 week challenge.
* We will not have team captains but will have a different 'coach' each week. They will serve as hostess on the thread, post questions of the day, acknowledge posters, post mini-challenges and offer encouragement. Some coaches may serve for a second week later in the challenge.

Some things will remain the same.

* I will serve again as the weight keeper.
* Raenstoirm will be our COW coach.
* We will laugh together, we will cry together and a few of us will finish the 13 week challenge together, hopefully weighing less than when we started.

Here are some more details.

* The NBC TV show Biggest Loser Couples will run Tuesday Jan 6 through Tuesday March 31.
* Our challenge will run Friday January 2 through Friday March 27. A total of 13 weeks.
* To join us post a commitment on the Biggest Loser 7 sign up thread linked at the end of this post.
* The BL7 thread will open with a list of participants. Make sure your name is there that day and send in your initial weight. If for some reason your name is not included then post on the commitment thread and send in a weight report to join us.
* The initial weigh in will be Friday January 2 with weight reports due each Friday.
* Weekly results WILL be posted each Tuesday. (I'm really going to work hard on this one - sorry I have been slacking lately - burnout.)

Now I need your help to make BL7 successful. Would you be willing to commit to coach for a week? We are looking for committed Losers that are willing to help others. Your week to coach you will spend a lot of time on the BL thread. Remember your duties will be to serve as hostess on the thread, to post questions of the day, acknowledge posters, post mini-challenges and offer encouragement. If you feel you can commit to a week as a coach please PM or email me at brenda@kbelectric.biz. If you have a week you prefer to coach let me know.

If you have any questions please post them to our sign up thread. To sign up for the WISH Biggest Loser 7 Challenge please post on the sign up thread here.

Come join us losers. We need you. Let's get on this wild ride again and stay on until the finale. Remember 2009 is our time to shine superstar!

 

[mikamah]

Hi everyone. I'm Kathy, and have been doing ww for most of the past 3 years. I was down 40, and went up 17 over last spring and summer after trying to do ww on my own, so rejoined ww in sept, and am down 10 of that, so back to 30 pounds down. My highest weight was 226, and I'm 195 now, and my goal for this alumni-holiday-two weeks is to maintain, and start BL7 at my BL6 finishing weigh of 195.2.

I have been indulging the past week, but to counteract every morning I'm getting up and doing 4 mile watp exercise tape, which will definitely help me to maintain.

Hi Melisa- BL6's biggest loser11 Congrats on your 45 pounds!!

Christa- Thanks for being our red team leader!! Have a fabulous disney holiday vacation!!

shewelch- That is such a good feeling when smaller clothes start to fit again. The holiday celebrations are tough sometimes, but you can splurge a little and still be fine.

Hi Vija Thanks for starting this thread, and all your hard work during the challenge. You leaders, and Brenda the weighkeeper are awesome!!

 

[mikamah]

Hi everyone, We have SNOW! approx 6-8 in so far and the streets aren't plowed yet I have to leave early for work, so I will resume the coaching duties tonight... wish me luck to get into work!

Good luck. Where are you? We're in eastern MA and they have already called early release for schools. I'm lucky this is my 10-2 day, so I'm hopeful I'll be on the road home before it's too crazy. Hope you have a safe drive.

 

[dare2dream]

My name is Brenda and I have massive amounts of weight to lose. I have been stuck in a weight range for several months and in 2009 I am going to get moving forward. My goal for the holidays is to just maintain. Today my goal is to drink my 8 cups of water. I have been doing terrible with my water lately.

I am an empty nester mom of three great kids. I have two grandsons and my first grand daughter is due in April. Life is good except for this excess weight I am lugging around. I live in Maryland and my kids are all now out west. I do not get to see my grandkids often and I want them to think of me as the 'fun' grandma. I need to lose some weight so I can run around with them and take them on wonderful adventures.

I am turning 50 in April and I feel a midlife crisis coming on. I always told myself that I would have this weight issue under control by the time I was 35. Guess what, that never happened. I really wanted to do a Caribbean cruise for my birthday but I did not lose the weight I wanted to. I do not want to feel like a whale on the beautiful beach at Half Moon Cay. Plan B is now our first real trip to WDW for DH and I. I'm looking into the but 4 get 3 free deal. I REFUSE to sit at home for my 50th birthday. I want to be out celebrating and enjoying life.

Shelley-Just remember that the office celebration could have been a lot worse if BL was not here for you. You keep up the great work through the holidays. You are a superstar!

Christa-Have fun at DL. What a great holiday treat. Speaking of treats don't eat too many. You have worked too hard to blow it all at DL. I know you can stay within your safe zone for the holidays and start BL7 with a bang.

Melisa-Congratulations you Biggest Loser!! You are an inspiration. I'm so glad your goal is in sight. Mine is way far away but I will keep working to get closer. I hope you make your goal in 09.

Vija-our TKD champion I hope you get to work safely. DH loves snow. I like it as long as I can stay home and I still have my electricity.

Hey other losers we are eagerly waiting to hear from you.

I am off to get some water. I will check in tomorrow. Church pot luck is tomorrow. I must formulate a game plan so I can survive the ordeal. Don't cha just love all the temptations of the holidays? Don't get me started on the cookie exchange from the 10th. That is the past and I can not change it but I can have success today.

Have a healthy day!

 

[TammyNC]

Hey BL's ...I'm Tammy and am so thankful that the BL challenge 6 came along when it did. I had not been doing any physical activity and was not watching what I was eating. The challenge helped me to re-focus on myself and has kept me focused. I now look forward to getting my walk in and don't feel like I am stuffing myself all the time. I feed my body and do not deprive myself but have learned to take control of what I put in my mouth.

I appreciate the hard work of our leaders, score keeper and everyone else involved in getting the challenges going. I will be heading over to get signed up for BL 7 once I finish here.

My plan over the next two weeks is to continue to walk as much as possible and to keep control through the Holiday meals. My family is supportive and finally now when I say I don't care for something they don't keep on saying, "Oh, come on...are you sure you don't want this".

I did get on the scale this morning and was down 1.5 lbs this week. I had maintained the past two weeks but was OK with that since we were at WDW. I didn't mind losing anything, I was just proud that I came away from a two week vacation and didn't gain.

Have a wonderful day and remember today is a new day, stay focused and in control.

 

[disneychrista]

Christa- Thanks for being our red team leader!! Have a fabulous disney holiday vacation!!

Thanks!

Christa-Have fun at DL. What a great holiday treat. Speaking of treats don't eat too many. You have worked too hard to blow it all at DL. I know you can stay within your safe zone for the holidays and start BL7 with a bang

I told my daughter that I was thinking of bringing the scale with us and she said "Oohh, that's SCARY!" But I am seriously considering doing it. Just so that I can keep an eye on things. Especially since our initial weigh in day is the day we get back!

 

[TammyNC]

I told my daughter that I was thinking of bringing the scale with us and she said "Oohh, that's SCARY!" But I am seriously considering doing it. Just so that I can keep an eye on things. Especially since our initial weigh in day is the day we get back!

I took the scales with us while we were away for two weeks at WDW right after Thanksgiving. It helped having it with me, I am pretty sure I would have gained while there if I hadn't been keeping a close eye on how much I was eating and stepping on the scales.

Have fun at DL!!!

 

[JessR]

 

[MelanieC]

Hi everyone,

I'm Melanie and I'll be 40 in July. I really want to be back at goal for my birthday or at least almost there. I've done this before and got to goal about 5 years ago. I can do this, I just have to reach inside and get to that place that I need to be to get the job done.

I leave for Vegas on Tuesday to visit my family and we will be coming back home on 1/2/09 the day of the BL7 start. Worst case scenario if I don't get to WI that day I will either do it before I leave Las Vegas, or do it Saturday morning.

My goal for the next to weeks is to try to come back without gaining. I'm sure I won't be able to stay OP, but hopefully I can have some good meals mixed in with the not so good meals and maybe be able to avoid gaining. Also since its a little warmer (well except that it's snowed twice this past week) in Vegas, maybe I can get a walk or two in while I'm there. I'm going to take it one day at a time.

It's been sleeting all day, so I'm working at home today and the kids are off school today. It wasn't as bad as they had called for, but I'm glad I'm not out driving in it. This will make it easier to stay on track today.

 

[MelanieC]

Thanks!



I told my daughter that I was thinking of bringing the scale with us and she said "Oohh, that's SCARY!" But I am seriously considering doing it. Just so that I can keep an eye on things. Especially since our initial weigh in day is the day we get back!

I've taken the scale with me to Disney before. We drive so it's easy and the times I did it really helped. I knew each day what the scale was saying and it was a definate deterent, especially when your there for a long time. We usually go for trips that are over 2 weeks and I"ve been known to do some serious damage at Disney in that amount of time.

I think this summer I will take it, its very easy to throw in the car - although this last time our car was stuffed because we didn't have the SUV (we downsized to regular cars now that the kids are older).

 

[disneychrista]

I've taken the scale with me to Disney before. We drive so it's easy and the times I did it really helped.

We drive too. I am sure I will take it, if my frazzeled mind can remember. I still have one at home weigh in (Sunday) before we leave. So if I can remeber I will put it in the don't forget about us pile that is in my closet right now.

I do think it is funny. When I was over weight I never even thought about food on our vacations. But this time I have planned everything. Where I want to eat, what I want to eat. Kinda crazy.

 

[MelanieC]

I do think it is funny. When I was over weight I never even thought about food on our vacations. But this time I have planned everything. Where I want to eat, what I want to eat. Kinda crazy.

I know what you mean- but planning means your consciously thinking about what you are eating instead of it just being a mindless free for all. I think the mindless free for all is why we all struggle so much. It's a good thing to be conscious of it!

 

[jimmduck]

Hello everyone.

I still have not finished my race report from Spacecoast, but vow to do so this weekend.

I cannot go anywhere anyway tomorrow, DH needs the car to finish the Christmas shopping and its supposed to snow Sunday.

I have not walked since last Saturday and I am feeling it.

The weather here has been really bad lately and I have been sooo busy this week.

I chuckle when I read my last post when I said that I had six court appearances and a mediation THIS WEEK. No, that was just Monday - the rest of the week was just as bad and I am totally exhausted tonite. I am heading to bed soon.

I shared about the blood blister I developed on my left heel which caused me to pull out of Spacecoast at the 5th mile (I planned to do seven).

Well, that ding dang thing was so painful that I could not walk on it for days without great pain - picture a beer cap under your foot - walking around on that. That is what it felt like.

Not too good when you need to walk around parks all day for five days, and we started with Universal Studios. Those of you who have visited before will know that the parkade is a long ways away from the park - and I ended up using an ECV all week while in the parks (but not in the resort or to and from).

By Monday night, it was so bad I could barely make it to the hotel room - luckily Pop Century gave us a room in the 70's section, which is not too far from the main building.

I was on a major pity party by Tuesday, apologizing, quite frankly, for even being on this earth. I hate being this size, people staring at you, avoiding you.

One woman told me that it must be very hard to walk at my size - hello, I walked five miles two days ago!

By Wednesday, the pain was still really bad - we spent the day at Animal Kingdom and then rushed over to EPCOT to have dinner at the Biergarten and go to the Candlelight Processional (Neil Patrick Harris was the narrator).

On my way to the EPCOT entrance, the pain was so bad I was in tears.

But by Thursday, I settled down and really enjoyed Hollywood Studios (my favourite park). I was grateful to Disney for having these contraptions because it surely enabled me to see much more than I could have on foot.

After Fantasmic, I left the family and wheeled back down to the Streets of America and took in some more of the Osborne Lights - although the park was closed, there was a real party atmosphere down there - no one, including the staff, seemed in a hurry to leave.

I rode the Tower of Terror (for my nephew, Daniel) and got a pin. Neat ride, I would do it again.

Only downside, DH did not give me the paperwork for the ECV (he had it rented when I got there) and we lost the $20.00 deposit.

By Friday, I was feeling pretty good, still rented the ECV. Started with Spaceship Earth and ended with Soarin. Got moved to the front of the line on Spaceship due to the ECV - not so with Soarin, but at least I stood the 50 minute wait - Norm was not leaving until he got on it. There are few attractions worth that kind of wait - but that is one that is.

OK - HERE'S THE BUZZ

I am sick of looking and feeling like this I have tons to lose, gained weight at Disney due to lack of exercise and too many Mickey bars (lots of eating during the pity party), and copped out of this challenge too.

I will not cop out again.

I am in.

Brenda - I would love to be a "coach" for a week. That will keep me accountable - I promise that when I set a goal for someone else, I keep it.

Its only myself I let down, and I have to stop that.

Have a "magical losing day" folks.

Linda

 

[jimmduck]

Oh - about the plan...

Back to WW again - found a different meeting, with a leader I can identify with more and at a much better time - early morning before work.

I don't need to find a free evening then.

Goal over Christmas is just to maintain.

Then back gung ho with a pace training program I will follow until it is time to train for my 10k in May (starts end of February).

This alumni thread is to keep me on track and I promise to at least read every day.

Linda

 

[TammyNC]

We drive too. I am sure I will take it, if my frazzeled mind can remember. I still have one at home weigh in (Sunday) before we leave. So if I can remeber I will put it in the don't forget about us pile that is in my closet right now.

I do think it is funny. When I was over weight I never even thought about food on our vacations. But this time I have planned everything. Where I want to eat, what I want to eat. Kinda crazy.

I planned out what I was going to be eating at the parks as well. I went to the dining menus and had a look before we went. DH and I shared a lot of meals which helps with portion and cost. I made sure to have at least one salad a day to help get my fresh veggies in too. Good job on planning ahead!!

jimmduck-Thanks for your trip report, sorry you were in so much pain but glad you had the ride to help you out.