Lost Cause

Okay I gave up the last three weeks. I didn't even keep track. I got too stressed and keeping track of something else was too much. So I am not giving my final number, since I don't really have one. I am still exercising and planning on running a half marathon in August. Even if I have to walk part of it I will do it!

Finally Final!!

Hurray it is over!!!! That's the wrong attitude huh? Whatever, I ate four cookies today and they were awesome :-) It was a good challenge and I am glad I participated, I just really like desserts and I don't want to live without them. All things in moderation (she says after eating 4 cookies, hee hee) and lots of exercise with healthy meals. I will get the baby fat off, it just is going to take a little longer than I had hoped. Congrats to the winner, I do believe it is Cheryl, you have certainly earned it and very much kudos on all your weight loss. I hope you are able to continue to lose all the weight you would like to have gone. And good job to those that didn't give up especially when it would have been so easy to do so. Good luck to you all. Oh, and my total points are- 847. Sick kids and a husband out of town didn't make for a very successful week but that's okay, cause I always have tomorrow ;-)

Week 12 Dawn

Yea! It's finally over. After doing two challenges in a row, this one seemed long. But, it's good to have a way to keep track. I have 72 today with a total of 808 and 5lbs more off. And yes, it is possible to get 74 today if you didn't give yourself 77 the first week. Thanks everyone who stayed in. You were what kept me going.

Claudia - Final Tally

I made a run for it this week, and I was able to lose 1.5 lbs. and got a total of 70 points this week. My final tally is 831 for the challenge. I yo-yoed back and forth but held my ground between this and the last challenge, with a total of 16 lbs lost between the two. I have formed some good habits and feel much healthier and in control of my life. Thank you, Denise, for hosting the challenges, and all of you for setting a good example and giving me some friendly competition. I'm going to continue my program and set my own goals, so that I can keep losing weight over the summer. Hope to see you all in the competition this fall!

Cheryl - Final Week!!

First of all, I must say that I'm so glad I did this challenge. I've needed something to motivate me, and this did it. I'm glad I did it this time instead of waiting for next time. I don't think the changes for the next challenge would be for me. I needed the guidelines and the daily point system to keep me on track. But I know that's not to say that it might be different for others. My first 6 weeks of this challenge I did an exercise DVD at home. Then I started walking outside for the last 6 weeks. First I was just walking briskly, then one day I decided to run a little - just to see how far I could go. I didn't expect much, but did surprise myself. Then I decided to just run when I felt like it. Each day I started doing a run/walk for two miles. I never pushed myself, just ran when I felt like it. Then Friday last week, I ran a mile w/o stopping for the first time. Then I did it again Saturday. I am so proud of myself. I don't know when the last time was that I could do something like that. In the beginning of this challenge, my goal was to lose 20 lbs. Honestly, I didn't think I would lose that much. So, as we were nearing the end, I was just hoping for 15. Now that we're finally here, I am proud to say that I lost a total of 15.6 lbs and it feels great. My points for this week are 74 which includes today's posting and loss. My grand total is 859 points. Since the total possible is 869, I'm amazed at myself that I only missed 10 points throughout the whole challenge. Thank you for your experiences shared. I've learned from them. And Jen's fruit/spinach smoothie and veggie/egg "mess" are both things I enjoy eating. I would love to have a recipe book by Jen if all her recipes are that good! Thanks for sharing. Thank you Denise for being the instigator to get these challenges going and trying to make things work so a veriety of people will be happy. I hope that those who participate next time do well. Provided I don't gain all my weight back (it's not in the plan anyway) I will not be joining next time. But I wish luck to all those who do! Thank you everyone!

Final points and Fall update

Okay, ladies, first I have to apologize for ditching the challenge. Obviously it wasn't my intent, but then life happened. Anyway, a few notes on final points and then a BIG change for Fall challenges.

Post your final points by end of day Monday so the winners can be determined. I will send out money by end of week next week. BTW, put your TOTAL amount of points because I really don't have the capacity to go back and add them all up myself right now. (So basically what I'm saying is that if you don't put your final amount of points you will disqualify yourself!!!) Thanks!

**Big changes for Fall**
So the 90-day challenge is obviously too long for my lazy bones. So, in the Fall I'm mixing it up a bit. I'm hoping the difference will appeal to a variety of people and allow some of us "fizzlers" to stay in the entire competition. It's going to be a 30-day shred. Basically you weigh in on Day 1; weigh in again on Day 30; whoever has the highest percentage of weight loss wins the pot! Each participant will pay $15 to enter (but no money by end of day 7 and you're no longer eligible for the pot). I'll have one 30-day shred in September and, assuming it goes well, another in November. We can do ANYTHING for 30 days, right? And that'd be enough to get a great jump-start for those of us who have found 90 days a little hard. No points, no rules. Just weight loss!!!

Week 11

Well, I don't have much to say. Another ho-hum week. My points were 62. I visited some of my children over the weekend and did quite well but missed some of the points. I'm happy for all of you who have done so well. Good luck on the final week.

Week 11 Dawn

Weird. My weight is still the same as it was the last two weigh-ins. Better than a gain though. Had a birthday, anniversary and a sick day so I ate more than a 100 cal. treat on the celebration days and didn't exercise on the sick day. I did get the "Just Dance 2" game for the Wii for my birthday and love it. I hope that will be a great exercise tool even though I probably look like an uncoordinated fool when I do it. Points are 68.

Leah week 11

70 points this week. I know that I love carbs and keeping track of what I eat every day has really shown me how often I eat them, especially breads/grains. I know that if I really want to lose the extra inches I need to have some intense cardio workouts with muscle toning exercises too. I don't want to give up my carbs so extra exercise is my alternative. I did this challenge to lose the extra baby weight and inches. I wanted to fit into my skinny jeans and need a belt. Well, I have on my skinny jeans and I need a belt so for that I am feeling very happy and quite pleased to be a part of the challenge. I gained a TON of weight this last week so much that I have gained back every pound I lost since the beginning of the challenge (for that I am sad), but I fit my jeans so I must have gained muscle. It's hard to not be so focused on the scale's number. I like being able to say, I weight X amount (isn't that so little!) I was always a double digit size until after my second child and then I lost so much weight, with barely any effort. I went to a size 6 and I loved every minute of it but now after my third child the scale says one thing and my pants say another. Could it be in my old age it's actually harder to lose the weight? I actually have to put effort into this? I can't just sit around and nurse it all away? I think this last week is going to be hard because the end is so near and quite frankly I just want cake :-) But, I know that if I want to achieve my goal, giving up is not an option. I might have a horrible day, or a horrible week, or even a horrible month, but it is my choice to either try harder the next time or say pass the cookies please. If I don't make the effort and try different strategies (I've tried out 5 different exercise routines during this challenge) then I am guaranteed to fail. I do not exist because of failure. I am not on this earth to fail. I can do anything, I just have to take responsibility for my choices and today I choose to follow the guidelines for the challenge and tomorrow I will follow the guidelines and every time I want to give up or just not follow the rules I will remind myself that I said I was going to do this challenge and then I will make the choice to make the effort.

Wendy--Week 11

Well, I'm sorry Dawn but I've joined the land of the lost and have given up. It was spring break last week for us and we went camping and I didn't keep track of anything pointwise. So, I congratulate those of you still at it!

Week 11 Claudia

Still on vacation, and I really did take a vacation this week! Eating out every day and not exercising took its toll. I got 59 total points this week, including the blog point. I did not lose weight--in fact I gained about 3 lbs from 2 weeks ago. I go home today and still have one week to go, so I'm not giving up just yet. We're in the final stretch! Go for it ladies!

Cheryl - Week 11

I broke my barrier this week! Week 6 of the challenge was my lowest weight. Then I started maintaining or gaining little bits. I would bounce up and down sometimes showing a loss and sometimes not...never making it below Week 6's weight until today. And I beat it by 1.4 lbs. It felt great to finally get there. However, I think it makes a huge challenge for me this week to have another loss next Monday. I'll do my best to go out with a bang! My points this week are 70 - no weight loss last week and I had a yummy dessert.

Bonnie Week 10

I am posting a couple of days late and debated whether to post or not. I have really hit a wall. I lost 2 lbs. last week just because of giving up sugar, but bombed it on Sunday. I did not get a high score, and did not count my blog point, so my total comes limping in at 63. I exercised 45 min. today and feel like I'm back among the living, but not doing well and that's all she wrote....

Claudia's Week 10

I'm on a week-long road trip with my daughter this week and don't have a scale, so I'm not counting a weight loss this week. I have 70 points total. Road trips are not good for losing weight--all the yummy snacks, the difficulty exercising, and finding ways to eat your fruits and vegetables are a challenge. Also, when you drink a lot of water...lots of stops!

Pauline - Week 10

Well, no weight loss again. My points are 66 for the week. I bombed on Saturday by forgetting to do 4 points worth of stuff. I'm sad that we only have 2 weeks, I wanted to be lower on the scale numbers. I'm going to keep on going and stay with some of the changes.

Leah week 10

Well this was a good week until I got sick Saturday night and then it all went down hill... So only 69 points for this week. However the sickness did make me lose some extra weight so the potential for a perfect week next time is there. It sure does make me thankful for a normally healthy body and it also makes me glad that I am not pregnant since I really don't do well with being nauseous for longer than an hour.

Week 10 Dawn

I think I've started to develop some good habits by doing this challenge twice. Some things are just common now and I find myself not having to think about exercising, drinking water, not overeating, not eating after 8pm etc. I've enjoyed doing this challenge but I have to admit that it hasn't been as fun as the last one with all the people that have dropped out. It's a lot more encouraging when we're all in this together. Points this week were 71. Weight stayed the same as last Monday so that's better than gaining.

Cheryl - Week 10

My weight was down all week, then Sunday it popped up just a tad. Then Monday just a tad more. So, no loss this week. I have 72 points which includes last weeks loss. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have a bad habit of weighing myself every single day. I never did that before this challenge, but since we started in January, I have. I can't help it. Oh well. Once we're done, I won't worry so much about the daily "check". It will be nice to not to be so consumed with this all day everyday. But I sure have enjoyed the habits I've created. I wouldn't quite consider myself a runner yet, but I can see my own progression in that area. I'm actually enjoying the fact that I can run a bit farther every now and then. A couple weeks ago, I had to take my daughter with me on my morning exercise. My husband had to leave early so she went with me. One day I was really trying to hurry and beat the rain. I knew it was coming. So trying to get a 4 year old out the door first thing in the morning was a challenge. She was however excited to go exercise with Mommy. A couple times it started to sprinkle. If I were by myself, I would have just enjoyed it, but it was bit cool so I didn't want her getting too wet in the weather. (She was bundled up in two sets of fleece PJ's plus a blanket - FL is not so cold as UT though - whew!) As it started to sprinkle, it made me attempt the running stints more often and longer so we could get home quicker. It made me realize that I can push myself - if I really want to. I'm actually enjoying that challenge now. I'm looking forward to a new focus (increasing my endurance as opposed to weight loss).

Weeks 8 and 9

The last 2 weeks I have forgot to post on Monday. I decided to do a "late" post this week to chart my progress or lack of!!!! I'm not sure of my points for Week 8 as I didn't take time to write down for most of the week so I am only claiming 28. Week 9 is a total of 67. I love this Challenge and will stay focused this week...so much going on but I have to take care of business!! Forward into the remaining 3 weeks. Keep on!!

Week 9 Dawn

Still plugging away. Not much to report. Points this week were 68. All those that are still in, keep it up. You're doing good.

Bonnie Week 9

Week 9 has come and gone, and I feel like it's "gone with the wind." I'm not too happy with my results this week, but am determined to get a great score next week. I did not lose any pounds, and my score is a whimpy 64. Old habits keep raising their heads and I feel like I'm trying to slay a hundred dragons. This week will prove to be better. I just know it! We have 3 weeks left in this challenge. There is still alot of good that can come in the time that is left.

Leah week 9

It's almost over!!! And I am soooo excited about that. This week flew by. Had to take my son to the emergency room but I packed a dinner so I wouldn't lose my points for skipping a meal and not eating all my fruit/veg servings. Lost some weight; new exercise schedule seems to be working. 71 points for this week. Can't you just see that chocolate cake waiting at the end of the tunnel? It's right there next to the donut and homemade cookies I'll be eating in a few short weeks :-) My oldest is very excited to have a mom that bakes again.

Claudia Week 9

The challenge is getting harder because I'm getting tired. I'm having a hard time with the exercise every day. It's such a chore, but I'm pushing through it. I had a perfect score until last night, when I broke down and ate a small piece of homemade apple pie with 1/2 scoop of ice cream for my son's birthday celebration. It was delicious! And, I was still able to lose a pound this week. My points are 71, including weight loss and blog.

Cheryl - week 9

I barely managed a weight loss this time - only .4 but better than nothing. Nothing too exciting for me this week either other than just trying to keep even the tiniest weight loss going as it seems to be a struggle at this point. I'm finding that really good habits are being created in this challenge and I'm so glad I'm participating. Points this week are 72.

Wendy--Week 9

I don't have a whole lot to report on. I got 70 points this week. My positives include that I'm still hanging on and trying to do the program even though I'm not really in the running for winning anything. I did lose a pound this week so that is good. I hope everyone else is doing well!