8 Week Challenge - 1 Week Report - Now the 7 Week Challenge

How'd everyone body do? Report in. Remember, if you didn't meet your goals... you've got 7 more weeks to do it. I know that's how I'm looking at it. LOL! Here is the original post. If you didn't join in last week, join now. 7 more weeks to go! ............................................................................................................ 8 Week Challenge - Who Is Down Wid That? Original Post by Kathy & Rich at 5:17 AM PST on 10/30/2006 Fairfax, VA - RNY (05/20/2005) - Joseph Chebli, M.D. Post the things that you'd like to work on in the next 8 weeks. The challenge will last from today until Christmas day which is as you many have guessed - 8 weeks from today. Makes some positive changes. Work on getting in your water or vitamins. Work on getting in your protein. Working on moving your body to get it fit and toned. We'll have a weekly check in for those participating. Remember you can jump in at any time. Some suggestions of things to keep in mind: 1. Try not to post "I want to lose 10 lbs by Christmas" - we all know this far post-op that it is hard to truly gauge how much weight our bodies will lose and how fast/slow it will go. It would be wiser to chose eating, water, vitamin and fitness goals that might yield weight loss when done consistently over the 8 week period. 2. Try not commit to doing anything every single solitary day during the 8 weeks. Do not set yourself up for failure from the start. We all know that is derned near impossible to do something every day. Illness, problems, work, family and just plain life gets in the way. Setting a goal of "I'm going to get 100 oz of water in and all my vitamins in at least 5 days a week every week" is better than saying you are going to do it 7 days a week. See my point? (See I actually did pay attention at Weigh****chers and other therapy type meetings). 3. Be sure to set yourself some cool reward at the end for a job well done. Whether it is buying yourself something if it is in the budget, a spa treatment, or just going to the library and getting a good book and allowing yourself the free time to doing nothing else but sit and read - go for it! So what'll it be. Name your own poison. LOL!

How did you do this first week Kathy? I'm a little disappointed in myself..I ate chocolate this past week I'm going to try and do better. I'm going to try hard to not let my cravings defeat me. However, on a positive side, I met my goals as far as exercise, water and vitamins In fact, I'm gonna go and head on downstairs and get my workout in before I go to work! Have a great week!

This might be just what I need. My doc is concern with my 17 lb weight gain. He wants me to maintain and not gain anymore. He is big on walking so my goal is to walk 10,000 steps a day or close too it 5 days a week. Natalie

I did so-so. Did better on water and vitamins. Didn't do better of exercise and SF stuff. But hey it's a new week, isn't it? LOL! Thanks!

Okay......I didn' see the post last week, so I'm committing today! My goals are... 1) Eat protien first, complexed carbs second, and forgive myself for weaknesses I so struggle with daily. 2) Do some sort of excerise 5 days (aiming for a full week) for 30 straight minutes, or a total of 30 minutes in a one day period. I will not beat myself up if I don't meet my goal, I will do better the next day. 3) Stop drinking regular coffee with fat free creamer, Splenda and flavored additives. I believe these are making me hungry and I am adding at least 200-300 extra calories per day in fat free creamer (at 10 calories per teaspoon, I drink a LOT of coffee). I will start NOW drinking decaf coffee without additives, and yes, I will get my water in too. 4) I will follow the pouch rules. My rewards will be a better self image and a calmer mind (when I'm not doing what I know to be the correct things to do, my mind is restless, causing sleepless nights, then leading to stressfull days, leading to poor choices, causing a restless mind, etc., you get the picture). I don't need anything material, I already have more than my fair share. My whole approach to my eating lately has been, hit or miss, very erratic. I need to get back to basics and some real structer. Thanks, I feel better just getting all this off my chest and writing it down makes it more real to me. Wendy

Wendy, This is scary - your's is almost identical to mine! Even your rewards - great minds think alike I guess. I have mine posted on the fridge as a motivator and to keep me out! (lol!) And it was just freaky reading yours....... I am glad to see that others share my issues - it makes me stronger and more motiviated knowing that others are working on the same challenges! Your challenge twin in Texas! Valerie

Kathy, I haven't done well at all. This weekend though I did recommit and so far with the exception of one minor mishap I'm back on track. Water and vitamins have been great, getting the carb monster out of my daily routine and focusing on lean meats and good vegetables. I actually saw myself above my maximum limit last Thursday and freaked out.....guess that'll teach me. Today I'm back down to where I want to stay.....focusing on food to remain there. Thanks for the challenge, some days I just goof so bad, I need to forgive myself and refocus as I did early out. Dana

Kathy...I would like to join in. I need some new goals at this point. I need to: 1.Exercise at least 3 - 5 times a week (I have slacked off here lately) 2.Stop grazing at night. (I have begun eating a few extras at night that I don't need.) 3. Try to lose 5 pounds within the next 5 weeks. I hope this is what is should do. If not, please help me make it right. Thank you for doing this. Carmen

Kathy This is my first try at the challenge. So here it is: I will limit my intake of coffee creamer, just as one of the posters stated there's ton of calories in that stuff. I started drinking tea with just splenda and sweet and low. I started journaling last week on www.sparkpeople.com and it was an eye opener for me. I will continue to journal. I was over the top with my calories. Thanks to the person who put this wonderful site on the board. By the way Kathy, I sent you an e-mail about what you eat and you responded that you would get back to me but never did. I only asked because you have been so successful. But I have seen you post it for others, I guess who's asking for info determines a response. No apology needed and no nasty e-mails from others. Raven

hi my name is lydia and i've been way out of control for awhile now and i truly want to get things back on track because i know that i didn't start this journey to be fat forever or obese, i started out weighing 330lbs i've gotten down to 245 only to gain it bck so right know i'm at 253 and i don't want it to get higher than this, so i'm truly ready to join in on the 7-week challenge, my goals are to: 1. get in my vitamins and eat my proteins- 2. drink the required amount of water- 3. exercise!!!!!- that's a big struggle for me at this point i stopped going to the gym i pay for it but i don't go anymore, i miss the attention that i use to get when the weight was coming off and i felt much better about myself i felt really proud of myself and my accomplishments, i just need a buddy- who will be there with me during this challenging time next year jan will be 2 yrs and i feel that i haven't accomplished anything, so this will be a great big challenge for me to see if i can accomplish these small goals that i set before me it will also help to boost up my self-esteem. i will start my challenge on tommorow 11-07-06 it will be great doing this i'm also going to start a weight loss journal as well. well let's see how well i can do. it's time to focus on myself now, i always focused on everyone else