Happy New Year! Welcome to the monthly challenge. January is here and time to work on New Beginnings! Happy 2013 January Challenge is a fun way to keep track of your monthly weight loss while gaining and giving support to other bandsters

Copy and post the template below and fill in the information that you are comfortable sharing on Tuesday January 1st then come back every Tuesday on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th and post your updated weight. I will keep track of the weights to get a table listing everyone's results on the following weekend.

Good luck to everyone and remember this isn't a contest it's a challenge and you are a winner no matter how much you lose.

The first three items are required all others are recommended, but the last one is the most fun. If you are new to our monthly challenger please leave a short introduction.

Name, real or screen~

Goal weight for January 29th~

Weight on January 1st~

Age~

Dietary goal for January~

Exercise goal for January~

Personal goal for January~

Date banded~

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~

Name, real or screen~ Lisa Holland

Goal weight for January 29th~199

Weight on January 1st~204

Age~39

Dietary goal for January~ More Protein less carbs

Exercise goal for January~ Elliptical, Treadmill and Bike 4x a week at least

Personal goal for January~ Save money, less spending

Date banded~4/17/12

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~31

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~Relaxing at home before going back to work for a new year, glad vacation days are back!

Name, real or screen~ Amy

Goal weight for January 29th~ 184

Weight on January 1st~ 192

Age~ 35

Dietary goal for January~ Keep eating good and tracking

Exercise goal for January~ To exercise period

Personal goal for January~ Get finances straight and work toward big 2013 goals.

Date banded~ July 9, 2012

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 69 lbs.

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~ Not working

Name, real or screen~Lisa S.

Goal weight for January 29th~223

Weight on January 1st~233.6

Age~32

Dietary goal for January~ Increase servings of vegetables and fruits, decrease carbs

Exercise goal for January~ Increase my cardio kickboxing workouts to at least 4x per week

Personal goal for January~Make the same smart choices I make at home while on my weeklong cruise at the end of the month. Be more focused and on task while working from home.

Date banded~ 10/11/12

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~46 lbs

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~Spending time with those I love and dreaming of how we can make this year better than the last!

Name, real or screen~Jennifer

Goal weight for January 29th~195

Weight on January 1st~202.6

Age~34

Dietary goal for January~ log my food everyday

Exercise goal for January~ exercise 4-5/week

Personal goal for January~ get finances in order

Date banded~ 7/31/12

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~32.4

What is your favorite New Year Activity? Not working

Name, real or screen~Rachelle aka Goalseeker

Goal weight for January 29th~199.9...ONEDERLAND!!!

Weight on January 1st~ 210.2

Age~33

Dietary goal for January~ Less snacking, staying within 1000 cal plus earned exercise calories

Exercise goal for January~ Begin Instanity, continue C25K...aiming for 4-5 days a week

Personal goal for January~ get a fill

Date banded~ 9/4/2012

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~44.8

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~ putting my house back together and enjoying the rest of my winter break

Name, real or screen~ Karan

Goal weight for January 29th~ 225

Weight on January 1st~ 235

Age~ 52

Dietary goal for January~ Get back on track!

Exercise goal for January~ Get started with a regular program

Personal goal for January~ Hopefully get in the "green zone" after my next fill

Date banded~ November 5th

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 33lbs

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~ Just relaxing.

Name, real or screen~ Christina

Goal weight for January 29th~ 225

Weight on January 1st~ 237.2

Age~ 28

Dietary goal for January~ Find lower cal vitamins; drink 10-12 cups water daily; 80 grams protein

Exercise goal for January~ start training for 10k; run/walk 100 miles

Personal goal for January~ get my 5k at/under 32 mins

Date banded~ 11/6/2012

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ ~27

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~ Leaving the past in the past and making space for new opportunities

Name, real or screen~ Mel

Goal weight for January 29th~ 175

Weight on January 1st~ 183.8

Age~ 33

Dietary goal for January~ Eat 30% or more in protein and 30% or less in fat

Exercise goal for January~ half marathon training - hope to not skip a day

Personal goal for January~ stay positive about work and working out

Date banded~ Dec 6, 2011

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 98/99 lbs I am up and down a pound right now.

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~ never really had one. I'm just happy to be starting my second year being banded.

Name, real or screen~ Ashley

Goal weight for January 29th~ 256.4

Weight on January 1st~ 266.4

Age~ 26

Dietary goal for January~ If I bite it, I write it!

Exercise goal for January~ Work out at least 4 days a week

Personal goal for January~ Work on being more connected to my husband

Date banded~ 10/4/12

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 52 pounds!

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~ School being open so I can have a few hours to myself to get a work out in.

I am going to make this simple... I want to have lost a total of 90 lbs by the end of this month

Name, real or screen~Mi

Goal weight for January 29th~217

Weight on January 1st~ 225.3

Age~ 43

Dietary goal for January~ keep calm and carry on!

Exercise goal for January~ 100 miles (see my thread to join

Personal goal for January~ make it out alive

Date banded~ 10/5

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 50.6

Name, real or screen~ luckyaka

Goal weight for January 29th~ 170

Weight on January 1st~ 179.6

Age~ 41

Dietary goal for January~ pushing 80 to 100 grams of protein per day

Exercise goal for January~ 30 minutes daily

Personal goal for January~ pushing fittness

Date banded~ 08/07/12

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 69 lbs

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~ my jumping jacks challenge

Name, real or screen~ Jenn

Goal weight for January 29th~180

Weight on January 1st~187

Age~27

Dietary goal for January~ More Protein

Exercise goal for January~ go to the gym more

Personal goal for January~ to not be so ocd? I stress out every time someone comes over...and my son has pdd-nos so its pretty often that people are here and i am constantly cleaning... I need to take it down a notch or 2

Date banded~11-1-11

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~93 lbs

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~ not sure if i have a fav activity in Jan.

Thanks Lisa for doing this!!

Name, real or screen~ Lapbanster

Goal weight for January 29th~ 190

Weight on January 1st~ 201.6

Age~ 23

Dietary goal for January~ To continue eating 5 small meals/day and keeping my carbs and calories low

Exercise goal for January~ gym 3-4 times per week

Personal goal for January~

Date banded~ 8/17/2012

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 43 lbs

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~ Looking forward to vacation!!

Name, real or screen~ Dawn

Goal weight for January 29th~ 146

Weight on January 1st~151

Age~30

Dietary goal for January~ to get back on track after the holidays!

Exercise goal for January~ the same as my dietary goal...lol

Personal goal for January~

Date banded~10/19/11

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 109 pounds

What is your favorite New Year Activity?~