This is the challenge:

At least 30 mins. of any kind of exercise done 15 x during the month of September. We can post our progress weekly. Posts to encourage our group, share how you are making it work, or to vent will be a plus.

We will share our success stories and totals on October 1st.

Any changes or additions to the challenge are welcome, just remember September starts on Friday. So post your ideas before Friday!!

ARE U READY?????

Roberta

9/1: None

9/2: Ice Cream instead of exercise, bad me.

9/3: 30 minutes on the treadmill!

9/4: None

9/5: 30 minutes on the treadmill

9/6: 45 minutes packing and moving heavy boxes

9/7: 30 minutes moving boxes and 30 minutes treadmill

9/8: None, was sick all day :sick

9/9: 30 minutes on the treadmill

9/10: 30 minutes on the treadmill

9/11: No exercise, 1 hour washing, vacuming, cleaning out car

9/12: 30 minutes on the treadmill

9/13: None

9/14: None

9/15: 30 minutes on the treadmill

9/16: 30 minutes on the treadmill

9/17: 30 minutes on the treadmill

Hi Deb, I love the zoo, especially the gorilla's, they are so human-like, I could just watch them for hours! Sounds like you are doing great, I am loving this challenge.

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Ceparano, a 20-min workout when you're not feeling well is definitely the equivalent of a regular 30-min session. With all the sweat and extra effort put out by the body, it's probably worth even more, so please give yourself full credit!

Hey everyone-

Are we being too easy on ourselves? Do we need to work on consistency first and then kick it up a notch in October?

I find myself falling into the same trap. "Oh, it's okay, don't run...just walk today. You didn't sleep well last night." It is the same rationale I used to reward myself with a brownie. I'm very easy on myself when faced with temptation to slack off or eat something bad, yet totally filled with self-reproach when I step on the scale and see a lack of progress!

Does anyone else do this?

(By the way...knowing I am accountable on this thread has motivated me to exercise more than I would have. So, thanks for the invite and motivation everybody!!)

Julie, you are kickin' some serious NY booty!

I agree, any workout when you aren't feeling well is an accomplishment! Be careful you don't want to make yourself worse!

I am having trouble with my signature, I cannot update my numbers, it says I have too many characters.. But I am not trying to add any, in fact it would be decreased by several....but it says no...so I guess I will go in and redo it and delete some things, and see if it helps. Frustrating me!!!

Anyway, I have completed my walks each day. I have not done a lot of other things!!! I have made Curves every other day. I will be gone the next couple of days. DH has an appointment in Albuquerque with his surgeon for a follow up, so we are going down for that and going to spend the day tomorrow at the State Fair. So I will definitely be getting my walking in. Now I just need to stay away from some of the fair foods!!! Thank goodness for restriction!!!

As for sweet spots...not sure, but where I am now is good for me. I eat, pretty much anything, but in extremely small amounts. A few bites, and I am done. My weight is dropping at a pretty steady regular rate, and I am not hungry. I feel lucky to be at this point. It feels like a good combination. Not sure if this is what is referred to as the sweet spot or not...in my book it would be. Will chack back in with everyone when we get back from our little getaway!!

Keep up the good work all and feel better soon Ceparano!!

Kat

Hi Everyone,

Kat, I hope you have a great time at the fair! I love going to the fairs, it reminds me of when I was a kid. I just don't know if I could resist the temptation of the funnel cakes though, lol.

I hope we do another challenge in October. For me, what I am doing right now is great. Prior to this challenge, I had not been doing any exercising. So, I like that I am getting on my treadmill and doing something. I just feel like I need to ease my way into it. I am adding a little bit everytime and it is working great.

Roberta,

I'm so sorry you're not feeling well. Asthma is such a serious disease. I'm sure your DH is taking great care of you, but you take care too, ok?

Boo and Susan,

I don't think we're being too easy on ourselves and I definitely think we should continue the challenge into October. I think we should slightly increase either the time requirement (maybe 35 minutes) or the number (maybe 17) but not much more than that. I think that this works for me because the bar is pretty low -- just get my tush off the sofa and to the gym for 30 min. It's hard for me to argue with that. If it got to be too high of a goal (an hour, for example, or 20 sessions), I probably wouldn't even try. I see this as setting myself up for lifelong habits. I might work out 20 times in one single month, but it's not something I'll probably do for life.

I'm completely open to what the group wants to do though. We're all doing great!

Take care,

Thanks Julie, Bluehill, and Kat for your concern. I'm feeling much better today and just got back from a 40 min workout at Curves. Thanks for letting me count my 20 mins. yesterday.

Kat: I had the same problem with my signature yesterday. I hope your husbands follow-up goes well and that you enjoyed the fair.

Betty, you and Deb have awesome workout schedules.

Susan: I agree with you, this challenge has been just what I needed since I wasn't doing anything outside of occasional walks; IF I could get someone to go with me. I'd love to continue the challenge into October so that exercise might FINALLY become a habit!! I agree with Julie though, if the stakes become too high, I probably wouldn't try to meet the challenge. But... lets bounce around a few ideas on how we can might tailor the next challenge to the groups needs.

Roberta

Has anyone found their sweet spot and how does it feel? My doc says you will just know - I am looking for that.

Deb:clap2:

I don't know if I can call this my sweet spot, but for the last 3 weeks I've been tight as a drum in the morning. I gradually open up some as the day goes on, but I definitely eat smaller portions throughout the day. My weight loss is no longer 10 #'s a month but I knew that wasn't realistic to expect anymore. I seem to hoover around 5 #'s a month loss, which is fine as long as the scale is going down.

Roberta

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I definitely haven't found my sweet spot yet, so I have another fill scheduled for next week (my fourth). The amount of restriction I have at this point makes me eat more carefully, more slowly, and take smaller bites -- and when I'm careless, I have suffered episodes of PBing. What I have not experienced, however, is a restriction on the amount of food I can eat. I would like not to be able to eat a large volume of food, even if it is only steamed veggies!

September Challenge

1) 9/11: 1-hr movement class, 30-min lap swim

2) 9/12: 1-hr yoga class, 30-min lap swim

3) 9/13: 1-hr movement class, 30-min lap swim

4) 9/14: 1-hr yoga class, 30-min lap swim

5) 9/15: 30-min treadmill, 30-min lap swim

6) 9/18: 1-hr movement class [pool was closed due to chlorine problem. grrrr]

I can honestly say that I have never felt a "sweet spot." I had way too much restriction after my second fill and that was anything but "sweet." What should it feel like?

The experience of being too tight has scared me off from trying another fill, even though the doctor said I could handle more. I haven't gained or lost anything since the last unfill/fill. Do I go for it? Or should the exercise start dropping weight soon?

Thank you all for being my exercise buddies. I never would have dreamed that I could be motivated by a thread. This is great! Please continue in October!!

I'm glad you are feeling better, Roberta!! You did a double session at Curves...that is not easy!

Boo, I'd go for the fill. You should have still been going down in weight before the challenge. Have you seen a loss in inches instead of pounds? Since we started the challenge no change in weight may be due to the muscle being heavier than fat rule. I understand, being too tight is a miserable thing. Is your doctor very aggressive with his fills? If so, maybe you could ask him to give you smaller fills (.5cc's) That is if you can afford to go that route. My fills cost $250 a pop, plus $250 for the office visit. My ins. takes care of the office visit, but I pay out of pocket for each fill. I'm going on a cruise the first Sunday in November so I've scheduled my next fill for October 5th; that way I'll have enough time to work out any fill issues I might have. I also did something different this month since we are doing the challenge. I started taking Trimspa. I'll weigh myself at the end of the challenge and see if I've lost more than the usual 5 lbs. I've definitely lost inches from going to Curves, I can see that already. Anyway, I hope someone else in our little group can give you advise on your "to fill or not to fill" issue. Have a great day!!

Roberta

Boo,

I'd go for the fill too. I am at my sweet spot (knock on wood that it stays), though for some, they would prefer to be a little tighter than I am. For me, my sweet spot means I'm losing well, but more importantly, I don't think about food except when I'm physically hungry. It's such a feeling of freedom! I'm not haunted by the M&Ms in my boss's office or the pretzels we keep in the kitchen. I eat my planned meals and other than that, I just don't think much about food. As for what the eating is like, I have to slow down a little for the first 2-3 bites, but then things go down smoothly. I get that feeling of "oh gee, I could probably stop now" before I ever finish my planned "bandster portion" meal (i.e. 3-4 oz protein & 1/2 c veggies). And I usually do stop at that point because if I do, I won't be uncomfortably full and I will still be full for 4-5 hours (usually 5). So, in sum, the sweet spot for me is a combination of: (1) elimination of 80% of my head hunger and (2) keeping me full on a bandster portion for 4-5 hours.

Roberta,

I'm interested in your Trimspa. Do you really think there's something to it? Does it change your energy level? I'll be interested to see if you lose more because of it. Keep us posted, please.

Hi Julie, I started the Trimspa about the same time I started Curves so it's hard to say which is responsible for my increased energy. I have noticed that my appetite has declined since I started the Trimspa. Last week as I was walking across the street to Curves I noticed one of the owners staring at me. When I came in she said she didn't recognize me because of the change in my body shape. I weigh myself daily, I know I shouldn't but I'm obsessed with the scale. I know the scale is evil and often lies to me but I can't seem to help myself. I've definitely lost inches and about 4 #'s (since the 4th). At the end of the challenge I'll let you know exactly how much. I'll also be due for my second weigh in and measurements at Curves the first week in October.

Roberta

Second week of exercise, and I'm still on track. It must all be turning to muscle, though, because I haven't lost an ounce since I started! And I'm still eating the same old poached fish & steamed veggies. I know the scale will drop eventually, but THIS IS NOT FAIR!!!

September Challenge

1) 9/11: 1-hr movement class, 30-min lap swim

2) 9/12: 1-hr yoga class, 30-min lap swim

3) 9/13: 1-hr movement class, 30-min lap swim

4) 9/14: 1-hr yoga class, 30-min lap swim

5) 9/15: 30-min treadmill, 30-min lap swim

6) 9/18: 1-hr movement class [pool closed due to chlorine problem. grrrr]

7) 9/19: 1-hr yoga class [pool still closed. double grrrr]

Oh Bluehill, don't worry. I bet you're just on a mini-plateau (or a WL "pause" as some people like to call it). It'll break soon and all your hard work will be rewarded.

Roberta, I'm with you. I weigh every day and I don't think it's evil to do so if it doesn't upset us. I spent 10 years in scale denial (not going to the dr when I needed to just to avoid it, etc.). I'll never be in scale denial again, even for a single day.