Welcome to November, April Bandits! It's nearly the holidays and we're all going to meet our weight loss goals with the help of our November Challenge. Speaking of, the terms are as follows:

(1) Complete 17 or more exercise sessions (counting only one session per day, if you're the type to do more!);

(2) To count, each session must be at least 35 minutes in duration; and

(3) Consume at least 64 oz of Water (or whatever your personal goal for water intake is) at least 6 days a week.

We can do it! Let's check in with each other often this month, as the holidays make it so easy to check out on diet/exercise until the New Year.

Here we go....

Betty, I hope you get your unfill soon, I don't know how you can stand it. I was pb'ing on my own saliva. You must be miserable.

11/1: No exercise. 50 oz. Water

11/2: 40 minutes treadmill. 48 oz. water (48 is my daily goal)

11/3: 40 minutes treadmill. 60 oz. water

11/4: No exercise, 48 oz. water

11/5: 55 minute fast-paced walk around the neighborhood, 60 oz water

<!-- / message -->11/6: None - too miserable from overfill experience. About 30 oz water

11/7: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.

11/8: No exercise, 60 oz water.<!-- sig --><!-- / message --><!-- sig --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

And Julie, I think you are going to make it to my goal before I do!!

OK, Boo, let's RACE. My crazy, insane goal is 180 by April 1st (that's still like 69 lbs away which is a LOT to lose in that time, but I'm trying). The reason for that is that I'm taking the month of April off before starting a new job in May and if I'm 180, I can have PS that month and have a long time to heal. Per my Dad, I have to be within 20 lbs of "goal" to have PS, so 180 is it (I'd like to wind up around 160). You have 40 lbs to goal. I'm certain you can do that by April, what do you think?

Then we can sign up for 10K somewhere together. I'll come to you, if you like!

Run to the finish Boo, run to the finish!!

That is SO totally cool!! haha Let's go for it...

NY or LA is great for me!

My feet might be getting fast, but the weight is moving like a slug. It IS moving, though! Now I am 39 pounds to goal!

3 mile run/walk on the treadmill tonight. I'm doing the "2 months from couch potato to runner" program that was posted elsewhere on LBT, but I'm stretching it out to 3 months so I can lose a little more before I put the stress of the end of the program on my knees.

Anyway, that's workout number 7 for me. I've been good with the Water too this week. Woohoo! Nevertheless, the scale's not budging for whatever reason....

Hi Everyone,

Hope all is doing well. I had to go way back to find our thread today.

11/1: No exercise. 50 oz. Water

11/2: 40 minutes treadmill. 48 oz. water (48 is my daily goal)

11/3: 40 minutes treadmill. 60 oz. water

11/4: No exercise, 48 oz. water

11/5: 55 minute fast-paced walk around the neighborhood, 60 oz water

<!-- / message -->11/6: None - too miserable from overfill experience. About 30 oz water

11/7: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.

11/8: No exercise, 60 oz water.

11/9: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 72 oz water.

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Last night I ran like the wind on the last mile!! It was great!

I am thinking of changing my goal to 142, with a long-term goal of 132 (depending on how I look and feel.) I think my body will be different on the way down than it was on the way up because of the running. What do you think?

I took out my journal from the surgery. I had set goals for myself that were probably conservative, but attainable. For the 7 month goal, I had set 172#. It is EXACTLY what I weighed. In fact, the other goals were also met, even though I didn't look at them.

We CAN accomplish whatever we put in our minds to do!!

SO, I want to be in the 160's for Thanksgiving, and close to the 150's for New Year's!!

Susan: I hope you are doing well!! We gotta keep posting through the holidays to keep us on track AND to make it easy to find our thread!

Well, I'm still too tight, however I'm going to try and live with it for a while longer. It's not as though I can't swallow liquids - I can. I'm just trying to eat less and chew better............I need this fill, I think because I was eating more than I had been before it and the weight has stayed the same. I'm back to my regular routine with exercise since my son Craig is now home and is doing so well (yeah)......This week I want to try and start a better drinking regime...........not good so far. I do lots of hot tea, but just swiggling Water is hard for me unless I'm working out.

Yeah for all of you runners.............a bit too hard on my old knees I'm afraid. Tomorrow, 4 of my good friends are going to join me at the gym to try my NIA class (that I just love).

November

1

2

3

4 - 1 hour NIA

5

6 - 1 hour NIA

7 - 1 hour walk to/from breakfast

8 - 1 hour NIA

9 -

10 - 1 hour NIA/1/2 hour core/45 min strengh

Julie and Boo, you continue to amaze me with your running. But, you have inspired me a bit too. No, I am not going to start running tomorrow, it is a major feat that I drag my lazy booty to the treadmill. However, I have been consistently staying around 3.0 on the treadmill. I am going to slowly start increasing the pace. And, I mean slowly. My goal is to be running by New Years. Does anyone have any duct tape? If I am going to try and run, I need something good to hold the girls down so I don't get black eyes.

Betty, how long have you had your fill now? What are you able to eat? After Monday, anyone mentions overfill and I go into panick for them. Don't let yourself be so overfilled that you are uncomfortable and sliming and pb'ing a lot. That is definitely not the way to do this.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I just got off the treadmill and am headed to bed.

11/1: No exercise. 50 oz. Water

11/2: 40 minutes treadmill. 48 oz. water (48 is my daily goal)

11/3: 40 minutes treadmill. 60 oz. water

11/4: No exercise, 48 oz. water

11/5: 55 minute fast-paced walk around the neighborhood, 60 oz water

<!-- / message -->11/6: None - too miserable from overfill experience. About 30 oz water

11/7: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.

11/8: No exercise, 60 oz water.

11/9: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 72 oz water.

<!-- sig -->11/10: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.<!-- / message --><!-- sig --><!-- / message --><!-- sig --><!-- / message --><!-- sig --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Hi everyone, I need to update my signature, but today is the first day I did not workout this month. I gave blood this morning, and did a double, so they recommended no exertion, and I took them seriously!!! I did get my water in though.

Been having a great few days off with DH, and intending to have a good weekend with him as well!

Betty- I am so glad your son is improving, and healing well. what a relief!! Please watch the overfill, it can lead to bad things....just keep an eye on it. Like with this band you could ever ignore it!!! Hope you feel better anyway!!!

Boo- you will make those goals, I have no doubt. Sounds like you have found that ellusive endorphin kick!!! You and Julie, will be running circles around me...literally!!!

I would like to make it to Onederland by New Years. I know I can do it, if I just kick it up a notch. Susan and I may have to see if we can get a bulk rate on the duct tape, and join y'all!! I have 18 pounds to go....to make the 100's by New Years. And I have a pair of pants a size 14. Very nice, very expensive black slacks I bought for my oldest DD before she lost her weight, that I would like to wear for DH's company party. They call it a holiday party, and hold it in mid January. I tried them on and have about 2 inches before they button easily. I managed to button and zip them, but it would not have been a comfortable night!!! So, those are my goals. I am going to have to do better than I did today!

Sure am glad y'all are there to keep me motivated and honest with myself!!!

Back to work tomorrow!!!

Kat

Ok I know by now I should have done something....I joined the challenge to motivate me, but really I'm just tired. I'm still waiting for the doc to call me back and tell me my new date for the revision. I figure I'll give him a call on monday since he hasn't called me...doctors...ahh well.

Teaching is going fine, I can't wait for it to be June so I can leave. I'm excited about coming back to the states. First thing I have to do though is find a band doctor there in florida and get that all settled. I would hate to have problems because I had my band surgery here in Portugal.

Christmas is just around the corner, so I'm busy with christmas shopping and christmas cross stitches. I wanted to go ahead and put up our tree but hubby won't let me. There isn't a Thanksgiving here so I figured I might as well get it all up. Dec 1st he says...so I wait...:tired men.

Kat, your pants are DEFINITELY going to fit by the party. Please take a picture for us so we can see how beautiful you look in them. I can't wait for you to get to Onederland. This morning, I was finally 249 -- I'd been holding at 250 for about 10 days. Now I really feel like I'm on the road to Onederland as well, albeit 30+ lbs behind you on the road.

Susan, you'll be running with us in no time! On the exercise forum, there's a link to a "3 months from couch potato to 5K runner" program that I'm doing. It's a walk to run thing. You start out just running 60 seconds and build up to running 30 minutes straight. It's working well for me. I'll keep you posted if I can complete it and feel comfy running the 3 miles straight in a couple of months. If so, maybe you can try it too. I need the duct tape too. I tried wearing 2 bras (I'd read that that worked), but then I couldn't breathe comfortably. I think a mastopexy is in my future along with my tummy tuck.

Heather, I hear you on being tired. Since this is a challenge thread, could I challenge you to just go for a walk for 35 minutes ONCE this weekend? You don't even have to put on exercise clothes, just go out and be in the fresh air for 35 minutes when you otherwise wouldn't have. I hope you feel better and tell your hubby Bah Humbug for me. Wink.

Betty, how did your friends like your NIA class? How is Craig feeling today?

As for me, today was the day I changed from level 1 to level 2 on my walk to run program. It wasn't so bad. I did my walk/run for 40 minutes then did 30 minutes of abs in prep for my tummy tuck in the spring.

Have a good weekend!

I ran a 5K today! Actually, I was told the course was 3.2 miles. (That I understood.) My time was 33:20. Thank you, friends!! Your struggles, accomplishments, and encouraging words have urged me on and helped me to do this. Had I not joined this group, I would still be on the couch!

I haven't read the "couch potato" thread, but this is proof that it can be done. It will be even easier as the pounds continue to drop.

Ohhh, I FORGOT! The funny part is that when I crossed the finish line and they called out my time, I wanted to stop and lay down, but realized I had to keep going another 2 MINUTES to meet OUR CHALLENGE! haha

JULIE: Could you just miss ONE day, so I can catch up with you?? Also, I need to add abdominal work. I hate crunches, but my belly needs them.

I think if y'all could see me now, you would get your 35 minutes of activity in, simply laughing at me!!! I feel like a cartoon character....my legs are like spaghetti noodles!!! We just took a bike ride, and I have no idea how far we went....miles and miles and miles. We were gone for an hour and a half.....and it was so totally fun!!! Some places we went the leaves were falling on us like it was snowing! We rode out a local farm road, past the big Indian Ruins here in our town, and past the farms, rode along side the river for a ways. The temperature dropped big time by the water! We stopped in at a produce farm, and decided we would have to return with a vehicle!!

OK---now get this....DH was ahead of me, and I know it could have just been their way of giving me a hard time, but I got whistled at...and told "nice a$$"!!!! LOL I told Rick, I should have been offended, I just smiled!!

Anyway my time is in for today, and as soon as I think my legs will support me to do anything, I will go and grab another bottle of water!!!

Way to go Boo!!!! 5K----woohoo!!! I know what you mean, I looked at the clock and was shocked we were gone for that long, I was checking to see if I was out long enough to count it!!! I impressed myself lasting so long!!! But running---man, I think I wanna, but wonder if my poor knees would survive.

Julie--thanks for the encouragement. I love the pants I bought for DD, but the knowledge that I may actually fit in her clothes....amazing!!! Now, she no longer fits them, she has shrunk out of them!!! Which I am glad for her, she got control of it, before it was too bad. She put on 30 pounds during her divorce, and had not lost her weight from the baby, so she was heavier than she ever had been. When she got her new job, (she is a nurse for our PCP), she was buying XL scrubs. She is 5'8", and was over 200 lbs by quite a bit then. She worked out, and was very careful with her food, ate Lean Quisine for dinner, and packed healthy lunches each day!!! She worked at it, and is now about 150 pounds, and buys small scrubs. She is playful with the baby, and now has a new bf, and is always on the go with him, he is not one to sit in front of a TV!!! I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but I didn't want her to let it get out of hand and turn into her Mom!!! I don't mean to devalue (is that even a word?) myself, but it is so much easier when you are in your 20's, than waiting to my age. Plus the life you let pass you by rather than being right in the big middle of everything. So anyway, I am proud of her for getting with it!! It took her about 8 months, and she watches it now, and if she puts more than 5 pounds or so on, she starts taking her lunch to work again!!! Now I just wish she had kept more of her clothes, so I could use them as I go down!!!

To be honest, I can dream of it, but still have trouble imagining that under 200 is only 18 pounds away. Heck I can do 18 pounds!!! I've done it several times already!!! And yes, Julie you will be right on my heels, ready to run over me I bet!!!

Ok, off to test out my legs!!! Time to begin drinking!!!LOL

Susan, Heather....HI!!!

Kat

Julie---can you give me more of an idea where to find the couch potato to runner thread? Would like to at least read it...exercise my mind a bit!!!

Thanks-Kat

Boo, way to go! I am exhausted just thinking about you running that. Julie, I will go check out the thread. Right now, I am whooped. We spent all day in the forest jeeping and hiking, so we had a blast. I figure the hiking probably counts for my exercise, but I did 40 minutes on the treadmill anyways.

11/1: No exercise. 50 oz. Water

11/2: 40 minutes treadmill. 48 oz. water (48 is my daily goal)

11/3: 40 minutes treadmill. 60 oz. water

11/4: No exercise, 48 oz. water

11/5: 55 minute fast-paced walk around the neighborhood, 60 oz water

<!-- / message -->11/6: None - too miserable from overfill experience. About 30 oz water

11/7: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.

11/8: No exercise, 60 oz water.

11/9: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 72 oz water.

<!-- sig -->11/10: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.

11/11: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.<!-- / message --><!-- sig --><!-- / message --><!-- sig --><!-- / message --><!-- sig --><!-- / message --><!-- sig --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->