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....

Missed you all......................I'm still down in So. Calif...........leaving in a couple of hours to head home to rain/snow in the beautiful NW. Had a wonderful time - ate, drank, saw friends/family............interesting the reactions from them all re my 54 pound weight loss...............either they were jumping up and down with joy for me/or ...............some did not say "a word".....................interesting!!!!! I managed to get in a couple of walks.............still need one more session - planning on doing that my last day - tomorrow....................and according to my sister's scale managed to lose a lb during the past 9 days.............thank you band!

Been reading all the posts that I missed and I think we're all getting to that point of having lived with this band for over 6 months now and real life is hitting...................I too am doing some "things" I promised myself I would "never do again".......................I for one am realizing I need to again refocus - Julie, Boo, Susan, Roberta and all the rest of us.................a new month is here...............a new year is close..........back to basics for me.................I do want to lose more........I feel great (and look very normal for a 67 year old grammy).............but, for health reasons (and what the heck - maybe I'll look 57) I'd like to lose some more....................so, me too Julie............and all my dear exercise buddies...........let's do it.

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 strength

11 - 1 Hour NIA

12 - Happy BD to me!

13 - 1 hour NIA/ 1/2 hour core/1 hour Group Power

14 - 1 hour walk to breakfast

15 - 1 hour NIA

16 - 1 hour walk to breakfast

17 - 1 hour NIA/ 1/2 hour core

18 - 3 hours back breaking (!!!!) leave clean-up in the back yard

19

20 - 1 hour NIA

then in the afternoon******off to the airport!!!!!

21 - 45 min walk on the glorious La Jolla, CA beach (at least 75 deg!!!!)

22 - 1 hour walk to breakfast (found a restaurant to walk to)

23 -

24

25 - 45 min walk

26

27

28

29

I completed the challenge this morning. I got up early and ran because I'm going to the theater tonight and I knew I wouldn't make it to the gym if it wasn't this morning.

 

I waited for the endorphin release you promised, Boo, but it didn't come. It usually does, but it didn't this morning. I DRAGGED through it. Maybe next time. Wink. I'm meeting with my trainer tomorrow night, so I'll exceed the challenge by one session. Not a stellar result, exactly, but pretty good for a month with a major trip and a holiday.

 

Here's to December!

Hi Everyone!

 

Bluehill, Kat, Julie, way to go on completing the challenge! You guys are doing great.

 

Julie, France sounds wonderful. I am so jealous, the only time I have ever left the country was to go to Canada on a train ride for a few hours through the mountains. The fact that you didn't gain while in France is a huge victory. I hear the food there is just wonderful. I think many of us may be finding ourselves in a bit of a slump with our food right now due to the holidays. I am finding myself craving all sorts of things. I have decided that I am going to enjoy the holidays and the treats that go along with it. But, I will listen to my band and stop eating when it tells me too. As long as I don't gain, I will be happy and not be upset if I don't lose.

 

Bluehill, I am so sorry about how you are feeling and that I missed your post as well. Please, if there is anything I can do, please, please let me know. We are all here for you.

 

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.

11/12: No exercise. 48 oz. water

11/13: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.

11/14: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.

11/15: No exercise. 48 oz water.

11/16: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 72 oz water.

11/17: None. 60 oz. water

11/18: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 72 oz water

11/19: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 72 oz water

11/20: No exercise. 60 oz water.

11/21: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.

11/22: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 72 oz water.

11/23: No exercise. 60 oz water.

11/24: No exercise. 48 oz water. (did do lots of mall walking though)

11/25: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 60 oz water.

11/26: No exercise. 60 oz water.

11/27: 40 minutes on the treadmill. 72 oz water.

11/28: No exercise. 72 oz water.

Betty: La Jolla is beautiful. My relatives live there. Stay warm up in the NW with the record rainfall!

 

Julie: Do you get jet lag? If you didn't get your water in, you might be dehydrated AND be suffering. I'm impressed you worked out in the MORNING! I'm still :notagree - y!

 

WTG everybody who completed the challenge (pretty much everyone EXCEPT me)!! But I can still run faster

I have a challenge for you, Boo. Tomorrow, the last day of the November challenge, I vote that if you can push yourself to run longer (or farther -- your call) than you've ever run before -- even if just just by a few minutes (or a quarter mile) -- that extra push will qualify as your 3 sessions and you will meet the challenge.

Julie-NYC is throwin' it down. Goooo BOO!

HA HA HA HA HA!!

:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

I'M TOTALLY GOING FOR IT!!!

Worked out for 35 mins.

Hi everybody.... I've been down once again with this asthma. It will be another month where I miss the challenge by a hair. Anyway.....I think it is very strange that we are ALL dealing with this increased eating and cravings at the same time. I don't celebrate the holidays but I'm finding myself eating crap I've haven't eaten since before the Band. Betty you are so right, now is the time to re-focus and move forward.

Julie: you are doing so well, don't beat yourself up. Your head will get where it needs to be after a few sessions with your trainer. Congratulations on meeting the challenge for November.

Congratulations to all who met the November Challenge.

Roberta

Roberta, can you work out today? If so, can you make it for an hour? I think we would all support that as being two sessions, if you really want to meet the challenge.

If not, I totally understand. Take care of yourself and your asthma. It's a scary disease sometimes.

I'm feeling a little better about food today. I had some chili and a banana for breakfast (100 cal protein chili that I buy in little packets from NutriSystem, oddly enough). Half way through the banana I said to myself "I could probably quit eating this now and be just as satisfied." So I threw the other half away. I love it when I can do that.

Okay, I went all out tonight. I ran for 90 minutes up and down the hills in my neighborhood (not sure how far). Families here are really into decorating for the holidays, so there was a terrific light show to keep me entertained! Kept thinking how lucky I am to be able to:

1. run

2. at night

3. in a safe area

4. in November

5. in a t-shirt!

Julie, thank you for your support. I read this last night on my way out to a meeting. I never got to reply and when I came come it was late. Needless to say it was too late for me to take advantage of your kind offer. As my asthma improves I look forward to better results in December.

Roberta

WTG Boo!!!

Roberta

I want to thank each and every one of you. Your messages to me, both public and private, have held me in a healing circle of love and support. I am forever in your debt. It has been a rough period for me, but I am definitely emerging from the terrible fog of depression and withdrawal.

December feels like the perfect time to let go of old patterns, habits and resentments. Winter Solstice marks the time when the sun stands still, standstill, a space for our personal essence to cleanse, distill, re-energize, and refocus into a new vision of itself. And then a cycle of new life begins once more. It is a time to celebrate the triumph of life and love in the midst of the dark days of winter.

What a wonderful post, Bluehill. I look forward to continued discussion in a new December thread.

Boo, 90 minutes!!!! You're an exercise GODDESS! Way to go. You deserve to meet the challenge for sure. Way to go. That's just amazing.

Susan, do you have a special thing planned for when you reach goal? Maybe a trip to Paris is in order. It's such a beautiful city. You deserve to see it! Anyway, what's going on with you this month? I feel out of touch with you and I so look forward to hearing about your WLS journey....

Phew.................just made the 17th on the last day!

Bluehill - I feel like a soulmate to you!................we all have been where you have been...............hope the days of December and the new year to come will bring uplifting feelings of contentment and joy for you and yours!

Boo - keep up that pace............wow!

Roberta - feel better soon!

Julie - you are my inspiration - I'm feeling good about starting a new month even tho the weight loss has slowed to a snails crawl (2.5 lbs) this month..................I'm just thankful for my band - between the trip and Thanksgiving I would have "normally" gained who knows what? Renew for the new month!!!! I have.

Susan - I'm with you..........just being able to hole our own during this difficult time of the year for us "former fatties" is the "miracle of the band".

Kat - You and I have so much to be thankful for this year............we have our husbands and our children and grandchildren to hold and cherish in good health................what more can we ask for?

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 strength

11 - 1 Hour NIA

12 - Happy BD to me!

13 - 1 hour NIA/ 1/2 hour core/1 hour Group Power

14 - 1 hour walk to breakfast

15 - 1 hour NIA

16 - 1 hour walk to breakfast

17 - 1 hour NIA/ 1/2 hour core

18 - 3 hours back breaking (!!!!) leave clean-up in the back yard

19

20 - 1 hour NIA

then in the afternoon******off to the airport!!!!!

21 - 45 min walk on the glorious La Jolla, CA beach (at least 75 deg!!!!)

22 - 1 hour walk to breakfast (found a restaurant to walk to)

23 -

24

25 - 45 min walk

26

27

28

29

30 - 1 hour walk to breakfast!!!!!!!

Betty, I'm so proud of you for meeting the challenge! Way to go. I think at 180 and in a holiday month, a 2.5 pound loss is INCREDIBLE! Can you believe you lost this month and didn't gain? Over Thanksgiving, nonetheless? That's phenomenal!

On to December. I feel energized.