Welcome to December, April Bandits! We've made it through the November holidays and managed to keep up our exercise, now here's to December. We can do it!

We're holding steady with our challenge for the month and looking forward to stepping up the challenge in January. The December goals 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! December is such a challenge in itself, but let's stay focused to meet our weight loss goals despite the extra temptations. Exercise will help us with that.

And we're off!

I got up this morning and hit the gym for an easy workout. I ran last night and went up a level on my "couch to runner" program, so I didn't want to overdo it this morning. I've got dinner plans tonight and I knew I couldn't workout then, so off to the gym I went at 7 a.m. I want to meet the challenge before I leave for home next Friday morning, which is why I'm pushing through the sessions rapid fire this month.

I've got to say, I'm looking forward to January. I have holiday fatigue. I also need a break from my job, but that's a whole other story. I'm taking 10 days off over the holidays, so I'm sure that'll get me the break I need.

I guess what I'm really annoyed about is that I want to lose weight FASTER. I know everyone goes through that, but I'm really in the middle of that emotion right now. I feel like I make such an effort at this -- eating just the right things and working out with all of your support. When I go 7 or 10 days without losing anything, I just get ANGRY and feel like I DESERVE to lose. This morning, I really thought it was my morning. I thought the stars had aligned because it's a good point in my cycle for weight loss, I ate very well, I worked out, I drank a ton of Water. But no.

Now, I know, that it's not fair in the other direction when, sometimes, I lose 3 or 4 lbs over night. I'm really just venting. I know it'll come off when it comes off. I also know this isn't a quick fix and that I've been fortunate in my relatively easy losses to date. I'm just of foul temperment today. Grrr.

Boo - what a great idea...........we'll jet set between Portland and Seattle this summer..........don't know about the water skiing, but sitting in the boat watching would be fun! What month will you be in Seattle? This is serious business - I'm already in the planning stage - and when I get in the planning stage - watch out!

Julie we all know how you feel...it's good to let it out! Your dedication to your goal is inspirational as well as your current weight loss. I need to be where you are...maybe one day. I am trying to get there.

Amourette you definitely have the lingo for the states. LOL

Went to Curves this morning, 35 min. workout.

Roberta

I reached the 230s today, and I've been walking a few inches off the ground ever since I stepped off the scale. In fact it's a milestone weight for me: 239 marks the exact half-way point, if I get to goal, that is.

And 239 also marks a huge milestone, for which, see my signature!

April Bandits December Challenge: SEVEN days of exercise completed

Bluehill....can you hear the trumpets playing in your honor?:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MILESTONE!!!

WE'VE ALL COME A LONG WAY.

ROBERTA

I AM BACK!!!!!! Today, I did Curves!!! Plus when I got out of Curves, I picked up my DGD, and my Dad had aired up my exercise ball for me, and so we come home and did a new Baby and Me Ball Video. Ok, she is not MY baby, and the baby in the video, is about half her size....but we had lots of fun!!! She thinks me picking her up and us bouncing together is bigtime fun!!! So I ask my Mom if she remembered if there was a weight limit on the ball when we bought them....because I was going to do this video...and explained to her I would be adding the weight of my DGD. She just kinda raised an eyebrow and told me that "Kinsey only weighs 20 pounds....and you have lost considerably more than 20 pounds from when you first got this ball and used it". Oh Heck Yeah!!! She is so right!!! So we come home and played exercise!

Betty---I LOVE the idea of a summer get together!!! I would like to make it in Feb. but it would be very iffy. My DH was out of work for several months with all of his health issues this last summer/fall. We have tried our best to survive it without dipping into our retirement, but it has made for tight budget times. By this summer, we will be back on track, and back to normal---and it would be so much easier!!! Like you---the thought it there, and now I am psyched!!!! Now, now, now everyone I said Psyched, not PsychO!!!

Will be back to read up on everything else soon. And will adjust my signature to show I am working out again!!!!

Kat

Yipee for you Bluehill..................so proud of you!

Kat...............so excited you're excited about the summer get together! Ok all the rest of you gang...............start thinking about it!

Julie, hope you had a good day and those pounds start dropping fast(er) - guess I wish that for me (the scale dropped a 1/2 lb today - like pulling teeth for me lately) and all the rest of you also!!!!......................my daughter is walking the streets of NYC today..............just talked to her and she said she's having a great time.......going to a couple of shows, eating great food.......it's a quick trip for her - she's with a friend there on business for a few days (sharing her room, eating on her expensive account!!!!nice).

Didn't get to walk today.....oh, oh, might not make the 6 days this week, but had to wait around the house for a repair man for my wash machine......and then it was pouring rain.......excuses, excuses.....but tomorrow bright and early off to NIA.

December

1 - 1 hour NIA

2- 1 hour NIA

3 - Day off!

4 - 1 hour NIA/1 hour strength training

5 - walk back and forth to Breakfast approx 1 hour

6 - off to my 1 hour NIA class - talked 2 friends into joining my gym and so have partners in my NIA class

7 - 1 hour walk to breakfast (approx)

8 - 1 hour NIA (posted in advance - meeting friends so no excuses!)

9 - 1 hour NIA (on my way over to the gym!!!)

10 - Day off!

11 - 1 hour NIA

12 -

13 - 1 hour NIA (planned)

Amourette: I don't think I have a profile...I am a closet bandster. So you have my complete respect posting pics! The only pics I will show will be attached to a private e-mail. Which I will figure out how to do pretty soon. My location is Los Angeles, but I was raised in Seattle. Thanks for asking!

Julie: You have my complete empathy! Euphoria at each loss is followed by impatience and self-contempt for every stall or plateau. As you get thinner, the scale might move slower. Exercise has been essential for me to have any weight-loss!

I'm glad everyone is feeling better! I am OFFICIALLY back "on-track." PLEASE, no more bronchitis!

Ran 4 miles tonight...yipee!

I am working really hard to get to my own personal goal by Christmas.I want to be 215 by then. Yeseterday I worked out in the morning and weight trained in the evening.

I just keep thinking... with this type of support how can I not do it??

Dawn

Banded April 4, 2006

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Bluehill! Congratulations!! WOW no longer morbidly obese, can you believe it! I'm jumping for joy for you! Dancing bananas are called for! They're so excited they turned purple!

:) :D

Bluehill, we weigh the same thing now. We have to work to keep each other focused as we continue the journey to Onederland. Maybe Kat and Roberta will pull us there since they're so close....

DeltaDawn, I know you're going to make your goal of 215 by Christmas. I bet you can make 212. You're a superstar!

It's rainy here on Long Island, but off to Curves I went. I try not to go out when it's rainy because it causes my asthma to act up. I felt I needed the weight training at this point more than using the treadmill. So...35 min. workout completed this morning.

Roberta

Roberta and I must have been sweating away at Curves at the same time........thousands of miles apart!! I too got my work out in this morning. Was not sure whether to do it or not, my cough is intensifying today again...I think it just has to get cleared out. I don't feel any worse for having done it anyway!!

We have company in....so my eating is bad. Will have to get back on track over the weekend,whenit is just me here at home! Or I won't be hauling my own butt into Onederland let alone helping anyone else!! I hear these last 10 pounds are the hardest. I have sat at 208.5 exact for 3 days now.

I said I would take pics at 75 pounds off, well I didn't get around to it, then got sick, so put it off some more! Now...I don't know whether to take them...or wait like 3 more pounds and take them when I am no longer OBESE...simply overweight, or whether to wait for the 9 pounds and take them as I enter Onederland. Any opinions?

DH said I could go buy me a trampolene---so thinking I just might! We were talking about an exercise workout they were showing on one of the morning talk shows involving one. I had never really thought of buying my own! I jump on our DD's on occasion, and I have lots of fun, and it is a change of exercise. I don't have any kids around of the dare devil age...so that is not an issue.

Well I have some sewing to get done....last minute fun! Will check in later!!!

Kat

Hey Kat, I think that if you have any pre-Band pictures, you should wait to post until you enter onederland.

I'm slowly getting back on track with my eating. The fill I'm getting tomorrow should slap me back to reality! So we were "sweating" together; even though we were miles apart.....something to think about :-) Make sure your buttoning up well when you leave there, don't want you to get worse. I've seen some infomercials on those trampolines, they look like fun. Let us know how that works for you.

Roberta

Kat, I vote that you post pics at every milestone! Be proud (from the closet bandster)!

I have a trampoline in my yard. It is fun to jump around and look at the neighbor's yards. Whenever kids come over to play they love it. It does take space, though. And I bought a big net enclosure so no one will fall off.

Well I did my workout today, arm weights and 1 hour cardio, I ran a bit more than I usually do so I am definitely improving. Then I went out and bought a new pair of winter boots (it is summer here hahaha), but I need them for Atlanta.......and it was the first time ever I could do a pair of long boots up, hooray for me!

THEN.........I had to pay a small bill at surgery and asked if I could jump on the scales and thought I could do it privately but no, the receptionist came also with the charts etc, hehehe and I thought oopps, but yippee I have lost 6 kgs since 20 October, at 1 kg a week that is really good I think, I didn't think I had lost except maybe 1 kg.............so that has made my day, I am 172 cms, 5 ft 7 inches and now 86 kg, 190, down from 92kg! Wow, I am really in onederland now!

It makes me so proud to have achieved something 'cos I knew I had been working out hard.

Congrats also Bluehill on your achievement!!!! Yipeee!!!!

Love to you all from Amourette!

OOOHHH did I tell you all I have started dating again...........now that is definitely taking a lot of guts, hahahaha!!!!:omg: