Although it's still a little early, I wanted to go ahead and get things set up for a new challenge...the

Christmas - New Year Challenge!



1. Be sure and log in here on Wednesday, November 27, post your start weight and your goal weight for the challenge.
2. When setting your goal, keep in mind that challenge is 5 weeks long.
3. Weigh in every Wednesday and post your updates here.
4. Watch the data at http://sdrv.ms/1cGHwsS to see our progress as individuals and as a team.

GOOD LUCK!

Old challenges - Halloween: http://sdrv.ms/19Qmc3j

Old challenges - Thanksgiving: http://sdrv.ms/1c1AT8J

I've gotten to "know" many of you just by reading your online interactions and have to say this is the greatest support group ever. As a group, people are informative, supportive, open, caring, and just plain fun to be around. It takes a bit of time to search through profiles and get a peek at who you are and what's going on with you. So, I was wondering if we might want to take a minute to introduce ourselves, post a photo, or do something a bit "more" here in this topic thread.

My name is Bea and I am a mother of 4, grandmother of 7, and great-grandmother of 1. At 53 that may sound a bit of a stretch, but a couple of those in the mix are steps. Anyway, I'm not a fast loser but have been consistent. Here I am at the halfway mark on my journey (68 down, 64 to go) and I find things slowing considerably. Still, I'm doing just fine in my journey I think. I have a high stress job (Marketing Manager at a $50 million company) and have an extra stressor in that I'm currently working on my PhD. I also keep an apartment in the city (Houston) while I go to my home in the country, where hubby is, on the weekends. I have to say I am LOVING my sleeve (and so is my sweetie!) and what it has done for me already. Thanks so much to all of you for being here for me since, even when I don't interact a lot, I READ READ READ postings here every single day and find them to be incredibly helpful!

Here's a recent picture of me so you'll have an idea about what I look like:

Hi Bea,

I am like you too, I read everyday but not always post. Its like my weightloss therapy. My WL story starts 15 years ago, where I met the man of my dreams, quit using drugs, and got pregnant all within 6 months. So I went from being 150ish (I remember lying about 150 thinking I was fat) to 185 when I delivered. To highest weight of 265. My poor husband lost his skinny hot wife quick. He never complained I dnt think he saw me as a 265 pound woman. When I had to have spine surgery and was looking at another my husband agreed to let me try WLS first. April 4th 2013 I met my surgeon who said I had to get healthy eating habits first at 253 pounds. On May 21, 2013 I went in at 237.7 today I am at 178.4. I want to hit my first goal of 150 (that weight I lied about being!! For my husband) and then 130 for myself. Im 5'6. And I excercise daily (although I did have a Thanksgiving falloff) I average 3miles 45minutes a day fast paced walking atleast 6 days a week. And I bicycle 3 times a week about 7 miles in addition. Im fortunate to not have to work right now, but I am nervous for when I do have to return. I eat really well, but I drink to much. And I have picked up a nasty coffee habit recently. Never starbucks though, I try to not EAT 300 calories at a time let alone DRINK that many!!. I cant even begin to imagine where ill be at my one year mark. Oh, I was on 3 antidepressants, 2 benzos, 3 opiates, and bp meds. Now I take vitamins only!!

I've gotten to "know" many of you just by reading your online interactions and have to say this is the greatest support group ever. As a group, people are informative, supportive, open, caring, and just plain fun to be around. It takes a bit of time to search through profiles and get a peek at who you are and what's going on with you. So, I was wondering if we might want to take a minute to introduce ourselves, post a photo, or do something a bit "more" here in this topic thread. My name is Bea and I am a mother of 4, grandmother of 7, and great-grandmother of 1. At 53 that may sound a bit of a stretch, but a couple of those in the mix are steps. Anyway, I'm not a fast loser but have been consistent. Here I am at the halfway mark on my journey (68 down, 64 to go) and I find things slowing considerably. Still, I'm doing just fine in my journey I think. I have a high stress job (Marketing Manager at a $50 million company) and have an extra stressor in that I'm currently working on my PhD. I also keep an apartment in the city (Houston) while I go to my home in the country, where hubby is, on the weekends. I have to say I am LOVING my sleeve (and so is my sweetie!) and what it has done for me already. Thanks so much to all of you for being here for me since, even when I don't interact a lot, I READ READ READ postings here every single day and find them to be incredibly helpful! Here's a recent picture of me so you'll have an idea about what I look like:

I am 42 single my step daughter and my grand son live with me. He is the light of my life. I am a precision mill-wright in the paper industry. I was sleeved on 8/20/13 down 83 pounds my weight loss has slowed mostly because I have not eaten as well as I should. Now that I have put it out there maybe I will clean my diet back up! I love my sleeve.

Hunter, Roll Tide!

Edited December 6, 201312 yr by Jen GA Peach

Hunter, Roll Tide!

Lady your name says it all!!!

197 this week

I'd like to join the fun if possible. My weight on 11-27 was 260.2. Today I am 254.2. My New Year's Day goal is 245. That might be a little crazy but I'm only 5 weeks out and eating an ultra low carb diet that I need to maintain through the holidays.

I'm a 30 year old SAHM/retired nurse to 2 kids (newly 3 and 20 months). I'm married to my best friend and a member of the United States Coast Guard. We are blessed to be living in Kodiak, AK right now but look forward to moving next summer.

I've battled my weight for most of my life but finally just let myself go when I was in college and the pressures of keeping up with academics and physical activity just caught up with me. 5 weeks ago, I got my life back and have lost about 32 pounds since. I couldn't be happier. I plan to go back to work after our move and I can't wait to get rid of all of my 2X scrubs for cute, tiny ones!

Hi Bea!! Great idea! Congrats on your kids/grand kids! And on school! Whatcha going for?

My PhD will be from Texas Tech University in Technical Communication and Rhetoric (English department). I am hoping to be finished with my dissertation by May, but it may take me a little longer. I have been invited to go to Doha, Qatar (next to Saudi Arabia) at the end of January to present on a panel at the Texas A&M University campus there. I will be on a panel with four others and am really looking forward to the adventure.

Up until a year and a half ago, I lived overseas (for 3 years) and did the travel thing A LOT. As an obese woman ("class III obesity"), that was something I did because I had to, but never, NEVER enjoyed. Although I'm only half way to my goal, and still technically obese, I am so looking forward to the TRIP as well as the adventure on the other end. That will be a real FIRST for me! There is also a slight chance that I can cross over from "obesity I" to merely being "overweight" by my travel date. That would be ABSOLUTE HEAVEN for me!

I'm LOVING reading about everyone just a bit here. Thanks to ALL for posting!!!

I'm a bit late :-( but yesterday I was 190. My goal fr Christmas is 182.

I'm a bit late :-( but yesterday I was 190. My goal fr Christmas is 182.

No worries!

Also, I set your goal at 180 since this challenge is going to run an extra week, all the way to New Year's Day. You don't have to stay in that long, of course, but the charts are set up for that period. Hope that's okay. Good luck!

Hi everyone!

My name is Ann, I am 67 yrs old. I have 2 children and 3 grandchildren, 15, 13, and11. I live in SE Michigan about 50 miles west of Detroit. I retired from Head Start, a federally funded Preschool program in July of 2012. At that time I was at my highest weight, 259 and had begun having pulmonary issues. I had to use oxygen at night and carry it with me whenever I had to walk more than 1000 feet, which was most of the time unless I was home. I have a history of AFib so I didn't think I was a candidate for bypass plus it scared me. However, the oxygen thing was the final straw so I asked my cardiologist if weight loss surgery was an option. He said yes, that my heart was fine and the AFib was not really an issue. So I began my adventure. I was 1 week from surgery and my first surgeon decided I was a risk because he was in a clinic rather than a hospital and didn't want to take the risk with my lung issues- I had a high level of carbon dioxide. In Dec of 2012 I went to Henry Ford in Detroit for a consult and I haven't looked back. I had my sleeve on March 11, 2013 and weighed 243. I am 4'11. I am now at 165, off oxygen, off insulin and doing great. I would love to go down to 130 but may not make it. When my body decides it's enough I will be happy to be anywhere under 160. I am in a size 14 pants and an XL top. The picture above is the most recent.

Hunter, Roll Tide!

Roll Tide

My PhD will be from Texas Tech University in Technical Communication and Rhetoric (English department). I am hoping to be finished with my dissertation by May, but it may take me a little longer. I have been invited to go to Doha, Qatar (next to Saudi Arabia) at the end of January to present on a panel at the Texas A&M University campus there. I will be on a panel with four others and am really looking forward to the adventure.

Up until a year and a half ago, I lived overseas (for 3 years) and did the travel thing A LOT. As an obese woman ("class III obesity"), that was something I did because I had to, but never, NEVER enjoyed. Although I'm only half way to my goal, and still technically obese, I am so looking forward to the TRIP as well as the adventure on the other end. That will be a real FIRST for me! There is also a slight chance that I can cross over from "obesity I" to merely being "overweight" by my travel date. That would be ABSOLUTE HEAVEN for me!

I'm LOVING reading about everyone just a bit here. Thanks to ALL for posting!!!

Awesome!!!!

Hunter, Roll Tide!

Roll Tide

Just 1 more second! Sorry, couldn't help myself ????

Just 1 more second! Sorry, couldn't help myself dde1d

oh you can bet in the same situation I would have used it on you lol! Heck of a game took 10 years off my life

180 it is!