Welcome to the monthly challenge. February is here and I hope Love (and weight loss) are in the air. This challenge is a fun way to keep track of your monthly weight loss while gaining and giving support to other bandsters.

Copy and post the template below and fill in the information that you are comfortable sharing on February 1st then come back every Saturday on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and the LAST DAY OF THE MONTH --Friday Feb 28th and post your updated weight. I will keep track of the weights to get a table listing everyone's results on the following weekend.

Good luck to everyone and remember this isn't a contest it's a challenge and you are a winner no matter how much you lose. The first three items are required all others are recommended, but the last one is the most fun. If you are new to our monthly challenge please leave a short introduction.

Name, real or screen~
Goal weight for February 28th~
Weight on February 1st~
Age~
City/State~
Dietary goal for February~
Exercise goal for February~
Personal goal for February~
Date banded~
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~
Do anything special for Valentine's day?~

Name, real or screen~TERRY
Goal weight for February 28th~235
Weight on February 1st~240
Age~57
City/State~CAMANO ISLAND, WA
Dietary goal for February~TO EAT AS I SHOULD EAT
Exercise goal for February~JUST WALK
Personal goal for February~TO RECOVER FROM GALLBLADDER SURGERY
Date banded~MAY,29,2013
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~56
Do anything special for Valentine's day?~NOPE HUBBY WORKS. PERHAPS GAME NIGHT WITH GRANDCHILDREN

Name, real or screen~ LisaHolland73
Goal weight for February 28th~176.5
Weight on February 1st~182.6
Age~40
City/State~Romeoville, IL
Dietary goal for February~stay at or under my calorie goal
Exercise goal for February~Get back in training for 5K (come on nice weather!)
Personal goal for February~Book a trip for a vacation
Date banded~4/17/12
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~56lbs
Do anything special for Valentine's day?~Maybe out to dinner and/or make a crafty with the kids.

Name, real or screen~readysetgo612

Goal weight for February 28th~ 204

Weight on February 1st~212

Age~38

City/State~Brooklyn my

Dietary goal for February~more veggies

Exercise goal for February~more toning/weightlifting in the gym

Personal goal for February~continue on my positive journey in life

Date banded~7/1/13

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~80 lbs

Do anything special for Valentine's day?~ unfortunately my initial plans are canceled and back to being single so I plan on cooking a great healthy dinner and having my single friends over refuse to be sad that who I thought was me wonderful was just the opposite .. Picking myself n moving forward ...

Name, real or screen~ Colorado_chick
Goal weight for February 28th~ 175
Weight on February 1st~ 181
Age~ 34
City/State~ Denver, Colorado
Dietary goal for February~ Eat SLOWLY!!!
Exercise goal for February~ hit the gym at least twice a week
Personal goal for February~ stay on track, even when those around me aren't.
Date banded~ July 8th, 2013
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 34 pounds
Do anything special for Valentine's day?~ eating chocolate and watching tv

Name, real or screen~ Juliet

Goal weight for February 28th~ 240lbs

Weight on February 1st~ 254lbs

Age~32

City/State~London (UK)

Dietary goal for February~ Atkins

Exercise goal for February~ Increase my exercise and include Zumba

Personal goal for February~

Date banded~ January 11th

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 34lbs

Do anything special for Valentine's day?~ Dinner with hubby at a special restaurant

Name, Real or Screen: HealthyNewMe

Goal Weight for February 28: 219

Weight on February 1: Last time I weighed (1/13)

I weighed 229. I'm guessing I weigh about

225 now. I won't weigh again until 2/10.

Age: 53

City/State: New Orleans, Louisiana

Dietary Goal for February: Two to three

meals/day.... No snacks in between..... One

of those meals, a protein shake.

Exercise Goal for February: Gym 6 days/week

One hour of cardio, consistently doing HIIT.

Weight Circuit two to three times a week.

Personal Goal for February: Finish the

PAPERWORK I started in January..... I'm

TIRED of it hanging over my head. Book all

of my NYC itinerary.

Date Banded: August 22, 2013. Feb 22 will be

my 6 month anniversary. I'm going back to

the biomedical research facility on 2/12 as

required by my participation in the weight

loss study I'm participating in.

Total weight lost:

Since PreOp: 98+ pounds

Since Surgery: 42+ pounds

Doing Anything Special for Valentine's Day?

Pretty sure I will be dining out with my

husband and I want to see the movie,

Labor Day.

Name, real or screen~ Theresa

Goal weight for February 28th~ 189

Weight on February 1st~ 194

Age~ 49

City/State~ Pembroke, Ma

Dietary goal for February~ To eat under current calorie count

Exercise goal for February~ Training for first 5K for March

Personal goal for February~ To succeed at my new job

Date banded~ September 17, 2013

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 65 pounds

Do anything special for Valentine's day?~ evening out with my sweetheart!!

Name, real or screen~ SillyAuntDi (Diane)
Goal weight for February 28th~ 254 (this will be 100lbs gone)
Weight on February 1st~ 262
Age~ 45
City/State~ Raleigh, NC
Dietary goal for February~ explore veggies more
Exercise goal for February~ boxing and bicycle
Personal goal for February~ don't fall off the bicycle again

Name, real or screen~ Rachelle aka Goalseeker

Been away for several months and miss the accountability. I'm a mother of 2 girls, 3 and 5, high school math teacher. Love my band so much. It has changed my life. Anybody that asks how I did it I tell them how I eat right exercise 6 days a week and I had surgery. Sometimes their faces change a little but most people are happy to hear of success stories.

Goal weight for February 28th~160.0

Weight on February 1st~167.4

Age~34

City/State~Menifee, Ca

Dietary goal for February~log ALL food, stay within my calories at least 5 days a week

Exercise goal for February~ p90x3 6 days a week. Sticking to the program.

Personal goal for February~be more active with the kids

Date banded~9/4/13

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~87.6

Do anything special for Valentine's day?~shopping and dinner with hubby,

Name, real or screen~ Yadira

Goal weight for February 28th~ 214

Weight on February 1st~ 220

Age 49

~ City/State~ brooklyn NY

Dietary goal for February~drink more water

Exercise goal for February~ go back to gym at leat twice at week

Personal goal for February~ it is my birthday month so buy a nice size 16 dress!!

Date banded~nov 6 2013

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 43 pounds

Do anything special for Valentine's day?~i will celebrate the day after is my birthday going out with my husband and enjoy for both days!!!

HAPPY VALENTINE DAY everyone!!!!!!!

Name, real or screen~ Nicole

Goal weight for February 28th~ 315

Weight on February 1st~ 325

Age~ 27

City/State~ CT

Dietary goal for February~ eat cheese once a week or less

Exercise goal for February~ alternate walking my dog and using my elliptical so I don't get bored

Personal goal for February~ weigh myself once a week instead of once a day

Date banded~ 10/2/14

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 45 pounds

Do anything special for Valentine's day?~ dinner and a movie with my boyfriend of almost 2 years. Hoping for a ring!

Name, real or screen~ Sarah

Goal weight for February 28th~ 325 lbs

Weight on February 1st~ 336 lbs

Age~ 31

City/State~ central Illinois

Dietary goal for February~ Try to get my Protein requirements

Exercise goal for February~ Get to the gym at least 3 times per week

Personal goal for February~ Try to reconnect with my husband and step up our intimacy

Date banded~ 9/24/13

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 69 lbs

Do anything special for Valentine's day?~ It's my husband's birthday so I'm sure we'll do something!

Name, Real or Screen: HealthyNewMe

Goal Weight for February 28: 219

Weight on February 1: Last time I weighed (1/13)

I weighed 229. I'm guessing I weigh about

225 now. I won't weigh again until 2/10.

Age: 53

City/State: New Orleans, Louisiana

Dietary Goal for February: Two to three

meals/day.... No Snacks in between..... One

of those meals, a Protein shake.

Exercise Goal for February: Gym 6 days/week

One hour of cardio, consistently doing HIIT.

Weight Circuit two to three times a week.

Personal Goal for February: Finish the

PAPERWORK I started in January..... I'm

TIRED of it hanging over my head. Book all

of my NYC itinerary.

Date Banded: August 22, 2013. Feb 22 will be

my 6 month anniversary. I'm going back to

the biomedical research facility on 2/12 as

required by my participation in the weight

loss study I'm participating in.

Total weight lost:

Since PreOp: 98+ pounds

Since Surgery: 42+ pounds

Doing Anything Special for Valentine's Day?

Pretty sure I will be dining out with my

husband and I want to see the movie,

Labor Day.

Just saw the movie...... SO NOT WORTH IT (my opinion)!

Name, real or screen~ Jami

Goal weight for February 28th~ 190

Weight on February 1st~ 196

Age~ 45

City/State~ Miami, Florida

Dietary goal for February~more protein little carbs

Exercise goal for February~ exercise every single day (something)

Personal goal for February~ get organized at home & work

Date banded - 9/13/12

Total weight loss banding/preop diet~54 pds

Do anything special for Valentine's day?~ spend time with my husband and kids

Name, real or screen~ yaya1397

Goal weight for February 28th~ 210

Weight on February 1st~ 215.2
Age~37
City/State~ Long Island, NY
Date banded~ 11/18/2013