Welcome to the monthly challenge. March is here and hopefully the start of some warmer weather...and NO MORE SNOW (where I'm at, please)! 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 March 1st then come back every Saturday on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th and the LAST DAY OF THE MONTH --Monday March 31st 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 March 31st~
Weight on March 1st~
Age~
City/State~
Dietary goal for March~
Exercise goal for March~
Personal goal for March~
Date banded~
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~
What are you lucky to have in your life?

Name, real or screen~healthyinNY

Goal weight for March 31st~240

Weight on March 1st~250

Age~44

City/State~upstate NY

Dietary goal for March~follow my plan

Exercise goal for March~exercise 5 times a week

Personal goal for March~get back on track

Date banded~June 12. 2013

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~40

What are you lucky to have in your life? A great supportive daughter and friends

Name, real or screen~ Msapp77
Goal weight for March 31st~ 175
Weight on March 1st~ 186

Age~36
City/State~ San Tan Valley, AZ
Dietary goal for March~ More Protein
Exercise goal for March~ 10,000 steps 5 days a week
Personal goal for March~Relax and stress less
Date banded~6/20/13
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 40 lbs
What are you lucky to have in your life? My husband and my children!

Edited March 3, 201412 yr by msapp77

Name, real or screen~ NancyintheNorth
Goal weight for March 31st~ 230
Weight on March 1st~ 253
Age~ 53
City/State~ Ontario Canada
Dietary goal for March~ finish pre-op, get banded, lose weight
Exercise goal for March~ 30 minutes every day
Personal goal for March~ figure out fit bit and use it and stay true to food plan
Date banded~ coming up on March 5th (in 2 that's TWO days)
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ don't know yet, won't weight myself again until Wednesday

Name, real or screen~sdimango
Goal weight for March 31st~178
Weight on March 1st~185
Age~45
City/State~Rio Rancho, NM
Dietary goal for March~Small bites and waiting at least 30 seconds between bites.
Exercise goal for March~ Exercise 6 days per week
Personal goal for March~ Get through State testing at school
Date banded~7-1-13
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 84 pounds
What are you lucky to have in your life? I am lucky to have my family and a job that I love.

Name, real or screen~ Tara
Goal weight for March 31st~ 226
Weight on March 1st~ 234
Age~ 33
City/State~ Elizabethtown, KY
Dietary goal for March~ Cut out more carbs and control between meal snacking better
Exercise goal for March~ NO EXCUSES! No skipping gym days because the weather is too cold, roads are too bad, tired, etc.
Personal goal for March~ Spend more time outside as it warms up and start working on building my raised garden beds.
Date banded~ July 24, 2013
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 84 lbs
What are you lucky to have in your life? My husband! <3

Name, real or screen~ Bandista

Goal weight for March 31st~ 209

Weight on March 1st~ 216

Age~ 52

City/State~ New Hampshire

Dietary goal for March~ Eat when I'm hungry. Don't eat when I'm not hungry.

Exercise goal for March~ Workout five days a week plus get back down to the basement for extra spurts on treadmill even when I've already worked out that day. Shoot for eight minutes for these extra little sessions. On any nice day, call a friend to walk at the lake. There will be more and more of these nice days as we move out of winter into spring. Do PT exercises with my husband; those are good for me, too.

Personal goal for March~ Recognize stress in my body and learn to let go of it without turning to food for help.

Date banded~ November 5th, 2013

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 33 pounds

What are you lucky to have in your life? My band! Having my appetite dimmed is allowing me to lose weight and recover my health. I'm very, very grateful for that.

This site has really been a blessing. I'm not banded yet but I have come to the conclusion than non WLS people just don't get it! 'm so excited that it's just hard to talk lap band with people that don't understand or people that would like the surgery but for one reason or the other can't get it. You want to share the good news but I don't want to make those that can't get it feel bad. This is a great place for support, learning and encouragement!

Name, real or screen~ Colorado_chick
Goal weight for March 31st~ 172
Weight on March 1st~ 177
Age~ 34
City/State~ Denver, Colorado
Dietary goal for March~ Small slow bites ...
Exercise goal for March~ Take a new class at the rec center
Personal goal for March~ Get organized
Date banded~ July 8th, 2013
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 37 pounds
What are you lucky to have in your life? This website - the only place where I can talk about my lap band!

Name, real or screen~ Candace
Goal weight for March 31st~ 317.00
Weight on March 1st~ 330.00
Age~ 30
City/State~ Blytheville, AR
Dietary goal for March~ Switch my foods up and pump up the Water to kick start my plateau and get this weight off!
Exercise goal for March~ up my exercise to 5 days a week
Personal goal for March~ Save Money! (Shopping has gotten out of hand LOL)
Date banded~ 2/14/2013
Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 75/87
What are you lucky to have in your life? Friends and family that support me, my band (Lucille) who helps control my hunger and who gave me a second chance at life!

Edited March 5, 201412 yr by BandedCandace

Welcome everyone!

We are trying to lose over 206lbs!! whoo hoo! We can do it!

Challenge March_Lucky to be Losing.xls

Name, real or screen~ Anume937

Goal weight for March 31st~ 248lbs

Weight on March 1st~ 255lbs

Age~ 31

City/State~ Dayton Ohio

Dietary goal for March~ More Protein

Exercise goal for March~ exercise 3-4/wk

Personal goal for March~ control anger

Date banded~ 4/25/12

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~70 lbs

What are you lucky to have in your life? Family

Name, real or screen~ Bandista

Goal weight for March 31st~ 209

Weight on March 1st~ 216

Age~ 52

City/State~ New Hampshire

Dietary goal for March~ Eat when I'm hungry. Don't eat when I'm not hungry.

Exercise goal for March~ Workout five days a week plus get back down to the basement for extra spurts on treadmill even when I've already worked out that day. Shoot for eight minutes for these extra little sessions. On any nice day, call a friend to walk at the lake. There will be more and more of these nice days as we move out of winter into spring. Do PT exercises with my husband; those are good for me, too.

Personal goal for March~ Recognize stress in my body and learn to let go of it without turning to food for help.

Date banded~ November 5th, 2013

Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 33 pounds

What are you lucky to have in your life? My band! Having my appetite dimmed is allowing me to lose weight and recover my health. I'm very, very grateful for that.

I'm going to readjust my goal for this month down to 202 - the weight seems to be finally letting go. That will be two pounds per week. I think my body finally has the message now that it's time to shed -- that famine isn't coming after all. Now to get down to the basement to work out harder than ever. That's what's working!

3/1: 193

3/8: checking in 192 (-1 pound)

March 8 weigh in

March 1st 250 (goal 240)

March 8. 247 ( down 3 )

Checking in @253 lbs (-2lbs)

Goal for March 31st - 202

Weight on March 1st - 216

Weight on March 8th - 212

I have seen 210 on the scale this week but today I'm at 212. Not worried. I seem to get to a new number then dance up and down it for a while before another new low finally appears. Ten pounds in the three weeks left of March is a little ambitious but I think I can do it if I exercise like crazy.