I dare ya! I double dare ya!

Is there anyone who's roughly at the same place I am (70-100 lbs. to go, 1-6 months after banding, 35-55 yrs. old) who'll take up a challenge from me? Oh, hell, I'll challenge anybody!

Weigh in on Nov. 22 (the 41st anniversary of the JFK assassination), check in again on Jan. 3 (first Monday of the new year). Only rule is: no fasting or other insane food deprivation. Or, if you want, we can have a straight exercise challenge on the honor system; you set the terms, whether it's miles, steps, minutes, etc. One-on-one, in the street, you vs. me. Come on, you competitive bandsters, just try to kick my ass! (Mind you, that's a big target.)

On your mark, get set, I'm in

I agree with Zoe -- we need a prize for this one. I will put together a basket of goodies for the winner. It will have things with which to pamper yourself -- lotions, lo carb/cal drinks and treats, etc. Will this work? I'll make a hat to go with it.

What a great suggestion, Becky! I can throw in some lotions, etc., too, making sure that we have some macho scents available in case Greg wins. Maybe I should add a couple of bottles of non-irritating pain relievers -- we might need it after all that exercise.

OK, there are three of us in the challenge so far, with room for more. Come take us on -- you've got bandsters from three different states ready to spur you into shape. What are you waiting for, maggot?!

Damn it. You know I can't turn down a challenge. But I just posted on the other thread that I'm suffering band-burn out. Let me sleep on it. I'm 42, 6 months banded, and have 90 pounds to lose. @#$%$@@%!$%^@@#%&**!!

OK, you can sleep on it, DeLarla, but I expect an answer tomorrow, and it better be yes! You're in my challenge cohort. Burnt out or not, you can do this and you know it!

Greg made an excellent point on the main exercise challenge thread: Anyone who loses a pound in this challenge will be a winner. It's a way to try to keep sane in the midst of pumpkin pie, sage dressing, Christmas Cookies, latkes, eggnog and general wretched excess. Remember, no starvation allowed.

Hey, Betty, you exercise fiend, are you in?

I'm 49, five and a half months banded, and have 32 pounds to lose. I also plan to eat some goodies through the holidays. So I really need some booty-kicking exercise to go with all that.

I'm so new, all I can do is walk! I won't have a chance against all you guys that can do crunches and all those dang fancy machines!

I'm so new, all I can do is walk! I won't have a chance against all you guys that can do crunches and all those dang fancy machines!

Betty, stop your whining! You've lost 41 pounds and you're a newbie!

What are the rules!

Oh, Betty, you have the secret weapon, though. You actually exercise every day! Now, that is what I'm trying to get the hang of.

AND...who's doing crunches?! Isn't that against the rules?! I don't do no stinkin' crunches. :rambo

Hey, I missed a few days!

I think the Texas overnighter is a good excuse to miss. And from the pics you posted, it looks like you kept pretty busy. You're back on it now, though, so keep us motivated, Fringe Girl!

Betty, all I do is walk, too. (Unless you count hanging on to the 80-lb. dog's leash while she's chasing after squirrels; thanks to the critter, my arms have more muscle tone than you'd expect from someone whose usual upper-body workout consists of pushing a computer mouse around.) This challenge is for anyone, anywhere, any kind of exercise. I'll match you mile for mile!

I want to play! Now if it'll just quit pouring rain here.

What are the rules? How often do we report in?

Not much for rules....just keep trying to lose weight. I think some of us are concentrating on exercising more to lose. Official start date is Monday the 22nd and we "race" until Jan. 3rd. I think Greg might make an email graph to chart our progress, not sure on that one.

We can report in any time we want, since this is meant to be encouraging and supportive through the holidays.

I think that's it -- and, of course, I aim to lose more than Greg when all is said and done.