Hi! My name is Stephanie and I'm an...

You can fill in the blank.

I am really excited to start this challenge!  I think the hardest part was sending my weight to someone I don't even know!  Why is that so hard?  It is just a number, it shouldn't define me.  But man, I hate that number!

I recently had a baby, just over 2 months ago.
This is little Quinn, isn't he a cutie?

Now along with this cute little baby I have 40 pounds to lose to be back to my pre-pregnancy weight.  (Then I have another 40 to tackle...but we'll cross that bridge when we get there)!  I was able to lose the weight from my previous 2 pregnancies, but I never started really trying this early, so I'm a little nervous that with breastfeeding, crazy hormones and everything else I'm not going to be able to lose anything...but I'm so ready to try!  I'm ready to feel good again, to feel like me!

I'm really excited to get back into exercising.  I pretty much stopped as soon as the first wave of morning sickness hit, so its been awhile...this will be great motivation to get back into the habit.  I recently signed up for a Zumba gym by my house with a friend, I love to shake my groove thing!

So here's to no more maternity pants at the end of this challenge!!!

And here's to this little guy growing and me shrinking in the next 10 weeks!!!

Good luck to everyone!

Hello! I'm your moderator!

I figured I should be a good example and get the ball rolling!

My name is Sariah Sunvison - you may know me through my many e-mails as your moderator!  I am very apprehensive about "running the show" this round, but I promise to do my very best.


I participated in the original "Hot for the Holidays" that ended about two weeks ago and was able to lose 12.6 lbs.  Man, did I have to work and fight for every ounce I lost.  But I didn't quit and it paid off!  (Not to say I didn't have days that were better than others)  And that's the promise I can make to you.  Just don't give up.  Even if you fall off the wagon and eat and entire pint of ice cream and wash it down with a liter of soda.  Get up the next morning and try again, and by the time the 10 weeks are up you will be so glad you didn't stop!

Here is a picture I had my 7 year old take of me in a super-discounted non-returnable modcloth dress that JUST arrived yesterday (hence why it's still crazy wrinkled) -

 The problem with shopping at modcloth is that they sell their dresses by small, medium, large, and etc., but they aren't more specific than that.  They give you NO measurments.  Well, I took a gamble and figured that since I wear a medium in general, a medium dress would be about right.  As you can see, the dress is TIGHT across my belly.  I am hoping that by the end of this 10 weeks I can post another picture of myself in this dress (freshly pressed and maybe with heels and hair done!) and that it will be fitting comfortably across my mid-section.

Well ladies, I'm nervous and excited for the next 10 weeks.  Lets give it all we've got!

Sariah

Cindy's Before/After shots

I've been wanting to post some before/after photos since I always love seeing everyone else's, I just haven't been able to get on the computer that has all the pictures on it. But here I am! I've been working on losing weight since shortly after the birth of my daughter in the Fall of 2011, so these pictures reflect my long term journey, not just the 11 weeks we've spent together.

Before:

A couple weeks after having Sadie with my sister who had a baby 5 days after me. (I'm on the left)

After Sadie's baby blessing, about 6 weeks old.

Our first outing after moving to Colorado, approximately 2 months post-birth. 

After: (Rather, I should probably say "current" since I'm not done with my weight loss yet)

This was taken at Christmas (obviously... ;)

This was taken this weekend. Hard to see any differences between this and the Christmas one, except in the pants. The jeans are the same but I've noticed them feeling pretty baggy lately.

I've lost 38 pounds since those first pictures were taken and I'm working on another 15-20 by springtime! Thanks for a wonderful and motivating challenge everyone!!

Slim Down for Spring

 Ok, so a lot will stay the same but with a few major differences.

1.  Points for logging food, water intake, sleep, daily exercise, and weekly and personal goals will remain the same.

2.  You will still send your reports to me before every Saturday by noon and will still have to publish a weekly post on this blog to remain eligible.  If you don't you will be disqualified for any cash prizes, and your money will not be refunded!  The address for our upcoming competition will remain the same (http://hot4theholidays.blogspot.com) but the title will change - Slim Down for Spring.

3.  You will send me your starting weight and starting inches only on the first day and then on the very last day of the competition.

4. You will receive 5 pts. for weighing and measuring yourself every Friday and logging it somewhere, even though you are not reporting to me how much you lost/gained/ every week. 

5.  After I receive everyone's final weight and inches, I will calculate the percentage of weight and inches you have lost.  Points will be rewarded according to percentage.  Every percentage lost both in weight and inches equals 10 pts.

6.  Everyone needs to pick a goal weight and send it to me with your initial report.  If you reach your weight goal at anytime during this competition, you will be rewarded 10 pts a week for maintaining your weight within 3lbs. (i.e. if your goal weight is 140 you can still weigh in at 143 and still get your points.  This is applicable only AFTER you hit the goal weight).  Those that reach their goal weight will need to report their weight every week.  No need to worry about inches.  Your points will be rewarded at the end of the competition.  If you exceed your "grace pounds" you will not receive any points that week and will only start getting your 10 pts a week once you hit your goal weight again.  You will not need to report your weight to me again until you are in maintenance again.


  

If you decide to participate e-mail me by January 30th.  All money sent to me will need to be postmarked by Feb. 1st.  (I will send you my mailing address after I get your commitment e-mail)  If you have any friends who think they want to participate and need a more expansive explanation, have them e-mail me, the sooner the better, so we can get this show on the road!  (sunvison@netzero.com)

Feel free to ask any questions if something wasn't clear or addressed.  I am also going to put out a question for everyone's opinion.  Many of you do NOT know me personally and if you feel it is a conflict of interest for me to be in the running for a cash prize, I will not participate - I will still do everything along side you, I just will not be paying the $25 and will not be eligible for any prizes.  Let me know your feelings and I will decided accordingly!

I'm very excited to be a part of this and hope to slim down just in time for that warm spring weather!

Final Standings!

Amanda's Before (on Halloween)

Amanda After

And the winner is . . .
1. Amanda 1295.5
2. Mandy 1264.5 (A very close race!)

3. Cindy     1,131.5
4. Sariah     1,082.5
5. Heather  1,053.5
6. Elise       1,010




Here's the final weight and inches lost along with percentages of the top 10. For those who didn't report the last couple weeks I am just putting up numbers based on their most recent reporting. Everybody did awesome and made progress and changes! I am so proud of everybody for their efforts and grateful that this group made a difference!

	Pounds Lost	% of weight lost	Inches lost	% of inches lost
Amanda	11.5	4.5%	32.5	11.5%
Mandy	27	13.2%	26.25	10.6%
Cindy	7	3.7%	12.5	5.7%
Sariah	12.6	7.5%	14.5	6.6%
Heather	6.1	3.7%	12.25	5.7%
Elise	10.8	6.4%	18.25	8.3%
Leisel	6	3.24%	13.7	6%
Tamara	10	6%	14	6.2%
Melanie	---	---	3	1.4%
Sarah	7.4	4.23%	8	3.46%

You can tell that we ladies have been working to lose this weight through exercise as well as diet, because look at all those inches lost! Even Melanie, who's pregnant belly has been expanding, lost inches because of her efforts to make healthy choices. It's also interesting to me to see the variables in how people lose weight and inches. Everyone's bodies respond differently, so although we've been in  a competition, I hope it can also serve as a reminder that we can't compare ourselves to each other. We just all put in our own best efforts and do what we can. I hope you are all patting yourself on the back, and feeling proud that you did something good for yourselves over the last 11 weeks. I will be in touch with the top 3 regarding your prize $.

If you want to be involved in another round, Sariah will be moderating a similar competition from February 1st-March 29th, 10 more weeks, SLIM DOWN FOR SPRING! If you would like to be involved send an email to Sariah letting her know that you're in. Her email is sunvison@netzero.net. If you have friends who would like to be involved send Sariah their email and she can add them to her mailing list or give her email to them. It's open enrollment! Same idea, $25 to participate. There will be some changes in reporting and weekly points. I'll leave it to Sariah to outline those changes when she sends out an informative email before the start of the next round.

Keep it up Hotties!

Heather's Week 11 Report

3  months after Judson was born, August 2011.

Running the NYC marathon, November 2011. I trained and worked my butt off to get ready for this race while nursing my baby, etc. I was only 7 lbs. down from my delivery weight when I did this race. I told myself I'd start food journaling and really trying to lose weight after this race was over. That's what I did.

Last May at the beginning of my 3 month plateau. This is where I thought I may have to stay forever  more, because I just wasn't losing. It wouldn't have been the end of the world. I was feeling pretty darn good, except for the frustration! Anyhoo, I was down 25 pounds at this point.

October 2012. Almost a year from when I started working toward losing the rest of the baby weight. Down 32 lbs. Sarah and I went to Park City to run the Pink Half and had a great race and awesome weekend! We started this competition a couple weeks later. My goal was to lose AT LEAST 5 more pounds.

Just before Christmas, in the midst of Hot for the Hoidays. Reached my goal weight of losing 37 lbs!

Cole took this one of me this week. It's not showing much, but it's current. Not much changed between Christmas and now. I've gone up and down again. I'd still like to lose 5 more pounds. But I'm happy with the work I've done and how far I've come!

On with my report and some important information!

Wow!

I just gotta say how excited and impressed I am with how awesome this competition has been! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to Heather for her time and efforts to help all of us get on a road (and STAY on that road) to health and fitness!!!

My journey has been much longer than the 10 weeks we have spent together - and will continue for the rest of my life. I imagine I will work at this health and fitness lifestyle I have created for a very very long time! I am excited at the prospect of continually learning and growing as a healthy eater and athlete. I didn't start thinking about my health OR fitness until I was 25 and after I'd had my first baby - so I had somewhat of a late start - but I am very excited to have lost weight between all my babies and kept it all off (except while pregnant of course!). I love thinking about all the adventures I will take with my fitness level and healthy life!!!

I have been thinking over the last several days about what it takes for me to lose weight and stay healthy. I'm positive I don't have all the answers, but I did decide on a few key factors...at least for me. Of course ALL the things Heather had us do during the competition are vital!!!

1) Journaling food. 2) PLAN ahead! 3) Water intake. 4) Work out to feel good about yourself, not to get down on yourself. 5) Positive thoughts. 6) Moderation in all things.

Those are some of the things I decided are key for me. I need to remember them and incorporate them into my life for many many years to come!!!

Good luck to all of you! It has been a pleasure!!