12 Week Biggest Loser Challenge - Effective Planning and Goal Setting

On Sunday a few of my family and friends are starting a "12 Week Biggest Loser Challenge".  One thing I've learned is planning ahead works and that is what I've been doing the last few days. I started with Charles Platkin's "effective planning and goal setting" outline. 

1. Specific: Plan it out.

How - Calories intake: 1200 - 1550 a day. Eating clean. Plan my meals ahead of time. Keep fresh fruits and vegetables available at all times for snacking. 

Exercise: Walk 2 miles (+) every day. Every other day either go to the gym, or do the 30 Day Shred. 

I've got my Fitbit to help track my miles and I'll be using Sparkpeople.com and Sparkpeople app to track my calorie intake and exercise (calorie burn). My Fitbit is also linked to my Sparkpeople account. I need to burn at least 770 calories per week. Sparkpeople helped me figure that out.

When - Eat within an hour of waking and stop eating three hours before bed. I like to get my exercise out of the way (or I tend to not get around to it) so I'll be going to the gym or doing the 30 Day Shred in the morning. The walking I'll do either in the morning or in the afternoon or both. 

Where - Where ever I'm at. No Excuses. 

Why - I'm tired of carrying around the extra weight. I'm tired of not ever having anything (cute) to wear. Most important, I'd like to get healthy and be around for my family. 

2. Motivating: My why for sure and the 12 week BL challenge. We will keep each other motivated.

3. Achievable: Very achievable. 

4. Rewarding: See my why above. The 12 week BL challenge does have a cash reward but losing the weight is reward enough for me.

5. Tactical: See my how above.

6. Evaluated: With my Sparkpeople account I'll be able to evaluate if it's working or not.

7. Revisable: Yes and if needed I will revise and not give up.

Tools to Lose

My favorite online tools that are helping me with my weight loss and healthy living.

SparkPeople - Check out my post to see why this is one of my favorite tools.

Healthy Body Calculator - Ever wonder how many calories or grams of fat you should be eating to lose weight? This calculator figures it all out for you.

Ask the Dietitian - Lots of wonderful information. As well as the Healthy Body Calculator.

Live Strong - More knowledge and knowledge is power.

Skinny Stove - Delicious recipes. 

What are some of your favorite healthy living sites?

Recommend It

SparkPeople.com - Why I love it.

I just got the "Spark" book and the introduction has the explanation of why I love it. I really could not have said it better.

The Sparkpeople Magic Formula

• Goal-setting: A system of visualizing your larger goals that gives more meaning to your daily actions, and a way to create and build confidence and momentum that fuels results.   

Goal setting is a proven method. It works if you work it.

• Behavior change: Using wisdom from the science of behavior change to help you turn  the tide on negative behaviors and effectively replace those unhealthy habits with healthy ones that then become a natural, even enjoyable, part of your life.

Yes, yes it does.

• Community support: Inspiring real-life stories of ordinary people who’ve transformed their lives, and a 24/7 source of help and encouragement.

There is an abundance of support. From the message boards to the individual spark pages. When I first found Sparkpeople I was looking for someone in my neck of the woods to walk with. I found a group of ladies that walked twice a week at the park right down the street from my house. It was perfect. Side note: Just be careful when meeting people over the Internet. Safety first.

• Positive motivation: Points, trophies, and awards that transform dieting into a fun and exciting adventure.

Points, and trophies, and awards... oh my.

• Team-building: Affiliations with other members based on geography, hobbies, interests, and amount of weight to lose. 

See community support above.

• Accessibility: A program that easily fits into the most hectic life, building momentum while remaining entertaining and fun.

Sparkpeople.com is open 24/7.

• World-class technology: Tools, content, and community, continuously updated, often from suggestions by SparkPeople.com members.

The tools alone are priceless.

I just started reading the book so I can't comment on it. If it's anything like the website then I love it.

Thanks to the support at Sparkpeople.com, eating healthy and Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred I lost 50 pounds in less than four months.