Jilly's Losers Season 15 starting soon!

I can't believe we're already on Season 15 of my little weight loss group on Facebook.  I've seen some amazing people make incredible changes as well as watched my own life ride quite the wild roller coaster of both weight loss, weight gain and health/lifestyle changes.  It's been a truly wonderful experience and I'm excited to get in one more season before this baby comes in December!  If you've ever wanted to give Jilly's Losers a try, but were too shy, this is a great season to start with.  We'll be split into teams and will even have our own version of "comeback canyon" just like on the Biggest Loser tv show!  It should be really fun.  All the rules are below and anyone is welcome to join.  Just let me know!

1. Season 15 will begin on Tuesday, October 14. It will last 8 weeks and our final weigh in will be on Tuesday, December 9. Please know that this will be the last official season for 2014 as I am due to have a baby around Christmas. I will most likely be starting season 16 in mid-January (so that I can actively participate!) but during the hiatus, everyone is still welcome and encouraged to weigh in weekly and post challenges in order to keep us all accountable. There will just be no prize pot or rules.
2. The buy-in fee this season will be $25. Fees should be sent via Paypal to Jillyslosers@gmail.com with the note “buyin fee”. All fees must be paid by October 21st.
   3. This season will be a teams season! We've done this once before and it was (in my opinion) the most fun season we've ever done! Here's how it will work.
   
   All those participating will be divided into two teams. They will be divided fairly so that each team will have about the same total weight (Or as close as I can get it anyway!) This basically consists of listing out invididuals by weight and then sorting: 1 person here, 1 person there...all the way to the bottom of the list. Got it? Teams will be created after everyone has weighed in on our starting day. As the season progresses, there will start to grow a third team via weekly eliminations. Being eliminated in Jilly's Losers does not mean you're removed or that you can no longer compete. I think it's silly to do that in a group where you are paying to join and the objective is to get healthier. So here's how eliminations will work (with a twist this time!)
   ELIMINATIONS: Depending on how many people we have joining us this season (The objective is to end up with no more than 2-4 people on teams 1 and 2 by the final weigh in. They will be competing for the top prizes)...every week the 2/3/etc people with the lowest % of weight loss will be “eliminated” from their original team and moved to team #3. However, if you've been watching the new season of Biggest Loser, you know that there is something called “Comeback Canyon”!! And this season, we'll have our own version of that! Second Chance Sanctuary! Between the two original teams and dropping down into team 3...is Second Chance Sanctuary. Let's say after week one, two people from each original team are “eliminated”. They will drop into “second chance sanctuary” for that following week. At the next week's weigh-in, the person who loses the highest % of those 4 eliminated people...will remain in second chance sanctuary. The rest will drop down to team 3 for the remainder of the 8 week season. This will happen each week. Those who are in second chance sanctuary will compete head to head with one another. For what, you ask? When we reach our second to last weigh-in...the last man/woman standing in second chance sanctuary will get to return to their original team to compete for their teams % of the prize pot!! Hopefully this will make a bit more sense as we go along, but I'm hoping it will provide some friendly competition and a lot more fun!
   4. Prizes: 45% of the prize pot will go to the person from team 1 with the highest % of weight loss at the end of 8 weeks and 45% to the winner on team 2. The remaining 10% of the pot will go to the winner from team 3 (the eliminated participants). This means that while you will be working together as a team this season, you will also be competing against one another within your own team for that prize!!
   
   (NOTE: All prizes are given after 10% is taken out of the pot for myself as insisted upon by you brats a few seasons back *grumbles*.  Thank you lol)
   5. Regarding weigh-ins:  We will still have mandatory weekly weigh-ins every Tuesday.  As for strikes...since this is a longer season I will allow 2 missed weigh-ins per person. That's 1 per month (or 2 in a row). On the 3rd missed weigh-in, you will be disqualified and you will not get your $ refunded. (You may continue to stay in the group and weigh-in but you will not be eligible to win any $) Remember that weigh-ins must be a picture of the # on your scale. Not just a post of your weight. This season I will also allow a picture of any weight watchers weigh in stickers as I know a few people in our group participate in those weekly weigh-ins and I know they are legit. Just make sure that you use the same scale all season.
   
   NOTE:  For those of us who are current group members returning for season 15...your starting weight will also be your final weight for season 14 as posted on October 14th.6. Before and After pictures are MANDATORY. The pictures may be with or without a shirt (you'll notice more of a change if you do it without), but they must be full body pictures. If your before picture is not submitted within the first week of competition, you will be disqualified. (If you submitted an "after" picture for season 14, that will count as your "before" picture for season 15) Those who win prizes at the end of the season will not receive their prize money until their after pictures have been submitted and must do so within 48 hrs of the winning announcement.
   NOTE: Newcomers to this group always worry that their pictures posted in the group will show up for the public to see.  This group is secret.  As long as you are on the group wall BEFORE posting your pictures, no one will see them but those in the group.  Your pictures will show up on your own feed when you view it, but I promise you no one else can see it!
   7. Starting and final weights will be confirmed with a KEY WORD.  This is to ensure that starting and ending pictures are truly taken on the day of the weigh-in and not before.  I will post the KEY WORD in this group the night before the first and last weigh-ins.  It should be written on a piece of paper or notecard and placed at your feet in the front of your scale before taking your picture.
   8. We will continue doing weekly challenges. After 14 seasons, I have to admit I'm very burnt out on ideas, but this season I will be planning all challenges. Ideas are always welcome though (My pregnancy brain is even less creative than my regular one!) Challenges will vary from individual to team ones. (Team ones are more fun!) Challenges are (usually) posted on Monday and will run from Tuesday through to the following Monday. They will be pinned at the top of the group feed as well as pasted onto the Challenges document under the “Files” tab.
   9. Remember that this group is about gaining health and losing weight through eating right and exercising. Extreme/fad diets are not allowed. Weight Watchers and things like that are fine, but no pills/drops/etc.
   10. This group is only for those who will be actively participating in the competition this season, so while I hope everyone will stick around, please know that if you choose not to join us this season, you will be removed from the group. You are always welcome to join us in later seasons :)