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Old 12-03-2012, 05:55 AM   #1  
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Default Maintainers Weekly Chat Dec 3 - Dec 9

The eating season continues.

It's time for me to start thinking about all the places where Christmas goodies will appear. And well-meaning folks pushing their homemade sweets to cheer mankind.

Self, it's OK to say no. They won't be so offended that their recovery is impossible. Nobody ever died because I refused their Christmas treat.

Why do I even have to remind myself of that?
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Old 12-03-2012, 06:49 AM   #2  
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Good thoughts, Bill. I will try to keep that in mimd.
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Old 12-03-2012, 06:49 AM   #3  
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Bill I think all people would all have a much less stressful holiday season if they didn't feel compelled to produce all of this extra stuff but were content to celebrate the joys of the season (snow, lights, skating, carolling, etc).

I too have taken home-baked treats (I know how much work goes into those and do appreciate that part of it) from my clients. I thank them, tell them DH and I will enjoy them, save 2, and put the rest in the food bank box or give them away at the dog beach to whoever is down there with their dogs.

There is a real pressure for people to overdo at Christmas in particular. I wish I knew a way to reduce that - I am content with a tree, a slightly special dinner, and one really good gingerbread cookie.

I'm so happy 3FC is available for support. We will all face the same obstacles together!

Dagmar
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Old 12-03-2012, 09:05 AM   #4  
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Morning all,

I always seem to give into the stressful aspects of the holiday season. It's difficult for me to relax and enjoy it until all my shopping is done and I've packed up and traveled successfully to my family's (aka Dec 23). Until then it's need to shop, need to prod Mom for ideas for Dad and vice versa bc everyone in my family is so tough to shop for (why are they all so hard?! definitely takes the joy out of gifting), need to order gifts early since I live so far from civilization (there is no "running to the mall" here - it's a 3 hour round trip), need to put lights up, need to stay on exercise schedule to combat extra food and drink at holiday parties, etc. etc. etc. This weekend I was trying to get things crossed off my list. My house is sort of more liveable and I checked out the local stores and bought a few stocking stuffers. I ended up indulging and going fishing when BF offered yesterday since it was a beautiful, calm day, but of course I feel guilty now and probably won't get the Christmas lights put up this year, which makes me sad. We leave early Wednesday for a week's vacation and it's unlikely I'll put them up when I get back for the short time I'll be home until I travel again. BF is rather Scroogey so he's no help there. Ok, ok. *poof* I've let the Christmas lights go.

I used to feel the need to do holiday baking as I grew up with the tradition and enjoy baking, but really don't anymore. At least that's one thing I don't stress out about getting done. There is no shortage of treats at work or with my family during the holidays. I give out the jams and jellies that I make during the summer as gifts, and am fine that's the "special" thing I do during the holidays, though I am still somewhat morally conflicted bc I still feel like I'm adding more sugar to the world's diet.

I have been accosted by the neighbors several times about the block holiday party that is Tuesday night, the night before we leave. It will be a miracle if my suitcase is packed before then. I'd even like to take the afternoon off work that day to help myself de-stress and get ready, but I can't, bc I have too much to do at work too. And I feel terrible, bc I would like to go. I am just too stressed about getting ready for this trip. Once we're gone I will be able to relax.

Bill, I like that. When a cookie appears, I'll try to remind myself that no one will die if I don't eat it. Including me!

I'm going to take some deep yoga breaths and go back to crossing things off of my "to-do" list at work now.
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Old 12-03-2012, 09:29 AM   #5  
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We sat around all day yesterday after golf instead of going to a movie. DH watched football all afternoon while the rest of us napped, did laundry, puttered around and played with the kittens. Last night DH looked at me with a sad face as he said he finally realized what he meant to do that afternoon--put up the Christmas lights! He rarely gets home before dark, so we'll see how soon they do get up.

Next Sunday I've been invited by a friend to join a group called Wine Women. It's rather philanthropic as each month they pick a charity to donate to and this month it is Animal Samaritans where I adopted Louie from and who my in-laws adopted their new kittens. So once a month they get together, have a gourmet meal and sample wine. I think it'll be a lot of fun.

I'm starting to rue the fact that we have a trip planned in January. Not that we knew it at the time we booked the trip (Caribbean cruise) but we'll be in the midst of moving. It'll still be early in the game, but that one week being shot will add to the stress of it.

Tuesday night we're going to see Straight No Chaser. Has anyone seen them live? I know they have a lot of YouTube videos and I believe some albums. I think that will be fun and might bring me to being more festive for the holidays. I need to start wrapping presents. Ugh--that which I hate the most! I still have a few gift cards to purchase and send out and I'm hoping I can spare myself a trip to the mall. I'll be searching online today at work once I get the actual work done.

I might make one batch of holiday cookies this year, but I'm not sure. I might also make the Julekaka that is traditional for us--it's always so good. I have a lot of stuff I might do, but there are a lot of things I need to do. I guess I should be making lists.
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Old 12-03-2012, 09:33 AM   #6  
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I am making beans and ham hocks today, nothing to do with Christmas, just good on a rainy day.
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Old 12-03-2012, 10:12 AM   #7  
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Megan-- are you going somewhere fun on vacation? I hope it's stress free!!

I thought about buying and wrapping this weekend. Didn't buy anything-- wrapped two gifts-- thought about Christmas cards-- it's a start right?

We weren't going to put up a tree this year as the girls will hardly be home but dd really wants us to so dh will probably do it when he returns from his latest overseas trip.

One week until dd's service dog arrives (to her) and they start team training!

Crossing my fingers that my mini cooper doesn't have any lasting water damage....
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Old 12-03-2012, 10:26 AM   #8  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bargoo View Post
I am making beans and ham hocks today, nothing to do with Christmas, just good on a rainy day.
I got a huge ham shank at the store Saturday and a 16 bean mixture for soup. One of our favorites! I like shanks better than hocks--I think they have a bit more meat on them.

Sad morning. One of the kittens died over the weekend. I couldn't see mama, but the little calico was in the carrier and ran out when I approached. I peeked inside and saw the gray and white kitten and she wasn't moving. Poor baby.
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Old 12-03-2012, 10:40 AM   #9  
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As usual, I settled in today at my desk after my morning workout, thinking I knew exactly what I had to work on today -- a long report due ASAP -- and my planned day was blown to pieces by something with IMMEDIATE priority based on an Amazon Web Services announcement made last Wednesday. No one else wanted to do it because they've all also got long reports due ASAP. So it's mine.

I'm trying to breathe.

I, too, blew off putting out Christmas lights. For me that's placing electric candles in each of the windows, which involves taping the bases in place and using extension cords. But it looks so nice from outside. Several neighbors have commented on it. I'm also awaiting the delivery of two big green wreaths from Maine, which I'll bet will come on one of the days I'm working in CT, rather than when I am home to sign for them.

I saw "Lincoln" and "Anna Karenina" over the weekend & am ready to leave the 19th century behind me in my next movie theater venture.

I'm waiting anxiously for "Zero Dark Thirty" which my friends tell me is wonderful and yes, dark. From the same director who oversaw "The Hurt Locker." Won't take my mother to that one, though: "Les Mis" is more to her liking, probably on Christmas Day.
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Old 12-03-2012, 10:41 AM   #10  
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Allison, have both ham hocks and ham shanks in this one. I have a neighbor who is very generous, he bought a package of 3 ham hocks he gave one to me and one to another neighbor and kept one himself. I don't know about you but one ham hock is pretty mingy so I bought 2 ham shanks to add to it, you are right the shanks do have more meat on them.

Last edited by bargoo; 12-03-2012 at 10:44 AM.
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Old 12-03-2012, 11:26 AM   #11  
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Hi all,

I was interested in the "obsession", "binge and punish" and other aspects of our conversation from last week. I always imagine that some day I can be less obsessive about food, like some skinny friends I have of both genders who just eat in sane ways and it's no big deal. On the other hand, maybe it's a big deal for me and it's best just to accept that. It's like bingo halls, whose existence I am barely aware of, but which require real vigilance and carefulness for people obsessed with gambling!

So OK I'm obsessed and accept it. I also don't want to "binge and punish," and I see a path of gradually reducing the intensity of my binges. This past Thanksgiving I had three binge days when usually I had six. And as I lose that weight, I have little squares of dark cholcolate every day so I am also trying to minimize the "punishment" side of the cycle.

And yes, I weigh myself pretty much every day. I make a deal with myself on days I either binge or choose to have a generous meal: no weigh-in the next day in exchange for eating well that day. Weigh-ins after a high-sodium day of eating are both depressing and distorted.
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Old 12-03-2012, 01:27 PM   #12  
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Hope no one minds me carrying this over from last week...

Quote:
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Out of curiosity, what are you weighing habits? Do you always weigh in right after exercise?

The part that I pulled out & quoted: This is what you need to work on. Not dropping below your "promised" weight but your reaction to that occurrence. Some possible reactions:

1) Oh, well, that's lower than promised, but I kinda like it. Maybe it would be okay. Or even to go a little lower. (That would have been my thinking in my eating disorderish days -- I was always pushing to go lower even when my Better Half told me no, I shouldn't, and that everyone was telling me not to. There was no such thing as "too low." For other people, maybe, but not for me.)

2) Hey that means I can eat that particular food that I just coveted the other day, which has gotten itself lodged into my mind, so that I'm convinced that I need it, I absolutely HAVE TO have it. Of course, it's not a healthy food, in fact, it's cruddy, but it's something that once, I used to enjoy immoderately. It's okay, I've exercised it off already, in a sense. (This, in me, is the Voice of Temptation, and should NEVER be listened to. Because it's the voice of an accountant, in which exercise = permission to eat. I have never been able to get into the accounting mode without also crashing into eating disorder territory. Because you can't out-exercise a bad diet, as is frequently written here. And because exercise session then become a form of repentance and a form of self-flagellation.)

Is it possible for you to moderate your exercise regimen on the following day? For me, who clings desperately to the idea of exercise like a cross & garlic to keep the vampire of obesity away, this would be difficult, but it seems like a sane reaction.

Or would you be able to increase slightly your intake of healthy foods? Extra nuts? More fruit? Even a slice of whole-grain bread? Whatever you eat & enjoy that is actually good for you?
I typically weigh myself every day right when I get up. I don't normally weigh myself after exercising except when I do my long runs because I am always interersted in how much I drop after the run.

You are right about my reaction to dropping below a certain weight. I could NEVER understand anorexia when I was obese, but I get it now - there is a certain... power? .... in dropping pounds.

The voice of "oh I can eat anything I want now" was there LOUD and CLEAR. As was a bag of chocolates that I had bought to split up between neices and nephews in their Xmas gifts. But I didn't give in to it. And I wrapped the chocolates - FAST LOL

My typical response is to increase calories by something healthy - like an apple or some nuts. I also sometimes add in a whole wheat bagel thin - probably not the MOST healthy choice, but I LOVE bread and have deprived myself of it a lot during this journey.

The dietician was very firm that 115 should be a sign that I need to increase calories. She was okay with me hovering between 115-120 so I guess I'm not off too much. She told me that with my level of exercise that I really should be about 120. I weighed in at 115.0 this morning.

I guess this is all part of figuring out maintenance. I've been in it less then 4 months. I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and support!!
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Old 12-03-2012, 01:28 PM   #13  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alinnell View Post
Tuesday night we're going to see Straight No Chaser. Has anyone seen them live? I know they have a lot of YouTube videos and I believe some albums.
Oh! I LOVE Straight No Chaser!!! I have never seen them live. Please give a full report after you've seen them! I'm so jealous!

Jen
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Old 12-03-2012, 02:18 PM   #14  
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Jen~I'll give a full report AND NO, we don't mind carry-overs from previous weeks!

I've always had this in my mind: I could never be anorexic because I love food too much. My DD has the same mentality. That said, there is a certain "power" when losing weight. A feeling of invincibility, that nothing can get in your way. I think it might be easy to cave.
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Old 12-03-2012, 02:18 PM   #15  
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Hi Maintainers!

I picked up a shift at a local bakery selling enormous cookies, coffee and hot cocoa at a street fair yesterday. 6 hours standing out in the windy cold and I only ate 1 cookie and a (big) cup of (incredibly rich yet dairy free creamy veggie) soup. That's a victory of sorts. Oh and I made almost $100! Afterward I was ravenous and had more soup and half of a tempeh/cabbage/radish/carrot sandwich...and some homemade sourdough bread...and some ice cream...but I feel fine/normal today and weighed in at a happy "normal" number.

I've been thinking...I'd like to work for Weight Watchers or a weight-loss business whose ethics and plans I agree with. Sometimes I feel like it would be "too easy" to help people exercise common sense and discretion with their food choices, almost like "cheating."
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