Diet Coaches/Buddies - Ate on-plan at last night's party. CREDIT moi. Big deal because I had fears of drifting into a mindless eating night; the opportunities were certainly there. Had exactly one plate - tiny little appetizer-size-fill-me-up-multiple-times plate. Filled it more than half full of a green leaf salad containing orange slices and walnuts, leaving room for only two potato lattes with a dab of homemade apple sauce on each. No cheese, no homemade fudge, none of the mounds of cookies and other holiday treats. Later I had a taste-sized serving of the hostess's
Moosewood Cookbook mushroom bisque. Boy was that good.
OK, now two eating events between 6pm and midnight. Gotta get my head into arriving with a
plan for each. It isn't a surprise that I'm going. I've RSVP'd both events. With a
plan, both will can be simple eating events.
onebyone - Whopping BIG Kudos for that kitchen make over. That's some real contribution to a supportive environment. Neat candlelight dinner. Thanks for the pictures; I immediately recognized your astronaut painting; it looks good there.
Jean (kuhljeanie) - Ouch for feeling sick, both you and el nino. Thanks for the insight,
"worship at the altar of the goddess of form, and she will double your efforts and return them to you." Yep, I agree, that's both funny and painfully true.
Interesting thoughts about
thin people eating on a cruise ship. I've always assumed that I'd
never do a cruise because for fear that I'd fall into non-stop grazing and meal time stuffing, and also assumed that sane people somehow withstood that.
Heidi (landlady6) - LOL at your DD yelling hello to the miis. LOL at my use of
"miis" as if that's now a word in the English language. Yay for eating mindfully.
Robin (RobinW) - Kudos for that chicken Caesar salad and all the walking with your DD. Appreciate the awareness that it's a pain to pay for the personal trainer. Will follow with interest whether you decide to go back to yours.
Anne (wndranne) - Kudos for the demonstration of your 15 minute resistance technique. Gotta add that one to my arsenal. Ouch for the reality of weaning - just have to imagine the psychological trauma being exaggerated by the hormones. And thank you for your kind words.
shrinkin - Welcome back from Dallas and the land of in-laws pushing food. Ouch that you face an over-full agenda to bring up that feeling of "
overwhelmed." Good for you for immediately confronting that feeling since I think it's a kind of portal into mindless eating.
Kudos for your amazing three pool trips during your stay, despite the time cost of getting there. And Kudos to you DH for recognizing food-pushing so he could be supportive of your efforts at restraint.
Chris (Anglemoma210) - Ouch for the long a-fib and feeling sick. Sending supportive thoughts for your health and for your DH's initial phone visit with the EEO. Glad you're also reading CBDL.
Andrea (thinkerbell) - Yep, you state it all too well. When we're in an on-plan cycle, the strategies work for staying there. But, when we're off-plan, getting back is big time tough. Kudos for digging to find your triggers - methinks that's the kind of hard word the Beck suggests, rather than relying only on the hard work of white knuckle will power in the face of cravings.
You well state the current reality with,
"When I was younger, my body was more forgiving." Yep, we done spent that snap-back body. And Kudos for choosing to put the books back. I do know about buying books faster than I can read them.
Readers -
"Sticking to your diet every time
you eat our or while celebrating is a skill that
requires preparation and practice." Beck Diet Solution, pg 210.
Wednesday - New Years Eve
My silly stuff
I am NOT a mall person!!!! But she managed to get me out shopping for most of the day!!! 
I was beat by the time we got home. The malls were crazy busy, parking was impossible, and I prayed my dd would say, "its ok mom, we'll come back another day" She didnt 
She was thrilled with all her purchases, and all the good deals she got! Me too for that matter 
He's funny about that stuff. But its been nice to have it to toss in my ceasar, and for him to make sandwiches. 
Yah! 
I'll have to fix that. I just dont like drinking lots of water, and then having to use the public bathroom Ick!
) for dealing with your food challenges this holiday season. You are a fine example that we can all do the things we want to and not have the wreckage of broken foodplans too. One does not mean the other. Awesome. Yesterday when I was feeling challenged I went searching for some maintenance threads here, and some success stories. I started reading the section with Goals. Boy that'll help motivate you if you can manage to get yourself to do it! Wow. Do you have a thread in particular you like to go to, where there is real wisdom? This where I went 
) i should be completely fine by then - and maybe back down to fighting (pre-cruise) weight, since i have little appetite. 
