Souza - I think you discovered some very valid and important facts. Eating should be enjoyed. I realized a long time ago that I eat differently when I'm alone than when with others. Now I try to eat like I'm with others. If you had judged what I might weigh by how much you actually saw me eat, you would have been way off. It was my "private" eating that put on the pounds.

I think we're less active in the winter and that is why we feel sluggish. We actually burn more calories to maintain a normal body temp so that blows a hole in your theory! I read once that shivering actually burns calories. Too bad we can't blame it on winter! LOL

Madame I kinda have been doing the same thing. I haven't been counting calories or anything just been adding a whole bunch of veggies and fruits and cutting my portions on everything else. So eating the orange with your lunch is a great idea because it will feel you up with hardly any calories. I know that helps me because I am a quantity person and I feel deprived if I don't have a big serving of food so I just make that serving bigger with the veggie and fruit. Seems to be working so far. Now I just have to work on the mental side of things that make me want to overeat all the other bad stuff. I cannot have just a little even if I allow myself to have a little chocolate I end up eating all of it, same goes with my weak foods like Mac N cheese, any cheese for that matter.. I seem to have to stay away from these foods alltogether. They are big trouble for me. Ok I'm ranting. Well, it's good to see you Madame glad your still around and it looks like your doing well!



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Hi Lin good to see you again. Yeh that would be great if we could blame winter. I wish I could blame anyone, but myself. Haha.. My sister likes to blame my parents. I think she will never loose the weight if she doesn't come to terms with that. I know they had allot to do with my choices when I lived there and I know they are to blame for not teaching us the right way to eat, but doesn't there come a time in your life when you have to take care of yourself and you have to be responsible for what you do to yourself? I think that we are to blame now because we are adults and we know better now. It's just hard to change lifelong patterns.

I hope everyone has a great Monday!!! I am excited to watch my news and my two talk shows while my son is at school. The weekend was exhausting!!

Since this is a challenge, I'll post my "first Wednesday of the month" weight. I stayed the same as last month - 161. So, 2 months of maintenance are done. Only about 480 more to go! Well, maybe I'll slack off after I hit 100 years old!

Lin

I am trying to get through this Holiday Season without gaining.
I lost one more pound last week by sticking to my plan.
:smug:

Here's hoping we can all lose weight during the Holiday Season!

:xcheer:

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.
~ W. T. Ellis ~

Hey ladies,
I hope were all doing good and working towards our goals. I was so nervous last week because I wasn't feeling it and ready to quit. Even though I kept loosing weight my mind wasn't in it and that's when I usually give up, but I kept at it and kept coming on here to get support and I feel like I'm back and still loosing. So here's to another week.





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I am working towards my goals. I have some challenges next week to pay attention to. Holiday party on Wednesday, going to the city Saturday and Sunday. I will stay on plan for both those things.
Does anyone have good tips for holiday party eating to share?

Sousa - here's the short version of holiday eating advice: DON'T!

Actually, I'm going to try to take it one meal/situation at a time. I've had lots of occasions in 2011 to realize I can do it if I want to. We ALL can. Just try to remember that the food has no special control and it's the company we keep not the food we eat that makes a gathering special. I'm going to remind myself that the first bite of something is probably the one that tastes the best so 1 should be enough of anything. It all sounds like a good and easy plan. We'll have to see how it actually plays out!

Good luck to all of us as we count down to the end of the year.

Lin

I haven't been posting in this thread lately and I feel bad. Life getting in the way & such. I'll try to be better about it since we're on the final stretch. I had a very weak spaghetti moment when I made it for the family last week (worst trigger for me). As I was putting away leftovers I had every intention of just having some the next day. Luckily I came to my senses the next morning.

Lin- That was absolutely perfect advice about the holidays. I'm going to follow it myself except I'll take out the one bite option until I'm safely maintaining :)

Yeah, that 's what I thought Lin. I do like the 1 bite idea.
I did find some other ideas, like take gum or breath mints and eat those before the meal so you don't have appetizers and after you are finished so you don't keep picking at the food, Only eat the really special things you can't get during other parts of the year. Try and get to the buffet last so the food is picked over and unappetizing looking. I think that's my favorite one so far. I will let you all know how I did. It's a company Christmas party thing and I am not sure there will be many vegetarian options so that rules some of the foods out for me. I have been told that there will be something for the vegetarians to eat but am worried it will be pasta with some cheesy sauce.
Beach Kitty- I find that as the challenge goes on, I am posting less on the thread too.

I like the tip to be last in line so things are picked over and don't look so good. Trouble is, that never stopped me in the past!

I do believe in allowing one bite of something if it won't trigger a feeding frenzy. Good luck to all of us. I think the posting slows down because we are all very busy this time of year. I'll bet January is jumping in here, but now is when we need the support the most. Let's just hang in here together. I feel like I could really come undone in the next few weeks if I'm not careful.

Lin

Hi guys.. Just checking in. I hope everyone is having a great week. I'm having a nice week. I need to make my candy and cookies this week so I'm hoping I can get through it without gaining. I also have a girls night out tonight so hopefully I can make it through that as well. I think I can. They know my progress and they support me.
So heres so a great week. Were almost to the end of this challenge!!

Ok, I am back from my holiday party. I did good! I passed on the bread on the table, the mashed potatoes and the dessert! I just had some pasta and some salad, a reasonable portion of each. AND... I won a coffee maker in the raffle!!
I pulled my own name in a starbucks gift card raffle also but was too embarrassed to take it.

Way to go Souza! And not taking the Starbucks gift card was a nice "holiday spirit" gesture. I like it when things get spread around at parties.

Now we all need to follow your good example and make great choices at all our gatherings. Keep it up! It sure helps me if I think I have to answer to someone, so we can all help each other be accountable.

Everyone at work goes to lunch together (the bosses pay) at Pizza Hut the last day we work before Christmas. I'm hoping the fact that everyone will be keeping an eye on my plate just to see how I do keeps me in the salad line and not the pizza line! Pizza Hut isn't even my favorite pizza and I'm stressing a bit over this lunch! Iceberg lettuce salad isn't my favorite, either, but I'll manage for one meal. There really aren't a lot of good choices at Pizza Hut. This year of changing my eating habits has been an eye-opener in the fast food department.

Hope everyone has a great day.

Lin

Good job Souza and I hope I can follow your lead. My weight stayed the same this week and I know it's because we ate out too much. I'm not going to stress over it, but re-evaluate what I'm eating and see what's going on. Also see what's bothering my feet and back this week. I feel sore all over and not sure why. This week has been so busy for us. Plus now I'm starting to make my candy and cookies and I know I can make it through this without gaining. I depated not making them at all, but I just love giving it away to people ya know.

I lost track of the days.. But were pretty close to the end of this challenge right?? Yay I honestly was like yeh at the end of this I probably won't be in it still. but I'm still here and super excited that I've lasted this long.