no not the pull on button up type. well my friends it is fast approaching that wonderful time of year we all hate winter!!! the thorn in every dieters side. maybe and extra cup of soup to keep you warm or the joys of a warm fire as opposed to stepping out in the cold to go to the gym. and thats even before we get to the festive season with all the nasty temptations of alcohol and nibbles and of course the big christmass roast with all the trimmings and very little excersise.

so whats your plans to stop the dreaded winter coat appearing and not putting the diet into hibernation this winter. i myself well luckily it never snows here just rains so i can still go jogging no problem as for chrimbo. well i don't eat sweets at all. been all this year without chocolate. and nearly phased out alcohol. still have the odd tipple

Good point Si!
A friend of mine was lamenting this spring that he had "gotten the breasts" again last winter. I almost choked. It was funny, and he was trying to be humourous about it, but it's true, we kinda tend to forget how well things were working in the spring & summer, and before we know it, we're back to where we started. I'm not going to let that happen to me!

I haven't really come up with a plan yet, so thanks for setting me to work on that. I think that I will just need to be more committed to the crazy eliptical in the basement at the little boys' house--where I nanny for them--they have toys and fun stuff down there, and love going. Yeah, that's the plan. And staying op with WW. I guess that's my plan.

Well, it hardly ever rains here and it doesn't get colder than the mid 60's during the day, in the winter. So, I can't blame the weather.

I hate holidays. For many many reasons. I'm trying to get over it but I'm not (over it).

I'm hoping this year to plan ahead. Try for some stress-free living.

i've been thinking about this myself, si. so thanks for bringing it up!!! the torn meniscus in my knee has me pretty much laid up at the moment. no hiking. no walking. no lower body workouts, but i'm swimming 3 days a week and just got back from the upper body workout, but it's not enough.

i've been thinking about taking up snowshoeing in the winter.. anyone know anything about it??? but combine that with the cold-induced asthma, and i have no real clue about what i'll be doing!!!! if we have a winter like the last one, i'll be at the gym twice a day: cardio on the bike or treadmill in the morning, and then weights in the evening!!!

maybe we should all just run down to naples and bunk in with si's parents?????

Ahhh!!! Winter up north is THE WORST! It's FREEEEEEZING here and the wind goes right through the house, I SWEAR. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it. Then it sleets, snows, ices, blizzards and blows making walking and certainly biking damn near impossible. And, hey, lucky me, I've never been skiing and have NO desire to learn. So, the winter brings LOTS of fitness tapes on the living room floor. I'll have gym class this year Jan - June so that will definetly help too.

The holidays on the other hand? Yikes. I'll get back on that, but I have kind of decided that maybe I'll say something like "Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve I'll eat whatever" but then be an angel the rest of the time. I'm unsure yet. The good thing though, is that with that week off, I can exercise in the morning and during the day

What about everyone else?

Everyone knows I'm dieting, so I'm not worried about the holidays. We are Italian, I'm sorry, I'm having ravioli for Christmas. I'll be good the rest of the time, but let me have my ravs.

As for exercise, Thank God for the gym, I'm starting to really get into going there. I'm not worried about that. I'm more worried about the fact that it gets cold & I crave comfort foods, chili, soup, casseroles, etc, so I'm going to have to watch it on that.

Yes, but SO many soups are healthy, and fill you up for very few calories. I'm really getting into soup again, and it's not even really cold here yet. Chili can be made healthy, too. Lean meat (or no meat), lots of veggies. My DH hates beans so I put hominy in my chili instead.

There also are lots of recipes for lower-fat casseroles out there. But I'm with you on that one. When I want casseroles, I think Stouffer's Macaroni and Cheese, not low-fat vegetable surprise. /chuckle

As for exercise, we're planning to stick to our twice-a-week-at-the-gym schedule. That, and walking in my office building and working out with videos at home. Pretty much what I'm doing now. I haven't been bold enough to start working out outside (other than gardening) so I don't think my exercise routine is going to be too messed up by cold weather.

As to holiday food, I'm planning to enjoy every bite, but stop when I'm full. I will practice mindful eating. And make healthy choices, when available.

I just hate cold. Ironic since I live so far north and it gets COLD here every winter. I've lived here my whole life and I cannot get used to -40 and having to plug my car in etc. I need to move somewhere where it does not get colder than about 80 degrees. Ever since I dropped 60 lbs, I cannot stay warm. Last winter I almost froze to death, and already this year I am cold all the time.

LOL! Raelynn, I think it's so cute that ever since you shed that extra layer of blubber, you're cold! I'd say way to go, but I don't want yout to freeze to death, so I'll say: how about as a reward, you buy a nice down jacket!

I love the winter except for the extra 35lbs of clothing I will wear at work when I go outside. I actually lose some pounds because its the cooler temps that invigorate me. How crazy is that? Last winter we didn't even turn on the heat till it got to -20 F outside. My house is perfect right now at 60 F, from sleeping with all the windows open last night.

Miss Chris

I've been thinking about this issue aswell - I've already noticed that I'm struggling to drink all my water as I'm drinking alot more tea.

I'm planning ahead for Christmas - for the past couple of years my partner and I have just used it as a licence to binge! We usually stock up a 'christmas cupboard' full of chocolate, shortcake, pringles, crackers etc - last year we had to stock it twice as we'd eaten most of it before Christmas arrived! Our 'festivities' always used to last from mid - December to the end of January!. I also always stopped going to the gym over the Christmas period - last time I didn't go back for 18 months!

But not this year! At least I'm aware of the trap that I fall into at Christmas - forewarned is forearmed! I think I'll just have a few odd treats - but I'm not stocking up the Christmas cupboard and I'm not stopping going to the gym - thats the plan anyway!

Amanda xx

Snowshoeing is the only cold weather sport I enjoy, unless you call cuddling in bed with your sweetie on a cold winter's night a sport. And, hey, from what I was reading here the other day, that can definitely progress to some calorie-burning exercise!

Snowshoeing is like hiking with a lot more effort. Not sure how the cold-weather induced asthma would work, though, because you're breathing hard and taking a lot of cold air into your lungs.

I usually let myself eat whatever on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but my "whatever" isn't what it used to be. I just don't keep the bad stuff around the house anymore. Getting to my goal is more important to me than anything else right now.

At least we get a longer break between Thanksgiving and Christmas here in Canada (Thanksgiving is 2nd week of October). That way if you choose to make both of those holidays a "freedom day" (which I do) then there's a big enough break between the two that you won't get lured into making it one big "freedom period" from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

When my daughter was young, halloween was difficult for me, firstly because if I bought the treats in advance they'd be gone before Oct. 31 and secondly because I'd loot my daughter's haul for those horribly sweet chewy items that she hated and I loved.

I make it a habit to journal every day except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day (seeing as I'd need a 4 ring binder to record what I ate those days). If I recall correctly, Thanksgiving and Christmas were the ONLY days I went off plan last year (and that includes my daughter's wedding) and though I went off those days with a vengence, it didn't hurt me in the long run. So I don't think anyone should unduly fret about it.

As for winter in general, I too love the comfort foods to stave off the cold (Ontario's not as bad as Raelynn's Alberta, but we Ontarians like to think we have it bad). As Synger says though, you can make healthy, low calorie chilis, soups and casseroles that satisfy those urges without throwing us off plan. I do find it more difficult to consume 10 glasses of water in the winter, but admit to relying on caffeine free herbal tea to make up the shortfall. I hate the cold weather, but love winter sports - unfortunately I tend to be a spectator rather than a participant (visions of broken legs skiing and a broken butt skating). I don't let it stop me from my daily walk though - you just bundle up more and consider the extra clothes weight training

well i know about the thanks giving to end of january party although not american i do really love my football and the turkeyday game sparks the drawing to an end of the season. then there is like 5 birthdays in december including mine. and christmass boxing day new years. then the playoff and superbowl. all of which means every sunday sat with big huge bowl of popcorn anything thats unhealthy and makes a crunching noise in your mouth and gallon upon gallon of beer.

including my birthday in december! last year, december was a BAD BAD month for me. this ear, i really want to be able to enjoy it without going crazy. there is no reason i can't at the very least maintain over the holidays. BUT with all the exercise i am going to do...losing shouldn't be out of the question!