[Tonia]

Well, I have bought into this new lifestyle and have only had positive results. Of course the weight loss is huge but the kids are buying into it, I have more energy and I am more conscious of ... well... everything, really. My philosophy is that I can have whatever I want as long as I plan for it or adjust for it and that seems to be working well.

I feel like an idiot, though, because today as I was walking around the VD party at school I was subconsciously counting calories. Now, most of you are aware, we have parties at school a few times a year (in CA we are now limited to two, but before we had plenty of parties). Of course, the kids bring plenty and they all want to share with the teacher...sigh. Well, I honestly had no idea how many calories I was consuming during these parties...I mean, there is cake, cookies, chips, chips, chips, cupcakes, dip....more candy. Not that I just sat and ate but moving through the class and eat one thing here, one thing there..I could have EASILY put away 1500 calories or more! How could I have not realized that?!

On the plus (sort of ) side, I was given a bunch of boxes of chocolates (5-6-7, something like that, I stopped counting!) and I didn't open ONE box. Better than that, though, is that I am not even worried about it. 4 pieces have 300 calories so if I want ONE piece I have to count 75 calories...or, I can just get rid of them all together.

I haven't decided yet what I am going to do because there is a victory in there for me that they can sit in my desk for any period of time...

[bluex]

I hear your pain. Even though, I tell the kids that I am diabetic, they still bring me candy on days like this. It wasn't too much. I am saving the candy and recycling it back to them. One kid was really sweet though, he made me a basket with huge green apples and bags of nuts cause he knows I can eat that on my diet. His mom told me he worried for 2 weeks over what to get me cause he knows I don't do sugar. Kids can be really sweet.

I find it easier to resist candy, sweets, cookies than at other times to reject pizza lol

Anyway, you did well, account for what you ate and get rid of the rest!

[Tonia]

Thanks, bluex...I felt it a victory but I honestly couldn't believe how many calories I had consumed at those parties...I guess that is why need to lose all this weight!

btw, 102 lost? YEA!

[Lovely]

Tonia, you did well! It was one afternoon, so I'm sure you're ready to put that all behind you You're already planning on what to do with all the chocolates, so that's definitely a plus.

Reading that reminded me, though, that it can be scary-easy to slip back into our old habits of not realizing what we're putting into my mouths. O_o

[barbygirl43]

I'm not a teacher but I know what you mean, especially when the kids come home with bags full of goodies and my oldest tells me all about the junk they had in there. It sounds like you did great with all that was in there. I wouldn't be surprised if I were to consume closer to 3000 calories at one of those parties.

[midwife]

Sugar, sweets, treats....our society is really set up to make it very easy to consume too many calories. It is astonishing how many calories I used to eat regularly, just cause I wasn't paying attention.

With knowledge and awareness comes power.

The kids got the joy of giving you the chocolates. Now, you can give them away, or you can toss them in the trash (at home). As far as the kids know, you have enjoyed them. It is really the thought that counts.

[Tonia]

I love that:

With knowledge and awareness come power..

So true...so true. Acutally, what I have done with them is I shared them with students that were helping afterschool...I ate one piece, they each had one piece...I will do that again one day next week and it will be gone.

The kids did enjoy giving the candy and it was very thoughtful (I teach in a very low-income area so even a dollar is a lot to some of these kids). For me, though, the victory was in NOT indulging and being able to keep the candy in my drawer without even thinking about it. I love that and totally feel successful in that alone!

[Noelani]

Congrats on your victory! I'm sure that the kids enjoy you sharing the candy with them too. What kids don't like candy? Hehe.

I gave in to temptation at our Valentines exchange at work. But I somehow managed not to overdo it. So that's a little victory for me. LOL

I'm learning to most holidays are just a calorie fest. In the past I would have eaten anything and everything. I'm thankful that since I've started counting calories and watching what I eat, I'm at least mindful of the calories I'm eating and stopping myself before it becomes gorge fest.

I also find that making the choice to have a few "bad" things feels a lot better than just mindlessly shoveling it in.

"With knowledge and awareness comes power." (So True)

[GirlyGirlSebas]

Congratulations, Tonia! A victory over chocolate is a huge victory in my book!

[Jasmine31]

Yeah my kids came home with all kinds of candy and stuff.