Only 2 1/2 weeks 'til Christmas. How are we all holding up? How is the Christmas stuff coming? How are everyone's stress levels?

Let's all do our best at this very difficult time of year and forgive ourselves if we falter .

Have a great week all!

Dagmar

It's difficult to lose weight when the people you live with are not supportive. DH was doing very well on his diet but got derailed this weekend. He was "celebrating" writing an exam and finishing a very difficult part of his course.

I was watching him eat and drink all weekend and finally caved in last night due to extreme boredom, fatigue, and depression.

It seems I also tend to go off plan whenever I'm getting so close to goal that I'm actually going to make it.

Pick myself up today and try again. I hope DH is also back OP this week as that will make it easier.

Dagmar

Dagmar, I completely sympathise with what you're saying! It's so much more difficult to eat well when people around you either aren't being supportive or are just eating lots of unhealthy, tempting foods. I'm really glad to hear you've been able to pick yourself up today and I hope you feel motivated to stick with things!

I had a bit of a milestone moment last night, when I really realised that what I was doing was a lifestyle change as opposed to a diet. My housemate baked a delicious flourless (well, almost flourless) chocolate cake. Basically it's extremely dense, heavy moist chocolate fondant - the recipe is basically just chocolate, sugar, butter, eggs - so delicious. I had a good slice, and then another smaller one (whilst it was still warm from the oven!). And I didn't feel even a smidgen of guilt. That's what felt so good - I felt like I was really thinking in the mindset of a slimmer person instead of a really fat girl who feels bad about how much she eats. I just realised that when I am slim, if I am offered delicious unhealthy food every now and then, I am going to accept graciously, because my relationship with food will have changed and because most of the time I will be eating really well. Last night, I could accept the cake and enjoy every morsel because it's a treat, not something I enjoy regularly, and therefore it's not going to make me "fat". I also really felt so full after it, which is great, because it shows my body is now used to eating "clean" instead of tolerating all sorts of junk.

I've not been losing as quickly as I did when I went from 220 down to 180lbs, over the past week or so I'm only losing a pound or two at the most a week. But I can live with it, I feel so much happier with my body now, and a slow and steady loss feels more permanent. I can't tell you how much happier I am feeling now that I know I'm doing something positive to shift these last few pounds.

Good morning Tiny, Dagmar ...

Somewhere, we did a weekend thread that really helped me. I have been quite unhealthy on weekends but this one I was more vigilant. Not good but more vigilant. Instead of the 4 or 5 lbs of puffy blah I normally accumulate, I think I'm a tad lighter than Friday. And that's better.

Well, after my baby's first birthday party and no running last week (partly due to being VERY busy, and partly due to being ill), I am back up to 140! I am also acknowledging that and changing my ticker - can't pretend to be 137 any more!

But I am running again this afternoon and there is time to get back down into the middle of my maintenance range before Christmas.

Your baby is a year old! How much fun is that?! Is there a picture somewhere?

This time of year is tough but I have decided that I can't let it all go If I slip up on nutrition then I can't slip up on exercise. I have to be consistent in something.

Jackie, I've kind of committed to making sure I get my exercise throughout the holiday season. Like you said, food's going to be tough, but control what we can!

I am back up to 142.5 this morning, arghhh!!! I think it may be PMS bloating coming on, so here's hoping.

Aargh! Too busy to really post. We're having a tax audit this week. It's rather stressful.

The Featherweights send good vibes to Allison! Right gals?

Yup good vibes all around.

iriswhispers: We do what we have to do, I'm glad you can relate. oh and the bloat, don't even get me started but after my last visit from aunt flow I went down 2 lbs so I'm wishing you much relief accompanied by weight loss.

that's one of my worst nightmares!

feathers- I'm slipping into very dangerous old behaviors. not good. i'm trying to get on track...

Don't do it Kitty! Just stop ... take a deep breath and remember we're with you!

thx susan! i need to post post post. it used to be read read read 3fc. now i read and eat. i can't eat if typing! right?

SusanB We had "weekend warriors". I feel in the need of some extra support too so I'm in as long as I have computer access. Totally blew it this weekend and haven't been able to pull myself out of this slump. DH is eating crap again and I'm following down that path due to sheer physical fatigue in the evenings.

I can't go to bed at 8 p.m. but I can't seem to summon the energy to do anything except sit in front of the TV.

Think I'll start moving stuff around in my office. It's a mess and, even though I'm not doing anything coherent it'll keep my hands busy.

Have a great day all! I'm out in snow and rain today from 9 - 4. Gonna come home, take off all the wet stuff, and crawl into bed for an hour. Hope that helps too.

Dagmar