Every year, I make Christmas treats for the neighbors. Cookies, fudge, bars, it changes yearly. This year, I am nixing it. It's a brave step for me, because I've earned a rep as the neighborhood chef. LOL. Instead, I found these cool monogram ornaments that have the family's last name initial. I've wrapped them up really pretty, and that's what I'm giving. I just know that I'll be tasting and indulging too much if I make treats this year. So this is my way of avoiding it.
I've done cookie exchanges before, and they are so much fun! It's gonna be hard to resist all the goodies, but best of luck to you in getting through it! You can do it!
kellost-Good idea on the ornaments! We live in a rural area, so gift-giving with neighbors isn't a concern, but still...the concept of trading a food-based gift with something else special is perfect.
Split a burger and fries with hubby tonight from a local joint that's supposed to be great. It was good and REALLY hit the spot. It fit into my cals for the day and everything. The salt may haunt me in the morning, but I've had a craving for that meal for a week or so and it became clear why this afternoon when TOM showed up. I think I handled it well by splitting it and not going nuts with extras. I would've made some bad choice on sweets afterward, but had no access to any since we got take-out, so the moment passed and I was fine by the time I could get my hands on some. Damage avoided!
Last edited by Ms Perception; 12-03-2009 at 10:54 PM.
Really happy about a random small NSV: I convinced my friend to give up a delicious (but huge) brownie she had just purchased as a spur-of-the-moment study snack and then had to carry it around with me for nearly an hour -- but I didn't eat it! No temptation whatsoever!! (Okay, a little temptation -- resisted...) Instead, I located a friend with the kind of metabolism that will burn it off breathing to take it off our hands. Disaster averted -- for both of us.
Also, even though I didn't get to work out today, I did jog down to the library before settling in to study.
MsPerception, I cannot fathom running outside in this weather. You are made of sturdier stuff than me. DH has even tapered off his running due to the cold.
Mayness and Lackadaisy, I love food talk. I'm not vegetarian or vegan though. In the last couple of months, I have been trying all kinds of new recipes. And I've developed a serious obsession with my crockpot. I've been using it 2-3x a week. Dried beans are awesome in the crockpot--so easy and economical too!
ICU, I don't even care what I you put in my nog, rum or brandy. I'm having a few. Having said that I do prefer the lighter versions.
Regarding my cookie exchange, I plan on dividing, wrapping and freezing them immediately when I get home. I will bring one package to my sis's house the following weekend and the other package to mil's on Christmas Eve. I might save a few our family for Christmas Day at our house.
kellost and losermom, congrats to both of you for figuring out the best way to handle the holiday baking.
lackadaisy, mmm, brownies... great job resisting the temptation.
Ms Perception, nice work with the running. As for gear, if you wear tights, I really like the Under Armour ColdGear tights. They don't feel excessively thick/heavy but they're SO warm.
ICUwishing, I love the egg nog! My dad and his wife came to stay with us the night before Thanksgiving, and he brought some along.. he asked me if I wanted mine with or without rum (um, is that even a question?!?) and then poured me a BIG glass. I drank it all. I don't plan on having any more until much closer to Christmas!
I did it! I stuck to my plan last night, came in under my calorie limit, and the scale even rewarded me with a lower number this morning (almost back down to where I left my ticker). I even logged the few french fries of hubby's that I tasted. (On that note, I'm not sure why Five Guys wins all these awards, we were all pretty disappointed. My burger was fine, but then again, how can you screw up a plain burger with no bun?)
Last night I decided I wanted to run faster on the treadmill. I can run at 5mph for a half hour, probably more. So I bumped it up to 6mph, running 3 mins then walking 2 mins. For the last run, I did 6.5mph, but that ended up making my chest hurt. I was proud that I pushed myself, but it reminded me that I'd like to be in much better shape and I need to keep working! Maybe that's a new goal: run a 10 minute mile.
mayness - great job with plan! I appreciate your desire to shake things up, and adding some vegetarian cooking is on my list too. That being said, I am a very happy omnivore, but making some changes toward wild meats or at least "off the grid" farmed, like full-grass-raised beef. American mass farming practices get scarier the more I learn about them. I find that as I get more creative with veggies, the meat naturally starts to take a back-burner role. I'd suggest looking into some raw recipes too - I would never have guessed a year ago that something very akin to Fettucine Alfredo can be pulled off with all-raw veggie ingredients! Maintainer's Forum has a sticky called "Our Favorite Recipes" - major good food in there!
More personals later - I have to run to a meeting. TGIF, agreed!
Lot's of good work here!
Last night I just wanted ice cream. I don't do that very often but last night ... yup, bad enough to walk for it. I did get sugar free and it came in around 220 cals. And it was good!
It must be in the wind to have a good scale morning. Mine's down a snig too.
Apparently I have to come here, face up to a lack of diligence, post about it and ... get at it!
Hey Featherweights.......so far so good this weekend for me. I got up early and walked 4 miles in the freezing cold. (Temperature in the 20's). I was proud of myself. I made good choices yesterday on food, and I have a good food plan for today also. I've been SO tempted to go to my favorite pizzeria lately. I do that sometimes for a splurge meal. But this weekend, I decided to be extra diligent about the food. So I'm putting the pizza off for another week or so, and maybe I'll see a loss this Tuesday at my weigh in.
I wanted to add that i also love cooking Vegetarian. I have found a few good veggie recipe sites on like as well. I don't think we ware supposed to post links, but if you are interesting i can pass on my fav!!
Reading all your posts makes me very jealous for the holiday season! I have been living in a Islamic country for the past two holiday seasons.... you don't know what i would do for a candy cane and a gingerbread cookie! and eggnog, my god, that stuff is great! I am orginizing a cookie party for other ex-pats this coming week. I know it is deadly and i am pretty much setting a trap for myself, but i want shortbread so bad! I even has my mom send me food coloring to make colored frosting!
other than missing sweets, i have been doing well! I have been running a fair bit and eating healthy. dropped to 124.3. Yah me!!!
Hey everyone! I've meen MIA for over a month... fell WAY off the wagon. We went to Grand Cayman for my friends wedding and when we came home, I was over working out! But... now my legs are getting all flabby again, I"m eating worse than ever and it's all going down hill FAST! So it's time to get back on that wagon. My plan is to work out for at least 30 minutes five times a week starting tonight. I also need to change my workout schedule... I want to get back to running and since it gets dark before DH gets home from work and I can't exactly leave my 2yo at home alone, I'm going to have to suck it up and get up early - ugh... I hate the thought of it.... but I'm going to force myself do to it this week... Then hopefully I'll have more energy through the day to get other things done! I also need to do my video workouts earlier - mabye while DD is napping instead of napping myself.
I do know that when I work out I pay much better attention to what I eat so So hopefully this will help keep me from eating Mac-n-Cheese for lunch with DD. Speaking of DD, she's mad at me for being on the computer and not paying attention to her so I'd better go... she's feeling neglected... ugh! How long do terrible two's last?? She's not really even two yet... not till January... oye veh.
Had a nice weigh-in this morning to hit my low of 133 on the nose. Today was my older kids' b-day parties. Their b-days are 10 days apart and we figured it's just easier to do it on one day. Both had pool parties and they went well. I had small dessert pieces and stayed in my cals and everything, so we're calling it a good day. Also, went appliance shopping which was fun since we picked out and bought a new fridge. A huge step up from ones we've had in the past! I can't wait to move into our new house!
Last edited by Ms Perception; 12-05-2009 at 08:52 PM.
Something yummy I discovered awhile back that I treated myself to today.....Sinless Cake Batter ice cream mixed with fresh raspberries at Cold Stone Creamery. If you get the "like it" size it's just a little over 200 calories and only 1 gram of fat. Man, does that hit the spot! Save room for it in your daily food allowance and try it sometime if you're craving ice cream. I love it!!!
I simply could not face making another salad for my lunch today. I actually borrowed money off my son's bedside table and ate cafeteria leftovers. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy ....
Susan, maybe you just need to give yourself lots of warm foods. I can completely live on various kinds of salads in the summer, but sometime I can't face them in the winter.
I don't plan on having any more until much closer to Christmas!
I did it! I stuck to my plan last night, came in under my calorie limit, and the scale even rewarded me with a lower number this morning (almost back down to where I left my ticker). 
I even logged the few french fries of hubby's that I tasted. (On that note, I'm not sure why Five Guys wins all these awards, we were all pretty disappointed. My burger was fine, but then again, how can you screw up a plain burger with no bun?)
I was proud that I pushed myself, but it reminded me that I'd like to be in much better shape and I need to keep working! Maybe that's a new goal: run a 10 minute mile.
