Hi everyone,

thanks for the kind words regarding the situation with my sister. It's really frusterating sometimes listening to her go on about her appearence, blah blah blah. I am perhaps more grounded because I work in the corporate world in a very male dominated industry, but I don't want people judging me on my appearence - I want to get ahead for being smart. I guess that makes me a giant nerd. :P I did cave in and invite her for thanksgiving even though I was upset about the comments at the last get together. Well just try to keep everything in perspective.

Weekend was hard, I kinda gave up a bit on dieting. Friday we ordered take out and it was so delicious I could not stop eating it. I ate until I was stuffed and then ate more. I was up 2 lbs Saturday morning.

Saturday I did well and made it to a bikram yoga class where the teacher spent most of the class trying to break me down. Apparently there is some sort of mentality in bikram yoga that if you can put up with the crap from the teacher and the heat and all that, then you can put up with anything. What does not kill me makes me stronger? I am not buying it. I was ready to walk out of class and his studio forever but I stuck it out. A woman talked to me after class saying he just teaches like that and to please come back. Then she told me my entire body will change if I keep up the bikram yoga. I felt super self concious being told this - I guess she noticed I am the fat one in the class. Sigh. I made a goal in the exercise thread to get to 4 bikram classes this month and I don't think I can bring myself to go back honestly. Sigh.

I was back to 141 this morning. Back on 1500 calories after a break on the weekend. This month has sucked, I can't believe I have only lost 2 lbs. I am sort of ready to give up on dieting all together, honestly. I might be happier eating whatever I want and weighing 150 lbs then going hungry constantly and being 140. I just don't know...

WOW! I have never done bikram yoga (my friends telling me that puking and passing out were regular occurrences turned me off plus I get overheated anyway in a regular yoga class). I am surprised to hear that bikram is so philosophically different than other types of yoga. My instructors have been the kindest, gentlest people you will ever find on the planet and spend the class telling you not to be hard on yourself . I am definitely not cut out for bikram! I push myself really hard in yoga but to subject myself to someone who will add to my insecurities - **** no. Be kind to yourself, girl! Unless you start to dig the boot-camp nature of getting

Yep. I'm in the same mindset. I am going to play it by ear and see what happens through December but I plan to shift my mentality to that of a maintainer next year. It just sounds so appealing. I know I still have to be vigilant but I feel so consumed by this for the last year. I'm ready to move on!

I had a birthday celebration dinner last night and I did OK! No bump in the scale. I shared a cheese plate, and I had most of mine on apple slices instead of the baguette. I had a green salad with roasted squash and pumpkin seeds. I shared a smoked salmon plate. And then I had 2 chocolate-covered figs for dessert. One delicious glass of red wine. Heaven! Ah, I miss eating out at fancy restaurants. I've mostly given it up since I've been "trying to lose weight."

Next hurdle: Thanksgiving. I am making some healthy sides (roasted brussels sprouts, mmm, something with roasted winter squashes, and a healthy REAL green bean casserole) but the dessert and wine will be hard. I'm planning to eat lightly and exercise that day and then not keep raiding the leftovers

Baking - ugh - don't want to think about it. I haven't baked in a year, except bread, and I have all but given that up as well.

Kellost and changed - welcome back! My plan is to keep checking in here over the holidays and not gain 8 lbs like I did last December.
neurodoc - best wishes for a safe surgery
krampus - how are you able to estimate the calories for all those things when you are out? I try but man, there are so many things to think about
Chelsey Dianne - you are doing so great! Did you find out you were 5'5" not 5'6"? I missed that...

Thanks EmmaD!

I think it is a sort of bikram way...I don't mind the heat so much, it's the teachers who are a total pain. I don't enjoy being yelled at via a microphone. It's not relaxing to me, it's not motivating, I think it's dumb I would subject myself to it! I like the heat though, I was worried about it too as I get dizzy in the shower a lot. But once you start sweating you cool off and I don't find it so bad.

Dianne, please don't laugh at my measurements. I am 32.5-26.5-35. Nothing up top, not much on the bottom, but still plenty fluffy around the middle. Those are "old" measurements from 1 lb ago in the opposite direction too so now I imagine my waist is 27 or something. Sigh.

EmmaD I kind of don't always approximate "out" calories, especially in situations where I know I'm overeating. Those situations become "tomorrow is a new day" meals...

Another day off, another buffet yesterday. I have a Tupperware full of vegetables and a mandarin orange for lunch. I'm at 128 today and while I was ogling myself in mirrors all day yesterday, I would still like to lose. Unfortunately there's an upcoming overnight work trip on Friday night where the entire focus is on drinking beer and eating gigantic meals. Everyone is served the exact same thing so I can't get something different, and it's always about as interesting as watching paint dry so I inevitably wind up cleaning my plate.

Bikram yoga sounds interesting. I'd like to try it when I move back to the U.S. Always "when I move back." I'll join a gym when I move back. I'll make fancy salads for meals when I move back. I'll do it when I move back.

Hey everyone,

Well i screwed up again too. I don't know what it is about this week. I have my bestfreinds birthday party coming up and its a 4 day event of drinking, clubbing, and eating cake. And i have been so anxious about it. Therefore i have been eating which i dont know how that jutifies my eating. I guess i havent been out in so long. I have ignored every social situation where ther has been food and i am just anxious of how i am going to act. Does anyone feel like this or felt like that? I drive the three hour drive on thursday and wont be back til sunday. I am just a nervous wreck. I couldnt get out of it and i dont want to either. But its should i or should i not. sigh...

It's not "one or the other" and it doesn't have to be. I do totally understand your anxiety. I go out every weekend and I spend the day before mentally prepping myself. I try to eat as lightly as possible, tiny breakfast and small lunch, so that when evening comes I'll still have a bunch of calories left over. Often I drink and get the munchies and indulge them. There can be small gains but even on the worst of weekends a couple days back on plan fixes it.

Clubbing counts as exercise. Drink less and dance harder.

LOVE IT! Plan to practice this tonight No scale movement today, but to be quite honest, I'd really be pleased if I just maintained until the end of the month. It's so hard to actively lose weight when you're surrounded by holiday eating.

I'm right there with you in terms of the getting anxious about public uncontrolled eating situations.

Today my plan is to eat a good breakfast (done), log some quality gym time this morning, salads and fruit for the rest of the day, and plenty of dancing tonight.

Hope you all have wonderful day

Man, I'm jealous of you ladies. I will be spending tonight sipping tea with my inlaws, probably watching the news on their tiny tv while sitting on their horribly uncomfortable couch. We will talk about things like the garden club and small-town politics.

I confided to a friend that I was worried that it would rain on Thanksgiving, and that I'd be anxious and not able to fully enjoy the meal if I didn't get my run in. She looked at me like I had two heads. I thought she'd get it b/c she is overweight and trying to lose, but I think she thinks that I'm "skinny now" and I don't have to worry about it. ~sigh!~

Krampus, I'm not going to laugh at your measurements because they're pretty darn close to mine!

Lose25, I get where you're coming from. I think some of my recent bingeing is due to anxiety about gaining weight over the holidays. Nope, doesn't make any sense. Drives me crazy. But I'm trying to learn.

Neuro, I hope your recovery is going well!

Kellost, . Good to see you! You've given me a good idea -- I will decide on a few baking projects that are true traditions, and do those. All the incidentals will have to be shelved at least for this year, but probably forever. And I will focus on things that can be given away (oh no, am I becoming a food pusher?)

I will probably be offline for a few days. By some miracle my inlaws got highspeed wireless internet (this, from people who don't have cable), but there is no privacy there. None. They have no concept.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends. And to those of you on the international scene, have a great, healthful week!

So, I had brownie a la mode last night.
The crazy, crazy thing--my calories came out only 55 over my goal, with my macronutrients right in perfect range. I even put my light salad dressing over my McDonalds salad (Southwest) last night and had an extra piece of bread when I got home because I was hungry--and I still hit my mark.
Weird. Really, really weird.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve Feathers!!

Krampus - I would not laugh at those measurements. I cannot believe how much my boobs have gone down. I went from around a 34 full C to a 32 barely B I am a total pear. I think thats why I am getting frustrated. I am losing up top, which is great for the stomach but not losing in my legs or my arms! And I find thin "limbs" so attractive. Right now my measurements are
32-25.5-37! I hope the last ten pounds come from my arms, legs and one more inch in my stomach Wishful thinking again!

Amy - As not fun as that sounds lol, the bright side is you will be able to maintain, or even lose!!

OneofTwelve - Congrats on staying in your calorie range AND macronutrient range while treating yourself. Thats impressive!!

Emma - That is so cute that you called me by my first and middle name Thanks for the acknowledgement but I have been slipping up a lot

Man OH man is it hard to stay on plan during the Holidays. My new goal for Christmas is 127 (it was 125). Its just so hard between the holidays and friends birthdays. Now I am hoping to reach my goal of 120 by Spring Break. We'll see.

Everyone have a GREAT thanksgiving!!! Be safe!!

Hey everyone! Thanks for the wisdom and words. I guess your allright i am going to drink less i mean who are you kidding i am the girl that gets drunk with two tequilla shots so i wont have any problems with little drinking and i do dance a lot. So that will be my workout. I guess i am going to prep myself menatlly and have a talk in my bathroom mirror and in her bathroom mirror everytime i excuse myself. Also i have GAINED two lbs so everyone else who has lost CONGRATULATIONS!! Very proud of you guys. I am just mad at myself for falling offf so much. I think its because i am thinking after this birthday i will have a fresh start. But no this will be my fresh start and i wil just have to be extra prepared.

To all the Americans have a wonderful thanks giving and enjoy all the delicious food. Everyone else have a wonderful weekend. It feels like a friday for some reason....

It is a minefield to stay good this time of year. My Germany (Dec. 26) goal was 122 a blue moon and a half ago. Now I just look at that and laugh. I'm going to change it to 124. I'm still 128...

Today is Thanksgiving but it's just another work day for me. I'm going to eat on plan and go for a run in the bitter cold in celebration. I made lemon pasta with eggplant and spinach for lunch and I can't WAIT to eat it. Went shopping yesterday and NSV ALERT found my calves fit comfortably into all boots at the stores now. Wasn't always the case! XD

Dianne Ugh you have such a tiny waist! Jealous! I gotta get there. I think I may have "graduated" from 34A to 32A, hard to tell.

Happy Thanksgiving Feathers! Just a quick check in!

129 on the dot today. So I didnt make it to goal. I am still happy with where I am!!

Krampus - you have small hips - I am jealous of THAT!

Have a great day everyone!!

Happy Thanksgiving, Feathers! I just got back from running the "Gobble Gobble 5k" here in my hometown. It was a cold, wet, morning but I did it! It feels good. Maybe it will offset the pie I'm planning on eating later tonight.

Have a great holiday!

Happy T-giving everyone. I'm 2nd day post-op now, still pretty sore but absolutely thrilled with my results so far. Not to get too graphic, but I had "stage IV ptosis" of the breasts, which translates into layman's terms as "extremely droopy; pointed straight down." For the first time in my adult life, my boobs actually project forward from my ribcage.

Can't trust my weight because I'm pretty swollen (gained 5 pounds overnight after the surgery), so I'm not weighing for a few days. The bad news is, I'm not allowed to exercise for at least a week, (and no weight-lifting for 3-4 weeks) which will make it that much harder to get through the holidays without true weight gain. Thankfully, I am also not at all hungry, probably from the lingering effects of anesthesia, pain meds and the metabolic shifts from the surgery.

I hope you all manage to eat exactly what you were planning to today. Good luck!