[Kimphin]

Hey all! Remember - Santa is watching! Be good this week!

SO, limping along here with the plan. I haven't really had any christmas temptations, although we are having our office luncheon today, so we'll see what that offers.

I have certainly been burning calories - SHOVELING! It is definitely a winter wonderland here, we had a foot of snow Friday, it snowed all day Saturday (lightly - very Currier and Ives-ish) and another wallop of a storm yesterday with another 9 inches. Sunday storms.... ugh what a waste of a potential snow day.

I did get in the trusty Murano (with reindeer antlers and red nose installed) and headed to the mall for the christmas shopping finale. It was great. Hardly anyone there - except I think that all of the people that were there were in Aeropostale with me. I'm officially old - does the music NEED to be that loud in the store??? I could barely concentrate.

Jillian - I voted for my fave name! I hope that we don't influence you too much, though. Go with what your heart says, you can't go wrong there!

Nicole - Fluffy? I'm with Dan. All of the other dogs will point and laugh. She will then rebel and become a street walker, selling herself for a Milk Bone or a Liv-a-Snap. You must prevent this!

Erin - I hope that this week brings you more of that resolve that you had last week, and some better news about your car. I think that you are entitled to the breakdown you had about what the mechanics said - what idiots!

Katie - the kids pictures were sooo cute! I think that your daughter looks just like you!

Joni - Good to hear from you - how was your trip? Exercise is soooo important in this weight loss thing. For me, it reminds me what I am trying to achieve. It is harder to cheat when you know that you are un-doing what you just sweated you butt off to get! Did you find a $$$$ challenge?

OK - Hi to everone else - I have to head to a meeting....

[Dan2112]

Darn it Kim.. I was getting so long winded with my own post that you snuck yours in before me..

I'm happy to shut mine down in deference to yours...

[Kimphin]

LOL - FIRST!!!!

The key, Dan, is to post a fast one, then go back and edit in the long-winded part!

[jewljz]

Originally Posted by Kimphin

I'm officially old - does the music NEED to be that loud in the store??? I could barely concentrate.

You couldn't concentrate because you were too busy dancing! Never admit to the age thing!

[Dan2112]

OK.. Here's my repost from the other L & F thread...
__________________________________________________ ____________
Good morning ladies..

Up and at 'em for what could possibly be the most difficult diet week for the year.

So while this may be a pretty light week around the forum, I'm sure some of you will be lurking in and out like me. I'm only in the office today and will be spending much of the rest of the week doing some last minute shopping and house cleaning.

So.. Some things to think about...

1. Office parties - There's always one or two people who feel compelled to bring in a plate of cookies, fudge or something along those lines.. Do your part and bring in a veggie tray or fruit bowl.

2. Relatives visiting - While you may feel obliged to have a bevy of treats to offer, take a little extra time to whip up something from the LAWL cookbook or the 3FC recipe files... Liz makes a fantastic fat free (well, almost) cheesecake that will fool your friends into thinking they're getting the real thing!

3. Shopping - We're all going to be out getting last minute bits and baubs.. Most of us will hit a mall or two (where the heck do you buy webkins????)... It's very easy to stop at the "Hot Dog on a Stick" and eat some fried cheese while snickering at the workers funky hats there... But to avoid the urge to shop and eat, eat before you hit the mall so you're not as hungry and thus temped by the wonders that are the food court...

4. Traveling - Most airport snack bars now offer fruit and veggies.. Just because you're rushing to meet the plane, doesn't mean a burger is any easier.. There's no excuse to cram down a burrito when you could be having something a bit healthier..

5. (And this is a biggie)... The mantra of LAWL (at least while Liz and I were members) was always that you are "Free to live"... Our favorite counselor always told us that it's ok if you don't have any good choices.. Just make good decisions with the choices you have... Don't fill your plate with all that stuff you shouldn't be eating.. Have a few bites and move on. You shouldn't deprive yourself and be miserable while all around you are tucking in.. Just do it wisely and by that, don't over do anything!

No go out there and be one with your POP!!!

Have a great week and if I don't see you here, have a very Merry Christmas/Hannukah or whatever you celebrate.. If you don't celebrate this week, be at peace as we approach the new year and stay warm!!!

[Repo girl]

Hi guys! Kim and Dan great posts, both of you!

Kim- I am with you on the loud music. DH and I ate lunch at Applebee's yesterday. The music was so loud we could not even visit. It was crazy!

We have gotten pounded with snow too. It is so pretty and wintery outside. My son is really getting good at shoveling and pushing snow with the 4 wheeler.

So, I read an article about how your diet affects your chakra balance, Reiki flow, and intuition. The main no no's were sugar, white flour, and meat. I am going to see what I can do to cut back back and see what happens.

[JLem311]

hello everyone. DD's school was postponed by 2hrs today because of the weather. her last day until jan 5th is tomorrow. then i'm gonna make some amazing cinnamon rolls on xmas eve morning while DH is at work for a half day. then we're gonna spend the night at the kids' house that night so we can (finally!) see them open gifts on xmas morning. (it's been 2yrs since i've seen them open stuff on xmas day, so i'm super excited!) and i'm gonna bake the rolls that morning too and spend most of the day over there. then i'm cooking a turkey dinner for just DH and i at home. it should be a good week. i'm excited to have both kids together for almost 2wks. (i'm sure my tune will change halfway in, ha!)

thanks to everyone for voting on our name choices. i think we've decided, but are keeping it to ourselves for awhile, so we can "try it on"..

ok..DS is at my house today and eyeing the xmas presents under the tree. gotta run!

[bradleys mom]

Hi everyone! Hope you all are planning a very Merry Christmas! Thanks for the tips Dan! What would we do without you!?

Tomorrow is 6 weeks since my baby arrived! I started adhering back to some of the LA rules last week just to get familiar and lost 4 lbs, so if I can stay focused this should be a breeze... It is just torture that my first week back on LAWL is the same week of Christmas! Now thats a challenge! lol

[BarbaraB]

Jillian, If there were no 8th grade boys in the world then Regina would definitely be a beautiful name. I just felt really bad for that girl and my sister was just sick for starting that all. My DH really had his heart set on naming our daughter Bonnie, which my mom had a particularly obnoxious poodle mix of that name at the time... no way was I naming my daughter the same name as my mom's dog who would never stop barking.


Kim, I too am on the snow shoveling work out plan... and mother nature just keeps providing more and more to shovel... My back thinks I should take up something else though.

Dan, I agreee that celebrating moderately is the key. You can do something special without blowing tons of calories. Have a little, but be sure that it is a little. I'm telling myself that Christmas is only one day. So through the 24th, I"m trying to stick on plan as closely as I can. On Christmas itself, I won't deprive myself, but I am not going to gorge myself either. After being good for so long if I did I'd spend the day feeling ill, and that is no way to spend a holiday.

We have the worst snow and ice storm in 40 years here this week. There is at least 16 inches of snow on the ground, with layers of ice in there too, one ice layer is at least a half inch thick, so shoveling that was truly a workout. Oh shoot, I looked and it is snowing again.... One of the TV stations named the storm snowzilla. Portland is just not equiped to deal with the snow.

[erin1369]

Good Morning and Merry Christmas eve, eve day...lol

So good news, after I brought my car to the dealership to be fixed right (which took them 1 hour not 3 days and cost me less!) I was looking at the new ford fusions which I have been wanting for the past year but alas couldn't afford. And I have a 2000 focus with the exception of the ignition has been a terrific car. I told the saleslady I wanted to buy in the spring when I had a downpayment....she said if your payments stayed the same and you didn't have to put anything down at 0% interest would you want it today? Silly question I said but also impossible. Apparently with the economic situation the car manufacturers are offering ridiculous deals to get cars off the lot. Anyway I am now the proud owner of a beautiful ford fusion.

So I called the mental health agency to reschedule my intake appt and they are taking walk in's over this week and next, so I can go anytime. I am hoping to go today but I have prior commitments and we'll see how much time I have. I have also decided to go on stabilization and then maintenence with la weight loss. I don't think I should be trying to lose weight when I am working on getting past the constant thinking of my weight and the binging. But at 148 - 150 I am in the healthy bmi range, just near the top of it.

To all the ladies shoveling, Kim, Katie, Barbara...here in Kamloops B.C. we have snow that comes to my mid thigh. It seems every morning there is another 2-4 inches on the ground. Forcast says more on the way. Also we are having -25c up to -35c with the wind chill. Basically you get frost bite within minutes of exposure of your hands or feet. We are in a state of emergency with the homeless. So far 3 people have died from the weather. There just isn't enough room for them in the shelters. Makes me thankful for my warm home.

Thanks as always for the tips Dan...3 fat Chicks and 1 wise Rooster

[Mama Nicole]

Good morning all.

Can someone please make me work? I am being such a total and comlete slacker. My neighbor boy is coming over at !!:30 (I am going to babysit him) and I am still in my sweats.....my glasses...and drinking coffee. I guess I think it is my Christmas break too.....and that is so not the case. I have quite a bit more work to do when the kids are off, not less. I have to get my laundry in order today, or I will be buried.

Anywhoo, Erin, congrats on your new car. I hope you find time to gt to the clininc....although it sounds quite dangerous to go anywhere.

The weather has been really cold here, but nowhere near what some of you are experiencing. I just don't think I could deal with real winter anymore. I have only been here for 4ish years, but still....the cold just sucks. I hope the weahter lightens up for all of you soon

Well, I am thnking I am going to get a handle on my eating issues at the first of the year. I am kinda nervous about it....I have grown quite comfortable with my comfort foods. But, I am not strong anymore. It is hard for me to do things I used to do.....and I don't want to get old before my time. So, that is my plan. I will begin the red plan the day after I get home from my mom's after the new year.

Ok, it is sooo time for me to get some work done I will be back soon.....
XOXO

[BarbaraB]

Nicole, You need to corrale all that kid energy to do the work for you. Or at least some of it. I know that often takes more effort than doing it yourself.

Erin, congrats on the car. You really do need reliable transportation, and now is a good time with the deals that they have and all. I think you are likely at a healthy weight for you now. I would more aim to get your body fat range in the healthy zone than worrying about what the scale says. There are several sites online where you can estimate your body fat just with your measurements. I was able to weigh less previously because I had crashed dieted and wasted my muscles. I didn't realize it at the time, but even though I was heavier at the end of LAWL, I was leaner. I was healthier, and I could believe that the same thing happened to you. Perhaps the weight you were shooting for is not reasonable for you now. I think we need to focus less on the numbers on the scale, and more on what is just healthy for our own individual bodies. Hardly anyone can see that number on the scale. Everyone can see how small and fit you might just be.

I went outside in my slippers to see how slippery it was, and slipped and fell flat on my back... felt rather stupid, since how stupid do you have be to walk up the driveway in slippers (our driveway is definitely sloped). Oh well... I guess we all take a fall now and again.

Today I'm wearing some pants that I've felt were too tight to wear since I came back from Hawaii. I've finally reversed that slow upward trend.

[jewljz]

Way to go Barbara! On the pants - not the fall...
Erin - great news about the car!
Nicole - I can't even watch my own kids during the holidays, much less the neighbor boy! You are so talented!

I've had enough of "winter"! Its been in the 30's and 40's for about 3 days now! I'm just not cut out for this anymore!!! Having had to replace my whole wardrobe - including shoes, I just don't have what I need to stay warm! Wore my slipper socks in my shoes today to work because my feet were so cold! No one is here anyway and anyone that is looking that closely will get a good laugh

Well everyone - it seems this is the last day I will be in here until after Christmas - I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Christmas and I hope everyone gets what they want! All I want is smiling faces... which may prove to be a chore this Christmas... family drama... happens every freakin' holiday!

[Joni135]

Oh Kim - you crack me up

Nicole - Fluffy? I'm with Dan. All of the other dogs will point and laugh. She will then rebel and become a street walker, selling herself for a Milk Bone or a Liv-a-Snap. You must prevent this!

I actually did find a new year's challenge and hopefully this one will work for me. It's run by my county and this year it calls for a team of two and it plays out like the Biggest Loser. We weigh in January 3 (and that won't be pretty for me!) and then we weigh out in May. The girlfriend I am doing this with is very competitive and strong willed and I'm very optimistic that this is going to work for me. She wants to win (the prize is $500 for the team with the biggest percentage of weight lost) and she will keep me in line. We both have memberships at the same gym and will meet at least once a week to weigh and hold one another accountable. My intent is to do calorie counting and exercise. I've listened to so many horror stories about being overweight and the increased risk of breast cancer, liver disease, etc., that I need to just get going and do it.......

For anyone that remembers Cassi (bizlawchik) she is alive and well and graduated culinary school. She works as a kitchen manager at a local high school and loves her job.

Julie - your numbers floored me when I just looked; congrats!

Merry Christmas to all.......enjoy a peaceful moment or two with your loved ones!

[zambejaly5]

Joni- yay for cassi, is she ever going to poke her head in here?




merry christmas eve all!!! I was informed by one of my kids friends that yesterday was christmas adam, because it comes before christmas eve! ha!