saef - Autopilot your way through the holidays and soon you can rest again. Your mom sounds like a toughie but I think most moms are. Mine harps on me to eat less and sends me cookies and candy in the mail since the only way we express love in my family is with food.
Saef, sounds like you are very stressed and your mom sounds like a toughie. I'm sending you and to get through it all, as well as permission to relax mentally when you're at your 6 am cycling class and not think about everything you have to do! You can do that at 7 am!
Saef - perhaps it doesn't matter if it doesn't all get done? Could you pretend you were at ER or in a battle zone and had to triage all the casualties (aka demands on your time) coming through the door?
Just letting you all know that I'm still around, but currently not busy in the maintenance/ excercise mode. I've gained a lot of weight since last year, and I'm currently focussing on some headwork: get over my anxiety issues before they get out of control. Takes a long time.
Birch! congrats on the 6 lbs. I actually came around because I was thinking of you. I heard on the news Wales was snowed in and I think of you when I'm lugging my wood to the stove. I am SO glad I had gotten 5m3 stacked. This is the worst snow I've ever encountered. Need I say that one of the anxieties is driving with snow? I have availed myself of several opportunities to tackle my fear. Still in one piece, car also. Again, one of those things that is even more scary in the mind than in reality. And I've made an appointment with the garage to get snow tires.
Saeff- got some inkling of your situation in passing. Stay strong!
Well, I made it down past 180 and that will be my "redline" (for lack of a better word) goal weight. It is the weight that, if crossed above, I will be a bit concerned and work hard to go below again. I've now set 175 as the next goal and I'm in no hurry to get there. I just would like to have something to shoot for as I'm still going to be doing the same things with food and exercise.
Saef, . They are amazing creatures, our mothers are. Mine has an undergraduate degree in psychology, and therefore thinks that she can read my mind and understand my motivations. Not quite as aggravating as the nitpicking you go through, and I've actually laughed out loud at some of the kooky stuff she comes up with. Positive thoughts sent your way ...
Found that little extra nudge of motivation - I have a short cruise coming up in mid February, and then a wedding (on the beach in St. John) now planned for April 1. The only non-lap swimming suit I have was purchased more than 20 pounds ago!
Rabbit - yes, lots of snow and ice, and ridiculous temperatures. I think being upbeat and looking for the positive helps. There is a lot of misery and catatrophism about amongst people who watch the telly too much, IMHO! My driving tip is always to start off in second gear and take your foot off the clutch. Fewer skids that way. You're thinking of snow tyres? Hmm, could be an investment. We had them when I was a child in the bad winter of 62-63. Next year, I'm going to build another wood shelter and get Fully Stocked Up. Thanks for thinking of me. I think of you, too, and hope you're well over in the Dutch Highlands.
Saef, good luck with the mom visit. My parents arrived 2 days early for their visit with us -- that's 2 days I had planned to spend cleaning!
Silver, I hope your weather clears up soon.
Hi to everyone else! I'm zoning out and can't remember what you all posted. I will probably be in and out sporadically between now and January, but I will be thinking of you all. So far I haven't gained 5lbs, so hopefully I can keep it that way.
I sit on the fence today at 125.2. Tied for my lowest adult weight. With my birthday, Christmas and Germany coming up it almost seems like a chore to do all those extra special once-in-a-lifetime things. I just want to hang out and eat vegetables and weigh myself. How DOES this business work? :laugh:
Krampus!! Of course your birthday must be by Christmas, being Krampus and all!! Yayayayayayayayayay!! What a great birthday gift!! I'm so happy for you! And inspired!!
Silver, thanks for the driving tip! I had to laugh about your joke about the dutch highlands, but it IS true!! fully 6 m above sea level I believe. I shudder to think of driving in snow on SLOPES (which you have over in wales I believe)
I've sprung for the snow tires, see it as a dent-money paid up front. Surely getting a real dent will occur at a time when it suits even less, and even the smallest dent is already horribly expensive anyway. The garage actually called that I could get them put on today, but...there is about 1 foot of snow outside and had not dug my car out of the driveway yet. So I'll get them the day after christmas.
Belated congrats to SB and Matt for your weight loss successes!!!
Merry Christmas everyone! Have a blessed and wonderful wonderful holiday!
I'm not going to fret too much about food today other than reasonable choices for breakfast and lunch. But Christmas Eve dinner is my favorite meal of the whole year, so I'm not going to fret too much. I have a lot of diet clean up to do next week anyhow.
and 
to get through it all, as well as permission to relax mentally when you're at your 6 am cycling class and not think about everything you have to do! You can do that at 7 am!
Krampus!! Of course your birthday must be by Christmas, being Krampus and all!! Yayayayayayayayayay!! What a great birthday gift!! I'm so happy for you! And inspired!! 
Have a blessed and wonderful wonderful holiday!
