Thank you for the title idea, Andrea!

This is the thread for maintainers who are looking for a little extra accountability and support beyond the chat thread while we navigate the traditional holiday pitfalls, and/or wrestle with those stubborn few (or not few) pounds keeping us from our goal ranges!

And for that little extra nudge we might need to stay the course.

Stubborn for sure!

I'm maintaining momentum and trying not to gain this holiday season. I can't gain! I have to be ready for swimsuit wearing the second week of January!

I'm going to continue with my weekly weight averages - my most recent is my lowest at 146.9, and "heightened awareness" during the holidays. I feel like I'm in a good spot; the last major hurdle is to disengage my fanny from my couch on a routine basis. Toward that end, believe it or not I did complete a 5K (peer pressure) on Saturday, and I have a Jinglefest mug to prove it! What really surprises me is that I would consider doing more, as running when it's 50 degrees was actually not an unpleasant experience.

Running when it's cool outside is the best, isn't it? When I was running 3x a week, there were times when I just wanted to bag it. Imagine getting up at 5 AM or earlier and heading out when it hits you--80 degrees and humid. Nothing slows you down more than heat and humidity! Sometimes I think even the dog wanted to bag it. But in the end, it was my own psyche that put an end to the morning running. I seriously scared myself into not going any longer. I kept imagining getting attacked (even with my big black dog at my side). I had my headlight on my hat so I could navigate between streetlights and I knew where every streetlights was. I seriously ran hard between lights because in the light was the only place I felt safe. I kind of wish I hadn't scared myself so much. I kind of miss running. But then again, I don't know if Chico could manage running for that distance and I don't know if Misty would be up for it either. I guess I'll stick with the monotony of the treadmill.

I definitely need the extra accountability after gaining 5 pounds (following a week of out-of-town business meetings with lots of gourmet foods -- my weakness). It'll be hard to drop the pounds this month, with all the festivities coming up, but I'm up for it.

Hurdle number one: Sushi dinner this Friday to celebrate my son's 15th birthday. I always get the all-you-can-eat option, but this time I plan to get a big bowl of Asian noodle/vegetable soop instead. If I can do that, I can do anything! I'll let you guys know how I did.

F.

Allison, I would be spooked by that too. Treadmills are boring in a nice safe way, and there's always tunes and TV!

Running in the dark wouldn't even be an option out where I live - there are NO streetlights, or sidewalks. Or light pollution. DS13 also did the 5K, and he enjoyed it (and beat me by 6 minutes!). If my own kid was barking at me to go running with him, I'd probably go. Not today, though - I'm rather stiff!

Becky~I can't tell you how stiff I was from the Turkey Trot! Three whole days of stiffness. It really messed up my golf game!

But this weekend's golfing was much better! Last week I was 80. Saturday with one birdie and only one par, I was 75 and then Sunday after 7 pars I was 70. DH said he'd like to see me get into the sixties. Gee, this shaving points from my score is like shaving pounds from my body!

All you can eat sushi? I've never had that-- it would be dangerous for me-- I can put away the sushi!

I'm over my RED line by 2 pounds. Must get back under.....sigh....

All you can eat sushi is THE BEST. I might make it a "once yearly" tradition. I've been promising my bf "we can go when I'm under 125" and I have been under 125 some days of the week for months now.

Including now!!!!!! Thanksgiving bloat is finally gone and my back is better.

Back in the days when I could run (without something cracking, snapping, or popping LOL) I ran 6 - 8K every morning with my dog. She was a sheperd mix but looked totally German sheperd. I never had any fear of being anywhere in the dark or in isolated places. I had several women ask me about it but I just was not afraid. I didn't expect the dog to protect me either, although it turned out she would, with a vengeance. Weird.

Now I am more afraid. I live in a slightly different part of town - crack addicts and gang guys are sometimes around - and it feels less safe than where I grew up. It's only about 3K away but there have been rapes and muggings and a couple of murders. Lots of B & E's and bank robberies.

Dagmar

I used to love to run before my hip went bad and there were a couple of times running alone when I felt not so safe. Mainly from dogs, but people, too. I used to tell my DH what route I was taking, but he didn't really pay attention!

My friend and I went out very early one Sunday morning; it was still dark. We parked our cars in the usual meeting place and took off along our usual route. We didn't get very far until we came upon a recently wrecked SUV. The car was about 12 feet off the road and had jumped the curb, gone through some landscaping and hit a brick wall. We couldn't see into the car, but we were yelling, "Hello" and a guy answered that he was stuck in the car.

So she stayed there and I ran back to my car and got my cell phone, ran back and called 911. The 911 operator had me go over and try to ask the guy questions. I had to kind of climb through the destroyed shrubs and over bricks to get close enough, and also the car was still hot and smoking. Anyway, the guy was incoherent and could not really answer the questions so I was like, could you just send someone?

We waited about five minutes and then about three police cars, a firetruck and an ambulance all come tearing up the street with sirens and lights. The emergency workers got busy right away so we went off on our run. We came back by about an hour later and one of the firetrucks was still there. We asked about the guy in the car and he said that his arm was crushed under the car and they had to use the jaws of life to get him out. And also that he had lost a lot of blood but was "feeling no pain".

Anyway, good thing we didn't leave for that run a few minutes earlier!

Ward, thank goodness for you & your friend. Did you ever hear what happened after that? It's the kind of thing where, had it been me in that SUV, I would have sent you all a bunch of flowers & a nice note afterward.

I had a somewhat similar experience to Ward's about two years ago in a park that runs along the Bronx River Parkway -- only I came along much later, during daylight, after the injured already had been carried away but while the SUV was still untowed & lodged, where it had come to rest, against some rocks, with an impressive set of tire tracks having churned up the park lawns. People were still standing around staring at it, talking about what had happened, as I ran by. Most of them had been out walking dogs. I definitely felt shivery and nervous after seeing that.

That seemed to be an isolated incident. I feel fairly safe running here, but I am always highly aware & cautious, just because it's a good idea in this area under all conditions & at all times. There are a lot of extremely wealthy people here and a lot of extremely poor people very close by. That leads to friction and, well, occasional incidents. But also to a lot of police on patrol. To be honest, I worry more about getting hit by a car (which has actually happened to me & to several people I know here) rather than about being mugged or assaulted.

Have any of you ever read a book, "The Gift of Fear"? I recommend it highly. It's about observing, paying attention to your instincts rather than talking yourself out of listening to your inner voice, and asserting yourself, rather than receding & being "polite" and even apologetic.

saef I have been afraid of a lot of things in my life and it has kept me from doing a lot and reaching my full potential. Is the book you're recommending about overcoming the fear?

Dagmar

Dagmar, no, this book is about physical, visceral fear over very immediate causes, like strangers in parking garages and situations you'd encounter if you were out running alone.

It's not about that bigger, almost existential fear that I suspect you're talking about, and with which I am also very familiar: My anxiety about being wrong, failing, falling, or being reprimanded or laughed at, which leads to my reining myself in, not working at full potential & living a smaller, more constricted & less joyous life.

Now that book is definitely out there, because I know we're not the only ones who think we are holding ourselves back. But I don't know what it is. If I ever find it, I'll tell you.