Thanks Linden for the reality check. I plan on getting back to Phase 1 after the first of the year along with many others. I really shouldn't beat myself up, I've maintained my same weight for the last 6 months. Other than the initial 5lbs I gained April-May(2 weddings, a cruise, 3 conventions). This period has definitely been a learning experience - what I can eat, what I can't eat, what I can drink, how much activity I need. As they say - it's a lifestyle makeover, not a diet! Have a great day.

Linden, that's a lot of walking! Awesome job! My pups are the same way when it comes to rain. Last night it was raining here and this morning. The dogs just stand at the door, look out and come back into the house.

I can really tell I'm not on plan. I just feel plain full all the time but there is no gain. Just sluggish. The holiday season starts for real for me this Friday. My daughter flys in Friday so the festivities begin. Lots of shopping and some baking. Not tons of either but I asked each of my kids to pick just one special item they wanted for Christmas and that's all I'm baking this year and not double batches. I cleaned the family room in the basement that we never use and brought out the ping pong table. That way we'll get some physical movement instead of sitting around playing cards.

I'm already starting to look forward to going back on plan when Christmas is over and reaching my goal this time. It truely is a head thing for me.

Everyone have a great day! Oh, I almost forgot, I ordered the neatest gift for my son that is starting environmental engeering next semester. It's a little esosphere on a stand. Waiting for it to be delivered today. It is something different and I think he will really like it. It's so hard to figure out what to buy for gifts and thought this was perfect for him. I'm anxious to see it too! Once again.....have a great day!

Hi All,

I'm really, really sorry about the bursitus, Marion. My mother had it, before cortisone shots, and my hat's off to your being able to dance through it. So, you mentioned the S word, and voila, we got some. Just tiny, tiny crystals that turned into real rain, when we were still about a kilometer away from home. I don't know what the P-for-L was thinking, but I'm sure they weren't happy thoughts. He about dislocated my shoulder pulling to get home. Remarkable what 8 pounds of determination is capable of.

Ruby, I think your maintaining is really comforting to know. I'll join you back on 1 in January, as will Iowamom, I think.

"Elegantly simple" is really a riff on the mathematical term "elegant solution," Samyswan,, but I think it's apt. At least it has been for me.

And Iowa, it sounds as though you have Christmas in hand and won't it be great to have the kids home. And your not gaining anything is great, too. Your mentioning playing cards made me kind of nostalgic. I think that's what I miss most of all now that my father's gone and the German relations don't play. All right, that and the Wise potato chips and dip which I only had ONCE a year. Please forget I said that.

Me too!.. it's so hard for me to anchor any thoughts of dieting in my head when there's so much other stuff going on, not to mention all the tempting goodies everywhere I turn... I'm just trying to keep down the damage between now & the day after Christmas... yesterday was pretty much a Phase 2 day, just to get rid of some canned chicken & tuna, so that I can concentrate on bootcamping it for the next week... well, maybe concentrate is the wrong word, maybe going on auto-pilot is more the result I'm hoping for... I find that the more I think about it, the more trouble I have, probably because food, even the right food, is constantly on my mind... I have to just stop thinking about it... but that's not so easy... I mean, if somebody told me to not think about a zebra, a zebra would be the ONLY thing I could think about... maybe I'm just a lunatic...........

hugs

I'm with both of you. Really preoccupied with food. Part of it is not having enough people to cook/bake for which I really enjoy this time of the year. Part is not going out much in the shivery, dank, sleety weather. And when it's dead dark at 3:30 I want dinner by 4:30. Part is being surrounded by Belgian chocolates and, even worse, a couple of little shops that make their own exquisitely hand-decorated chocolates. I guess I'll get some for the relatives for Christmas since I won't be bringing them hand-dipped chocolate-covered macadamia nuts this year. (Can't tell what the weather's doing right now, rain, sleet, or snow. But through the light from across the street it's almost horizontal so I'm guessing the wind is fierce.)

Learned a lesson big time last night. I got into some Christmas goodies.....sicker than anything last night and up half the night. My body is trying to tell me something and I need to listen to it!

Hard way to learn a lesson. I think I was reading the same book last January, shortly after I got here and the first time I went out to eat with the family. And the irony is I thought I was eating as close to plan as I possibly could. A very hard way to learn a lesson. I sure hope you're feeling better. And you can't even feed what's left to the dogs. Hey, maybe they're on to something?

Thinking about you ladies. I'm pretty off plan. I have a weigh in this morning that I know won't be great, but I'm really not going to sweat it right now. It's Christmas and there is little point in actually trying to start over now. Now, is about minimizing the damage and enjoying the season.

It's going to be a busy couple of weeks (already one funeral and final projects/finals), but I'm looking forward to the weekend. I hope you are all able to enjoy the season!

Sorry you were sick, Iowa... I think maybe you're right about your body's trying to tell you something... you'll probably think this is crazy, but I kinda wish my body would react immediately & unpleasantly to my missteps... maybe then I'd listen... but, no, it just goes on like nothing happened & I don't get a lesson from it...

I've come to realize in the past week or so that I've been letting every emotion, good or bad or in between, be an excuse to eat off-protocol... it started in March when my dad was in the hospital with pneumonia & pulmonary embolism, very serious at his age (87).. he survived it, thank God, but it threw me into a tailspin, diet-wise... since then, almost every upset or elation in my life has been a (not-so-good) reason to eat all kinds of no-nos... I'm pretty sure I can't expect to snap out of it overnight, so I'm gonna just join Iowa & Linden & Marion & whoever else in getting serious after New Year's... 'til then, I'll just enjoy the holiday & my mother's good cooking & try to keep the damage to a minimum...

I'm in the process of thinking about a list of motivations for next year... it might not be a long list, but I already know of one thing that will be a pretty strong motivator... I'm planning to go next summer back to Colorado to work on the Continental Divide Trail Project, like I did in 2010... my dad's health kept me from doing it this year, but, God willing, I'll be going again in 2012... I have to be in great shape, it's a strenuous weekend... another thing I'm gonna start doing again is measuring myself, even though I'm not crazy about seeing my current statistics... still not planning to hop on the scales, that's not as motivating for me as it is for some others, it mostly makes me a lunatic... maybe someday...

hugs

[QUOTE=Aunt Sheshie;4142792'til then, I'll just enjoy the holiday & my mother's good cooking & try to keep the damage to a minimum... [/QUOTE]

I got on line to write and see how you were doing vis a vis the storm and if you would be able to get to your parents' this Christmas. Is it safe to assume that if you're posting you're not seriously affected? That goes for the rest of you, too. Everyone OK? So far we've missed the storms that hit France and southern Germany and we can keep missing them, as far as I'm concerned. We paid our dues two Christmases ago. Whole rail system shut down for most of the day before we left. (Sound like Germany? NO!) Day we left they were cancelling every other train out of Berlin and all reservations and coach classes went out the window. It was a bloody free for all. Hard not to (selfishly) think And I flew half way around the world for this?

I'm looking forward to January although I'm kind in thrall to the lethargy of a head cold right now. Hard to think or get enthusiastic, let alone clean and get ready to leave. Animals probably think my laying around is an early Christmas gift. They're perfecting draping, at attractive angles. Cheers all, and stay well or, in my case, stay away from the sniffling granddaughter.

Have any of you ladies found that you drop weight right before your period? I'm due Saturday and just dropped 4 pounds over night and I can assure you it wasn't fabulous eating.

Where are you going?.. did I miss something?.. sorry to hear you're laid up with a cold... I've been lucky so far & I hope to remain cold-free all winter...

Yes, I'm fine, thanks for asking... the snow missed me entirely & even my parents (in the top of the Texas Panhandle) didn't get as much snow as forecasted... the really bad stuff hit New Mexico & Kansas (in my part of the country).. I should still be able to go home for Christmas, even though there's a slight chance for light snow on Friday...

hugs

hi everyone!

I am hoping I can post here as I don't seem to 'fit' in anywhere else since I a have stopped following the IP plan over the holidays. I will be starting again on boxing day...

I haven't gained any weight but I feel super bloated. I have been having a shake for breakfast, veggies for lunch with some meat (yesterday I had pizza!) and then I eat what ever at dinner. I realize this isn't what I should be doing but it is working for me right now.

Can't wait to get back on board and to lose these last 25 lbs!!

Any words of advice for starting again?

Sara, I'm happy to have you here and I'm sure you'll find that the other ladies that check in on this thread are as well. We've been quieter lately and I think that's because a few of us are off plan during the holidays. Just don't take our quietness as ignoring you.

If what you are doing has worked for you to maintain then great! My words of advice about restarting are to really go back and remember what it was that helped you succeed initially and also be realistic that as you get closer to your goal, weight loss will slow. Hunker down you focus!

Good to know-good insentuve not to grab at those goodies during the holidays! Hope your feeling better!