mele,

I am so jealous of your trip to bkk. I am planning a trip in March or April and hoping for a new at goal wardrobe to be made there.
Travel is hard, but at least there is lots of yummy seafood and veggies and fruits in Asia. I don't know how much you travel, but try and drink lots of water to stave off the sodium bulges.


As for the cake, sounds yummy, I may have to try that.

I have yet to get my pumpkins carved. I'll wait until Thursday night. I think our orange lights are up though. The candy can wait until tomorrow.

lala

lala I can't wait for my trip either. Only 12 more days! At least you have quite a few months to get to goal for that new wardrobe. The first time I traveled to BKK was in 2000 and I was probably at my heaviest. I had a column sheath type dress made of thai silk, by an Indian tailor. I may just bring that back and have them tailor it to fit me now. My sister on the other hand, is a legal sect'y and she had a new wardrobe made, over 8 pcs--business suits, dresses, pants, etc. for about $500 US, all high quality fabric. The funny thing is is that you can choose your "designer" buttons and zippers: Gucci, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana...you name it, they have it.

The biggest issue I have with traveling to Asia is the bathrooms! I try not to drink a whole lot of water, even though that's when I need it most since it's so hot and humid, because I don't want to have to use those hole in the ground type toilets. I know where all the hotels or banks are that have western style toilets that I can actually flush. But when you gotta go, you gotta go
I'm going to try and eat "Thai" portions rather than normal American portions--that should help me stay in control.

5th weigh-in today and am down -3.4 lbs! I'm doing the happy dance . Just 11.8 lbs and 7.5 more weeks to go... On our way to a holly jolly Christmas.

Christmas GW: 170

Oh my goodness. Is it really only 7.5 weeks till Christmas? Whoops, you are *so* right. Thanks for the wakeup call. I have enjoyed reading all your posts. Good stuff going on. My Halloween was not the roaring success I wanted. I ended up eating Cats cookies instead of Halloween candy, but just many too many. Today I am commited to getting on treadmill and eating better. I did journal and my points are okay. I'm up a quick 1 1/2 pounds, but really think I can knock that off.
At my last WI I was down 1.2# and that puts me right on target for 8 pounds down by Christmas.

Good luck to us all!
Judy
234/217/thinner

I'm on for the christmas challenge, I'll be happy to be down 2.5# by thanksgiving and down another 3# by Christmas.

My major stumbling blocks are christmas entertaining and cookie making....

lala

I started baking for Thanksgiving today. I had two tiny mini muffins, enjoyed them, and counted them in. I'm fine. Now I'm heading out to get some exercise. Good luck on this challenge everyone. My official WI is Wednesday and I hope to knock off some more weight.

Love,
Judy

Judy,

What did you bake? I'm curious.

We did our menu, made gravy base and some chicken/turkey stock. I have started the strategic planning for our special Saturday before Turkey day, turkey day festivities, including having someone else do the turkey and let us do the goose at our house.

However, I am still looking for elegant hors d'ouvres and desserts for my table.

I am thinking a steamed cranberry pudding, a ginger pound cake with winter fruit compote, something small and chocolatey and mixed berry cobbler and pumpkin pie. Have you any opinions, only the steamed cranberry pudding is WW friendly, the rest are soo easy to make ahead save the crisp/cobbler.

For hors d'ouvres its going to be a cheese platter and a small veggies tray. I want my guests to be moderately hungry.

lala

Lalala,
To bake ahead for Thanksgiving, I made a traditional pumpkin pie and baked a couple of loaves of pumpkin bread and some mini muffins of the same. Your desserts sound scrumptious.

I don't know if you'd think this is elegant, but something easy to count in and easy to make is prosciutto wrapped around a chunk of provolone. You can also wrap proscuitto around a thin slice of cantelope. Also, how about water chestnuts wrapped in bacon and baked? ARe you doing the whole dinner at your place?

I've got family and friends coming, but we won't be many. I do hope to knock off another three pounds by then. I've been averaging a pound a week and I am determined to do this!

234/217/thinner
Good luck everyone,
Judy

Judy,

I travel to my folks on Thanksgiving, so we do a big Saturday before thanksgiving thanksgiving as most of us have families that we need to visit. Started 13 years ago, we have all grown up and we still do it. This year we'll have 20 with a sit down dinner. We're a bit well, over marthaed here.

I figure most of the desserts are do aheads. I love the proscuitto idea and may do the water chesnut dish too. I have a double oven, but am trying to do as much on the stovetop to keep oven time for just the goose.

I'm down .4# for the week, I will be soo happy to be 5# down for the holidays....

lala

Hi! I want to join too. I want to lose 13 pounds by Christmas. That will put me at 165. I am worried about Thanksgiving but am still trying for the 13 pounds.

La,la,la,
Yeah, glad you liked the suggestions. I'd love to attend an overMarthaed event. Sounds fabulous! Congrats on the weight loss. I'm down .8# this week. I usually average 1# a week by staying with points, journaling, and hopping on the treadmill.
I'm aiming for 8# down by Christmas and I can do it if I hang tough with all the goodies around. Bigger thought is hoping to break 200# by March. That will be such a thrill! That's why these challenges are so great. Knocking off pounds in small increments of time. It works for me!
Clynne,
Great to have you here! Good luck!
Love,
Judy
234/216.2/thinner

Judy,

Congrats on the 1# loss. I am having a tough week with eating out and work and school stress. I'll get through it, but its baby steps all the way.

As for overmarthaed events, I can't help it, my mom is the queen of entertaining and my partner also grew up in a family that entertained alot. We both have a knack and enjoy it. However this year, its all about pre planning!

If you want, I'll send you some recipes.

lala

Hello everyone. Just checking in with my latest WI results, I'm down 1.2 lbs this week . I have now achieved an 11 lb loss and earned my first gold star . Now to maintain this loss or even lose a little while I go on my 10-day trip. I leave tomorrow morning for Bangkok and will spend my time between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. I'm a little bleary-eyed right now as I've just finished up my packing.

Welcome to the challenge Clynne . We can all work through these holidays with each others' support.

Hi Judy and Lala, congrats on your losses. Oh it's fun just reading about all your elegant Thanksgiving foods , makes me want some juicy turkey or ham right now. We're no Martha Stewart family. My family has a 'sit around' Thanksgiving late lunch. There are so many of us that get together we couldn't possibly sit at a table together so we end up strewn in all parts of the house. In fact once, we even brought a picnic table into the garage so we could deep fry a turkey cajun style outside. The main thing is we all get together and appreciate the company and give thanks for all we have, eh?

Well ladies, have a great weekend and hope to read more sucess stories on this thread when I get back.

Aloha!

Noelle,
Good luck on your trip. Maybe with the time changes, you'll find this before you start traveling!
Judy

Lalala,
This is so kind of you to offer recipes. Right now I'm concentrating on low point recipes to get me through the holidays. It sounds like holidays at your place are great.

I'm just back from a quick get away with dh. I pointed out the foods I ate and brought 2pt. bars, etc. with me, so I hope the weight gain I'm seeing is due to extra salt, etc. I'll be on the treadmill today for sure. Good luck this weekend!
:
Judy

Mele,

Have a great and safe trip. Don't forget that sunscreen, eh?

As for elegant, I wouldn't go that far, but I can say that food is a big part of my life and so are gatherings of those I love and care for.

Judy, I have a great low point cranberry steamed pudding recipe, I can post it for you if you want.

lala