Saef, So sorry your mom can't be the caretaker you need at this time! You're in my thoughts.
Holiday parties and dinners and lunches with friends begin in earnest for me on Friday. Keeping the damage down to a two week period (now to January 1) no doubt will help. And it will be FUN! If I have to overeat, I don't have to be a complete pig, and whatever overeating I do, I promise myself I will enjoy it thoroughly.

That's a great attitude, Chris. Wish I could adopt it but I know it would be way too dangerous.

Even though I'm being plied with cookies and candy from all sides this week at school, the real challenge begins next week when I go to Houston and stay with the in-laws. They are difficult in the best of times..... and they are probably going to be putting their two year old dog to sleep in the next few days (melanoma), and are devastated. Food portions at restaurants are HUGE and I know we'll be going to some amazing places.

To top it off, I've caught another cold from some of my darlings at school. Rather than not want to eat, I want to stuff my face..... Isn't the saying, feed a cold, starve a fever? I never remember so I feed both!

Sorry I've been MIA lately; I have been lurking but I have nothing at all to contribute at this point. I am simply maintaining/getting by/kicking the can down the road until the New Year. There is just too much going on over the next couple of weeks to make my weight and what I eat any sort of priority. In a bold, never-tried attempt to reduce the perceived holiday stress, I'm jettisoning everything that isn't absolutely mandatory and for the next two weeks, will just ... "do". I will join the legions of good-intentioned "resolutioners" on January 1st.

Saef, I will continue to think of you often and send healing wishes. Dagmar, best of all hopes for you that your new home and furry family give you happiness over the holidays. Michele, safe travels to you and a return to good health for your back. Chris, I wish you "satisfied indulgences" on your challenges! Peace to you, Andrea, and a sincere thank you for all the free medical advice this year. May we have a normally mild Michigan winter! Deborah, you're staying on target beautifully for a 6-month newbie (this round) - keep up the great work! JayEll - I will be loud with you (re your 12/16 post) in 2015. UA, I'm glad you joined us this year! Allison, wishing you rain without too much rain!

Shannon, WardHog, Jessica, Bargoo, CalCounter and the other lurkers ... HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! Stay on Target!

I'm out. See you next year!

Hey Becky. Thanks! I'm reading, just not talking much.

I went home from work early yesterday to finish wrapping Christmas presents. While wrapping and then fixing dinner I thought to myself that this is the first year in a long while where I haven't (yet) gained weight from holiday eating. Usually the stretch from Thanksgiving through New Years means a 5-10 pound gain and this year I'm holding steady. For that I'm thankful!

Woo hoo Allison! How goes it with your assistant?

It's been good this week. DH and I talked with her about her competence and the fact that she is sick and it is affecting her judgement and that we aren't going to give her any big jobs until she gets better and that she needs to ask us to look at stuff before she finalizes anything so we can catch mistakes. So far so good. She goes in for her upper endoscopy Tuesday and then gets the results the first week of January.

Michele,
Let's you and me promise together just not to go into a food tailspin these last two weeks of the year. I have a theory that if I make a point of eating slowly and consciously, and enjoy what I am eating to the max, I can avoid the addictive eating. And as far as well-meaning dieters in January, I will be one of those well-meaning people too, and as long as I actually lose the pounds I gained, then keep it off for the year, I think that will do. Let's all let each other know how it goes (for better or worse) and be each others' support, OK?

It's a deal. I'm hoping (and thinking it will happen) to be a fair deal lower (like at least 5 pounds) this January 1, compared to last January 1. If that's the case, I'll consider it a win, even if I have some weight to take back off.

Having a cold and going for sushi with dh last night was not a good combo for the scale. I'm quite a bit up this week and that was my only splurge. I think I may have given dh my cold. He was still in bed when I left for work. I'll never hear the end of it!

Dd comes home today from college. Hopefully her flight isn't affected by the ever present rain we are having.... I think our drought is just about over here!!

Last day of work for the year. Last day with kiddos that are hyped up about winter break/Christmas/upcoming trips/ no recess from rain..... should be a long one.

Our families are quite generous in bestowing gifts to their classroom teachers. As a "special" teacher, I usually get left out, or I get a smaller gift. Not complaining, but it's always interesting to see what I do get gifted. Yesterday's "interesting" gift was some mineral makeup-- looks like a bare minerals knockoff but I suspect it may be from the dollar store..... We'll see what treasures today brings.

OK yesterday was my first day. Drank one glass of incredibly delicious eggnog after lunch, then Karen and I were treated to an elegant dinner by some better-off friends. It's now 8 am the next morning and I don't have that awful "food hangover" I sometimes get when I really go into a tailspin. Day one of the holiday eating. Not a binge. Yummy food. Check. Weight gain. Probably some.
PS Just checked my weight. No gain from yesterday! I expect some gain along the way but it's nice to see I had both control and enjoyment on day one at least.

As part of my new way of eating, I'll be weighing once a week. This isn't so often that it makes me crazy, but is often enough that I can see any trends.

Chris, I'm glad you enjoyed your food! Just a tip--you don't gain fat on one day from what you ate the day before. That's not how it works unless you eat ten pounds of food at dinner. Water weight, yes, that can increase--but not fat.

Just checking in quick. Things have been pretty busy and stressful around here. Weighed myself for the first time in several days and clocked in at 138.6. Happy enough that I haven't gained over my target weight -- yet at any rate. Lots to do before Xmas and before the end of the year. Then there will still be lots of work in he New Year, but at least not as much extra on top of that.

Yoyoma are you a cellist??
Michele and all, my target is behavioral during the holiday season, not so much weight-driven. Just trying to find a middle ground of enjoying treats slowly and consciously, not going into that deadly "zone" of "Quick, eat this cookie before I wake up and realize what I am doing!" So far, mostly so good. But I see a strong tendency to really overeat, and I' m having that feeling of food being the enemy, which is another mindset I am trying to challenge. Because when I go to battle with food I too often lose.
So I gained no weight the first day but have gained weight since (no surprise). I'm a little disappointed that I went into unconscious mode to a degree yesterday night (a Christmas lights tour with friends where everyone brings cookies and brownies and stuff). It was a lot of fun but I ate somewhat beyond what was fun. Let's see how I do today. This experiment may "fail," and if it does I will reset my goal next holiday season.

Well..I am back from my European river cruise and had a fantastic time.I did not step on a scale for 11 days.This morning the scale said 140 which is 5 lbs gained.I am not really worried about 5 lb because I think some is water weight.I kept my rule of no snacks,seconds or sugars,but ate 3 meals a day.
Wow it is hard to resist all the snacks on the boat but I managed to stay away from them and focus on the 3 meals.Mainly protein and vegetables and lots of wine.
We did the Christmas markets and also did a lot of walking.The weather was mild and pleasant for walking.
All in all it was a good vacation and my clothes still fit despite a 5 lb gain which I am tackling this very minute.
Back to reality and the daily grind.

apo9, that sounds like the "No S" program. Is that what you're doing? I found it helpful, but I tended to fall down on the snacks--usually because I wasn't making the meals "real meals."

Here's to your 5 pounds dropping away.