MJ, The DD requested lasagna, so I'll be making that for Christmas night or maybe Christmas eve. For the big extended family dinner that we are hosting on Saturday, DH wants to do prime rib. I'm thinking about buying a small ham too, since it is a lot lower fat. I might attempt to do scalloped potatoes in a modified lower fat version. Maybe I'll do a trial run on the potatoes to make sure that the low fat version is tasty not nasty.

Jillian, Wow.. that is amazing. We were just talking about how the scale hadn't moved in awhile.

Happy birthday in advance Kim! I have enough trouble just getting the Christmas cards done myself, so the handmade ornaments seems extravagant, but what a sweet idea.

well, i'm down another 1.4 again this morning! it seems like the scale doesn't move forever for me and i'm fighting for every ounce i lose, then one day it starts to move again. i've been that way with my losses for quite some time now, and i have no problems with going slowly. it's the best way. so i'm at 154.4, which is the LOWEST i've been in over 10yrs. i'm not sure if the "shock value" will ever wear off. i keep amazing myself and sometimes can't believe it's me when i look in the mirror. i know DH will definitely be shocked when he gets back. speaking of which, i entered him in a contest to win a real live Christmas tree from a group called Operation Christmas Tree and he won! They notified me last month and he just got the tree last week. i'll post the picture in my profile for anyone that wants to see it.

hope everyone is doing well, taking care and putting themselves at the top of the priority list, even though this time of year is super busy.

ps..i think i'm going to keep setting my ticker goal in 5lb increments. seems to be working so far and i don't know where my stopping point for my body will be yet.

Wow Jillian, Another drop! Gives me hope. I got on the scale again, and was a bit disappointed... I've finally got rid of the weight I gained over vacation/thanksgiving. Yea that is gone, but discouraging that I'm still about where I was 6 weeks ago... It has made me want to be very careful over the coming holidays. I just don't want to gain those two pounds back and have to spend January losing them again.

Ideal weight is a tricky thing and not a fixed point for any one person. I think that I've felt best when I was about 22% body fat. Which I've achieved at both 150 and 170 pounds. I had a hard time accepting the 170 pound one, but my body just didn't want to go lower and I fought it for a long time (continuing to work out and add more muscle making it even more unrealistic to get to the 149 pound goal I had in mind when I started). Anyway, frustration turns easily into weigh regain, and that is not a good thing to do to yourself. So your method of just seeing where your body settles is a great one instead of fixating on some number, whether or not it makes sense for you now.

Happy Birthday, Joan! Hope you're having a great day!

Jillian - WTG!! Cute tree you won for you DH. I have to laugh though that he took the picture in front of what appears to be a pretty nice looking tree (bigger than the one he won!). You are a good Army Wife and a great inspiration to many on this site. Merry Christmas!

Thanks for the birthday wish Jillian. My husband had 10 of my friends join us for dinner on Friday, it was awesome.
Right now, I am so excited to go see my family for the Christmas holidays. I don't know how I am going to get thru the next two days at work!!!!
I offically finished my shopping yesterday, yippee!
Congrats to all of you that had a great year with your weight loss, it is truly inspiring.
I wish all of you a Happy Holiday!

Joan

Jillian-I love the pic of him with the tree! He looks super enthusiastic!

Well ladies-had my final surgeon and pre-op appts today and i have officially met my original pre-surgery goal! As long as I don't gain anything the surgery is a go. But he would like me to lose more if possible. I was thinking another 5 lbs or so-and he's all 10-15lbs! In less than a month. Over xmas and new years! I'll try . . . .

WTG Julie!! I'm sure you can do it!!!

Hey all

Wishing you and your family and friends a Merry Xmas and a happy holiday season.

Things have gotten super hectic for me...I have officially started packing for the move, i move in exactly 7 days! Besides that...Xmas, then our 6th anniversary on the new year's eve, new year and my birthday coming up on the 8th of Jan...and I have 3rd and final interview for a job the same week!

Enjoy, make healthier choices but don't beat yourself up over a brownie or two...after all this is only once a year thing!And most important...stay safe on the roads.

MJ, I feel stressed just reading that! Merry Christmas and happy new year and happy anniversary and happy birthday anyway! You'll manage brilliantly I'm sure.

JM (hey you are the reverse of MJ) you did great to make the presurgery goal! Your surgeon does have pretty high expectations. I know you can behave yourself for the holidays. It occurs to me that if I eat less on the holidays, I will likely be around for more holidays to celebrate, so it is not that I'm depriving myself, oh no, I'm just planning on spreading the enjoyment out over decades. Who knows what gastric delights I'd be missing in 2040?

Jillian, neat that he got his own personal tree. I hope you at least get to Skype him for Christmas. Are your kids excited for Christmas?

Thanks Barbara...happy holidays!

hello! i am trying to start la weight loss and pulled out all my old info...i have an old colored plan book. but i would like to use the numbered plans i have seen discussed on this forum. I would like to use plan 1, and I am also interested in info about the express plan. Can anyone help? Thanks!

hey peeps..december isn't over yet! where's the chatter?

i'm happy to report i'm down another pound!
how did everyone's holiday go?

Oh Jillian, you are amazing, losing over the holiday times! I ate a fair amount of junk on Christmas eve and Christmas, but then got up the day after and tossed all the rest of the food that I shouldn't eat out into the garbage and took myself to an extra long spin class. So now just a few days later I feel totally back on track and not at all deprived of celebrating the holidays.

I'm currently saving up the bonus points for this week to go to a New Year's Eve party on Friday night. I promised the DH that I would be designated driver, so that makes it easier to stay on track for me. Diet soda, or maybe just club soda, and no bad judgement around the food table loaded with goodies.

The worst part about new year's is that the gym gets absolutely jammed full of people (kind of empty the morning after Chrstmas though).

Hello all. Been MIA for a while. I'm still here, but doing badly over the Holidays. No surprise. This was not a surprise. I did'nt intend to not enjoy the festivities of which I certainly did.

Congrats to all the steady losers. I am trying to get refocused. Not making the usualy new years resolution of losing weight. Mine will be to make an effort to exercise - some. )