Hey All,

Just checking in to see how everybody's doing after the holiday. The holidays for me can be joyous and stressful at the same time.

Our plans were changed abruptly as we were supposed to spend eight days through Christmas with family on the beach in Mexico but we got snowed in during the Denver blizzard and couldn't get a flight out before Christmas. We're supposed to get another possible blizzard tomorrow so we may be snowed in for the New Year! I'm going to rent movies, stock up on food, and dust off all the games tomorrow morning.

I got on the scale today and it read 158 which is exactly where I started before the holidays. It's not a loss but I'm happy with it because I'm known to gain a ton of weight (10-20lbs) between Halloween & the New Year.

It's time for me to step it up a notch and get a little more serious about some weight loss and exercise. Time for my walks to get a little faster and longer. I signed up with FitDay to help track my food and nutrition. I signed up for a guided snowshoeing day in the mountains and a yoga class after my son goes back to school. Some sit ups would be good too! I took a long walk before the sun set tonight and my dog was confused with the new pace. She's gotta keep up now!

I started work on Step 3 today and am feeling grateful, hopeful and inspired for the New Year!

Charlene

Hey Charlene-

The holidays being joyous and stressful sums up my experience. It was my first abstinent and sober Christmas. I have so much to be thankful for. It was sometimes difficult and sometimes a breeze. I used my tools. Thank God for OA.

i always have a stressful holiday but i have maintained too. i am waiting for some books to come in the mail from OA. i am also reading the big book from alcoholis anonymous. i have never given into my cravings for the alcohol but they are there so i thought why not try and focus on both at the same time.
i figured out what my trigger food is which i s any food with flour in it so i am staying away from it unless i am out at a resturant or with family.

Hi everyone

It's nice to hear about everyones holidays, thanks. I had an abstinent december. It's been amazing and hard and powerfull. I made it to 60 days the day after christmas. And I did it all with houseguests, and my mom bringing home chocolate into my house almost daily. I read, wrote in my journal, and prayed.

I am working on the 12 step workbook, and praying for the strength to turn it all over to my higher power.

I am also going to be starting an exercise routine. I sliped in the sidewalk saturday and pulled a muscle in my leg. As soon as it's healed I plan to start working in regular exercise

Christy--
woo hoo! 60 days! That rocks! Hope your leg heals super quick so that you can get back out there.

jaceycat--
That's great that you determined that flour is a trigger for you. I'm wondering though why you would put yourself into a difficult situation by eating a trigger food with family or at a restaurant. It will still be a trigger no matter where you are or who you are with.

Hi Christy,

Good to hear from you and Congratulations!!! That's a huge feat through the holidays. I bet you feel great about it.

Jaceycat--Good for you during the holidays too! Flour's a biggie for a lot of people. I stay away from it as much as possible because all the baked goods stuff I used to binge on was pretty much white flour and sugar.

Charlene

Hello Everyone,
I haven't posted in a while and I want to congratulate all of you for your success through the holidays. I love this time of year on one hand because it is a time for fun, friends, family, reflecting back on the year etc. But then I dread it because of the food that is everywhere! I was not successful in staying abstinant. I had managed to lose 18 lbs which was my biggest weight loss in 12 years. Howeve I gained back 10 between Thanksgiving and now. It feels good to be back on the forum and I get such tremendous hope from listening to all of you. I hope to be better about posting and working more of the tools in 2007. I am 51 and I'm sick of this. It's time for bigger and better things!
Blessings to you all,
Janet

Welcome back and I'm glad your here!

It's so hard to start over. In 2005 I tried and tried and kept falling off the wagon. It got to the piont that I decided OA would never work for me and I stoped going. Well, September 2006 I found myself back in OA and this time I have found abstinence and it has stuck. 70 days thanks to my HP and OA.

Keep coming back!