Today is November 1, the beginning of the most treacherous two months of the year. Yesterday was the kick-off to a nonstop food fest that stretches until we wake up on New Year's Day, full of guilt and good resolutions.

Even though we here in Maintainers are already planners, surviving the holidays is going to take extra thought, planning, and resolve. I frequently read that the average weight gain over these two months is 5 to 8 pounds and none of us wants that, right? So the purpose of this thread is brainstorming, planning, and making commitments to where we want to be when the ball drops in Times Square and it's January 1, 2008.

One of the best but unanticipated results of losing weight has been NOT making my annual New Year's resolution to lose weight. You know, the same old resolution that I made every year that this year was going to be The One. And the year would roll by, I'd add another ten pounds, and it would be January 1 again and I'd be making the same old resolution. For the past five years, I've woken up on New Year's morning and been able to say that my weight was just fine where it was -- and that's a wonderful feeling!!

Of course, that doesn't happen by accident! (see above reference to planning, thought, and resolve) It takes work to maintain weight during the holidays, but it's possible. So let's all imagine that it's the morning of January 1, 2008. You wake up (hopefully not too hungover ) and jump on the scales. What do you want to see? And more importantly, how are you going to make that happen?

Feel free to post about your goals, challenges, plans, pitfalls, and whatever else you'd like to help you through the next two months. Accountability is a powerful weapon for keeping us on track!!

Meg wrote: "What do you want to see? And more importantly, how are you going to make that happen?"

Thanks for starting this thread, Meg. This has been in the back of mind recently. It's good to see it in black-and-white and to add to this thread to make myself accountable.

My goal is to lose 4 pounds per month in November and December (putting my weight at 152). I'll do this by continuing to eat as I've been eating and walking as I have been for the past 8 months.

A challenge for me during this time will be a week-long vacation just before Christmas. I will bring my breakfast cereal (in single-serving containers) and protein snacks and continue to keep my eating on plan. I'll continue walking every day. I WILL do this!

I'm not really in a self-challenging mood these days, I admit. If I'm the same weight (~130-131) on Januray 1st, this will be a huge victory for me (of course, I'll do what it takes to reach that goal; let's not be silly about it).

I started my weight loss journey last year mid October, so right away I had to deal with the holidays coming up.
I made a decision that I would not eat anything that was not in line with the amounts and calories I was eating to lose weight.
I asked my husband to not bring anything into the house that might tempt me.
One of his employees always makes these intense chocolate sugary treats but they did not come into our house.
I had decided that on Christmas day I would treat myself to a pear tart from Whole Foods.
Christmas was a very hard day for me as my husband's mother died suddenly on Dec. 23 and I was alone ( my kids live in Canada and I could not go be with them as I teach a three day workshop that starts Dec. 27).
My husband had left the day before to be with his Dad who lives a couple of hours away.
A lot of grief and painful feelings came up for me as I worked out on my TM and I tell you that if there had been any treats in the house I would have eaten ALL of them.
But I had planned that there would be nothing except my
pear tart which tasted wonderful.
So that's my plan again --nothing in the house to tempt me and one special treat to have on Christmas day.
It's a little different now that I have lost so much weight as I do have a treat meal once a week at lunch with my husband and will continue to do so.
I am lucky that we do not do much socializing except with family and they are all used to my bringing my own food.
I don't eat any of the high fat, high sugar, high salt dishes that they make. They do think I am a little weird but are also impressed with my slimness and the muscles they saw developing over the summer.

I'd like to see the same weight on the scale on Jan 1 as I've been seeing the past week or two: 130-131.5 lbs.

The challenge for me will not really be the treats and big meals. We're spending Christmas at home and without visitors, and T-day we'll just have DH's dad with us. The problem will be that my university gym will have restricted hours or even close over the holidays. (The schedule hasn't yet been posted.)

I may have to splurge for a membership at a local commercial gym, but I know that the choices aren't great, and the best of the lot is inconveniently located to both home and work. Yeah, I could walk or run instead, but this just doesn't do it for me, especially to work off some of the inevitable extra food.

The good news is that I now *know* that I can do this. I'm the one in control, not the gravy boat!

Kim

I'm NOT going to gain ANY holiday weight; I'm DETERMINED! Every year of my life (even during my eating disorder times), I BINGED HARDCORE on the holidays. On Thanksgiving, I'd eat countless helpings of turkey, mashed potatoes, candied yams with marshmallows, green bean french onion casserole, and pumpkin pie. I'd feel too stuffed to even move. I did the same with the Christmas festivities, just replace turkey with ham and replace pumpkin pie with chocolate cake, pie, and candy.

On Thanksgiving, the girlfriend will be gone to visit her family, and I will be... alone. Unless a miracle happens, I don't have the funds to buy a plane ticket and won't have the time for a train or bus, so I'll just continue to follow my plan on my lonely Thanksgiving.

I'm hoping to visit my family on Christmas, though, and while there will be alllllll the delicious family favorites, I will STILL practice portion control! I'll just have one good helping of good food... a little bit of everything... and I will not have seconds. I'll still most likely be eating more calories than I do on a normal day, but hey - it's still way better than what I usually do, now isn't it?

Every year, I tend to gain 10-15 lbs between Thanksgiving and New years. I would lose it afterwards but still the gain annoyed me.

This year, I am not gaining. I plan to lose between Thanksgiving and New years. I have a big challenge coming up in that I will be in a training class for a week where I have limited control over my food plus there will be lots of food not on plan available (cookies, brownies, pizza, etc). I plan to buy some food as I will have a fridge in my room and the class is at the hotel.

For thanksgiving, I have complete control over my food and the only sweets that are available will be what is baked by me. DH and I will be leaving on vacation 2 days before Christmas and I know I will indulge a little on vacation but I also will try to be mindful of my eating. I tend to lose weight on vacations anyway unless the vacations involve visiting my relatives.

Heh, I just bought those 3 beautiful size 6 suits at Ann Taylor and have to wear them at a trade show in Las Vegas beginning on Jan 4. I plan to not gain one single pound over the holidays.

I made it through Halloween without one piece of Halloween candy, I plan to eat Thanksgiving dinner (and all the trimmings, including a piece of pie), Christmas dinner (and all the trimmings - including a piece of pie). Those 2 meals will be my "treat" meals for those respective weeks. Everything else - business as usual.

I commit to adhering firmly to my "no" rules for food around the office - I don't eat treats/junk food/gift food/leftover cake/fudge/whatever that people bring to work. If someone gives me a food gift for the holidays, I vow to regift immediately (unless it's Harry & David's fruit of the month - I have dropped so many hints, why has no one ever given me fruit!!).

What a great topic - very timely.
I am living proof that this time of year is very dangerous.
Recap: started weightloss in Nov 05
at goal (or very close) Aug 06
started sliding around Thanksgiving 06
Fast foward......regain of 12-14 lbs

I have been really struggling to get these rebound lbs off.
It's always 1 step forward - 2 steps back.
Ex. - I was totally OP this week so far and then hit the halloween bowl last night
to the tune of 6-7 mini bars!

Now after that long winded intro - I would LOVE to be in the 140's by January 2008.

-S

Sznn, I hit the halloween bowl last night for more like 15 mini-bars.

On January 1st I would like to see 130 or less on the scale (it was 136 yesterday). However, I would be satisfied with 133.

Goals for the holiday season:

• NO SKIPPING THE GYM. No excuses. Unless I'm too sick to go, I'm going. We don't have any more wedding-related appointments after work, so I need to get my butt there Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, AND Friday. If for some reason I can't get there (gym is closed, etc) I need to do a workout at home.
  • Things I need to do to make this possible: buy some workout DVDs for "just in case." Find out when gym membership expires (sometime in January). Find some way of doing upper body strengthening without stressing my wrists (weights I can strap to my arms or something).
• Like someone said last year (I forgot who, sorry!), it's holi-DAYS, not holi-MONTHS. I didn't follow that last year but I will try my best this year. On Thanksgiving, no limits, I'll eat what I want. On Xmas I'll eat what I want. But on all the days in between, the crap has to be limited.
  • Things I need to do: if I cook some sort of holiday dessert, I am allowed to have a maximum of two servings before giving the rest to friends/family/coworkers. Holiday desserts should be "light" versions of the original recipe. If we eat dinner at the in-laws' house, that counts as our treat meal for the week. Social activities need to not be "let's meet for dinner." "Let's meet for coffee" is acceptable.
• Avoid the seasonal blues. Feeling down = eating crap.
  • How to do it: hit the gym, buy a new dawn simulator (mine is pretty poor, and now I can afford a nice one) with a real full-spectrum lamp, go hiking and get some sun (when there is any), treat my winter comfort food cravings with healthy soups and stews instead of an endless supply of hot chocolate. Buy a new coat that will keep me warm.

And, of course, get my act together and lose at least 2lbs by Thanksgiving. Hopefully. 2lbs in three weeks is not so easy for me, even when I was losing "fastest" it was only 1lb/week.

My solution on the actual holidays and party nights is to
-wear form fitting clothes that remind me there's no room for indulgence
-go to other people's houses so there's no leftovers of tasting during the making
-at parties, leave my lactose pills home so I don't eat any cheese or drink eggnog - my trigger foods

And go to lots of dances and dance, dance, dance. Especially since DH should be able to again by then.

I'd originally planned to try to get down to 155 by Christmas but I think that's kind of an aggressive goal...so now I'm going to say that I want to be at 159 on New Year's Day. That would make me REALLY happy.

Now...how will I do it? Hmm...My plan is to run LOTS, because cross country will be over after next week and I can set my own running schedule. Another plan is that I will still make cookies at Christmas (because everyone expects them) but I'll make cookies that I don't actually like! That's the only way, seriously -- otherwise I'll cookie myself right back into the 170s for sure. I'll make a German chocolate cake with that nasty coconut-pecan frosting everyone loves, and I won't be tempted! Of course, I can only control what I make - I'll still have to limit myself on whatever other treats are around. Sigh.....

This is why I need to seriously commit to eating on plan NOW, before things start getting crazy!

While the holidays are the most difficult time as far as weight control, it gets easier as the seasons pass... I know I'm prone to gain at least a few pounds, but I think I have made peace with it. The first one was so stressful as far as weight gain, I came searching out 3FC!

BUT there's always room for improvement!!!

-I need to formulate and keep a regular exercise regimine. This is the most important factor in trying to maintain my sanity (and my weightloss). There needs to be one thing that's conistent and since my eating may not be, it will have to be my workout schedule.

-As DF and I build our traditions together, I find that not a whole lot of them are centered around food (save for the xmas party here and there). The symphony's holiday concert, the Parade of Lights, etc... are not focused on eating. This is a big one for me.

-We're getting snow shoes for Christmas! If that won't burn off the turkey, nothing will!

Well last year between November 1 and New Years I lost 16+ lbs. Ironically the fastest 2 months of anytime on my journey, but I was just starting and highly motivated...I'm currently struggling to make it through 1 day. I ate big on 2 parties, tday, Xmas and newyears day last year, but all the other days were way in control...and oh yeah I had that ebf thing going. Sigh.

BUT
Right now I am around 23-24% body fat. I would like to be at 20% by new year. Actually, probably by Christmas as our gym always does free body fat assessment at the holiday party. This means I either need to lose 6.5 lbs of fat or gain 5.25 lbs of muscle or more likely a combo of the 2. Bring on the weights....

Today I weighed 148 lbs. and I would love to see 145 lbs. on my scale on January first. But, realistically if I maintain at 148 through the Holidays, I will be happy.

My goal is 50 miles on my treadmill during both Nov. and Dec. I am sticking to my South Beach way of eating and have my list of allowable foods hanging on my fridge to remind me every single day. I'm doing more pre-planning now of both my food and my exercise. I'm logging my food in Fitday. I'm forcing myself to drink more water.

I do plan to eat the traditional Holiday meals with my family. But, I plan to allow myself only once piece of dessert. I know in advance that MIL will insist on sending lots of home-made sweets home with us no matter how much I protest. I'm planning ahead to stay out of the bread basket and to only choose one high-carb favorite. (most likely the brocolli/rice casserole that I love) and then leave alone the potatos and gravy and the stuffing. As for the Turkey, I don't think it will hurt me.