Well, three of the big holidays are down, just one more to go. Then I don't have to worry about food-oriented holidays until next year (DH knows good and well not to give me chocolates for Vtines day, haha). I was just wondering how everyone is doing...still staying on plan?

I've done alright, but not perfect. I'm satisfied, at least. I've had a busy few months as it is. My guy came home from Iraq in October, I graduated from college, we got married, and we're moving to a new state in less than a week. Several giant life changes, my routines were turned kicked down and spat on, lots of stress, and lots of excitement. The holidays were just another thing on top of it for me. The candy, cookies, feasts, eating with friends and family, receiving food as gifts, making food for gifts, the leftovers, etc. I did allow myself to enjoy the yummy things. For the most part, I only allowed myself to eat guilt-free, albeit in moderation, on the actual holidays. But I did sneak in more tastes and treats than I normally do. All in all though, I successfully maintained through my first holiday season as a maintainer, so I am pleased. The only time I slipped out of my 125-130lb maintenance range was when I actually dropped down to 123ish. I increased my calories a bit as I'm definitely as thin as I ever need to be.

So overall I am happy with myself. I had a few too many slip ups, but as long as I'm within maintenance range, living a healthy lifestyle and enjoying it, then I must be making more good choices than bad.

So how have the holidays been for you??? Just one more to go!

I'm glad I'm not the only one SO GLAD that it is over!!!
We don't do anything for New Years so the three bad ones for me are done. For some reason when I go home to visit my parents, I fall off the wagon. Holidays with just my DH and I are better for me to stay on plan, for some reason. I was able to lose for all of these except Xmas. Since my B-day is 6 days prior, I had a week off plan, and although I didn't binge, I definitely ate more than I should and gained 3lbs from my mid-December low.

The funniest thing is that we got invited to a fondue party this Thursday and my husband has to work. I am so thankful because I have the worst time around melted cheese and melted chocolate. That is like inviting a crackhead to a meth lab for a get together, yikes!!!

I'm pretty happy with how I did over Thanksgiving and Christmas. I lost several pounds the week of Thanksgiving when I visited my brother, and am very proud that I got over my fear of exercising in front of people (my brother and his roommate). I got in several workouts even though I was absent minded and didn't bring my exercise clothes (or any clothes comfortable for being active, really ). I did have some pie on both holidays but kept everything in my allowed calories.

Now for New Years Eve I am going to let myself indulge. It's a tradition with my in-laws to have a movie marathon on NYE with snacks. My husband and I moved this past June and I am soooo homesick. I miss my mother-in-law so much I can hardly stand it. My husband and I are going to do a marathon on our own this year and I bought some foods that I have been craving lately for it. I'm pretty much just going to eat what I want within reason. I'm still going to exercise that afternoon and I'm not going to eat until I feel stuffed, but I won't be tracking calories either. Then it will be right back to staying within my calories the next day.

I made it through without total damage. I've stayed around 154 to 154.5. I'm hoping that once New Year's is over, we can stop all the holiday food and get back to normal. My digestive system hasn't been treated the way it should be, and boy do I feel it.

I got a Wii Fit for Christmas. I wish the husband hadn't spent the money, since I'm still saving up for a house, but it's already been a blessing. I can work out at home without feeling like I'm punishing myself, AND the kids like to join in. My soon-to-be 3 year old was doing yoga with me today. Her tree pose was pretty good if I do say so myself! I find myself easily working to a sweat for 45 minutes before I want to stop for a break. Then I get right back on the horse, er, board, for some games and burn calories for another 30-45 minutes. My favorites are boxing and the hula hoop. I loooove the yoga, obstacle course and island runs too. My balance has already improved, and I've lowered my Wii Fit age by a few years. It was 40 when I started (I'm 28) and now it's 34. I haven't lost any weight though. It just fluctuates between 153 and 154.5. I think most of it is because my diet has caused me to have a hard time "going". Ugh I can't wait until all this holiday stuff is over and normal eating will resume!

I had the inlaws over, and it was like a breath of fresh air. I love them so much! We had a blast and the kids loved it. Hubby's still fighting his battles, but at least he's still fighting. -sigh-

I'm taking the tree down and getting the house back in order tomorrow. The kids are totally worn out from all the excitement lately. OH!! We got 7 inches of snow the day after Christmas and it didn't melt until today! That's big for us! The kids and I, and the father in law built a snow-bear, had a snowball fight and had a blast. Despite the fact that I had a respiratory infection and earaches, I wasn't about to let our rare "big snow" stop me from having fun!

Halloween is not really a holiday for me that throws me off track. Thanksgiving isn't one either and for both holidays I was fine, in terms of calories and staying with in range or losing (which both happened!).

Christmas season (because it's not just one day in my life) has been a lot harder. I've learned some things this time around that I have to carry over to the next Christmas season.

I've let myself indulge and eat but never anything too crazy. I've been good on my plan for the last few months, so when I go on a day that's very high carb/no protein (which usually means crappy snacks) I feel it immediately and I want to get back on plan the next day. (Talk about a non-scale victory!!!!!)

I won't be losing weight when I officially weigh in. But I haven't gone crazy either, which is great.

Well, except for one bizarre morning when the scale said 147, I have been stuck at 150 for at least 2 months... Up until the week of Christmas I had not gained from Halloween/T-giving. BUT....I sure fell to the call of the cookies over Christmas. I got back to work and back on plan (pretty much anyway) and back to exercise today. I plan to assess any damage when I step on the scale this Thursday for an official weigh-in. I hope it isn't as bad as I am thinking it is going to be. Fingers crossed. I know I can undo any damage I may have done, it's just that I know better and shouldn't have had so many temptations (double batch of choc. chip cookies, etc.) around in the first place.

P.S. I'm not too concerned about New Year's it isn't a huge holiday for us. I will have some munchies for our bowl game on NY day, but otherwise don't plan on a huge pig-out.

I started out the season accepting I wouldn't be on plan, my goal was to not be as bad as i normally am, and I succeeded in that, i didnt eat whole pies by myself or make a batch of cookies to munch on or anything like in past years.

my weight has been slowly creeping down despite not being 100% on goal, but it did go up a few pounds after this weekend but I'm hoping alot of it is water weight but we will see if it has dropped back of by my official weigh in on fri

Doing ok - weight is down from Thanksgiving to today but I have to admit I was up 2 this morning. Since I can't get my rings off I think it's water but I was glad to get a reminder to stay on plan too!

I am with everyone else...glad it is over. I am probably a bit more hard on myself then the rest of you. But, it was a really hard Christmas emotionally for me.

My dad went in the hospital for "routine" stuff on October 4. I spent the next 20 days in the hospital with him and he passed away on October 24. During all of that I stayed on plan. Never broke my plan... until christmas. what was it about Christmas that made me break my plan when I went thrgh the hardest time of my life without seeking food comfort?

Anyway, I didn't do terribly. Just a couple of peanut butter balls (12/25, 12/26 and 12/27), a couple of spoons of ice cream with fudge (12/24), Spoonful of dressing (12/24, 12/25), mashed potatoes (12/25), pumpkin Roll (12/27). I couldn't work out 12/24. 12/25 but worked it really hard on 12/26. Couldn't workout 12/27- but did go roller skating and sledding. 12/28 hardly any movement at all b/c I was flying home.

Getting back to working out hard tomorrow morning and can't wait.

Fluctuated up to 207 or 208, but this morning back down to 202.8, so definitely staying on track. New Year's is not bad for me, greens (blech) black eyed peas (which are only good with rice, so another blech) and some sort of meat (chicken, I think this year) and I don't drink so the Eve party won't bother me.

Keep on keeping on!!

stacygee - I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. My Dad passed away early last November (2009) and last Christmas was really tough without him so I do feel for you. It doesn't sound like you went horribly off plan, and you sound like you'll get right back on soon - you should be hugely proud of yourself.

Christmas was pretty rotten for me - have had the flu. I was cooking for the family this year too, for the first time! Disaster. I couldn't smell or taste anythign and I was shaky and sweaty and horrible. Nice, huh!? Ah well, the up side of that is that while I would usually go a little overboard over the hols (we do like food, and drink - especially drink - in our family!!) I actually lost weight. Marvellous. Every cloud, eh!?

NYE should be OK - a friend of mine is cooking who's not renowned for her healthy style, but I'll either skip dinner or just eat very little. She knows I'm working v hard, so I'm sure she'll understand. Plus, I've already offered to drive so won't be drinking.

I was about to say 'other than that I'm planning on being OP, until Jan 14, so...' but actually have just realised that the only person who can make me go OFF plan is me, so perhaps I should just say 'other than that I'm going to be OP until Jan 14' (we go on holiday on 15 Jan).

(almost) Happy New Year all!!

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