Okay, I know why I started now: because I HAD to.

I will say that I did pick a pretty tough time of year to start of this weight loss/health change. Next week is a department appreciation week, and is guaranteed to be food-in-office (plus an off-site lunch) all week! So far I've been lucky, they sent around a menu for Monday's lunch and there was a 450 calorie option (chicken/spinach/olive oil pizza) which I can probably split into two mini meals. The rest of the week is gonna be hard.

Then there's the whole holiday season in general. And I love to bake. And I WILL bake, I'm not going to duck out on it, it's something I enjoy. Luckily I enjoy giving those baked goods away about as much as I like making them. I'm actually RUNNING the cookie exchange at my work this year. Because I'm a glutton for punishment. Luckily I've made the date of the exchange right before Christmas and will share out as much of the loot as possible.

Next weekend is lefse making weekend for my family. That's another big holiday pitfall. Anyone here had lefse? It's like a Scandinavian potato tortilla. Made with potato, cream/butter, flour, rolled SUPER flat and cooked on a griddle. Then you spread butter on it and eat it. Might have to invest in a butter substitute and indulge in a piece or two, I think I can get through it!

Last but not least, the holiday meals themselves. I have to admit, I do love a big plate of beige food. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, crescent rolls... But I'm going to be good, I'm going to limit those and push for more fruits and veggies at the meals. I'm not going to say I won't allow a little extra on those meals, but it will be planned, and it will be sane.

It's all I can do, and that's all I can expect, right? Anyone else making their battle plans yet?

Look at it this way - even a little progress will be a jump on the new year and more importantly your healthier life!

The truth is, next holiday season will be hard again - even if you are already into your goal and into maintenance. So might as well work on it now.

I bet you will learn a lot with your little successes during this time of year as long as you don't let yourself get discouraged. Imagine if you weren't going to work on anything at all this holiday! Even if you just maintain stable weight that is a good thing! A lot of people experience some weight creep around this time of the year. Be strong to your chosen diet on the non-holiday eating days. There are a lot of them in the month too!

I love to bake too. I just plan for the small tastes the best I can.

If possible can you sneak extra walks or anything in? Just little more activity that will buy you a bit more wiggle room?

It looks like you are already thinking ahead to keeping portions a little smaller. How about no seconds? Just truly enjoy the first balanced plate?

ENJOY the holidays. Enjoy your healthy changes and decisions. I know you will do the best you can.

You are ready. You have your head in the game. Good luck.

And look forward to the yummy things to do with the left-overs! (Best part of holiday eating is NOT 2nd helpings, it's left-over meals! Anyone have any ideas for a lower-cal creamed turkey recipe? )

I'm trying to be REALLY positive about it, which is not normal for me. Trying the Stuart Smalley approach to weight loss this time around. "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough...." LOL

PLUS I just bought (duhn duhn DUUUUUUHN) a SCALE! So I can actually keep myself honest. Scales are good for me.

I am telling you - the positive thinking is what will get you through this. This is a long process that is well worth the outcome!

I hear you on the leftovers! That also requires planning and restraint.

I personally like using a scale. Basically, you are going to see it like it is. Even if it is 4 pounds of water gain from too much salt. It can also be a motivator and a little reminder that you have to rein it in for the day.

And that's just it. You have to be rational about the scale. EVERYONE who has been doing this as long as a lot of us, we KNOW that 1lb=3500 calories. And if you're honest with yourself (I mean, this is the calorie counters section of the forum!) you know if you've gone 4lbs worth of calories off of your diet. So you have to take the numbers with a grain of salt.

But even if you know you've bee just a liiiiiittle naughty, and the numbers go up a little? Major motivation to get your butt in gear. You've just got to be a scale watcher of the non-freaking-out variety.

I, too, love the holidays and the foods that go along with it. I plan to handle them the same way I handled my vacation this summer: I will indulge in the foods that I really love and leave out the foods I don't. I find that doing this really helps with damage control. For example, in my traditional Thanksgiving meal, I cook stuffed peppers, candied yams, roast chicken (my husband hates turkey), and stuffing. I really only love the roast chicken and stuffing (I LOVE stuffing). The candied yams are pretty good, but I would be just as satisfied with a plain yam, so I plan to eat a plain yam. I also can do with just one small stuffed pepper because I like them but don't love them. So, the focus of my meal will be the roast chicken (and gravy!) and stuffing. That will leave me some room for dessert as well. So, there's no doubt that I'll go over my calories (the stuffing alone is a calorie hog), but if I cut out just 200 calories per day for a week before Thanksgiving, that will more than make up for the extra calories I'll eat on that day.

So, enjoy those lefse (they sound delicious!) with a bit of real butter, but skip all the extraneous holiday food that doesn't thrill you. You'll get to eat your traditional favorites and still lose weight.

I think this is the perfect time to start a weight loss plan instead of gaining 5 more pounds over the holidays. I have quit baking and don't accept baked goods from my friends that still do - and most of my friends are trying to lose weight. Why load them up with junk food.

You are stronger than I am, I couldn't give up baking or baked goods like that. To be honest, the only time I've ever been successful at losing weight is when I don't say "I'm not going to eat [pick your poison] anymore." I specifically keep quarters at my desk so I can go get a small handful of chocolates from the machine at work. It keeps me from caving in and buying a whole bag of them, and it's quite satisfying. The 90 calorie planned treat is far preferable to the inevitable 1000+ calorie binges that would happen without it.

But I have SO much respect for people who can just quit foods or groups of foods like that. Awe, really. ESPECIALLY given your success! <3