OK, let's get down to the truth here. Is anyone actually staying totally on-plan this holiday season? I will be the first to step up to the plate and say "**** No" I have not stayed on plan

Well I have not stayed totally on plan myself. (Date night Sat. cheeburger fries and onion rings!) I will probably not be totally on P again til after the first.

Wendy, other than eating a couple of things that are a bit too fatty for plan (I had a slice of salami at a party the other night), yes, I'm staying totally on plan.

I figure this is a lifestyle change for me, and I need to stop thinking of food as if it is the celebration and the center of things. Instead, I'm focusing on meeting new people and celebrating with old favorites...friends and family.

My way of staying on plan is to return as quickly as possible. I had a really bad cold last week where I was miserable with the sinus blockage and pain, sneezing, coughing the lungs out....oh, that might be a little too graphic sorry.

So I gave myself permission to eat comfort foods, which for me is creamy-pudding with cool whip, jello with cool whip, cool whip with cool whip. It was weird, even though I had given myself permission to eat what ever I wanted because I was feeling so bad, I only splurged with cool whip and a small hunk of full fat cheese. Did I mention the cool whip?

Well, basically what I'm saying is that I'm staying pretty close. Treats have been dark chocolate, the other night I made chocolate covered spoons for gifts and instead of licking the bowls and eating all the leftover chocolate, I threw it away. But, I did eat a handful of white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. If I do have an "episode" I return to the beach immediately...except for that pesky cool whip. I think I've gone through 3 containers since Thanksgiving. Need to stop buying that stuff.

Just remember to jump back on the beach as soon as possible. Don't let it escalate and undo all the good stuff that you've accomplished.

wendyjo - Like Laurie I've stayed OP except for a little too much of a few things. I have had a little too much wine, a little too much pistachios, a little too much fatty steaks and drawn butter with crab legs but I haven't broke down and had sweets, cookies, bread, pasta etc. So I consider myself to be pretty much OP for level II SBD. I'm pretty much past parties for the season except for one on Dec 24 but that is at my home and I can control what is served and what I eat. I too consider this to be a lifestyle change and that has made a huge difference. When I see a huge piece of chocolate cake I know that it is poison to my system. Maybe not everyone elses - but sugar makes me feel like crap. Hang in there and stay close to the beach!

I just got back from our Xmas work luncheon and I had the scallops with salad, scotch fillet steak with mediteranean vegies and roast potatoes (left the potatoes on the plate), then totally caved in and had the jamaican chocolate cheesecake (left the whipped cream on my plate though). I had a couple of glasses of wine and a coffee but passed on the Xmas mince pies. Not bad really, I thought I would totally blow it.

As for Xmas day, so far the menu is bacon, eggs and field mushrooms for breakfast and I am doing meditaranean roasted vegies and a salad (maybe greek) to go with the meat for lunch. There will be a fruit platter (provided by my Mum) for dessert amongst other things that I don't really like anyway, and I think I have talked my sister into doing a whole fillet of steak on the BBQ for our meat dish.

The hardest part I am finding atm is staying away from the wine and nice cheeses. I have no willpower and there are just so many events on where nice food and alcohol are being served. I am contemplating trying to maintain my weight over the Xmas period then starting again in the New Year. Perhaps phase three for a couple of weeks.

Hey Wendy, I totally feel your pain. To be honest I have not been on program at all, until starting just today. Added to the holiday celebrations I've just had my first set of college finals. The stress prompted a week-long binge; I seriously have been stuffed and bloated all week. I've forgiven myself though, and I'm really going to do phase 1 hard core over my winter break. I have a lot of motivation though, because eating healthy is a lot easier for me when I'm at home, then when I'm at the nonstop buffet at college. I also want to impress people when I go back by shedding pounds! Good luck, you can do whatever you put your mind to!!

Good morning everyone, I have to say I am quite impressed with myself for staying OP Sorry to pat myself on the back but someone has to right? I will be attending my fifth party this afternoon and hopefully that is all. As much as I am loving this time of year, it is really all about food and socializing. I feel that like everyone else I am staying away from the bad carbs, pasta, bread and sugar... I have indulged in wine and some really good food. Last night I was at a fancy party and they had appetizers like salmon and shrimp on little toasts, well I picked off the fish and the spread and threw out the bread. I know people were looking at me and probably thought I was wierd, but I don't care. I'm not giving in this time...I have to also say it is great to have you all here, it is like a check in system. Thanks.

Well, I am certainly not OP but have resisted fries and candy since my Ferrero Rocher indescretions earlier in the month. There is a lot going on in my life right now - most of it bad - so I have not been adding to the pressure by being strict with myself. I even put the scale away until 2005!

Good for those who are staying OP and, as to the rest of us, we should remember to love ourselves in other ways than with food!

Anchor, that is EXACTLY it!!! You hit it right on the head...that's exactly how I feel too.

I have a Mary Engelbreit calendar up on my wall. The picture for this month is a little girl scowling. Before her is a piece of broccoli and a cupcake with sprinkles and a cherry. The quote says, "There's a choice to make in everything we do. Just remember that the choice you make makes you." If I had the same picture hanging up this time last year, I would have scowled at it like that little girl! But now, I actually know that I would willingly and happily choose the broccoli, because it would taste good (and I hated it this time last year) and the cupcake would not only not taste as good as it looks, but it would make me very sick for days!

Cheating with sugar is just not worth it. Now, if only I could stop cheating as much with fat...

I stayed on program for Thanksgiving and I am staying 100% OP for Christmas.. It's not as hard as I thought, and the best present I could ever give myself is staying true to SBD.

Absolutely!!! This is a really hard time of year for all of us, at the least from the stress of getting everything done, at worst, missing loved ones, feeling unloved, and just being tired. We need to love ourselves in ways that don't involve food...make the season about connecting with other people, watching snow, doing crafts, looking for beauty, watching children play, playing with children, hanging out with our friends, and watching roaring fires. There's so much to enjoy without putting it in our mouths.

A bit to all of you, and to me too...we all deserve to feel very loved, and to be proud of the work we're doing! Everything little thing that we stay away from is a major miracle!

Here's my 2 cents...

Personally, I stay OP all the time. That may not be eating strictly SBD foods exclusively, but when I don't eat them, I have a plan to make sure that I control what I eat, monitor weight changes and do something about any increases in weight.

As Lauries says, this is a lifestyle change and for me, that means planning to accommodate the special events that happen in everyone's life. The last thing that I want to do is to feel deprived because I am on a "diet." I don't plan to live the rest of my life feeling like that, but I do plan to live the rest of my life being conscious of what I am eating, eating healthy 99% of the time, exercising regularly and monitoring my weight.

So....the original question, "Is anyone actually staying totally on-plan this holiday season?" And the answer is, you bet. It is OP for the lifestyle change to which I have committed.

Ah, Sweet Tooth, we are so blessed to have you and your wisdom here!!!:

I've stayed OP as much as I could so far. I make sure I do P1 any time I haven't already planned a day where I knew I wasn't going to stay completely OP. I also gave myself a really low challenge goal this month and consequently have shattered it so far! I haven't been able to do that in months so it's kinda ironic that it's happening during the month where weight gain is inevitable for so many people! I haven't gotten in the 140's since this past May/June so I was absolutely thrilled when I got on the scale today...especially after last weekend's eating fest at a holiday party and a brunch. Tomorrow is our big baking day where we dip pretzels and Oreos as well as make tons of cookies and treats. If I have a little, I'm not going to beat myself up. Sunday, we are visiting a relative I haven't seen since my wedding 2 1/2 years ago so I'm sure they'll be things there that are not OP. Next Friday is our Disneyland trip followed by prime rib Christmas dinner. I'm finding that I don't want near as much sweets and foods this year that I usually do...and I credit staying OP as much as I can for that. :sman: