What a weird day this has been so far. You all know I had a 6.2-pound loss after my first week on WW yesterday, right? Well, I walked into church this morning, and two different people asked me if I had lost weight. So cool... who would have thought someone would notice already? I think it was because I was carrying myself differently because I was so happy and proud.

But then moments afterwards, when I was talking about WW and how I'm doing, one of my friends that I get together with on Sundays for all-day cooking and eating marathons (we're a bunch of gourmet cooks) said the me, "Oh, we have half a cow to barbecue today, you have to stop." I'm assuming she meant ditch my diet for the day and go crazy like I normally would. I was bummed. I know she wouldn't purposely try to sabotage me, but I thought that showed a definite lack of understanding of my determination.

I just told her that I already had counted my points for the day and that I could have a nice helping of steak, along with tons of the veggies I was bringing to the dinner. She seemed oddly disappointed. History of all this is that a few of us have been trying to lose weight on and off for years. We start out on a Monday morning, doing great, emailing encouragment to each other throughout the week. But then, on Sunday, the eating/gathering day, we would just forget about it and eat ourselves silly. Of course, then it would take days to get back into gear again and then it was Sunday again! A dangerous cycle. I'm trying to be the first to break it, and if that makes people uncomfortable, then so be it I guess.

You are doing good to stand up for yourself. WHo knows? Maybe you can start a tradition. You all may able to adapt your Sunday gatherings to healthy foods. It would benefit everyone. Keep up the good work and congrats on the loss!

Shelly, if you don't mind my asking... how tall are you? I see that our starting weights are close and your goal is 125, while mine is 145. I've been wondering if that's still too heavy for me. I am almost 5 feet 7 inches. 145 is in the middle of the healthy weight range for my height on FitDay.

Good for you for standing up for yourself. Since you said this is a cycle y'all have been going through for a while, she was probably just assuming you would be doing the same thing over and over and now that you aren't, it caught her off guard. I guess I'm always the optimist and maybe she will come around.

Have fun at your get-together today.

You did good.

When you have weight problems, the first thing to have to unlearn is socializing and celebrating with food. And that's hard.

My hubby says that at times, I sound like the accountant in Ghost Busters, because I will say, as we make food choices, "That bread stick has 150 calories in it," "That brand of hamburger patties has 450 calories a pattie!" "I'll put this piece of non-fat cheese (at thirty calories a slice) on my grits (145 calories cooked a cup) instead of a tablespoon of butter (100 calories)."

I don't know what I will do at holiday time. We can have a roast bird and perhaps some dressing (cooked as low fat as possible), and steamed veggies, but I know I am not making any of the traditional family desserts.

It's become an either/or with me. Either I live this lifestyle, or I have bad health. After being sick for a year and a half, I decided bad health sucks. It's been keeping me motivated!

i'm only 5'4".

This is exactly what I thought as well. She's used to this on Sundays, maybe even bought the stuff for it, thinking it was the usual fare. And didn't know about the diet and already had it all planned in her head and expecting it, so that it kind of felt like a let down. Now that she knows, this might not be an issue again.

I have a few ideas you may or may not like for the holidays. I love baked sweet potatoes with a little I cant believe its not butter spray and a small amt of sugar free syrup...they taste great and are better for you than traditional candied yams.
Also..this sounds wierd...but its not bad and actually a lot of people I have made it for like it...I tried the cauliflower "mashed" potatoes...where you boil cauliflower and then use a beater to mash it with some ff 1/2 and 1/2 or light milk and I can't believe its not butter spray. I also like adding a little garlic to the pot while I cook the cauliflower, as it makes it really yummy. Not mashed potatoes...but tastes good, and helps fill you up!!
Also...I like pretty jello salads on the holiday so I use sugar free lime jello and when I have disolved the jello in the hot water I blend in a small (3 oz) cube of FF or LF cream cheese...add the cold water and you have a pretty and yummy jello salad...
For desert a vanilla yogurt and mixed berry parfait is good and pretty if it is topped with cool whip!! good luck!! Can you tell I love the holidays!!

Thats totally what you need to do. You cant let things go because of food traditions you had with other people. You did exactly right and congrats on that, because at first these can be a break in your will when its a group of people and you know you shouldnt be but you do it to be social.
These are the steps you really need to take and overcome so that later its easier and just becomes a habit to not join in the social eating get togethers that are weekly instead of once in a great while.
So keep it up and congrats again on putting yourself first.

I like the sweet potatoes too, but I add a little splenda and cinamon along with a diet syrup, but no butter spray on mine. As for the mashed cauliflower, try adding a light or fat free cream cheese instead of milk or cream.

And get creative with the jello. If you have the time to do layers, try differing layers of color with fruit in each layer...set upside down on a serving dish and garnish with a fat free whipped cream and fruit slices.

Well, I made it through the dinner on Sunday! I had planned on a 6-ounce piece of roast along with bunches of the fresh veggies I brought. I did find myself picking at the roast after it came out of the oven and we were preparing other things. But I compensated by only putting three ounces on my plate when we sat and ate. It worked out to be about the same, points-wise. Normally, I would have picked and picked and then ate a full huge serving at the table. So I consider this a victory. I drank 100 ounces of water from the time I arrived until after dinner. Skipped the ice cream and cherry pie dessert and had my planned apples and caramel dipper. Used my Brummel and Brown butter substitute instead of real butter on the baked potato, corn and green beans. I felt really full after dinner and I thought that I had overdone it, but when I looked back at what I ate, I realized that I had stuck to my plan and that it was the water making me feel so full. All in all, I'm happy with the way it went. Thank you all for your support and suggestions! Happy, safe and healthy Fouth to you all! And to our British posters, um, well, Happy Monday?!