Well, that's better than nothing, and if I had gained it I would be feeling dreadful. After all 8ozs is a pack of butter, better off than on my hips. The dietician told me to remember over Christmas, that I am only human and not to set unrealistic goals... Go to parties, have a drink , have something to eat but don't pig out. I must remember my mantra 'All things in moderation and moderation in all things'
My knees and ankles are getting less painful, soon I'll be back to the long walks I used to enjoy.
In January I shall be only weighed once a month and I have been warned that there will be some months when the loss will be very little. I can hack that. I'm not in a race and I just focus on next Christmas when I will be half the size I am now.
I have 2 dozen mince pies in the oven I'm not saying I won't have one when the family do, but I shall just have 1/2 one and keep the other half for later

Absolutely 8 ozs counts and matters. That's 8 ozs less of you. You're headed in the right direction. Yay!!!!

I tried doing "moderation" during many "diet" attempts in the past. Many failed ones that is. For me, especially when first embarking on a lifestyle change, moderation and I just didn't work. For me and of course we're all different, it is MUCH easier to not start eating certain foods than to start eating them and have to stop. Once I get that first bite, like the food addict that I am, I just want more and more and more and than I overeat. And then the cycle begins again. Ugh. My solution to this problem - don't start. I didn't find it restrictive at all - it just made so much sense to me. If I've got problems with certain foods - steer clear of them. Once I made them absolute no's, they no longer called out to me. It was a miracle of sorts. I didn't feel deprived not eating them. I felt deprived TO eat them. Deprived of self esteem, self confidence, vitality, energy, productivity, movement and the best possible me. I figured "those" foods will always be around, when I KNOW FOR SURE, I've got the control, much better to focus on my health for a change. Make THAT a top priority.

For anyone that can do moderation and successfully lose weight, especially in the beginning - more power to ya!

Happy holidays and I look forward to hearing of your continued success!

i like how you put it into perspective. A stick of butter.

I have this file cabinet thing that weighs about 20 lbs. It makes me grunt to pick it up with one hand....and to think...I had THAT on my body a year ago. When I stand with it on the scale it puts me back up to the 190s!

It really is amazing.

Thanks a lot.
JEN: When I lost 56lbs on the Cambridge ( put it all back on again!) my hubby bought a 56lb bag of potatoes and got me to lift it. That made me realize how much pressure I wa putting on my body
LEEWAY: I'm so lucky with the support I'm getting. After years of fad diets, what I did to my metabolism was mind blowing. My doctor and the dietician keep drumming it into me that diets don't work for me and to go about it as a life change regime and its working too