As most of us here, I've lost and gained and lost again over and over and over again. I'm incredibly successful from May through September. Summers make it easy for me to eat light foods. I want to exercise. I'm more motivated and generally have more energy.

I generally do okay January through April and in October. Slower weight loss, more struggles, but I manage it, and if I don't lose, I don't tend to gain. That leaves November and December. I've NEVER gotten through this holiday stretch without gaining, and usually gaining quite a bit.

This is not an option for me this time around for many reasons. I'm trying to make preparations now, in a strong month, so that I'm forearmed for the impending battle.

I think November will be easier for me. We're going to my parents'. I feel incredibly comfortable asking them for healthier menus while we are there. I already have suggested having a small turkey breast and some salmon for those of us who want to go healthier. Not as many side dishes, I've already asked. I think I can get through that just fine.

This will be the first Christmas holiday where I will not be at my parents'. I don't know how I'm going to react to this emotionally. I know there will be pumpkin cookies and desserts. I don't know what they typically serve for a holiday meal, but they're tossing around the idea of eating out. I'm trying not to compare the unknown to what I'm accustomed to, but this is the period that scares me the most. If I don't have healthy choices, how do I trust myself to make the better bad choices when I haven't in the past? Most of all I'm worried about being sad at the holidays, and if my depression kicks in I'm going to have to have my husband be my food conscience, which might or might not work out well.

Any suggestions (or even attitude adjustment speeches) are incredibly welcome.

I'm feelin' ya! December/early January will be hard. Yeah, Christmas dinner will be tough, but it's one meal. I'm just going to think of it as one meal, just have a bit of turkey (we always have breast anyway, there aren't enough of us to justify a whole turkey!), a yorkshire pudding, a couple of roast potatoes and then pile on the veggies! I'm gonna try and be involved in cooking Christmas dinner, so will ensure that veggies are cooked healthily and that there are plenty to choose from!

The main problem for me is everything else. I'm going to ask not to receive chocolates and sweets for Christmas, there's nothing happy about me sitting eating chocolates til the end of January.

But mince pies all around the house, yule log, sausage rolls and picnic eggs and...oh my God I hadn't realised how hard this will be until just now! Just got to hope that I learn enough and lose enough between now and Christmas that I can do some serious damage limitation and hopefully stay mainly on plan. Maybe some serious December exercise will be in order?

My one hope is that we get a hotel with a fabulous workout room. I can plan to get up early each morning to work out. That being said, I don't want to burn x calories and eat an excess of 5x. I do agree that it's just one meal, but at the holidays there tend to be a lot of indulgences laying around. I actually might try doing no sugar for a month prior to make things easier to pass up...

Lol, no sugar for a month would make me crazy I think! I'm just going to do lots of moderation and sensibleness and hope that I can restrain myself.

My plan is to give away any and all candy and sweets that are given to me over the holiday- which is usually a TON!

I'm also planning on being VERY diligent with my workouts during that period.

i give myself 3 cheat days a year. birthday, thanksgiving, and christmas. i think that eating thanksgiving dinner or christmas dinner wont hurt you. obviously ONE bad meal a month isnt going to affect you, its more the cookies, brownies, and treats that inevitably float around for the rest of those months!! i say give yourself a break on the actual holidays, but commit to staying on plan the other days!

This is part of my plan too!!!

I do not like to share with people that I am trying to loose wt but I have started to share with them that I am pre-diabetic and CAN'T have those kinds of foods. Tried it the first time this weekend when my sister wanted to bring me some leftover brownies because she didn't want them in HER house. She absolutely respected my decision. So, if people offer goodies that is what I'm telling them. And if something gets dropped off and the boys don't want it I will toss it or re-gift it. Either way, I'm choosing me first!

Since I'm in charge of the holidays I will probably do as I've always done. I'm not one for dressed up veggies so my family is pretty used to steamed. My one exception is the traditional green bean casserole. Guess what--I don't like it so no problem there. I am only making one pie this year. Yep, that's right. Only one. Should be just enough for one slice for each of us (we'll only have 6 of us at the table). While I will make the mashed potatoes I am baking some sweet potatoes for my oldest and I, as I usually do each year. I will pass on the mashed/gravy. I love sweet potatoes so I don't think that's going to be too difficult. As far as the bread, I'll buy the canned crescent rolls. Usually I make homemade. My family likes the canned as well as my homemade. BUT I DON'T so it will be easy to pass those up too.

I think Christmas dinner will be similar to Thanksgiving. Really cutting back on the desserts.

I like to think if I continue to remind myself that I AM pre-diabetic and my doctor has put me on a low glycemic plan for eating, that I will stick to things. Like you, I really have no choice. I have to do this. I'm also hoping all the months of portion control, wise choices, learning what works/doesn't work and the possibility that my stomach has shrunk some will get me through the holidays.

I've already canceled my annual carmel apple party. In the past my adult children and their girlfriends have come over and made caramel apples (rolled in all kinds of goodies!!!) on Halloween night while we also handed out candy to the neighborhood kids. We'll find something else to do--maybe play card games or watch a movie. Since I'm tempted by chocolate I am going to forgo that this year and stock up on candies that don't appeal to me--Starbursts, Nerds, etc. Should still be popular with the kiddos but not me.

Anyway, that's my plan and I highly encourage you to do whatever works for you!!! I think a plan, any plan, is the way to go. If you're dining at someone else's house I highly encourage you to make and/or bring any special requests you have. I find people are very supportive when I make an effort to explain and accomodate myself, not ask them to change what they are doing. Of course, if your family is on board then no biggie. You're lucky to have people who are so supportive!

Good Luck to all of us!

It is a tough time of year, no doubt about that!

I have two doctor's appts in December - both my PCP and my cardiologist. Both have stated in no uncertain terms that I need to have some of this weight off when I come back, so that's a pretty big motivation to behave during the holidays.

My biggest obstacle during the holidays will be Thanksgiving. My family and I started a new tradition last year for Thanksgiving - we go to Savannah! I'm just going to have to make good food choices and be sure to hit the hotel gym each day as well.

I think planning is key...and perhaps the best we can do is to not gain any weight or if we do, to try our best to minimize the damage.

This is so dorky and hokey, but I did make it through the holidays (Thanksgiving and Xmas) without gaining weight last year.

Bring a 1/4 c. measuring cup with you. Eyeballing portions is what will get ya every time. Have 1/2 c. of stuffing, 1/2 c. of mashed potatoes. Skip the corn and bread. Have two slices of white turkey -- no skin. Gravy on the side and dip your turkey in it with the fork instead. Salad, yes. Wine, yes, but one glass. Have 1/2 of the slice of pumpkin pie instead of the whole slice and don't eat the last bit which is almost all crust.

You can do it!

Excellent suggestion!

My suggestion is to make sure you are totally committed as you enter into the holiday season. Last year I made it with only a very minor weight set back, (from a Christmas Day free for all) but it did take a month to get rid of all the cravings from the sugar demon. The thing is, when you are totally committed, you can be set in the middle of the worlds largest buffet and stay on plan. It can be done, you can make it. I will tell you that when I went to weigh myself January 1st and I had lost a fair amount of weight for the month of December it was PURE BLISS. First time in my life. Can't wait to do it again....(well at least stay the same this year)

PS) My brother and his family live in Raleigh....such a beautiful city! LOVE IT!

Another technique for the holidays, learned from WW: Put your salad plate on top of your dinner plate, and LOAD it with the green salad (this does assume a tossed salad is present at dinner - I know!). Then use the margins of the dinner plate not covered by the salad plate for the other items, and make the servings small enough so that they don't touch each other. It's the eyeball equivalent of what Rachel is doing. This works really well when you have family that are "feeders", because it really looks like you have an enormous amount of food on your plate. For dessert, claim to be absolutely stuffed and say you might get something later.

I'm with Lori on the "sugar demon" - it's not so much the damage on the scale - it's having to fight through the withdrawal while the leftovers are around. I'm not that strong.

I started dipping my fork in sauces like gravy and salad dressing before I put the food on the fork. You still get the taste, but you are eating a lot less sauce! (It's also a great way to avoid sauce stains on clothing!)

If anyone is interested, Tosca Reno's "Eat Clean Cookbook" has a full spread of a Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner that looks incredibly good but is a much healthier alternative. It has everything from roasted brussel sprouts to the dessert. I highly recommend it.