We all beat ourselves up over what we ate and what we should have done differently. How about a threat that focuses on what you did right over the Thanksgiving Holiday?


1. I ate and drank only the amount I preplanned. Yes, it was more calories than my 1-2 pound a week plan allows for today, but I didn't eat more than maintenance calories.

2. I didn't eat till stuffed. I was full, but not stuffed or even uncomfortable.

3. I left some carbs behind on my plate and focused on my proteins and non-creamy veggies.

4. When left overs were being divided up I managed to leave almost all of them behind.

5. Of the dessert that I brought home, I ate 2/3 and tossed the rest. I didn't feel deprived, either. I actually got tired of it (felt it was too rich after a while) and tossed it because I stopped enjoying it.

6. I didn't get seconds.

My best Thanksgiving in a long time! Holidays and social occasions are danger zones for me.

I did okay yesterday. The best thing I did was wake up this morning in the right mindframe. The mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pie left over in the fridge are not for me. Thanksgiving is done!

I did some great things yesterday, even though my calories were over for the day.

1) I ate a great breakfast in the morning so I wouldn't be starving! Then when I dressed, I wore some tight-ish jeans instead of my fat pants! haha

2) When the appetizers were laid out, I had some veggies with a little low-fat dip (thanks, Aunt Alicia!) and one tiny goat cheese stuffed mushroom.

3) I had a bit of everything served, but my biggest portion of anything was white turkey. I had one small spoonful of stuffing, ~ 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes, one big spoonful of corn casserole, one small spoonful of squash/sweet potato casserole, and some brussel sprouts. I had a bit of gravy on my potatoes, but resisted the urge to slather everthing in it.

4) I did finish my plate even though I was getting full about 1/2 way through. But I did not reach for 2nds of anything.

5) When dessert was served, I passed. I knew my hubs was bringing home a piece of his mom's cream cheese pumpkin pie for me (we went to different meals), and that was going to be my dessert since it's my absolute fave.

6) When we got home, we watched Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and I ate a small piece of the pie hubby brought. Just one!

I did indeed indulge, but I think it was a successful holiday for me. Thanks for letting me write it all out. I feel good about it.

Edit: I forgot to add that I also did the best workout since I started exercising before the meal. WooHoo!

-I ate lots of delicious vegetables and only until I was full; not beyond it. ---There wasn't a "bad" thing on my plate except for the pie.
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-I had just a normal slice of the pumpkin pie I made, as planned, my family ate the rest.
-I got my 60 minutes of exercise in as normal.
-I just finished off my day with a bowl of mixed fruit and a cup of hot green tea~ the Thanksgiving dinner was technically my breakfast meal for my schedule and I've eaten light, healthy meals for the rest of the day.
-Despite that fact that I didn't count, I know that I'm within my maintenance calories for the day and I feel great. Not sluggish or guilty at all.
-I know I can- and will- seamlessly slip back into counting calories for weight loss again tomorrow.

I only filled my plate once with reasonable portions.
I did enjoy a piece of pie and a teeny portion of chocolate trifle.
Brought home only a few leftovers, just enough for a small supper.

I did not exercise yesterday, due to being rear ended at the stoplight on Wed. afternoon and was pretty stiff and sore.

Did my exercise this a.m.

We had a great time yesterday, I don't feel guilty or sad or ashamed about the food and lack of exercise, it's only one day.

Best of all, my youngest sis has gone back to WW, my middle sis has been working out and is going to join WW in her town the next meeting, and I'd already decided i am going back next week for the new program roll out. I'm excited, we do so much better when we're in it together!

I did not count, nor did I care on Thanksgiving (which was celebrated on Wednesday for us). I indulged in the full experience of Thanksgiving...everything from a beer at first kick-off of the day, munching on Chex Mix and cookies all day, huge plate of all the fixin's, and two slices of pie for dessert. I was stuffed full and had a tummyache that night.

And yet, I still pat myself on the back for it. I pat myself on the back for:
- PLANNING ahead. I knew several weeks ago that Thanksgiving would be my free-for-all day for November.
- Adjusting my plan. I ate light and did some extra exercise for several days before and will for a few more days to make up for it.
- Staying accountable. I didn't count, but I recorded it as a monthly free-for-all day and had my light meals already recorded for the days after.
- Getting RIGHT back on plan. No sneaking bites of leftover stuffing for me! I had my day of fun, but afterwards, I haven't deviated at all from my normal plan.
- Enjoying the holiday guilt-free. I treated myself to a rare and glorious indulgence and ate and drank with family and didn't beat myself up over it one bit.
- Staying within my maintenance range. The morning after our Thanksgiving feast, I weighed myself and I was 128.2. My tummy was still very full, and I was bloated up from the sodium and such. I'll weigh later this morning, and I imagine I'll be down a pound or two from that.

Overall, a complete success, in my opinion...down to the last overindulgent bite.

I exercised before dinner, and had a protein shake with strawberries for breakfast. My meal last night was moderately okay. Best of all, there is no guilt!

Good job ladies!

I did OK but not great. There is a bit of guilt, but mostly because I was almost at a mini goal yesterday morning and now I am three pounds further from it LOL.

However, the upside is I avoided MOST carbs (until the pear tart desserts) and only had two glasses of wine. And, I did not bring home leftovers.

So back on the wagon today, and back on the exercise wagon on Monday. (Due to TOM issues ugh)

I did GREAT. The only thing I didn't do that I had planned to do was not graze. I planned on having a plate of appetizers and not grazing, but my SIL did not have any plates out. However, I think because I was aware of that I actually ate less than I would have otherwise. I can count what I ate. I had two little sausage and cheese crackers, three nuts you have to crack yourself and several returns for fruit.

Dinner was great. I had half a roll and a teaspoon sized serving of everything I wanted. And I had pie.

And this morning...same weight as yesterday.

Oh how prepared I was yesterday. I spent an hour on the arc trainer at the gym at 8 AM. I had a long drive before getting to my mother's house & dinner, so I took along the audio version of "Mindless Eating" & listened to two of the five discs. I had lunch in the car at a rest area: Spring mix salad with steamed asparagus, roasted peppers, and some salmon flaked over it that I'd baked the day before, plus a handful of walnuts. That held me well, till dinner at 7 PM. For Thanksgiving dinner, I had stir-fried green beans, a plain sweet potato, roasted Delicata squash, and dark meat turkey. Afterward, a cup of black coffee & a sugarfree Jell-o pudding cup. And that was pretty much it.

Kudos to everyone here for navigating Thanksgiving with ease!

Patting myself on the back a little too because I:

- stuck to the course I'd plotted for myself for Thanksgiving
- ate a "skinny" breakfast yesterday so I wouldn't gorge at just one big meal
- kept only turkey, a little ham, and various veggies as leftovers
- enjoyed every bite I took
- managed to watch the Saints/Cowboys game without swearing (much) in front of my dad.

*I ate 1300 calories for the whole day.
*I had dinner in a restaurant and chose meat, 2 veggie sides.
*I shared a piece of cheesecake with my husband for dessert.
*I walked away from the restaurant feeling neither hungry nor full in the least. it was amazing!
*I weighed this morning and weight exactly 232, as I did before Thanksgiving. That was a miracle!
*I weighed 280 this time last year, I had been on my diet for only 2 months. The year before that, I weighed over 300 pounds.

This was the most successful Thanksgiving for me. This time next year, I hope to be at my goal weight.

I had a small plate and had no seconds. I did have a couple glasses of wine and a tiny sliver of pie but i accounted for it with less dinner! Success but still not losing. Start new ww program Sunday, can't wait!

good job ladies!

I had small portions, and while I did go back for a half of a second piece of pie I have resisted having any of the left over pie today. I stayed OP and didn't eat until I felt over stuffed.

I also exercised this morning after getting up and feel really proud about that, since not only do I not normally workout in the mornings but I don't have any workout clothing here which made it double uncomfortable - but I still got through the whole workout.

Confession time. I did NOT do Well yesterday. I overate. I did 90% of the cooking, and I had a good time with it. I worked in some vegetables but the truth is I ate way too much!! I am new in the kitchen, and my food was a success, at least. Turkey was dry (go figure) but all the sides were great. I am glad I got the chance to do that (cook) but next year's will be vastly different.

To top it off, this morning I had my weekly weigh in, and I am definitely back where I started. It has been fluctuating, but I am at starting weight again.

So, Time to start again, I suppose. I told myself, I was not going to quit, no matter how difficult, so I am not. I am going to be really strict for the rest of 2010. That includes more exercise and 1800 calories a day, no matter how hard they are to track. I really cannot afford to be unhealthey any longer.

I'm patting myself on the back for pre-planning and being realistic about what I was going to eat and what I was going to skip.

-I did an hour of cardio the night before
-I looked up the nutritional info on what I knew would be served beforehand so I knew about how much of everything I wanted to have
-I had a good breakfast of Gardein "Buffalo Wings" - yummy veggie hot wings that are low cal, low carb, super high protein so I wouldn't be ravenous
-I had 1/4 cup each of the stuff I usually binge on like stuffing, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, etc. and piled my plate with lean protein and veggies
-I'm not a huge fan of pie but I usually eat it anyway because it's there so instead of sticking around for dessert, I took my dogs for a short walk instead
-Because I filled up on veggies and lean protein I didn't go into a food coma so I had enough energy to do 45 min of Zumba later on that night.
-I didn't binge on anything so I didn't beat myself up afterward like almost every other Thanksgiving nor did I deny myself the high-carb stuff so I didn't feel deprived.

I'm really glad that I didn't let myself swing to either extreme and stayed on plan!