I started working real hard on my weight loss journey at the end of September. I lost 6 lbs. as of a couple of weeks ago. I know thats a pretty slow weight loss but I'm looking at this as a life style change. Then last week I started to resume my old paterns of eating. Eating out alot and eating pretty much what ever . I've gained back a pound and I'm afraid I will start gaining it all back again.

I know what my problem is. I am a stress eater and with the holidays coming up, I start stressing out. It always starts about a week before Thanksgiving. I start stressing about what I'm going to fix for Thanksgiving. I also start stressing about getting my Christmas shopping done. I start having sleep problems (waking up at about 5:30 AM every morning) cause my mind won't be still. Well we all know that when you lack sleep you tend to not have the will power to stay on your diet.

Then, I know we're going to Wisconsin for Christmas to visit my in-laws. I feel bad, but I'm not comfortable around my in-laws. So here I go stressing again. I don't get any sleep until after Cristmas (after we get back from Wisconsin).

I really want to stay the course with my weight loss journey but it's been real hard the last week and I know that I need to learn to handle this. My DH is off hunting this week (in Wisconsin) so I went and bought Thanksgiving dinner yesterday and I went Christmas shopping today and pretty much finished that off. So, why do I still feel stressed ou ? I'm almost there (as far as the holidays) but my mind is still racing a hundred miles an hour and all I can do is hope for some sleep tonight .

Sorry this is so long but does anyone else get really stressed during the Holidays ?

Feeling alone here,
Abby

I can so realte to you abbyin. Not about the in-laws part of the Holiday. Thankfully, a very expensive divorce took care of that. But the stress! My work is very stressful at this time of year. The kids...there's never enough money to go around. I stress so much about how I'm going to manage to get them a few gifts. On top of that, I quit smoking two weeks ago. Trying to lose some weight & not touch the cigarettes....should make for an interesting holiday! Let's pledge to each other that we'll take one day at a time & try to at least get some sleep...shall we? Maybe, when the stress threatens to take over, you could try taking some deep breathes...in through your mouth, out through your nose. I'll do that when I want a smoke. Together...we'll see this holiday through!!