Holiday Musings

Please bear with me while I sit here at the computer instead of painting (as I should be!!!) and do a little 'thinking out loud'. Holidays: They're coming, we look forward to them and are already in planning stages for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Like they used to say at WW...'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail'. That in mind, maybe we should keep a post running here on our board with random ideas or recipes for the holidays to help each other. What do you think? We're all going to have to deal with potlucks, family gatherings, church socials and the like. What got me started on this today was that I was doing my usual day-off-morning-baking for the family (made them zucchini bread and Melissa's sf apple crisp) and found myself hurriedly rinsing the mixing bowls without thinking. This has become a new habit for me since surgery last year and I never even stopped to realize why. It is so I don't accidentally lick anything! DUH!!! I picked up a good habit and didn't even realize it and you all must have done the same thing in other ways, too. I'm also not going to go into diet mentality and then feel sorry for myself when others are indulging in yummy goodies. From reading your posts here, it seems like we are all thinking that way pretty much. We have our 'own' foods planned for the holidays and I'm so proud of us all for making these healthy choices. Ok, sorry to be so long winded as usual. I will go get started on the red walls. It is going to be a big mess and I dread it! Check in witcha later!!! Have a great day! Molly

Molly...Here's one of my favorite Reflections that was listed on SparkPeople: "If we don't put effort in creating what we want, we have to put effort toward coping with what we get...." Bravo on Pre-planning! I'm in! Love that we're all on the same page about the holidays. Ro

Ro, that is a great saying thank you for passing it along. It is going to go into my phrases file. (I started one so that I can make myself a little flip book of motivational phrases.) Found out today that I have some pretty lousy holiday scheduling coming along and it had me so down today. In fact, on the drive home today i was trying to brainstorm to figure out how I was going to cheer myself up without resorting to eating. Thought about journalling but ended up going to Costco for some retail therapy and a nice, pre-made rottiss. chicken for dinner. That was a nice treat and no bad calories for me! So I probably have to work ON Thanksgiving (early in the morning as usual but prob. only till noon or so) and then even earlier the day after Thanksgiving as well as the next three days after that. Found out I also work the weekend right before Christmas so my holidays are going to be hard to prepare for...boohoo. Guess that means I will have to scale back entertaining ideas and do as much pre-cooking and prep as possible. Sorry, I am whining again. It is just that I've worked retail too many years now and am getting really burned out on it. It just hasn't been my day. Molly

Molly, Sorry to hear that your holiday is crunched between a hectic work schedule. Earlier prepping of goodies is a good idea. Having to drag yourself back to work is a big food trigger. You have changed! In the past, you'd probably hit the pantry for a food fix. Getting the chicken, eventhough it's food, was what a person who is not addicted to food would have done...go on with life and make a healthy dinner! You love entertaining. Why not treat yourself by "not scaling back", but having an earlier pre-holiday celebration? A few years back, our guys were suggesting that they share the holiday between parents, girlfriends, and friends. So we'd basically see them for dessert or not as a group. It was horrible! Since then I have a Christmas Party on a date that everyone can be at our home. We have the full time together and open presents that day. On Christmas, we get a ton of phone calls; same thing with New Year's Eve & Day. You might want to add a party earlier to have the fun that you love and then have the best holiday possible on the actual holiday. I know that this means a lot to you. Same for me. Time to turn things around so that they "work better" FOR YOU. You've Changed! So PROUD of YOU, Molly!!! Ro ((((BIG HUG)))) + = ((((BIG HUG))))

Miss Molly- Your habit of doing the dishes hurridly is a GREAT one and one that i am going to have to do from now on --since i realized that i am guilty of licking the bowls...funny how it has probably gone on forever and i just realized........ What i have done to lick the Diet Mentality (no pun intended) is anytime i hear myself saying out loud "i cannot have that" (all sad sounding) to someone else...i quickly follow it up with "but it was/is MY choice" that empowers me rather than making me feel deprived. Afterall, i knew exactly what i was getting into when i CHOSE to have this surgery........Just like all the BAD choices I made got me into this mess in the first place (lol) talk to you all soon

Dawn, I have also adoted the "Yes, I can have it but I choose not too" mentality and it works great for me and it's also a great way to silence those nasty comments from family/friends about not eating what is being offered. Beatriz

HI Beatriz! I was just thinking about you the other day ! Nice to hear from you--are you doing well?! dawn

Yes, I am doing well, just a little overwhelmed with so many responsabilities but do not worry I still come to this site on a daily basis. It's my source of strength and information. Take care, beatriz

I have to remember to say that too when co-workers try to get me to eat foods I don't want anymore. Seems to me that I have to be a good example of wls to them and don't want to appear to have freakish dietary needs so I make sure to let them know that it isn't that I 'can't' eat such and such, it is that I choose not to. Then I let them know that particular food is like alcohol to an alcoholic...you just can't have a little and then be ok.