Holiday Challenge - Week of November 21st

Hi Leelee and Lw's

 how did you do last week and how are you feeling about your progress?
I lost 1 lb.-now at 159. I stayed in the 160 range for over 2 months....I am losing weight at a slower pace but I am almost at my 1 yr mark. I feel confident that I will get to where I am supposed to be.I did try more protein supplements the last two weeks and have cut out the large unsweetened tea I was having daily and replaced with water.

Any great victories or challenges to share with the group?
I find I am more mindful of stress eating. I am no longer able to suppress feelings with food, I am learning to deal with the feelings I have through talking it out,etc.

I will be having dinner with my family at my sisters. I plan on eating protein(turkey) first, some veggies a small,small portion of dessert. Pumpkin pie will not be my downfall as I do not like it or sweet potatoes and we will have both.

Happy Thnksgiving LW's!==Brenda

 Hi Brenda,

You are doing terrific.  One pound is great at your point in the journey.  I'm trying to add more protein as well.  I want to work on getting in more plain water as well.

Learning to recognize stress eating.  We were talking about that at Weigh****chers tonight. Learning to recognize it is so important.  Bravo!

You have a good plan for Thanksgiving.  You'll be just fine!  :)

Hello everyone,
    Happy Thanksgiving everyone (belated to our Canadian friends!)

1.  First off - how did you do last week and how are you feeling about your progress?
Last week I dropped 3 lbs.  Did pretty well with food, restarted more intense exercise program.  I am a little disappointed that I haven't lost more in the past 3 weeks (7 lbs in past 2 1/2 wks and I'm only 4 1/2 weeks out)   but I lost ALOT the 1st 10 days and my inches are flying off and for that I am GRATEFUL!  

2.  Any great victories or challenges to share with the group?
My victories are going back to aerobic classes at the YMCA and l iving through them LOL, hitting my 1 month surgi-versary and doing my measurements and being down a total of 24"  WOO HOO, and going back to work and having an insane amount of junk on a buffet set up in the office and not touching ANY of it.  It was fun going back to work and having so many people "ooh and awww" about my loss.   I can get used to that! 

3.  Are you celebrating Thanksgiving this week?  I know it's not this week for you Canadians. If yes, is it at your house or are you going somewhere?  What are you preparing and what are you planning to eat?  Let's be realistic and honest and not just say what's expected.  
Absolutely we are celebrating!  I have soooo much to be thankful for!  I am going to my mother's home but I am bringing "Shelly's Thanksgiving Green bean casserole,"  "Shelly's pine cone cheese ball" (SO CUTE), a lower carb and a bit lower fat pumpkin cheesecake that I plan to have 3-4 bites of if tummy is willing,  I plan to have 1 T of my sisters potatoes, a bite of stuffing with lf gravy, and 1-2 oz of dark meat turkey, and a spoonful of green bean casserole....  oh and 1 craker with the cheese dip.  I think over the course of 3 hours that will be ok and I won't feel deprived.    We also usually go for a walk around the block to stretch and digest between dinner and dessert.    We eat later in the day (5 pm) so I will hit a special class at the Y at 9 am and have a protein shake in the AM and a pc of lean ham wrapped around a lf cheese stick and grilled for lunch.   BTW Lee, I plan on having all 3 victories you listed next week!

I am sorry your friend couldn't make it Lee, that's disappointing!  ((HUG)))   

Have a great week everyone!   Amy  

 Hi Amy,

I'll be ready for your post on Sunday with all those victories!!  

Three pounds is great.  Feel good about it.  All those inches are coming off of somewhere and the scale will catch up.  You are already looking terrific.  I could see such a difference in you last week at support group.  I may not recognize you next month!

Wow, going back to the Y and to work at the same time?  That's fabulous.  It's great when people oo and aaaahh over you.  :)

You have a great plan in place for Thanksgiving.  You're already radiating success.  Just be sure not to overdo it so that you don't feel sick.

Happy Thanksgiving and you're right, we all have so much to be thankful for.

Hi Lee...sorry to be tardy posting but I had a few steps forward meeting these goals...so...I'd thought I'd post...

1.  First off - how did you do last week and how are you feeling about your progress? 

I believe that I wrote my holiday challenges were to pay off cc debt, lose the last few pounds, and have fun...something along those lines. Well, my most measurable task is that I made a few large payments on my cc's so the balances are nice and lower than before. I actually had a chance to pay off 3 accounts this last month while still saving money. That felt GREAT!!! I have made some huge stride in personal growth when it comes to DS1 and feel very accomplished on that topic. I referenced a little in the Fitness Challenge today. Now, for the last few pounds...I did real well the first few days of the week and then forgot to track everything and the scale is hovering around 134 these days. 

2.  Any great victories or challenges to share with the group? 

Yes, again, I paid off the 3 cc accounts and reduced my debt significantly and had money to put away for savings. CC's should be paid off by June...nice, right? Also, I had some huge personal growth moments with DS1 and DH and I put our lines in the sand and I feel I won some battles. For example DS1 again tried with the whole "being trapped" at home because I would not let him use any of our cars to go down into town (20 miles down each way) to "socialize". I said if he wanted to go he could but he had to get a ride. I told him that he didn't have to like the rules but they are what they are. He said that he didn't like it and wanted to leave...I told him that's fine. He'd have to find a ride out all the same. He said "just drop me off on the corner somewhere...." I told him that if he wanted out he'd have to work for it. dropping him off was an easy and lazy way out. He got a ride after all and then got stuck in town. Too much...I swear. BUT I'm in a much better place and thank everyone here for their input. It did help...I promise. 

3. Are you celebrating Thanksgiving this week? 

Yes, I am making all the foods and lightening up recipes where I can. The volume I eat is so little and the sugar content would be so low that even if I did not lighten up the recipes, I could enjoy the foods and not really dump or anything. BUT I really don't cook heavy with oils, butters, etc so they are light in nature. AND I did not get MO on holiday dinners alone...lol So it will be what it is and I will enjoy the company, the game, and the food. 

I will keep an eye on the mindful eating but I suspect that since the personal stress is being reduced daily...I will have nothing but good deals to report.