Holiday Challenge - Week 6 - November 28th

Hey Challenging Peeps,

We made it through the American Thanksgiving Extravaganza.  Let's take a look back this week.

1.  Did you have plan for Thanksgiving?  How would you honestly appraise how you did?

2.  Let's look back a year.  Where were you at Thanksgiving last year?  

3.  Are you closer to your goal?  Anything that you're feeling particularly proud of?

4. We're coming up on December?  What can we do to keep our momentum going?

I'll go!

1.  Did you have plan for Thanksgiving?  How would you honestly appraise how you did?

I did have a plan.  I had a good visual of exactly what I would eat and how my plate would look.  I knew what food would be there so it wasn't too difficult.  I stuck to that vision.  The only addition that I had was a very thin (2T) slice of flourless chocolate cake.  I didn't know it would be there and it was calling my name so I decided to have a mini-relationship with it for a few moments.  I was surprised how not hungry I was on Friday and how easy it was to be back on regular food.

2.  Let's look back a year.  Where were you at Thanksgiving last year?  

OMG.  Last year I had my gallbladder out on November 2nd and went to my WLS orientation in the middle of November.  I went to NY to visit Zach and remember how tough it was walking up the 6 flights to his apartment.  I hadn't yet decided on having the surgery because my doc had just recommended it in October.  Watching me struggle up those stairs, Zach told me to help myself by getting the surgery.  I remember how personally humiliating it was to ask him to carry everything up the stairs because I couldn't.   For Thanksgiving dinner we took the bus up to Boston and went to my friend's house.  She's the best Italian cook I know and I can sum it all up in one sentence  "I did not stick to my pre-surgery 1200 calorie a day diet".   

3.  Are you closer to your goal?  Anything that you're feeling particularly proud of?

I've only shed TWO pounds in the last two weeks.  I could get depressed about it and I think I actually am, just a little.  I've been feeling blue and I know that I would be more jazzed if the pounds were coming off.  I'm proud of the fact that no matter how tough it feels, I'm not throwing in the towel and stuffing my feelings.  I've been keeping up my walking and tracking my food daily and getting in my fluids, vitamins and protein.  There's not a lot more that I can do.

4. We're coming up on December?  What can we do to keep our momentum going?

I can't believe December is this week.  I am going to stick really close to the LW Forum for encouragement and motivation. I'm going to help others whenever I can.  I'm going to keep walking and making good food choices. 

1.  Did you have plan for Thanksgiving?  How would you honestly appraise how you did?
Nope, didn't plan at all. I honestly didn't do too badly that day. The problem was that the food just stuck around for a few days. Snacking here and there instead of sticking with meals was my downfall this holiday.

2.  Let's look back a year.  Where were you at Thanksgiving last year?  
Hmmm....last Thanksgiving I was waiting for the first of the year so that my new insurance could start and could cover the doctor I had selected for my RNY. So, not knowing how soon after the first of the year I would have surgery, I know I was trying pretty hard last November and December to get my 5% weight loss. I do know that I weighed right around 230 pounds last Thanksgiving. This year I noticed that I looked for a chair in the tighest corner to allow others the ones with more room. :)

3.  Are you closer to your goal?  Anything that you're feeling particularly proud of?
This week I made no progress towards my goal. I'm actually up a pound though I haven't made that change in my signature. So, I have 5 pounds to go to meet my goal. I'm only proud of the fact that we had some freezing weather here and I made the choice to exercise anyway. I ran on the treadmill and used my elliptical a few times to make up for the times I couldn't get outside.

4. We're coming up on December?  What can we do to keep our momentum going?
I'm gonna kick some ass in December. That's what I'm gonna do. I want so badly to meet that goal of losing 100 pounds and I want it done by 12/31/10. To do this, I'm going to exercise my tail off and try to focus on three meals a day (around 1200 calories) and to cut back on the carbs. There is no reason I can't meet this goal. :)

I just have one thing to say:

I am going to LOVE watching you kick ass until you get to goal!!

Wow Leelee great questions....

1.  Did you plan for Thanksgiving? How would you honestly appraise how you did?

Um, I did plan the food VERY well. It was a WLS friendly dinner and even weight loss friendly for non-ops. I would say my appraisal of my cooking...fantabulous!! Eating...um, not so much. I grazed and snacked and the scale is brutally honest with me on that. So, needless to say it's back to the grindstone tomorrow. Part to blame is I think that it is because I have been off work for the past 10 days so no structure/plan in place for day to day eating. When I work...I have to plan and pack accordingly since I work 50+ miles from home. 

2.  Let's look back a year. Where were you at Thanksgiving last year? 

Last year I made a normal dinner full of fat and fun. I was in preop program so not much fun for me at that moment....but it was Thanksgiving evening that I looked up online and found my approval letter for the RNY surgery. 

3.  Are you closer to your goal? Anything that you're feeling particularly proud of? 

I am getting closer and closer to paying off my cc bills. That is a very nice feeling. I feel off track on my wls plan but am in the process of refocusing and readjusting. 

4.  We're coming up on December? What can we do to keep our momentum going?

December is my year surgiversary. I would like to be damned close to the 125 mark by my surgery date of 12/16. BUT I will take it proudly where I am at. It has been a fantabulously fun journey and being at 133 right now and loose size 6's...I'm doing alright!!! I would like to walk in to my 1 year post op appt and have it read 100lbs loss...I am 7lbs away from that and within 4 weeks...any suggestions, let me know! 

But to answer your question, to keep the momentum going, I will make a promise to plan to succeed and plan my meals and stay on plan. Period. 

thank you leelee for keeping this thread going. you are an awesome motivator!!! :) 

Diana, I can so relate to needing structure in our lives.  The structure always keeps me in check.

I'm so happy to read you raving about your cooking and I loved seeing the pictures.

Congratulations on getting closer to having that cc debt paid off!

Wow on getting your approval letter on Thanksgiving.  Talk about a memorable day!

I can see you walking into that appointment and having the nurse say...  "oh my!  You're down 100 pounds!!"   You can do it!

I think we all keep each other motivated.  I see that on October 24th I was at 171.  This has been an awful month for me in the weight loss department, but we're going to forge ahead together!

Hi Lee,

1.  Did you have plan for Thanksgiving?  How would you honestly appraise how you did?
I did have a plan, it was an odd plan.  I planned to eat a bite or two of anything I wanted so I did not feel deprived and go back later and eat a lot of something that was not as good for me.  My plan worked for lunch, but I ended up eating more carbs than I should have and felt sick later that night.  I did better than I have in prior years(except last year), but I could have done much better. 

2.  Let's look back a year.  Where were you at Thanksgiving last year? 
I had surgery in August so I was still pretty early out.  I did extremely well last year because it was all so new to me.   

3.  Are you closer to your goal?  Anything that you're feeling particularly proud of?
I am closer to my goal that I have ever been.  I have actually met my surgeon's goal, now I am working on my personal goal.  I am proud that I met his goal.  It is harder and harder to get the rest of the weight off. 

4. We're coming up on December?  What can we do to keep our momentum going?
For me it is to stay connected to my support system here on OH, post my meals(good & bad) on Menus and Miles each day.  Keep track of everything that I put in my mouth.  Exercise.  Don't get caught up in the snacks!!  I really have a sweet tooth lately and I have to eat alot to dump.

I know we can help each other through this holiday and many more to come!!

Linda

Linda, Amen to your last sentence.... Many more to come!  I look forward to celebrating a lot of holidays with all of you here on the LW forum.

You know, I think the main thing for folks like us is to have a plan.  It doesn't matter what the plan is, just some structure.  You may have had an odd plan, but it was yours!  About that "I could have done much better", the beauty is that we have more holidays coming up when we get to try again.

I'm so PROUD of you for reaching your surgeon's goal and now you're going on to meet your own personal goal.  I know it's been slow going for you and I have so much respect that you're keeping on track to get there.  

It's hard not to have a sweet tooth during the holiday season. I think you're doing great.

1.  Did you have plan for Thanksgiving?  How would you honestly appraise how you did?

          had a plan, but, I didn't work it....ate pretty much what I wanted for days

2.  Let's look back a year.  Where were you at Thanksgiving last year?  

                  really dLid'nt know I would get to have VSG at this time last year,  I was in the 
                           of another YO-YO experience..

3.  Are you closer to your goal?  Anything that you're feeling particularly proud of?

             No closer...but proud to be back on track as of yesterday

4. We're coming up on December?  What can we do to keep our momentum going?

                 tellin' my self, NO-NO....for Christmas eatin'..but, I will problely enjoy some,
                         hopefully not as much!!!!!    



   Lee, you really amaze me with your control and discipline...oh, you are my hero!!

You know, the beauty of life is that we get to just keep trying.  Maybe at Christmas you'll have a plan and it will be one that you can adhere to a little more easily.  It doesn't have to be a model plan, just one that you feel you can live with.  I knew that I would want a sliver of pie so I wrote it into my plan.  if I had known the chocolate cake was going to be there, I would have put that in as well.  For me a plan is like a little promise to myself.  I've made thousands of them but when it comes to food, those are the most difficult to stick with.

I understand about another yoyo diet last year.  We've all been on so many of them!!

I'm proud of you for being back on track too!  That's a real bravo moment.

Now about Christmas... make a plan you can handle.  Not one of deprivation, but one of reasonable eating with your Sleevie.  :)

I had to laugh about your saying I have control and discipline.... not sure where it comes from but I am so determined to get down to that darn goal!!  :)