Holliday Challenge - Week of December 5th

Hey you Challenge Peeps!

It's another week down.  How the heck are you?   Let's check in on how we've been doing this week.

Here's a couple of questions.

1.  How are you remembering to take care of yourself during this month where it's all about thinking of others?

2.  Are you getting closer to your goals?

3.  What do you do if you're not feeling closer, to keep yourself motivated and stop yourself from throwing in the proverial towel?  (this one is to help ME!)  :)

I didn't want to even start this today, so I guess I'd better go ahead and motivate myself!

1.  How are you remembering to take care of yourself during this month where it's all about thinking of others? 

I really don't like shopping.  I don't like that people appear more pushy than usual.  I'd rather donate to those less fortunate.  My son always knows that I will donate but I feel like I need to get gifts of some sort for my staff and for the people I will stay with for Christmas.  It's so hard to figure out what people can actually use so that it doesn't just go into the next White Elephant gift exchange.    I shopped for others this morning, then had a flat and had to buy a new tire.  That was a little depressing.  But this afternoon I'm getting a mani/Pedi which is just for me.

2.  Are you getting closer to your goals?

I'm zip closer.  In fact I'm further away.  I went to an OH holiday party yesterday.  Ate a little more than usual but didn't pig out or anything.  This morning I was up 1.8 pounds from yesterday.

3.  What do you do if you're not feeling closer, to keep yourself motivated and stop yourself from throwing in the proverial towel?

I asked this question to help me.  I'm feeling blah today and that's when I'd like to throw in the towel.  It's been difficult to exercise but I walked daily this week.  My scale didn't move at all until this morning and it's in the wrong direction.  Gaining this morning about made me cry because it's so hard for me to lose and 1 bigger meal during the week and I gain weight.  The only thing that I can do is to focus on how far I've come and pray for an open heart and to be grateful.  One thing that I've learned is that I can't be grateful and hateful in the same breath.  So I just remember to breathe and repeat over and over... everything always works out for me, everything always works out for me.  Then I just trust in my journey.

Lee, you didn't eat enough to gain 1.8 lbs. and you certainly didn't pig out.  It may be water retention, since you said that you are very sensitive to sodium. Everything had some sodium in it, so push your water and hopefully, the scale will be down.

BTW, I threw away the salad, after eating some of the parmesan cheese. You were right, not a good choice for my sleeve.

 I hope you're right.  About that salad, as great as it was, it takes up too much Sleeve space that needs to be filled with protein.  Wise choice to eat the cheese and dump the rest.  i did the same with the cup of it that I brought home.

I agree, it's water weight or poo or whatever but not real weight.

1.  How are you remembering to take care of yourself during this month where it's all about thinking of others?

Sticking on sticking on.  It helps that I am still close enough to surgery that it is pretty easy.  But I have always been pretty good at taking care of myself. 

2.  Are you getting closer to your goals?

The scale didn't move until this morning since Thanksgiving day, and it was only a pound.  But I will take every pound I get.  I still get on the scale way too much but I have done well not getting disappointed.  I know I am doing what I need to do and it will come off someday.  I did go to Curves everyday last week and today I got down on the floor and did some yoga and leg lifts, etc. 

3.  What do you do if you're not feeling closer, to keep yourself motivated and stop yourself from throwing in the proverial towel? 

I'm still far to close to surgery to throw in the towel and I'm not sure what I would do if I did.  I'm not hungry except every now and again.  When I have been overwhelmed with desire for something, like potato chips if I am out and someone has them sitting out, I have 3.  Then the desire is gone.  Last night at the party, I had made a sf pumpkin cheesecake so I could have desert when everyone else did.  I was still thinking about it today so I had a piece and counted it in my totals.  With the pot luck, there were plenty of things I could eat and I took a tiny spoon of whatever.  I only finished the spoon if it was really good.  Didn't get too full at all. 

 Price, you had a fabulous week!  Curves everyday?  A successful potluck?  One pound down?  What a victorious week you had.  You're doing everything perfectly and should be really happy with  yourself.

Being good at taking care of yourself is something to be really proud of.

Oh Lee .... I hate it that you are feeling blue and discouraged. You are always bucking other people up, now you need support and I don't know how to help. I wish I knew the answers or the right things to say. I know Christmas can be a real downer for many people and it sounds like you feel a little Charlie Brownyish right now... with all the commercialism and superficiality of Christmas - and the fact that it's run by a big Eastern Syndicate you know!.  This might sound cliche, but try to keep the true spirit of Christmas in your heart. Try to stay away from the crowds -- above the fray. Don't shop when others do. Try to begin each day feeling peaceful and grateful for all that is right in your life. Your son, your friends, your successful job (there but for the grace of God go I.....), all the success you have had with your weight loss (you are so close to goal and so much better off than you were a year ago.)

About buying gifts:  Don't buy gifts for your staff just because you're the boss and you have to.  Think of other ways that you can show them you appreciate them.  Do you know each person well enough that you could think of some small but very meaningful thing that you could give them? For example, if your secretary has a new grandbaby and she has photos propped everywhere on her computer screen, etc. buy her a frame in her favorite color and put one of the pictures in it.  Or for the research tech who barely makes enough to pay his rent... a gift certificate to the local Omnimax theater (no restrictioins) for 2 tickets to a movie and enough extra to buy popcorn, candy & drinks for 2.  I don't think anyone would want to regift these and it will be so much fun to put yourself in their shoes to think of special treats.

Taking care of Lee: Make sure you make time to do something healthy that makes you happy..for example I know you enjoy walking with your wls friends.  Do you have a special place you could go that makes you feel centered and peaceful like a special park? If so, make an appt with yourself to go there once a week thru the holidays... and don't cancel on yourself.

And in summary, like Clarence says, remember what a wonderful life you have. Stay out of the pushing, honking and lines of rush hour Christmas. Do your errands in off peak times. And wake up each morning trying to see the positives in your life.

Kathy

Thanks for the great tips Kathy.  I got all of my holiday shopping done yesterday morning. 

 Oh, Lee. Don't feel down. I know you are the spark of determination and hope for many of us. I have not posted in several days, because I am discouraged 10 days out. I dropped to 199, then for two days in a row it was 200 again. Yuck!! Thought I had let go of those bad boy pounds for good. This morning I dipped back to 199. It seems so slow for the beginning of the journey.

I remind myself, this is for the rest of my life. I need to find treats and victories, not based on the scale. I look forward to seeing the surgeon on the 9th and hopefully get cleared for a soft diet. 

My toughest task so far is getting in my water. That may be some of why I got stuck so soon.

Happy weeks to all, as peaceful as we can manage, staying in good health.

Oh Wendy, please don't get discouraged.  When I started, I hadn't heard about the dreaded three week stall so I just thought that slowing down was part of the process.  Just think of it in terms of your body needing time to catch up to the big weight loss in the beginning.

Your weightloss will go fast/slow/slow/fast etc.  There's no way to know what your body will do and how it will handle the stress of surgery.  But the promise is that it will happen for you as it does for everyone else.  Just keep focused on getting your body hydrated.  You're only a few weeks out from surgery and your body needs those fluids to run.

How are you feeling otherwise?  Please don't stay away because you're discouraged. That's when we need each other the most.

I hope you have a great appointment on Thursday!!