Holliday Challenge - Week of December 5th

 Every  time I have a hubris moment  ( or MONTH )  and think " I have this " then something brings me back to earth with a thud .

Like my husbands  new digital scale that says im 143  lbs LOL.  

It was  enough ( combined with an all nighter painting his hovel ALONE  yet again  while husband and stepson SLEEP and plan ( no doubt )  how to destroy and semblance of order and human living  conditions again..) 

to make me  eat some ( fried ! )  free plaintain chips  at the peruvian restaurant we went to last night  ..... then  I ordered  some tostones...     and even a chicken tamale... 

Look  Lee ,I think  THIS is real .    We will ALWAYS   have to struggle with our weight .     And even if NOT our weight  ( by some miracle .....)  then it will be   osteoporosis ,  something related to unwanted  aging  ....

THIS IS REAL .

Still we are a LOT   better off than we were before surgery ...  PERIOD  .     We will ALWAYS  have to exercise  .  Changing the body   permanently  ..that MAY   take exercise ..... AND liposuction And plastic surgery .  

And we will still have to watch EVERY  darn bite that we eat .. 

U want to lose  weight .... give up the  full fat cheese  would be my advice  .   Cheese is half butter .  When U are considering eating a cube of it -  picture HALF  that cube as BUTTERFAT .

DO you want to  work terribly hard to take off that amount  of butterfat in a week off your BODY  only to add it back to Ur newly emptied fat cells (  who will snap it right up of course andre-fill)  with a  piece of CHEESE  ?!! 

It sure  isnt worth the heartache  and the frustration to me  ... 

AVa, it's great to see you back here posting with us!  I hear everything you're saying.  I knew that it would be a lifelong process and that's what it's shaking up to be.   You're right, it's so much easier fighting the fat battle post op!

You must have been at the party I was at the other night.  I did in fact eat about an ounce of full fat cheese.  I don't usually.  It still wasn't enough to add 1.8 pounds to my body.  Or at least I don't think it was.

I'm sorry you got stuck painting all alone again.  And throw out that scale of his and focus on how fabulous you look in your wedding dress and everything else you wear!!

Hey Lee,
I dreaded seeing the challenge too, but I'm super glad you posted it. Accountability and all.

1.  How are you remembering to take care of yourself during this month where it's all about thinking of others? This season is so frustrating. It's hard to think of others (like my children) when they have no concept of $$! Anyway, they may learn a lesson this year. But, in general, I am afraid I always take care of everyone else more than myself.

2.  Are you getting closer to your goals? Nope. I'm stuck. It doesn't help that I have had a poor week of eating. I only have two holiday eating events this week, so that should help.

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 going to try to kick up the exercise. It's as much of a tool as my surgery for me. It gets me some alone time and also burns those extra calories that seem to be everywhere!

Good Morning!

I think that accountability is where it's at.  I tend to be an isolater when I'm feeling off my game, so I know that's when I know I have to show up.

I too think of others before myself.  I think that everything that we have to do post-op to take care of ourselves is great at helping us learn when to put ourselves first. 

You're right that kids don't have a concept of money.  It's our job to help them learn that.  I'm lucky to not have young'uns anymore.  Zach and I have a fabulous vacation every year and that's his gifts for all of the holidays and birthday etc.  We create memories which will last a lifetime.

Stuck!  Welcome to the stuck club, but you're only 4 pounds away.  You'll get there!

I have a four day event of restaurant meals coming up this week.  I'm not looking forward to that part of my friends visit.  I have to remember that it's about fun and not about food.

Exercise is definitely a tool and you've learned to use it so well.  Be proud of yourself!!

1.  How are you remembering to take care of yourself during this month where it's all about thinking of others?
        No really wasn't thinking about me other than following my WLS plan and this does take
         some thinking.....Thanks for the reminder!

2.  Are you getting closer to your goals?
       Yes, lost 2 more lbs....this is great!!!

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!)  :)
        "Throwin' in the Towel" is'nt a consider option for me at this point...hope I always feel 
           this way!!!  


Lee, you will do great....just keep on keepin' on......may take you longer than you would like, but, you've got what it takes to motivate others and yourself!!!   We appreciate you!!!

1.  How are you remembering to take care of yourself during this month where it's all about thinking of others?
I am trying not to stress, during this time of eating, being jolly, and juggling finances.
I love Christmas, but feel society tends to forget the real reason for the season.
I am taking time to enjoy, the festivities, the parties (dressing up), my family and those I love. and to be thankful that I am so blessed! (this is not an answer to your question, but how I am coping)

2.  Are you getting closer to your goals? No, I go down and then back up!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So frustrating!

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!)  :)
That's just not an option for me...I took drastic measures for my health and well-being. I owe it to myself...I will not fail... LeeLee, just keep repeating this as I do! WE WILL Succeed
Brenda

I haven't posted in a few weeks, but I am definitely still in the Challenge with you guys!

1.  How are you remembering to take care of yourself during this month where it's all about thinking of others?
I went on a romantic weekend to Seattle with my husband.  Kids stayed with grandparents & we just focused on being a couple.  Split a meal (ok 80% to him 20% to me) at my FAVORITE Restaurant - The Metropolitan Grill.  Ate enough to be satisfied and smiled the whole time.  

Otherwise, I'm trying not to think about me too much - I am just a few pounds away from maintenance & I want to start being "normal" and not in a diet mode so much as a eating to live mode.  Does that make sense?  Now, that does NOT mean that I won't be mindful of my food, but just not being soooooo controled by it.  You know?

2.  Are you getting closer to your goals?
Yes!  When I started this challenge, I was 133.  That was actually 2 pounds lower than my stated goal in my ticker, but I felt like I could/wanted to go a little lower.  My holiday challenge was to get to 125 by December 31st.  It seemed like a pipe dream since the pounds come off much slower as you get to goal.  I really haven't changed up anything ... well, maybe more activity with shopping and business around the house.  But, miraculously, I am down to 126-127 (depending on the day - water weight, etc).  125 feels like a real possibility.  WOW!

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 go try on my "fat jeans" - the ones I wore in my "before" picture.  I also go look at my new clothes & try them on.  Now, I know this is only the outward measurements of success, but it truely reminds me of how far I have come.  But, I also suffer from those "moments" when I look in the mirror and still see all the imperfections - those get me down as much as anyone.  But, luckily, those moments are coming less frequently these days.

Lee - thanks for posting this and admiting that you are having a tough time.  We've all been there & you have been there for us with encouraging words.  You will get past this - YOU WILL SUCCEED!!!!!!! 

Thanks for all your encouragement and your wonderful posts.  YOU GO GIRL!

Lee, sorry to be so late answering, it's been a busy two days!!

Hope you are feeling a bit more optomistic this a.m., and the scale dropped down that extra 1+ lb it bumped up...I hate that when it happens!!!

1. Generall do that care of myself (I'm a recovering co-dependent LOL)

2. Excited to report I dropped 2 lbs this past week!!!!  I haven't lost that much in a week in a very long time!!!  I am down to 161, and have decided 160 is where I want to stop.  I am thin enough!!  I will still be approx 4 lbs over max BMI for 5'6"  (but I am really 5' 5.5"...so probably 10 lbs over.)  But I am quite happy where I am.  I do think I will find it hard to stabolize...don't really want to eat more than I am eating at present.  We'll see what happens.

3.  I cheat a little along, always have.  I have stayed motivated by not depriving myself, keeping diet and exercise moderate, WHILE keeping my eye on my goal.   I have been a good looser though, and it has been relatively easy.

Lee, hope you have a better week!!
Hugs,
Jane

Hi Lee & everyone:

I've been off the challenge board for a while now since it seemed like I'd never meet my goal.  Turned out that my aggressiveness turned into a disincentive because it discouraged rather than encouraging me.  

However, since I've now modified my goal to getting to the 140s by New Year's, that actually seems do-able.  I've also started measuring myself a lot more (mostly so I can know what size clothes to purchase since I'm really running low these days) and I do see those inches coming off and the sizes going down.  

So here are my answers to your questions:

1.  All of my months are about thinking about others.  This one isn't really different.  :)

2.  I am, however slowly.  Then, I remembered something that my NUT said:

How much would you weigh, Rosa, if you lost 3-5 lbs a week for a year?  

3.  I try not to let single experiences (unless they're good ones) serve as some sort of referendum on my success.  Success is about success, not about failures.  It's the accumulation of the wins that make up our progress.  The mis-steps, etc., may not be so, actually.  They may just be the adjustments our bodies need to keep us healthy and well.  That's generally how I think of it.  When I'm feeling discouraged (as I did with this challenge for a while) I just shift my thinking, remembering that the initial loss I had when we first started the challenge was probably due to my maniacal focus.  It worked, and then it stopped working.  Time to shift gears without looking back!  I think it's that adjustment that signals whether or not we're approaching our goals from a position of health.  Does that make any sense?

Blessings to you all in this journey.  I'm encouraged by ALL OF YOU.