Monday December 14

Morning all. A new week is upon us. I'm up to 116 this morning,which reminds me of my less than stellar choices these past few days. Not true weight gain but still reminds me of a consistent string of poor choices. It seems I don't like/can't adjust to the 'middle ground' of 1200 calories where I'm not dieting and not at my normal maintenance level.

Also I can feel my anxiety level starting to build around my husband's super toxic family spending Christmas at our home. At my best, it's difficult to spend more than a couple of hours with them, so thinking of being in very close quarters in our small home while knocking out a series of big meals sounds daunting. It's not the cooking it's their challenging behavior that I find so difficult.

My husband is the kindest man in the world and deeply loves them, so is thrilled to death that he's finally convinced them to come here (they never do) and in honor of him I must suck it up for this brief period of time.

My normal strategy to deal with them is avoidance and hubby has come to accept this over the years, so I'm gonna have to take one for the team this time around. Won't share the deets of what makes time spent with them so difficult, but God give me strength is all I can say because it really is a situation where I'm largely powerless.  

I needed to say that so thank you for hearing me.  

Good Morning!  I'm up, too due to poor choices and even some healthy higher carb items...trying not to fret! I had a spontaneous weekend with my husband.  He at the last minute took me to a college basket ball game, shopping (I came home with nothing!) and crab legs for dinner!  One of my favorite meals.  I ate part of a baked potato  (plain) and it was SO GOOD!!!  I don't eat them often.

Linda-Families can be difficult.  I'm so sorry that it won't be a pleasant experience for you.  Prayers said.

Welcome to all the newcomers.  This is a fabulous group!

Devon- I had to chuckle at your last post because I absolutely saw myself in all of that.

Three more days of school after today...I am so ready for some down time. 

MMMMMM, crab legs are one of my very favorite foods too! We always have them on Christmas Eve! How fun to have had a spontaneous weekend with the hubbie! I'm not trying to wish this time away with my kids but there is something to be said about the freedom to do whatever that being an empty nester will bring!

Hi all

Linda, welcome to the crazy family olympics.  In my case its my side of the family that drives me nuts.  I have several friends with the same situation so we compare notes and call it the "crazy family olympics". I feel for you. my friend used to deal with it with a diet pepsi can full of vodka. 

well I'm up to 128.5 thanks to a full day of grazing at the art gallery party. mostly it was apples, carrots , almonds, cheese but just too many things. then forced to listen to an hour of the worst christmas singing i ever heard.  oh well, only one more really dangerous christmas event left.  

Thankfully the rain has let up for a bit.  we need it but i wi**** would rain only at night (when the weight gain fairies show up).  diane

Good morning!

I have most of this week off work.  Last year I was off at this same time for my VSG and loved it so much I decided that it is worth taking some vacation time.  I will just be home getting stuff done which feels surprisingly luxurious.  

Down a 1/2lb to 129.5!  I know better than to set calendar weight goals, but I am still hoping that I can be to 125 by Jan 1st.  

I went into my teenager's room this morning which I usually avoid for the whole household's sanity.  But, she also has a brand new pair of jeans in there that I wanted to try on.  I had to lay down on the bed to snap and zip but technically they were on!  I wouldn't say that they fit although stretchy jean material really is amazing! But, if is there is ever a pantocalypse where they were the only pants left on earth, I could get by!

I haven't had to think about laying down to get on jeans for more than a decade.  Rest in peace, elastic waist pants!

Linda, heartfelt sympathies about having the in-laws IN THE HOUSE over Christmas.  Do you have anything you can claim you must do out of the house for a couple of hours at a time to give yourself a break?

Stephanie, I know I like you because you love baked potatoes and are not afraid to say it!

Diane, I find watching you maintenance people navigate the real world so interesting!  Since I am still in weight loss mode (and oh-so-motivated to fini**** off!) it is relatively easy for me to say no to most things.  I know it will be much harder when I choose to have something rather than nothing. 

Devon, never TMI!  And I don't think my brain would rest until I knocked back that original cookie.  No substitution would scratch that itch.  

Shel

Shel, I had to laugh at you trying on your daughter's jeans. My middle son in super skinny (5' 11 and about 138 lbs.) and he and I can wear the same jeans (around the waist) of course I'm only 5' 4" so the length doesn't work!

I was a carb nazi in the beginning but have loosen up a bit and decided that food from the ground was meant to eat!!!  It is working for me.  Today, I ate a banana...gasp!!!  

Okay, here goes:

Up another frickin' .5! I'll own it, but it doesn't make me happy. Here's my truth:

Yesterday was a fantastically on plan food day. I had a great workout. (I'm kind of amazed at some of what I'm able to do. You know those dudes who do squats and jump up on table? Well, I am now one of those guys! I did 3 sets of 15 of those jumps. Not easy, but fulfilling. I'm also doing these flips from lunge positions while lifting and throwing a 15 pound sand bell. Again, 3 sets of 15 and it kills! ) Ah, I digress.... water intake was perfection. 

The ONLY transgression yesterday was that I decided to be done with and rid of the cookie debacle. I went to Sweet Affair bakery and bought a freshly baked peanut butter chocolate chip cookie and a shortbread cookie. I ate the shortbread sitting quietly in the bakery, and voila! Satisfaction achieved. I saved the PB Chip cookie for after dinner and ate it in complete and utter silence (Ron was working). I feel no more pull. 

So, I'm up 1.6 from Friday and 3.3 from my low on Wednesday. 

Someone made a comment (Shel, I think) about how we stress over 1-2 pounds. She's right, but when I thought about it, I had to laugh. A few years ago I wouldn't have thought one way or other about 2 pounds. I mean, when you're 100+ pounds overweight, 1-2 pounds didn't matter, which is also how I ended up 100+ pounds overweight! 

I took a pic of the lunch table today. If I can figure out how to upload from my phone, I'll post it. 

So impressed by your workouts!  You SHOULD be amazed at what you can do!  

You are exactly right about how a lack of stress over 1-2 lb  weight gain in the past helped lead to extreme weight gain. (And, taking it back one more step, not even knowing my weight was a root problem, too.)  This time around I am going to be mindful of each pound.  

I am sorry that you have to look at the lunch table everyday.  I have stopped taking the teachers treats even tho it makes me feel like a bad supporter.  I DO e-mail them my gratitude and cc the principal.  Any other ideas of ways to show appreciation that isn't poisoning those fine folk?

I always appreciate coffee cards and gift cards to places like Target, and Barnes and Noble because I can get classroom supplies and books using those cards.