We are closing in fast on the holidays - typically the toughest time of the year for trying to lose weight and stay healthy. How do you plan on handling it? There's more than the usual stressors to deal with - pressure all around us to 'eat eat eat!' - people who don't understand our struggle and think that one day of gluttony is acceptable (and for some it is....don't get me wrong, my issues aren't your issues or their issues, they're mine). How do you plan on handling it?
Are you hosting any holiday dinners? Are you cooking any differently? Do you have multiple meals to attend in singular days (we finally put a stop to that a few years ago - it's just TOO crazy!). Does your family overeat - do they have weight issues?
For me - my family is a key trigger for me - most of them aren't terribly overweight and none of them completely understand my struggle. So holidays are difficult for me no matter what my weight status is - and this year more so because not one single person in my (etended) family understands why I'm abstaining from certain foods. So we'll be around for Thanksgiving but we are literally escaping for Christmas.
My plan:
dinner is at my mom's house - she's an amazing cook so I'm plan on being overwhelmed at first. Just really overwhelmed. And I know it will be a struggle not to just eat and eat and eat - it's always delicious. So I will go in the door knowing that it's overwhelming - admitting that it's going to be a struggle. And knowing that I will not just give in this year. I will bring a water bottle with me and sip on that rather than nibble until dinner is served. I will eat salad and veggies before I dive into the rest of the food. I want to not be physically hungry when I start eating. And then I will choose my meal the same way I serve myself at home. Using the tools I've developed over the last 11 months - keeping portions small and choices wise. And I will not go back for seconds.
I am bringing dessert - I make great pies. So that part of the meal I will just relish (hopefully) in the praise while everyone else eats them all gone! I will probably just slice up and apple for myself instead of apple pie - and only if I'm truly hungry again by the time we eat desert.
And we will NOT be taking leftovers home. One of the benefits of going to my mom's for the holiday dinner is that we get to leave all the yummy stuff behind!
Christmas we are spending on the Oregon coast - we're renting a vacation house for 4 days and bringing groceries. We'll be spending time as a family, playing games, going for walks, cell phones and computers will NOT be part of our holiday. Nor will overeating.
I'm so close to having lost 50 pounds. And while January is typically the time of renewal and new goals etc - I do NOT want to use that as an excuse to lose the ground I've gained since I began this journey. I'd like to start the new year at 185 - down 6 pounds from where I am now - and set my "new year's goal" at losing the final 35 to get to goal.
Can you imagine? instead of 90 pounds to lose, I will have the goal of losing 35. I am going to put that number on a sticky note on my bathroom mirror. Just to keep reminding myself.
In other news - and a bit of a brag - I stopped at a friend's house yesterday to drop some stuff off - she and her husband haven't seen me in awhile - they follow my facebook status and know that I've lost weight - but their reaction was priceless. And I find a little joy in how people try and compliment how I look but at the same time try not to admit that yes, before, I was FAT! It's awkward a little for them - and I try to reassure them. It's not like I didn't know what I used to look like!
Ok - that's it for now - I've got a mile long list of stuff to get done today!!
TTFN,
LauraLynne
Are you hosting any holiday dinners? Are you cooking any differently? Do you have multiple meals to attend in singular days (we finally put a stop to that a few years ago - it's just TOO crazy!). Does your family overeat - do they have weight issues?
For me - my family is a key trigger for me - most of them aren't terribly overweight and none of them completely understand my struggle. So holidays are difficult for me no matter what my weight status is - and this year more so because not one single person in my (etended) family understands why I'm abstaining from certain foods. So we'll be around for Thanksgiving but we are literally escaping for Christmas.
My plan:
dinner is at my mom's house - she's an amazing cook so I'm plan on being overwhelmed at first. Just really overwhelmed. And I know it will be a struggle not to just eat and eat and eat - it's always delicious. So I will go in the door knowing that it's overwhelming - admitting that it's going to be a struggle. And knowing that I will not just give in this year. I will bring a water bottle with me and sip on that rather than nibble until dinner is served. I will eat salad and veggies before I dive into the rest of the food. I want to not be physically hungry when I start eating. And then I will choose my meal the same way I serve myself at home. Using the tools I've developed over the last 11 months - keeping portions small and choices wise. And I will not go back for seconds.
I am bringing dessert - I make great pies. So that part of the meal I will just relish (hopefully) in the praise while everyone else eats them all gone! I will probably just slice up and apple for myself instead of apple pie - and only if I'm truly hungry again by the time we eat desert.
And we will NOT be taking leftovers home. One of the benefits of going to my mom's for the holiday dinner is that we get to leave all the yummy stuff behind!
Christmas we are spending on the Oregon coast - we're renting a vacation house for 4 days and bringing groceries. We'll be spending time as a family, playing games, going for walks, cell phones and computers will NOT be part of our holiday. Nor will overeating.
I'm so close to having lost 50 pounds. And while January is typically the time of renewal and new goals etc - I do NOT want to use that as an excuse to lose the ground I've gained since I began this journey. I'd like to start the new year at 185 - down 6 pounds from where I am now - and set my "new year's goal" at losing the final 35 to get to goal.
Can you imagine? instead of 90 pounds to lose, I will have the goal of losing 35. I am going to put that number on a sticky note on my bathroom mirror. Just to keep reminding myself.
In other news - and a bit of a brag - I stopped at a friend's house yesterday to drop some stuff off - she and her husband haven't seen me in awhile - they follow my facebook status and know that I've lost weight - but their reaction was priceless. And I find a little joy in how people try and compliment how I look but at the same time try not to admit that yes, before, I was FAT! It's awkward a little for them - and I try to reassure them. It's not like I didn't know what I used to look like!
Ok - that's it for now - I've got a mile long list of stuff to get done today!!
TTFN,
LauraLynne
Comments
P.S. Awesome post about your bypass. 100% agree you have to work on the head or it won't stick. I would like tao "talk" to you about the skin removal. I will need it for sure.
I also step out for brisk walks and visit swimming pools when I can around the holidays to take the stressors off. It helps.