I know I'm a few days late writing this, but at least this time it's just late and not at all....
Anywho, as everyone who struggles with maintaining/losing weight (read: pretty much everyone...period.) knows, the holidays are rough! Any holiday is rough on a diet because so much of it revolves around food. Valentine's Day gives you fancy dinners and chocolate, St. Patrick's Day gives you green any kind of food and beer, Easter is ham and candy and hard boiled eggs, birthdays is cake and ice cream, Memorial Day/4th of July/Labor Day come with picnics, Halloween is candy, candy, and more candy...you get my point. However, from the last week of November until after the first of January is arguably the worst time ever. It doesn't even matter what religion you are...Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus, New Years. All right in a row (and if you're in my family there are six birthdays thrown in that time frame, too!). What's a person to do??
We're about at the mid-way point right now - and my goal this year has been to conquer the holidays and not let them get the better of me! We all know I've been struggling for the last few months, but I'm really trying to give myself a push to get through the next few weeks with hopefully losses, but at least not gains! Thanksgiving was actually pretty good! I lost a little, which was more than I could say for most of the people at my meeting after the holiday. Thanksgiving was relatively easy to handle because it was one/two days and I could easily get a taste of all the foods and be good to go. Not to mention the simple fact that I can't fit as much food in my stomach as I used to, so it was physically difficult to overeat! But, Christmas is the worst for me. Everyone having holiday get-togethers/dinners/parties with lots of delicious (fattening) foods and all the desserts, candies, and cookies you can eat! I love cookies...almost any kind. They are just so deceiving! They're so little and innocent looking, but just one cookie packs a powerful punch! The average cookie runs about 2 points a piece...for reference, I can eat 31 points in a day. Fresh fruits and (most) vegetables have 0 points...a grilled chicken breast is about 3. I can have a nice salad which some grilled chicken and 2 Tbsp of a vinaigrette dressing for about 5 points...and a cookie...one single, solitary little cookie costs me about half that. Yikes!! But they're soooooo tasty!!
So, what's my plan to combat the evil little beasts? Well, I've done a few things. First of all, Mom and Dad have lots of friends and family over for a Christmas party on Christmas Eve. I'm usually home several days in advance so I can help get stuff ready, but this year our calendar is running quite late and provided I can get out of here when I'd like to, I still won't get home until late on the 22nd. That doesn't really give much time for me to help...so, I'm helping from here! I volunteered to make most of the Christmas cookies. Yes, that sounds contradictory, I know. If cookies are a weakness, then why would I put myself in that position? Well, for three reasons. 1. I can be in control over what's in them! In several of them I replaced the sugar with Splenda and the brown sugar with Splenda brown sugar...it doesn't cut down on the points a WHOLE lot, but a little is better than nothing! 2. I love baking and they're only a temptation if they're out where I can see them...so as soon as they've cooled after baking I pack them up in a box, tape up that box pretty tightly, and stick them in the freezer. I haven't been tempted by them pretty much at all! I allowed myself to have one or two as I was packing them up, but then that tape and the freezer kept them out of sight and out of mind. And 3. having them around and allowing myself to have one or two while making them will help me be less tempted by them when they're all out on the table. I already know what they taste like so I don't need to "just try them" at all. Well..that one's the hope, at least.
I've also gotten my butt back to the gym several times this past week! It took a couple times to get back into the swing of it, and my body could definitely feel the difference from not going for about a month, but I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I got my groove back. Actually, I went this past Thursday morning and kept pushing myself to go further. I usually run the first mile then take a quick walking break and then alternate running half a mile-walking about .10/mile. This time, I made myself keep going after I hit the mile and I actually ran the whole first 20 minutes without stopping! (The only reason I stopped at 20 was because the treadmills have a 20 minute limit on them so I had to take a quick break and reset since there will still about 18 other treadmills open if anyone else came to run.) I did a walking .15/mile but then I ran until I hit my overall 30 minute goal! I was pretty darn proud of myself!
Now, I can't do my usual Saturday run because we're closing tomorrow, so I'm hoping to be able to get something in at home on Sunday. Hopefully this snow doesn't get it the way!
Initial weight: 257.2
Week 49: -1.0
Total weight loss: -56.2
Current weight: 201.0
It's so close!! Wouldn't it be the ultimate Christmas present to myself to weigh in the day after and hit that elusive 200?? Keep your fingers crossed for me!
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