HCB's Journal, 02 December 2012

Yes you are determined and optimistic and with those 2 qualities you will accomplish your goal--We will conquer the holiday challenges and move in the right direction! 

Amen, newmooney & HCB! We can do this together! 

thats a great way to be..and sure you can maitain...I did this time and only gained not even a pound..If I can any one can...Great job...:O) 

Yes just maintaining during the holidays is a great and attainable goal and as disciplined as you are I know you'll achieve it! 

I've thought about just trying to maintain, too, but I said that to a friend, and he said, "why wouldn't you want to lose in December?" Um, I don't have an answer to that, because I guess I do want to lose this month. Can you have "special" meals without carbs? It seems to help prevent the gain that comes from eating too much. 

Loose in December. I agree with your friend. 

Yep I want to lose in Dec. too! Meat and Salad and Water! Oh yeah and Dark Chocolate for me. You will be great HCB. No doubt! 

It is not that I do not PLAN to lose weight this month - it is that I do not want to feel as if I have FAILED if I do not lose. 

Even my "mean" doctor has said she would just like to see me maintain my weight in December and not worry about losing. I want to pleasantly surprise her - not that I expect to lose 10 pounds this month, but hell, even 3 or 4 pounds would be nice. I am just trying to be gentle with myself like HCB, but trying to get back to being more accountable at the same time. All we can do is do our best. This may sound silly to some people, but what's inspiring me right now is some new music I downloaded to my ipod just to run to. One of those songs, believe it or not, is "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder. I have loved that song my whole life ( I have hippy parents), but that one line in the song he sings that is just "do all that you can" really resonates with me. If I'm exercising, or if I am tempted to eat something I shouldn't, I just ask myself - am I really "doing all that I can" like the song says? If I can't say yes, then I know it's time to run another mile or shut the refrigerator door. 

Amen to that sister! 

Yep, the holidays sure are tough. I say that about summer BBQ's though too. And all winter beause it's cold. I'm good at excuses haha. You CAN and WILL lose in December - I have faith! 

Also remember weight does not come on or off so easily. If you eat more than usual (not a disaster if done only occasionally) and get a bigger number on the scale the next day, it is likely water retention not fat storage. 3500 calories per pound, and that is a very big number.  

kmartdollie, My favorite line from that great song is "if you believe in things you don't understand then you suffer" so we all have to understand both our caloric intake and expenditure. Mother nature plays tricks on the later and stores fat if you try to fool her. My guess is that people that are having trouble losing do not understand their expenditure even if they understand exactly what they eat. 

December has always been the most difficult month for me because there winds up being some celebration of some sort every weekend and it doesn't let up until after New Year's Eve. The goal of being able to maintain will be a challenge in and of itself and something to be happy about if I succeed. You have been much more consistent than me with your weight loss efforts so I am sure you will be able to maintain for sure and I would not be at all surprised if you pull off a few losses, too. I'm actually hoping to be able to shave off a few pounds and I know it's "doable" - I just have to make my mind up and stick to a plan. We're all in this together and I know it will be easier with us all supporting one another. We can do it! 

I'm in! I like the idea of being gentle and working at maintenance. Knowing you, though, you will lose this month. Didn't you lose weight on that trip with your food-centric friends? :o) I'm having a little tough time, but after reading this I think that we all can make it through the holidays just fine. Having each other for support can really help. I lost last year during the holidays, a lot, but I'd had oral surgery, lol. 

Oral surgery? HMmmmmmm...a new weight loss technique during the holiday season? NoT......