No one is immune to the potential for holiday weight gain. I still have to be very diligent in watching my food portions and choices because if I don’t keep my goal of “never going back” in front of me, then I could easily begin to regain weight. When I bake cookies or dip pretzels in chocolate, I decide before I begin if I will have any, and then how many I’m going to eat. This often helps me because I know I can have one if I want it, and I understand in advance how many I’m going to allow myself.

Another way I avoid just eating whatever I want for a few days in a row is to remember that those cookies or cakes not only have the potential to add unwanted pounds, but they also contain ingredients that are not very healthy for me. Butter, chocolate and salty pretzels are okay every once in a while, but certainly not day after day after day.

It isn’t always easy to keep your goals in front of you when cookies and candies are beckoning you to indulge, give in and forget what you’ve been working for all these months or even years. Although I don’t think that losing weight needs to be your goal during this coming week, I do think that continued diligence is important.

As you get closer to, and eventually reach your goal weight, you will have years and years ahead of you to practice maintenance. What better time to begin preparing than right now for the hundreds of holidays that will occur throughout your life?

Focusing on your health, fitness and scale goals during these next few days can really help you make wise decisions when faced with the abundance of food.

How will you keep your focus over the next few days?  Diane

Not too much planning and coordination of schedules needed either. The only thing required is some chocolate and some love. And with seven kids and one hubby we’ve got a lot of love around here. And some chocolate too.

In my obese days I started buying candy for Valentines Day soon after Christmas. After all it was ON SALE and they might not put it on sale again before Valentine’s Day – right? Wrong. I would buy several bags of candy with the half-hearted thought of saving it until Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, the bags were ripped open and the candy consumed long before Valentine’s Day rolled around. Then I’d repeat the same exercise knowing full well that I was going to eat all that candy by myself. And I did. And I felt guilty. And I ate some more candy.

Now we still do some candy for Valentine’s Day but instead of eating and eating and eating it before the actual day we just buy candy right before the day and then it’s gone!  And unlike my obese years, I don’t eat the kids candy! I know they appreciate that.

Here are some candy statistics you might find interesting:

• Dove Milk Chocolate Promises or wrapped squares (8 g) – 42 calories and 6 g carb
• Hershey Kisses – 26 calories and 8 g carb each kiss
• Hershey Kisses with Almonds – 23 calories and 2 g carb each kiss
• Hershey Kisses filled with Caramel – 21 calories and 3 g carb each kiss
• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars – Fun size (14 g) – 67 calories and 8 g carb
• Hershey’s Miniature Bars (mixed) – average of 42 calories and 5 g carb each bar
• M&Ms, plain, Fun size (18 g) – 88 calories and 12 g carb
• M&Ms, peanut
• Fun size (18 g) – 93 calories and 11 g carb
• 1/4 cup candy – 220 calories and 24 g carb
• Miniature Bars (Milky Way, Snickers, Twix, 3 Muskateers) – average 38 calories and 5 g carb each bar
• Mr. Goodbar Snack size (17 g) – 90 calories and 9 grams carb
• Nestle’s Crunch Bars Fun size (10 g) 50 calories and 7 grams carb

Tootsie Rolls

• Small bar – 50 calories and 10 g carb
• Midgee – 23 calories and 7 g carb
• Mini-Midgees – 11 calories and 2 g carb

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

• Miniature (about 9 grams each) – 44 calories and 5 g carb per cup
• Snack size (17 g) – 88 calories and 10 g carb
• Snack size (21 g) – 100 calories and 12 g carb
• White, Snack size (21 g) – 100 calories and 11 g carb

Assorted Candy Bars

• 100 Grand Bars Fun size (11 g) – 50 calories and 8 g carb
• Almond Joy Snack size (15 g) – 80 calories and 10g carb
• Baby Ruth Bar, Fun size (18 g each) – 85 calories and 13 g carb
• Butterfinger Bar, Fun size (18 g each) – 85 calories 14 g carb
• Butterfinger Crisp Bar, Snack size (20 g) – 100 calories and 13 g carb
• Kit Kat, Fun size (14 g) – 73 calories and 9 g carb
• Milky Way bar, Fun size (17 g) – 75 calories and 12 g carb
• Mounds bars, Snack size (17 g) – 83 calories and 9 g carb
• Snickers Bars, Fun size (17 g) – 80 calories and 10 g carb

So the point of all that information isn’t to tell you NOT to eat your Valentine’s Day candy, but like everything else to be aware of your choices because those calories add up really quickly. My favorite chocolate candy is Dove. I do like the dark okay, but I am still a milk chocolate fan. I don’t believe in depriving myself of what I love, but I do believe in moderating my choices very carefully!! 

What about you? Can you just have a little bit of candy and be satisfied, or are you like I was, an all or nothing kind of person?  Diane

It’s finally over – the major holiday season is past us. For many of us – myself included, avoiding the post-holiday letdown is an important part of our continued success. The whole months of November and December were spent either planning how to avoid forbidden delights, or planning how to include a taste of those delights without going overboard and feeling like we were ruining our hard work. 

It can be stressful.

But now that is all past us and I thought it would be a great time to check in with you and see how you are feeling now – a month after the new year started.

I still remember “making it through” the holiday season WAAAY back in 1997 without a gain. I felt triumphant that I had seemingly conquered my never-ending desire for sugar cookies, cakes, and chocolate. But when January rolled around I almost felt a little bit of a let-down. Sure I was energized because it was the new year – but on the other hand I was a little bit tired of the continual need to watch what I ate and became weary of always “being good.” 

I remember I had a slight gain in January of a pound or two and I think it was because I had been good for so long that I almost let myself slip back into some old habits. Fortunately, the gain went away quickly and I continued on to reach my goal shortly after that time.

So as we continue with the dreary winter weather for those of us in the US, I want to encourage you to use these quiet months to reflect on how far you’ve come, affirm that you are doing the right things for yourself, and commit to yourselves that you can reach your goals. Because you can.

Here’s some ideas to get your started as you reflect how far you’ve come:

  ◊ What can you do now that you couldn’t do six months ago?

◊  If you graph out your weight loss over time is the line trending down?

◊  What are some Non-Scale-Victories (NSV) that you are particularly proud of?

◊   What foods have you discovered are tasty that you might have rejected before?

For me, taking the time to reflect on how far I had come was a great way for me to push through and keep going towards my goal. I realized that January long ago that I could do things like:

◊ Sit on the floor (and GET UP) without practically breaking the chair

◊ Walk 3 miles whereas before I couldn’t walk to my mailbox easily.

◊ Say no to things I previously would have said yes to in excess

◊ Walk into a room without feeling embarrassed by my appearance

◊ Talk with people who I would have previously considered “above me”

◊ Buy clothes in the regular sized departments

So as dreary January draws to a close and February comes into view – I’d encourage you to take stock of where you are and all you have accomplished. Refocus on your goals and commit to sticking with it for the long term.  So how about you? Have have you been feeling since we have closed the door on 2009?  Diane

With a family of nine, birthdays come around all the time. Yesterday was my husband John’s birthday and last night we celebrated in our usual fashion. The kids decorated the dining room like a diner, complete with a lighted sign and a little corner table. They had a cash register on the buffet and a tip jar in case anyone wanted to contribute!! They did such a great job.

He chose Swiss Cheese Chicken (recipe linked)as his birthday meal, which, if you don’t mind a little cream of mushroom soup, is actually a pretty healthy dish. And for dessert he asked for a Tunnel of Fudge cake. If you make it right, when you cut into it, the cake has a fudgy center. Quite yummy, and since we have so many people, everyone can have one piece today and one piece tomorrow and then the cake is all gone!

We all love our spouses of course, but when I think of John, I often think of how supportive he was during my obese years. Even at my highest weight he never made me feel like  a fatty. Instead he always encouraged me (prodded actually) to look the best I could look. He was always trying to get me to buy some new clothes or try a new hairstyle. No matter how self depreciating I was about myself, he never joined in and made me feel bad about myself.

Even then I couldn’t believe he still thought I was attractive. I felt like a cow 99% of the time, but I suppose he didn’t see the same thing in the mirror that I did. All I saw were the ugly hips, thighs, and abdomen but he saw inside. I still appreciate that about him.

As I tried diet after diet, he was always encouraging and willing to help me. And when I fell off every wagon I got up on, he never criticized me when I said, “Let’s go to McDonald’s for a snack of fries and a chocolate shake.” Instead he just went with me, and never said a word about the quick failure of that particular diet.

None of us is perfect in any relationship, but he really did his best to prop up my self esteem during those really dark years.

I often wonder if I would have been as supportive of him as he was of me. I hope so!!

So on this, his birthday weekend, I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to my hubby! Can’t wait to see what this year holds for our family.  Diane

We just hung out together as a family and enjoyed exchanging gifts and having a laugh over some less than stellar selections. (There are always a few every year. . .)

One funny thing happened this Christmas season that I didn’t expect. I shared in a post last week that I picked three desserts this year to make: Sugar cookies, Cranberry Nut Pound Cake, and Cheesecake. And I did make those, and we all enjoyed them very much.

Imagine my surprise when John started wandering around the house on Thursday (Christmas Eve). He went into the pantry and came back out. He opened the refrigerator door and then closed it back. He walked through the living room and back into the kitchen. He looked lost. So I said, “What are you doing?” He looked at me, hesitated and said, “I think I need some cookies.” I looked at him and  asked him, “Do you really want me to make you cookies?” He shrugged his shoulders and said, “It kinda doesn’t feel like Christmas Eve without something sweet to munch on.” He then looked at me, trying to gauge my willingness and said, “Well, if you don’t mind. . .”

I have to say that I was surprised. I thought we had a lot of sweets already, but he didn’t. And, if you’ve ever been in a relationship you know there are certain signals that are easily readable. John rarely asks for anything, so his comment of “Well, if you don’t mind. . .” let me know that he really did want some cookies for Christmas Eve.

So, being the generally good wife that I am, I asked him what kind of cookies would make Christmas Eve complete, and he chose oatmeal chocolate chip. So I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies. I have to say that although the cookies were an unexpected addition to our food plan, they weren’t completely unwelcome. All the kids love that recipe as do I. When I was a little girl my mom would make the same recipe and freeze them in anticipation of the upcoming holiday. Unfortunately for me, I discovered that I loved those cookies frozen and would eat and eat them right out of the freezer!

So we all had a few cookies and enjoyed them on Christmas Eve. I’m glad I made them as they brought back memories for all of us. I’m glad also that I can control myself around those cookies whereas in the past I would have pinched a few every time I walked by the plate. It’s so encouraging to me when I read your blogs and find that you are learning the same thing that I did along my journey. You can have the occasional (or unexpected) treat and still achieve and maintain your goals. It’s very freeing isn’t it?

As this holiday season winds up and the New Year approaches I was wondering how you are feeling with regards to unexpected food offerings. Are you feeling more in control of your choices and happier with your level of “resistence.” Or is this an area where you still struggle?  Diane

John, the kids and I had a great Christmas. I completely unplugged until this evening, and although I enjoyed the break I did have some curiosity about what everyone else was doing.

Our Christmas was just the nine of us, and the kids had a great time opening their presents. I got some clothes (that I picked out) some handmade jewelry, and some kitchen accessories. It was all fabulous.

As nice as the holiday celebration was, I was almost relieved to get up this morning and not have to think about wrapping, cooking special foods, and whether or not I had managed to mail all my Christmas cards. It was nice to get up and walk, hit some early bird specials with John, come home, and get the house straightened up.

Do you ever wish that the holidays weren’t so much about the food? Even after all these years of maintenance I still find myself thinking about the Christmas meals, the desserts, the cookie exchanges, etc. Wouldn’t it be easier if it were just about the giving of gifts and the time spent with family and friends? In my mind it would be easier, but then it probably wouldn’t feel like Christmas. The food just comes with it, but after the food, life returns.

I used to feel that if holidays didn’t happen my weight loss journey would be easier. After all, I almost always put off trying to begin yet another diet because of upcoming holiday, rather it was Valentine’s Day or Memorial Day! Holidays got in the way of my weight loss. But as I finally lost the 150 pounds I realized I was wrong. Holidays didn’t get in the way of my weight loss, because holidays were real life. They continually happen year after year after year. And I needed to learn to deal with them as part of real life.

Real life isn’t always August (with no holiday), instead real life includes all the many celebrations of life. As I lost my weight I carefully thought about each holiday and planned accordingly. I didn’t always lose a pound or two over the holiday, but I generally didn’t gain. I tried to keep doing what I had been doing, but allowed myself the special indulgence. That’s real life.

Now, 12 years later, although holidays may be easier without the food, real life includes the food. And I love it! Weight loss journeys are practice for real life. Wherever you are in your journey, don’t get discouraged over the past holiday, or upcoming holidays. Instead just think of it as a practice session for real life maintenance. Because after all, that’s what all this hard work is all about! Real life.  Are you looking forward to the rest of your “real life?”  Diane

In this post, I wanted to explore if it is possible to bake sweets and not eat too many of them. Some people can just not bake any sweets and feel the holiday is still complete. There are others who enjoy baking and feel that the holidays aren’t complete without some serious baking going on. I was wondering where you fall along this line, and whether or not you think it’s possible to bake and not gain weight.

I do much less baking now then I did when I was obese. I still enjoy the baking process, but realize that I have to reign in my enjoyment and balance it with the necessity of having sweets around. However, when the holidays roll around, there are certain treats that some members of my family really want and desire. These would include sugar cookies, cranberry nut cake, and a cheesecake on Christmas night. As the years have gone by since I reached my goal weight, I’ve handled the holiday baking in different ways.

The first year, I baked very little, if at all. I didn’t feel in control enough of my choices to have cookies and cakes lying around. As the years went by and my confidence in my self-control increased, I did bake more at Christmas. Now, and for the last several years, I generally make those three desserts that make Christmas food special for my family. But there are some things that I do differently now than I used to.

Yesterday, we made a batch of eggless sugar cookies.

Instead of making batch after batch of sugar cookies, I now just make one batch and freeze the extras. (By the way, if you want the recipe and to see more pictures visit my Family Blog. The recipe is great for kids, so you don’t have to worry about the whole raw egg thing.) After the sugar cookies are done, everyone gets one and the rest go away for another day. It works great, and the cookies last a lot longer. With the cranberry nut pound cake, instead of baking it in a bundt pan, I bake it in two loaf pans. Again, we eat a piece each, and I freeze the rest for another time. Now the cheesecake? We just eat small amounts of that over a few days.

So for me, I selected the recipes that my family really loves and make them carefully and deliberately. No one ever complains about the lack of baking going on, but rather really enjoys the special treats. I have to admit that I sometimes flip through my Cookie Cookbook longingly, but resist making recipes just for fun.

What’s your strategy for baking in these days leading up to Christmas Day? Baking or not?  Diane

Here are the stockings. I know there are a lot of them. I made most of them using those Bucilla kits. A lot of work, but really pretty when hung.

And here is our main tree. It’s the “fancy tree” as John calls it. All those ornaments were ones we’ve collected over our almost 23 years of marriage.

Underneath this tree John sets up a village. I know, who puts a village under the tree? That’s what I said when we first got married, but that’s how his Nana did it and so does he! I like it now, especially with so many little children around who wouldn’t leave presents alone.

Here’s the front door wreath that John made last year after we saw one similar in a very fancy florist shop. We couldn’t afford their price tag so made our own!

Here’s the little advent calendar we use to help the little kids count down to Christmas. If you look closely you can see a black hook on the top. John sometimes puts little treats in a silver bag for the kids.

Finally, here’s our second tree. We got this tree at a yard sale for $8.00! We then moved the red and more natural looking ornaments to this tree. I love this one a lot.

When I was overweight, the whole Christmas season was filled with cookies, chocolate, candy, and cake. The more the better. Now, all these years later we still have those treats, but on special occasions and not one a day to count down the 25 days until Christmas! When John and I married I had no idea how much he enjoyed Christmas. At first I resisted, but after a while I learned to be flexible and calm. (Pretty much.)

His special love of Christmas has enhanced our holiday season. Do you have any special decorating traditions that have been passed down to you?  Diane

I’ve done this 5K before so THOUGHT I knew the route. But no. They changed it and added in two gigantic hills. Gigantic. As in, whenever we drove those hills heading to the mall the kids and I would say, “Aren’t you glad we don’t have to ride our bikes up this hill.” That’s how big it was. And it was at the end! But I had a strategy just in case. I walked up the hill. And since, as you all know, walking is my favorite exercise, I am FAST. On that hill I passed 8 people who were trying to run/walk up that hill. And it felt like I was getting a break while I walked fast up the hill. Win-Win!

So I moseyed my way around the course, up and down the hills. Last time I really thought I wasn’t going to make it. I had some panic thoughts at the beginning of the last race, but in between that race and this one I trained much smarter and really worked on my endurance rather than worrying so much about speed. So at the end I passed a bunch of people who had petered out, including this very beautiful blonde lady with her hair done and a full face of make up on! Who does that?

I finished in 30:52 seconds. This was an improvement over my last time by over a minute. If I hadn’t stopped to help the lady then I might have come in under 30:00 which is my goal for next race. I’m very happy with my time and my experience, but the competitor in me says, “You can do better!” So that’s the Turkey Love part of my post.

Now for the Turkey Hate. I do like to cook but I have decided if I never have to wrestle another turkey into the oven again I will be a happy woman. I’ve always hated messing with the bigness, the messiness, and the lengthy cooking times! Also, since I’m a bit of a germ-o-phobe, I am like a crazy woman with the cleaner after I’ve had the turkey around the kitchen! Yuck. So, if you are still with me this time next year, please remind me to order a turkey from a store and be done with it!

Other than the cooking turkey part of my day, the rest of it was great! How about you?  Diane