Mickey's Very Merry Holiday WEIGHT LOSS Party! December 2016

Speaking of birthdays..... how do you handle "celebratory" eating events like birthday parties? Is it an excuse to go all out? Or do you choose one treat and move on? Or pass by all of the goodies all together? Or perhaps you haven't encountered one of these events yet along your weight loss journey?? THINK AHEAD.... how will you handle it? Do you have a PLAN for dealing with these kind of things??

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I'll be back later tonight. I've gotta dash quick because it snowed last night so I need to leave a bit more time for my commute!........P

Honestly, I view good steak & salad or delicious fruit as treat so I don't feel deprived if I skip a high sugar item. I can have it if I really want to, but generally they don't make me happy :)

I was stuck for food late at the gym and had protein bar. I was hungry and feeling little weak and I really fancies staying for yoga after bodypump. They are just chocolate really. It was so super sweet, and super sweet things seem to open up drive to eat more super sweet things. I had small quantities in Orlando too. But I don't plan to have them on all celebrations and in fact I prefer getting my treats for food that leaves me more satisfied. Even pasta or pizza are better treat for me

I plan to do something like trifle for Christmas. I will use fresh cherries and low fat custard and creme de cassis liqueur. I will skip the base or the cream. It's really the cherry & creme de cassis & custard I love so much. I don't plan to oversnack on biscuits, christmas cake and the 100 types of sweets around. For me it's easier to focusing on the things I love and support my goals, instead of worries for few that taste good and don't really do much for me long term.

The choice is do I want it to feel easy to maintain and if so super sweet things will be very limited and really not part of my diet. Or do I want to struggle and having to battle with myself over should I shouldn't I and how much should I have. It's not that I am telling myself never have them, I don't. But I stopped craving them.
 
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I think overthinking sweet sugary foods can be part of the problem. Like if it happens that you (or I) have a treat and view it as big deal it turns to big deal. There is internal debate, feeling of failure, drive to eat more or stop eating, overexercising, underrating over eating cycles due to guilt.

I don't make a big deal out of a piece of cake anymore. I don't plan ahead. I don't plan to eat less food. When I don't make a big deal I don't have a plan to have it or not have it and it's easier not to have it. Or have it and go back to normal. I don't justify my choices to other either. There can be pressure to have some, I just say no I am not interested, I am full already or if someone who views me as super healthy comments on not so healthy choice I just say yes, I do eat it. It gets worse if I start justify my choices.

I find in the past I emotionalized food. Dreaming about ice cream on Disney vacation. Cake on celebrations. Ice cream. Everywhere - in center of happiness. And when I did the no sugar diet, it was worse as it made it even bigger deal. Taking the intensity out of it was great. I dream about time with my family, sun and great entertainment. I dream about feeling healthy. About celebrating feeling healthy and being with people. I don't put the cake in the center of my thoughts. I don't say no to events out to avoid temptation.

I think that's why I like calorie counting and adding it all up to. I add it, I see on scale of things it's really not a big deal. I move on.
 
I kept meaning to get on here over the weekend-- but life happened! Anyway, catching up---

Share you goal(s) for December and your PLAN for achieving that/those goal(s). How are you going to make that GOAL more than just a WISH?

I'm going for minimums and maintenance this month knowing what the holidays bring. My main goal is to maintain my weight this month and not gain! I want to enjoy the holidays without overdoing it.

Plan:
- Smaller portions! Treat the parties as an opportunity to have small servings of things I enjoy. Not spend the day eating Christmas cookies....
- Upping my steps. I want to shoot for a minimum of 7500 steps. 10,000 is the goal that's set on my app, but that takes concerted effort to get to-- and let's be real, I'm not confident that that will happen every day. 7500 is an obtainable minimum.
- Lots of home cooking. Eating more healthy at home to sort of balance out the inevitable treats I will have when out.

Obstacles:
- My own lack of self discipline :rolleyes1
- DH and I having a lot of lunches out -- We usually go home for lunch or bring it in. But since my mom is staying with us, we kinda got into this habit years ago to have "date lunches" to gives us "couple" time. Just gotta make the best choices for the situation and up those steps!

Speaking of birthdays..... how do you handle "celebratory" eating events like birthday parties? Is it an excuse to go all out? Or do you choose one treat and move on? Or pass by all of the goodies all together? Or perhaps you haven't encountered one of these events yet along your weight loss journey?? THINK AHEAD.... how will you handle it? Do you have a PLAN for dealing with these kind of things??

I kinda just touched on this above. Since being on here, I have really been aware of this. I am slowly getting to a place where I can take one treat and be content. I used to go all out, but there are so many celebrations, that is not sustainable. I'm really going to watch the serving sizes this year!

I think overthinking sweet sugary foods can be part of the problem. Like if it happens that you (or I) have a treat and view it as big deal it turns to big deal. There is internal debate, feeling of failure, drive to eat more or stop eating, overexercising, underrating over eating cycles due to guilt.

Yes to all of this!!! Not making it a big deal has been a game changer for me. For the past few months, I've allowed a small amount of sweets in my diet and not seen it as "bad"-- just as part of the plan. And the cravings have died down. So much of it is mental!
 
Good Monday morning! Here is your QOTD for December 5, 2016:

While it may not be a true "holiday", today is a day that Disney lovers hold near and dear to their hearts! Today we celebrate the birthday of the man who started it all..... Walter Elias Disney!

Happy Birthday Walt!!

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Speaking of birthdays..... how do you handle "celebratory" eating events like birthday parties? Is it an excuse to go all out? Or do you choose one treat and move on? Or pass by all of the goodies all together? Or perhaps you haven't encountered one of these events yet along your weight loss journey?? THINK AHEAD.... how will you handle it? Do you have a PLAN for dealing with these kind of things??

**********************

I'll be back later tonight. I've gotta dash quick because it snowed last night so I need to leave a bit more time for my commute!........P

About the only holidays I really celebrate with family are Thanksgiving and Christmas and they are pretty much a free for all: other than that my problem is more daily self indulgence that going overboard on special occasions.

No snow in the city quite yet, but evidently its coming... the local news was in snowmageddon mode this morning and saying the city will get it midday, so the commute home might be more challenging. I need to remember to pack up my lap top and take it with me just in case things are ugly tomorrow morning.

Had a nice drive out to the country/yarn shop and a good lunch with my Sister Saturday... after that I'm really not sure where the afternoon went. Sunday I ran errands in the morning then in the afternoon the day wadded itself up into a tangle of unfinished tasks/projects. The clouds cleared and it was the perfect weather to work on putting lights up outside, but that's probably the worst task to take on when one is in the middle of what I call a "crap attack" (a passing condition where mental health is based everything being neat and tidy). I did get lights on the fence, but the icicle lights for the deck were half out, so I just tossed the jumble of those that do still work into the flower boxes and I rather like them that way. I got the tree up and the lights on it, but didn't start the ornaments because that's a messy job and I wan'ted to wait until I was no longer in an anti-messy mood. I think it will be very nice to finish decorating it tonight, with some snow coming down.

Happy Monday everyone!
 


My Goal: Get in a workout 18/31 days. I had a bad weekend and actually haven't worked out since Tuesday! Ack! So today I'm getting on it and hoping that having an overall goal of a number of days for the month will help me get to 100%.

Plan: Workout! I need to do a better job of treating pre-scheduled workouts like meetings and not cancelling because I'm not feeling it (which is what I did on Friday...then Saturday I was too busy...then Sunday I was too lazy...) So my plan is to figure out my work out days beforehand and then not cancel!

Obstacles: Myself, as always :) I'm particularly bad at drinking heavily on Friday night and then losing motivation to do anything on Saturday. So I basically need to suck it up lol. Choir is over for the semester so I'm getting a day back when it comes to my schedule which is nice because things like happy hour won't take such a toll on my availability.
 
Speaking of birthdays..... how do you handle "celebratory" eating events like birthday parties? Is it an excuse to go all out? Or do you choose one treat and move on? Or pass by all of the goodies all together? Or perhaps you haven't encountered one of these events yet along your weight loss journey?? THINK AHEAD.... how will you handle it? Do you have a PLAN for dealing with these kind of things??

I think it's really that adage -- everything in moderation. Yes, it's a celebratory event but you don't need to eat a big meal to celebrate. You can eat your usual meal with maybe an extra dessert or treat.

I knew this year that Thanksgiving was an eating holiday so I ran a 5K Turkey Trot before the dinner and didn't go crazy with the dessert. It's all about making positive, healthy choices!
 
This is totally off topic (sorry not sorry!), but can we please take a moment to appreciate how much RunDisney has stepped up their medals game and really listened to the feedback of participants? The medals for princess were released today and I am so excited to run for these. (The half is a bit iffy since it looks clunky, but I think it's the picture angle).

I've done several running events through runDisney and recommend everyone to try at least one at WDW or Disneyland. You could earn bling like this:

rdm19349990fi.jpg
 


Ok I have been avoiding coming on here because I have no idea what I am going to do for December. I think I am going to make my goal to maintain my weight this month. I just have so much going on, birthdays, holidays and anniversaries, that I think I will be setting myself up for failure if I set a weightloss goal. I am planning to continue running 6 days a week and cut back on sweets to keep up with my goal.

The question for today is so timely. For birthdays I usually do one big meal where I eat everything I want including dessert(s). I already told DH where I want to eat for my bday on Wednesday. Usually I would just do dinner but this delicious biscuit restaurant opened up in our neighborhood recently so I really want to do breakfast there. I feel like I beat myself up every other day of the year for eating and I just want to have one day of not caring. I think the key is to have balance this year and have what I want but not eat all of it. Maybe split meals with DH.

I also have to second @courtneybeth everyone should do a runDisney event!
 
@Oneanne my kids wanted to get in on the card action and so they made cards for your brother and SIL! Do you want the cards to be anonymous or from Santa or should we sign our names?

@MommaoffherRocker - that's so awesome... tell them a great big THANK YOU! But it's my Sister's Wife who has ALS: Gina is my Sister and Vernie is my SIL... Vernie's last name is Neal, which has confused some people. Please sign them from Santa, or some variation. And make the return address The North Pole, or a variation of that.

 
@MommaoffherRocker - that's so awesome... tell them a great big THANK YOU! But it's my Sister's Wife who has ALS: Gina is my Sister and Vernie is my SIL... Vernie's last name is Neal, which has confused some people. Please sign them from Santa, or some variation. And make the return address The North Pole, or a variation of that.

I'm so sorry! Your right I was reading the names wrong :upsidedow
 
Evening all! Sorry I'm late getting back here. Not feeling terrific. I'm going to wash my face and head to bed. Thankfully I made a batch of chicken soup yesterday. I was going to save it for tomorrow as we usually do meatless Monday, but I didn't have it in me to make something else tonight. I'll be back in the morning!............P
 
Just a quick check in from sunny Orlando. So far I think we are having our best vacation ever and we haven't even had Disney time yet other than dinner at Boma tonight.

The good news is that while I've had more than a few treats, I've been really good about my at least one healthy meal a day plan. I also chose grapes over cookies as a snack yesterday. Yay me!

We've also walked almost 70,000 steps over the past three days and I've got the blisters to prove it. Not so yay me. I don't even know what happened since I followed my normal blister prevention techniques but I've got a big one on the side of my foot plus a matching set on each heel. Underneath the callus. Moleskin is fine for the side of the foot but I don't even know what to do about the bottoms of my heels.

We've got an easy morning tomorrow (petting penguins!) followed by MVMCP so I'm hoping that if I avoid running around the MK and concentrate on soaking up the atmosphere, my feet will heel up a bit. And if they don't.....well my feet hurt but I'm petting penguins and going to MVMCP for the first time ever!!!!
 
Speaking of birthdays..... how do you handle "celebratory" eating events like birthday parties? Is it an excuse to go all out? Or do you choose one treat and move on? Or pass by all of the goodies all together? Or perhaps you haven't encountered one of these events yet along your weight loss journey?? THINK AHEAD.... how will you handle it? Do you have a PLAN for dealing with these kind of things??

Being at the early phase of changes I haven't given it a lot of thought - I have noticed that I have started to mix up my choices more and have some healthy with the not so healthy.

I think overthinking sweet sugary foods can be part of the problem. Like if it happens that you (or I) have a treat and view it as big deal it turns to big deal. There is internal debate, feeling of failure, drive to eat more or stop eating, overexercising, underrating over eating cycles due to guilt.

I don't make a big deal out of a piece of cake anymore. I don't plan ahead. I don't plan to eat less food. When I don't make a big deal I don't have a plan to have it or not have it and it's easier not to have it. Or have it and go back to normal. I don't justify my choices to other either. There can be pressure to have some, I just say no I am not interested, I am full already or if someone who views me as super healthy comments on not so healthy choice I just say yes, I do eat it. It gets worse if I start justify my choices.

So well said @HappyGrape - I agree with all of this and so does my new dietician - this is exactly much of what she discussed with me at my first visit - to try and stop the guilt and negative emotions attached to those foods and thinking of it with failure when we have it. The key is it is a sometimes food - and as long as we haven't turned those sometimes foods into everyday foods it is ok to have it and even enjoy it when the occasion arises - now granted I had turned chocolate into an everyday food and some other treats into a more often the sometimes snack as well - so I am working on reducing from the everyday but will not completely exclude it from special or celebration occasions.

About the only holidays I really celebrate with family are Thanksgiving and Christmas and they are pretty much a free for all: other than that my problem is more daily self indulgence that going overboard on special occasions.

You and me both my friend with the daily self-indulgence!

the local news was in snowmageddon mode this morning

Not saying you aren't about to get a bad snow storm - but isn't it funny that when we were kids it was a storm or snow and these days they are weather events, or snowmaggedon, a super cell storm, a once in a lifetime hurricane/cyclone - not playing down the damage or lives that are lost in this weather - but I suspect that happened years ago also - its just how it is all supercharged emotions attached to everything these days - and they wonder why we have increased anxiety everywhere!

I think it will be very nice to finish decorating it tonight, with some snow coming down.

That sounds magical - I hope you enjoy it - I dream of experiencing a white Christmas with my kids one day - but it will have to wait as my parents are too elderly to travel with us on a long haul trip and we want to enjoy all the Christmases with them we can.

Evening all! Sorry I'm late getting back here. Not feeling terrific. I'm going to wash my face and head to bed. Thankfully I made a batch of chicken soup yesterday. I was going to save it for tomorrow as we usually do meatless Monday, but I didn't have it in me to make something else tonight. I'll be back in the morning!............P

Rest up - hope you feel better in the morning :-)

The good news is that while I've had more than a few treats, I've been really good about my at least one healthy meal a day plan. I also chose grapes over cookies as a snack yesterday. Yay me!

Great work - enjoy that time in WDW - so jealous.

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I have not had a good day today :sad: - so last night I was dreaming about having a short get away with the kids sometime in the next couple of months and exploring options and costs - I came across a cruise - just a short one that went from Brisbane to Sydney and back again for Australia Day and would have been docked in the Harbour for the fireworks - but I ultimately decided a) I really couldn't afford it and b) it was during the first few days of term 1 for the new school year and that is one our busiest times helping to settle the students into new classes for the year. So I go to work and my colleague says to me - "a friend asked me to go on the Australia Day Cruise - I have already spoken to one manager and she said I can have the time off as long as the other manager says yes"! It so did not help my mood to start the day to hear she is going to go on the trip I had wanted to do. Then I had a run-in with another colleague who has been the cause of ongoing frustrations for all of us all year - I had another person with me for support but still not a great way to end the day! One positive out of all of today is that I have all 3 meals home-made and I haven't had any chocolate! I am hoping tomorrow is a better day but it is full of meetings that I am not really looking forward to either.

Vent over - thanks for listening!
 
Good morning! Here is your QOTD for Tuesday December 6, 2016:'

season_of_giving.gif

Giving to others..... the holiday season is all about that! Giving gifts, giving donations, giving time....give, give, give! While it can be wonderful and it can give your heart a warm feeling, it can be draining! How do you find "ME" time during this busy time of year?

BONUS QOTD: What is your favorite place/organization to make a holiday donation?
 
Giving to others..... the holiday season is all about that! Giving gifts, giving donations, giving time....give, give, give! While it can be wonderful and it can give your heart a warm feeling, it can be draining! How do you find "ME" time during this busy time of year?

BONUS QOTD: What is your favorite place/organization to make a holiday donation?

Sometimes I don't really feel like I get that until Christmas Day is over .... its busy busy ending the school year at work, then when I start vacation it is running around worrying about presents and shopping for Christmas Lunch ... I stumble into Christmas feeling a tad exhausted typically.

Bonus: When I can afford to, I like to leave a gift at a wishing tree - Kmart does it over here - usually for a child - in the hopes that it might brighten their day when they may not otherwise get very much on Christmas Day.
 
Good morning! Here is your QOTD for Tuesday December 6, 2016:'

View attachment 209116

Giving to others..... the holiday season is all about that! Giving gifts, giving donations, giving time....give, give, give! While it can be wonderful and it can give your heart a warm feeling, it can be draining! How do you find "ME" time during this busy time of year?

BONUS QOTD: What is your favorite place/organization to make a holiday donation?

bonus qotd
this year I prepared few shoe boxes for homeless charity appeal. They were looking for hat, scarf, gloves, toiletries, socks, hair brush, chocolate. It was lovely to take the time and buy the items, real eye opener that someone would be happy to get roll on deodorant tootbrush or warm socks! They are under my desk in work, will bring them to the collection point tomorrow
I am also bringing food, and warm clothing we no longer need to anther charity for people that found themselves in situation dealing with people locally. I know of someone that had to use them before and were so happy they exist.
The last one is ARC, a charity that provides support (counselling) to families of people with cancer. They were good to us and helped me with information on how to talk to my child. We need to do something for them too
my son brings food from specific list for refugee centers through his school
 
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Evening all! Sorry I'm late getting back here. Not feeling terrific. I'm going to wash my face and head to bed. Thankfully I made a batch of chicken soup yesterday. I was going to save it for tomorrow as we usually do meatless Monday, but I didn't have it in me to make something else tonight. I'll be back in the morning!............P

I hope you feel better!

I have not had a good day today :sad: - so last night I was dreaming about having a short get away with the kids sometime in the next couple of months and exploring options and costs - I came across a cruise - just a short one that went from Brisbane to Sydney and back again for Australia Day and would have been docked in the Harbour for the fireworks - but I ultimately decided a) I really couldn't afford it and b) it was during the first few days of term 1 for the new school year and that is one our busiest times helping to settle the students into new classes for the year. So I go to work and my colleague says to me - "a friend asked me to go on the Australia Day Cruise - I have already spoken to one manager and she said I can have the time off as long as the other manager says yes"! It so did not help my mood to start the day to hear she is going to go on the trip I had wanted to do. Then I had a run-in with another colleague who has been the cause of ongoing frustrations for all of us all year - I had another person with me for support but still not a great way to end the day! One positive out of all of today is that I have all 3 meals home-made and I haven't had any chocolate! I am hoping tomorrow is a better day but it is full of meetings that I am not really looking forward to either.

Vent over - thanks for listening!

I understand this all too well. I am kind of jealous of a friend that is heading to Disney on Friday. It was a really last minute trip. Like they planned it only like 3 weeks ago. I wish I was able to do that but hubby says no. We had 2 big trips last year. I also have a co-work that makes me frustrated and then hate the job I love. She came back from vacation yesterday and and it only took me about an hour to get frustrated and annoyed with her. Today will be a better day!

Good morning! Here is your QOTD for Tuesday December 6, 2016:'

View attachment 209116

Giving to others..... the holiday season is all about that! Giving gifts, giving donations, giving time....give, give, give! While it can be wonderful and it can give your heart a warm feeling, it can be draining! How do you find "ME" time during this busy time of year?

BONUS QOTD: What is your favorite place/organization to make a holiday donation?

I usually get a lot of me time over Christmas. I have shopping to do that kids can't come with me. I am way behind this year. I need to step it up. I always take off the 2 weeks around Christmas and New Years so that give me time to work out and do a little more me time and some time with the kids.

Bonus Questions. If could I would donate to kids that are in a bad spot. When I worked at the daycare we always would pick a family in need (didn't have to be from the daycare) and pitch in and buy gifts. One year one of our employees told us that she was not able to give her kids a Christmas. They were older. Maybe slightly older then mine are now but they still believed in Santa. We got together and bought all sort of stuff for the kids and for her. Stuff they needed and also stuff they wanted. When they were not home we put them under the tree at their house as if Santa came while they were gone. Our co-worker was in tears when she came into work the next day. It was great.

I also would love to be a partner in hope for St. Jude. I feel so bad for the kids that have to go through what they are gong through. We just had a St. Jude Radiothon last week on the station I listen too. I cried all the way to work and home. The stories are so sad. I couldn't ever imagine going through it. I just can't afford too.
 

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