Stick with Me!

Thanksgiving weekend is tough! It's 4 days and brings lots of leftovers to temp us. My plan was to eat on plan Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Well I did pretty good... I planned and ate the meals I planned. However, I did have a few "BLTs" - bites, licks and taste and, well, lets just say the liquor cabinet is a little empty. But I ate a lot better, and feel better, than I have in past years. I actually started a new weight lifting program, since I can't run as much and know December is going to be a very healthy month.

Look, no matter what your intentions and plans are, you will be better off spending an hour each week in our Weight Watchers meetings. No guilt, no electric shocks, no taking back of awards. We will have our usual laughs and keep our heads in the game. WW even rewards you for sticking with us during the holidays by introducing new material before the big push in January.

All those members that come back in January will be welcomed with open arms. My members are the best. However, you will be leaps and bounds ahead of them, not just with weight loss, but with the knowledge and confidence that healthy living is a lifestyle change, not just a seasonal endeavor. This may be a slow period for weight loss, or not, but there is never a good time to give up on yourself. And this time of year, I need you as much as you need me!!!

Are We Only Thankful for the Food?

Admit it - you are already dreaming about your Thanksgiving spread. The shopping list is getting longer and longer. The dessert menu is getting longer and longer. The resolve you had last month and last week is dimming. Your Mental Rehearsing is morphing from filling your plate with veggies, to drinking some sort of "-tini" and tasting every dessert, just this one time...

Try your best to use all the tools we've been talking about in our Weight Watchers meetings, especially Asking for Help and Positive Self Talk. I think the best strategy will be out of sight, out of mind. Don't make too much food, send the leftovers home with your guests and don't bring any decadent foods home just to "be nice". Let the barrel be you friend. Better in that can, than yours...

Another important strategy is to NOT think about what you want to eat. You know the whole if you say, "Don't think about chocolate cake", that's all you think about! On Thanksgiving, think about the people. Think about what you are thankful for and think about what you REALLY want. So if you are tired, or need to take care of yourself, lie down. Read a magazine. Watch an episode of Oprah before she retires. When we spend too much time taking care of everyone and everything else, we look for easy escapes, like eating whatever carb is in the kitchen, and never giving ourselves what we really NEED.

Last year we ran out of time to send Christmas cards. I was relieved when my husband and I finally decided to skip last year. My kids really don't change too much now and it gives me a reason to call the friends I really want to connect with. Many family members will think I've stopped sending them, and will be thrilled to get a card this year. And I can't wait to send them! Make this holiday season about your traditions, and spending time doing what makes you happy, not doing what you think you SHOULD be doing.

Make sure the list of holiday gifts includes some for you.

And put them on the TOP of the list!

Take Control

This weekend I had to make 2 important decisions, one very sad and one very expensive. A lot of us eat because of stress, but I was so stressed, I lost my appetite. I made sure I had my water, and did the best I could. I am also dealing with a heel injury, so I cannot run. What should I do now?

I've learned from experience (a WW Tool for Living) that letting everything go only makes things worse. If I wallow in self pity, I only dig a deeper hole. When I cannot control one thing, I know I can control how I take care of myself. I know many of you have had to make the same decision in times of chaos - let everything go, or take positive action with your eating and exercise, something you can control.

So today, I went on the elliptical. I went and got weighed in (I've been doing that on Monday mornings to prevent holiday weight gain) and I ate a great breakfast and snack. I even gave my house a good cleaning! There is still a little ball of stress in my stomach, but I know that the more I move forward the more positive I will feel and the stress will be far behind me.

The Little Things are Big

I hope you spent some time thinking about your healthy living goals this week. I can’t wait to hear what you’ve accomplished. Those goals can be small steps, like using less cream in you coffee, or taking the 2 flights of stairs in your office, or bigger – writing your food down EVERY day. But no matter what the goal is, every time you win, you will be stronger and more self confident. You can do this, if you make it a priority.

We are all busy, but we do waste time on little things that don’t matter. One tool I use, is to doing the most difficult thing first or the thing I want to do least, first. Right now I have the whole day ahead of me with laundry, food shopping, etc to do. However, I knew writing this blog was the most important thing I needed to do today. Once I hit Publish I will have such a sense of accomplishment, I will fly through the other tasks.

So.., if you get home today and you wanted to go for a walk, but it would be so much easier to look through the mail, or dilly-dally, do the walk first! When you get back you’ll feel great. Maybe you’re behind on all the TV shows you DVR, but make your lunch for tomorrow first, before you hit PLAY. It’s the little steps you take, that make you successful. Every one thinks there is some big grand (sometimes easy) plan that you can follow to lose weight and be healthy. But we all know it’s the consistent steps we take over time that get us to our goals.

There is a great section on the WW web site, which describes the science of weight loss. Please take look at www.weightwatchers.com/science. While you’re there check out some recipes. Also, I was at Trader Joe's this week in Peabody. I love it there! Take a look at www.traderjoes.com. Most of all, DO NOT miss our Weight Watchers meeting, especially if you had a tough eating week. You deserve to take care of yourself and I don't bite!

Is Halloween Candy Really That Scarey?

Halloween is over, and maybe you don't even have any kids at home that went Trick or Treating. Maybe you didn't even give out candy, but you can't hide from those wicked treats. They will be out in full force on Monday. Leftovers. 50% off sales. What can you do?

Decide right now on your plan. Figure out the Points value of what you like and add into your day. Eat until your hearts desire, just one time and then say, "No more!". Whatever you decide, learn from experience. Are you the kind of person who knows deprivation doesn't work, than eat some! Are the kind of person that eats one and then has to eat them all, then stay away. One simple tip, whatever you decide, put the candy out of sight! It will call you if you can see it. Tell the kids to pick their favorite and get rid of the rest. Or bring it to a nursing home. Who really needs that much candy. Not you. Not the kids.

Make sure you have some delicious alternatives. Don't let yourself get too hungry. Stay away from the break room. Don't keep the bucket on your desk.

Who's tougher - you or Baby Ruth.

Really?