Preparing for the Holidays

I lost another 3.2 pounds this past week. Talk about a shocker! I've been following the plan very closely, and it's working. I'm so very grateful to my "that's not my truth" friend for suggesting Perfect Solutions to me.

Although it seemed impossible, my original goal was to weigh less than 200 before January 1. It looks like that will be accomplished the first week of December if I stick to my plans. So, my new goal will be to weigh 50 lbs less than my highest weight (242.4 when I joined Weight Watchers Dec. 22, 2009) by January 1. That means 12 more pounds. The only challenges I have are Thanksgiving, 4 days in Chicago, and Christmas. Other than that, I'm good.

I'm too excited to sleep - I just put on a pair of 16P jeans that fit like a glove! It won't be long, and I'll be out of Plus sizes! I can wear just about anything in my closets now. There are clothes that don't fit yet, because I couldn't give them away when I outgrew them. So, I will have something to wear while I'm transitioning. Of course, most of these clothes are way out of date. BUT, I'm not a fashionista, so it doesn't bother me.

Usually, while dieting, I would find myself thinking, "I can't wait to lose weight so I can get back to eating." Well, this time it's different. I don't think that way - much. I know this has to be a way of life. Besides the fact that I'm allergic to many foods like rice, pinto beans, and corn, I know that eating like a cave woman is the answer for me. I discovered almost 35 years ago that my body doesn't handle starches well, and this diet proves it.

Week after next I'll receive my 35-year award, and we'll be in a group photo. I'm so glad I've lost this weight because I think I look better than I did 5 years ago. I might even ask if I can stand in this photo instead of sitting like last time (before knee surgeries). There will only be 3 women with 12 men, so they'll probably try to have us sit front and center.

Then, in May, I'll cross the stage at the Spring Conference to receive my DTM award, and I hope to be at my goal weight by then. That would be awesome!

I'll try to post a photo of me at Thanksgiving tomorrow (before lunch) to show a "mid" shot.

I'm taking a salad, fruit salad, and PS bread pudding made with Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin bread to my sister's house for Thanksgiving dinner. The bread pudding smells delicious. I plan to have 2 bites of dressing and the pumpkin part of a slice of pumpkin pie.

I have green beans and cream of mushroom soup to make a sort of green bean casserole, a butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and another Ezekiel bread to make dressing. We'll probably have another Thanksgiving feast. If I don't bring turkey home, I have some thighs to broil. Honestly, the dressing and leftover bread pudding are the only things I have to be careful about. The others are allowed foods. Vegetables are practically unlimited because they are NOT starchy vegetables. Besides a couple of potato chips and corn chips, I haven't had anything starchy since Sept. 7.

Thanks for being here and being so supportive. It means a lot to have you in my corner.

Happy Thanksgiving!