Oh Well There Will Be Another Christmas........

I have tried to be honest in this blog.......

I have shared the good.....and the bad.....without getting ugly (at least I have tried not to). This is another one of those......do I write it or not??? But if I am writing these entries about my life then I can't pretend there are only happy and perfect times.  No one lives in the world of Hallmark Movies (but oh to spend one Christmas in one of those little towns).  No family is a Norman Rockwell painting.

I tried hard to find Christmas spirit and I did find it in small doses but it didn't sustain me enough to get me through the 25th......

I have come to terms the fact that I have had more Christmas's than I will have.......let's be honest here.....I do not have another 60 Christmas Eve's ahead of me.......and the fact that they only happen once every 365 days (or 366 in the case of 2016)......is what makes them so important to me.

Unfortunately, this Christmas was not one I care to remember.  I will just let it go at that and those of you that know me well can read between the lines. Suffice it to say sitting in an empty parking lot trying to figure out what to do next and then taking a ride to nowhere with Jenn and the dog would not have been part of the wonderful Christmas's I have experienced in the past.

I consider myself fortunate to have known the most amazing Christmas Eve's and Christmas Day's growing up.  I felt all of the magic and joy associated with the holidays. So I really shouldn't complain.....too much.....or feel sorry for myself......too much......

I have decided that I will make different choices when it comes to the holidays and it will be determined by what I want to do not based on a guilt trip.  Knowing the fact that I only have a limited numbers of years and holidays left to go (I know I know there could be many more.....it's not like I think is am cashing in my chips next year) I will no longer make my decisions based on ........well you know.

As the end of the year approaches I do look back on the good things about 2015......

-going to NY and seeing family
-going to Missouri and seeing family
-spending time with friends
- having something I had written critiqued by a group of authors
- seeing Barry Manilow
- seeing Wicked....yes again
- having fun at a paint class
- earning my first medal
-spending some time on Thanksgiving with my sister
-and yes being successful at Weight Watchers

I am sure there is more I could list if I sat and gave it some serious thought.

I think that's a pretty awesome list .......don't you agree???

I am looking forward to the New Year....the challenges.....the adventures......the firsts.......the metamorphosis taking place both inside and outside of me.......I plan on spending more time writing and working my Italian (thank you Rosetta Stone) and more time laughing and enjoying life with my family and friends.

Chapter Three is beginning........and I can't wait.......who knows where I will be in a few years.......I am working hard to be ready for whatever the future holds.........

So goodbye to 2015.......

See you next week.......in 2016........

OK The 4 Week Wait Is Over.......Well Kind Of.....I Did Cheat And Peek.....

In theory, my 4 week waiting period to see how I was doing at the scale was over a week or two ago.  And as I admitted.....I cheated and peeked a few weeks back and it was not good......then last week I had to look at my weight in my WW book to figure out my new points.  The WW program went through some changes so I had to see what my daily points were.......once again I was not happy with the number.

But as I have said before I am not quitting!!!! So this week I tried to work the new program.  It was not easy for a number of reasons.......
-my mobile WW app where I track points was not working right
-food items that I knew the point values on like the back of my hand ....had changed......and many had gone up
-it was a stressful week at home
-and on and on

The changes made to the program are really good and make sense.  It used to be that the point values were based on fiber, carbs, protein and fat.  Now they have added saturated fat and sugar into the equation.  That makes sense to me since sugar and saturated fat are bad for you.

On the upside the point value for chicken has gone down......but if you feel like a Dunkin Donut.....you better think again....the value of a glazed donuts almost doubled....yikes!!!!! Even WW snacks have doubled in point value.

And it doesn't help that I am heading into the toughest time of the year.....the next two plus weeks are killers.   But I have been reminded Christmas is really only 2 days and the same with New Year's.  I don't have to be out of control every day.  This week is the office holiday breakfast.  Usually, it is catered by Cracker Barrel......OMG I love Cracker Barrel.  The thought of Hash Brown Casserole.......and Biscuits.....yum!! I am going to try and stick to eggs and a little bacon....or maybe eat before I get to the office. I will have to see and give it some good thought.

Well anyway, I really tried to work the program as best I could and when I got on the scale the loss was the biggest one I have ever had........I am not giving out the number.......I will when the time is right.....but I couldn't believe the number I saw.  I am now at my lowest in many, many years......like over 20 years!!!

The hard part is you get so busy around the holidays....I haven't been to the gym lately but I will be rectifying that the week after Christmas when all the rushing is over.  I am off all that week and am planning to go to the gym each and every day...........well I am at least thinking about it........that is a step in the right direction!!

I am also trying to enjoy the part of the season that doesn't involve food.  Last night, I went to see the lights at Saluda Shoals Park.  Today, I went and watched the Vet's Christmas Ride with it's thousands and thousands of motorcycles.  Next weekend, I am seeing "It's A Wonderful Life" on the big screen.  I sit and enjoy the lights on my tree and my radio is on the station with 24/7 Christmas music.  This week there is a lunchtime community sing at a local church......I may head over there for a 1/2 hour of singing Christmas Carols.....why not and it's free.

Ok here is something funny and shows you how old habits die hard.........this morning at our meeting my leader, Kay, asked if we wanted to have our regular meeting the Sunday after Christmas.......I did not raise my hand.......I know in my mind I thought well I can live it up some for those two days and then not worry about getting on the scale again until after the New Year but NNNNNNOOOOOO.......my WW pals voted to have a meeting that Sunday.  I admitted to the class I had not voted and was hoping there would be no meeting.......but you can guess where my ass (and the rest of me) will be on 12/27 at 9:00 AM)....yup.....I will be at my meeting.......well at least I was honest enough to admit what I was thinking.

Please send me postive vibes to get through to the beginning of 2016.....I am not really worried about New Years Eve Or New Years Day as I have never been big on that holiday But Christmas Eve and Christmas......those will be my challenges.  But I will take it one day at a time.......one hour at a time.......one minute at a time.....one bite at a time.......that is all I can do and it has worked so far........

See you next week.................