I had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends.  So many funny stories retold and new memories created.  My cousin makes soap and sells them at local fairs.  I came home with enough to keep me squeaky clean well into 2010!  Who knew that mysterious “ocean” sent you find is just moss and seaweed oil? 

As much fun as the holiday was, it was also 5 days of eating like a Roman (visions of vomitorium dancing in my head).  My family is happy I’ve lost weight, but they are not very supportive and at times a little hostile about it.  I’ve always been slim, up until about 4 years ago, but my family has always been big.  Everyone is between 30 and 60 pounds overweight.  My mom’s weight has jumped around my whole life and at one point she even worked for NS, (after she had lost 40 pounds on the plan back in the 1980’s). 

Don’t get me wrong, my family is great, and I believe that they think they are being supportive.  “Mike, you look so good.  You don’t need to loose anymore weight.  Thanksgiving is special.  Eat with the family (decoded: eat what we are having).  I made it special for you. Have a cookie.  Have a piece of pie.  I bought licorice (my favorite candy).  Here’s a bowl of nuts, I’ll put it right here in front of you while you and your dad are watching the game.  Mike, can you please make the whipped cream?” 

Yes, of course I have free will and can make the right choice, but COME ON!  Anyway, the upshot of all this is by the time I got home on Sunday I was up 5 pounds!  Holy cow!  Well, I jumped back on the plan ASAP and by the time I weighed in today (my weekly weigh in is Wednesday) I was only up 1.6 pounds.  Of course, I would have preferred to have lost weight this week, or at least stayed the same, but I am please that I came through the Thanksgiving holiday with minimal damage.  I was happy to be back on plan and am feeling good again.  It is true that although the food “tasted like home”, it made me sluggish and zapped my energy.  It’s tough being on a diet during the holidays, but boy am I glad I am.  The last few years I have gained about 5 pounds each year and never seem to take it off.  This year will be different.  I can’t predict if I’ll loose weight this year, but I’m resolved not to gain any.  For me, this will be a huge win!  Happy Holidays All.  Stay Strong!  Mikee

I’ve been on the program 11 weeks and this week I didn’t loose a single oz.  (I didn’t gain either).  It was a good run.  I don’t think I have ever constantly lost weight 10 weeks in a row, so it’s hard to be really upset about it.  I’m just 1.2 pounds away from reaching a 20 pound weight loss on NS.  That part is a bit of a killer, but when I reach that mile stone, boy is it going to be sweet!  I’m pretty lean now, so it is no surprise that the weight is coming off slower.  Still I have a long way to go if I’m going to hit my jockey weight.  I may have to re-evaluate that secrete goal.  J

Have a great day , ALL!

Okay, so for all my whining, I ended my week doing really very well this week.  I lost a total of 1.8 pounds.  The crazy thing is it ALL came off last night!  (If you’re Sherlock Homes you will deduce that if I know I lost 1.8 pounds last night I must be weighing myself more than once a week).  I’ve confessed this before, and I know I’m not suppose to, but I just can’t help myself.  I’ve weighed myself every morning for most of my life. (These are habits you pick up when you are raised in an overweight family.)  It is part of my morning ritual and helps set the game plan for the day.  Anyway, I do realize that doing this also created the madness I was feeling earlier in the week.  If you’re just burning to tell me I shouldn’t weigh myself daily, I’m open to hearing your comments, but I’m not sure this habit will be easily broken. 

Here’s the good news, I have just 1.2 pounds to go before I hit the 20 pound mark on NS, and I’ve lost a total of 4.25 inches around my waist!  I should be able to hit my 20 pound mini-goal before Thanksgiving.  I will have a lot to be thankful for this year!  Speaking for being thankful, I thought it was interesting that today’s “The Daily Dose” was all about our support systems and how they cheer us on in good times and can be really helpful when we are struggling.  Let me thank once again all the wonderful people I have met thought this community and a special thank you for the folks who have spent the extra time to connect with me and give me a cheer or kick as they saw fit!  Have a great day, ALL!

WARNING: This is a poor me post.  I don’t do these very often, so please indulge me.  I am 3 pounds away from hitting the 20 pound loss mark and NS has been great.  I feel good and really proud of the weight I’ve lost, but these three pounds just aren’t coming off and I’m feeling a bit discouraged about it.  I got so frustrated with the scale that I buckled and had a few (3) glasses of wine yesterday.  Of course this made me feel worse, because now all I can think about is maybe if I didn’t have the wine today would have been the day that I would have been able to brake this plateau.  What’s done it done, and I am back on the program 100%, but still feeling a bit pissy over it all.

I did eat my dinner today at lunch, and am planning on going on a second walk after dinner tonight as penance for my sin.  Thanks all for allowing me to use you as a confessional.  I keep reminding myself that this is a journey and sometimes one has to walk uphill.  I know I’ve done well on the program, but I REALLY want to hit the 20lbs mark.  (I wonder if I can dehydrate myself enough to loss 3 pounds?)  [Teasing]

Hey All,

   Does anyone know if after you reach your goal, you continue to loose weight, do you still get the bears?  Here's the point.  My weight loss goal is 27 pounds, but that is so close to 30 that I really want that bear (Yes, I know this is a little weird and not very "guy" like, but I have my reasons).  Should I adjust my goal to a pound under the 30 pound weight loss or once I hit my goal, and then press on and loose the next 3 pounds will NS send me a 30 pound bear?  If anyone knows the answer, please enlighten me.  Thanks a lot!  Mike

Today is the end of week 8 and I am down 16 pounds!  I'm very excited.  I'm at 141.  It has been over 5 years since I've even been close to this number.  I'm feeling good and have a better outlook.  Looking back on where I was just two months ago, I didn't realize how much the extra weight had an impact on my outlook and how I felt about myself.  The old ego-maniac is almost back in full force.  How I've missed him.  I feel SO cute, that even if I wasn't THIS cute, I'd STILL be cute!  Oh, and my weekly weight loss was 1.4 lbs and a total of 4 inches loss around my waist since I started on NS.  Keep up the good work, All.  I know as a team we will reach our goals.

Here is this week’s update.  Down 2.6 pounds this week!  Wow, that was a nice surprise. Recently, my weight has continued to come off, but it is coming off VERY slowly.  The first part of last week I was on plan 100% (on plan 100% all week actually) and had gained a little (1/5 lbs).  I spoke with a counselor and switched up my lunch and dinner.  In five days I lost the whole 2.6 pounds.  I love these victories.  (I know we are not suppose to weigh ourselves each day, but I do.  It’s a habit and one I’ve done for years.  I just can’t break it.)   Total weight loss in 7 weeks on NS is 14.6 pounds.  I am now officially more than half way to goal!