Holiday Happenings,...

 Hello Bloggers:

The months of November and December sure fly by!  I am finally taking a moment to sit down and update my blog.  What a beautiful, busy, potentially stressful, yet sentimental time of year! 

I love living in California!  There is so much to see and do, and the mountains are so picturesque!  I also love visiting my friends and especially family, back home in Wisconsin!

NOVEMBER marked my first time traveling out of state for an extended period of time while on the HMR Decision Free program.  That was an interesting venture!  I was gone for just about two weeks, and over the Thanksgiving holiday.  The HMR staff wanted to switch me over to the Phase II part of the program as I wouldn't have to be medically monitored plus the addition of fruits and veggies might have made the travel experience easier.  However, I had been having such success with the Decision Free program that I didn't want to switch.  It took some persuasion, but the staff finally agreed to allow me to stay on Phase I of the Decision Free HMR Program.  It also helped that I found a medical clinic that offered the HMR Program in the Fox Cities area of Wisconsin that I was traveling to.

CHEESEHEAD HMR Staff and Participants were really warm and kind.  (Yes, I know that's not politically correct, but I'm a Cheesehead by birth and by heart, so some allowances are in order.)  It helped to have the support.  It was also interesting to see how the program was run in another state.  It was very similar; Order food, weigh-in, get blood pressure checked, then attend the meeting/lecture, and sample new HMR recipes.  The group was quite small the two days that I was there, with approximately 3-4 participants.  The only other main difference in how the group was run was that it was held around a large conference table vs. classroom style.  Of course the Cheesehead dialect around the table sounded so pronounced, which tends to happen when you've been away from it for so long (don'tcha know).  It was nice to meet other people on similar journey's with their weight loss goals.  The people I did meet were very friendly and supportive.  And I must say, I was so glad to be amongst people who didn't give me a strange look when I asked where I could find a "bubbler".

WHAT WORKS for me best on the Decision Free program is that there is no real thought that has to go into menu planning.  It is also a great way to ward off peer pressure to eat foods that will keep a person from meeting their weight loss goals.  I found out that it worked well to tell my family and friends in advance of the program I was on, and why it was important not to stray.  "I am on a strict medically monitored diet" became my motto.  You won't believe the level of relief that results from not having to deal with the pressure of making wise food decisions, ESPECIALLY during the holidays.  There is way too much temptation out there.  When I resigned to the fact that I agreed to this lifestyle (temporarily), the decision making headache was gone.  I no longer had to question "one dessert or two"?  And I didn't have to feel rude about turning down a care package of leftovers.  It was just assumed that I wouldn't take any.  (I am a sucker for Thanksgiving mashed potatoes and gravy, and I normally cannot resist.  Although they smelled and looked good this year, I did not feel the irresistible urge to eat a mountain of them or take any home.  I had my own meals which were more than satisfying.)

BUFFETS:  Can you hit up the Golden Corral on occasion on this diet?  I don't recommend it, lol.  But I actually went with my family.  I did not want to miss out on the rare occasions when we are all together: my father, his wife, two of my three brothers and their wives.  So I PLANNED AHEAD!  I called the restaurant to explain the situation and find out if it was okay if I still came in the restaurant to be with my family, even though I would only order coffee and hot water for my prepackaged oatmeal.  The restaurant manager cheerfully responded, "Sure!  Of course you can!"  And no employee made a stink when I was there!  That was neat, and probably a bit unusual.  Our society is not set up to accommodate people on special diets (as a family member with PKU can well attest).

FAMILY and FRIENDS probably felt the most uncomfortable adjusting to my new eating patterns.  I found myself educating them on the fact that I am truly not feeling hungry or neglected on this diet.  Do I have occasional cravings?  Oh sure!  But I don't typically feel tortured when I sit with others who are eating "regular" food.  I think that's what they must have thought or felt.  (I would probably feel the same.)  Even my dad affirmed that there might be a shared feeling of guilt felt for eating in front of me.  I had to remind others that they didn't have to feel bad for me.  If a certain function involving food would feel too tempting or overwhelming, I would simply choose not to go right now.  I can go another time, when I am not on the diet.  Other people have commented that I should "get on a different diet program!".  But why?  That reaction is more about them and their level of discomfort than it is about me.  I like the program I am on.  I feel good on it.  My doctor approves of it.  It is healthy, and it is working.  Why on earth would I want to quit?   

SOME RESTAURANTS are not as accommodating.  That is okay.  Most have been very understanding.  But restaurants do have health codes and rules they have to abide by.  The ones that turn the other way and make exceptions, however, are usually the ones who get the larger tip!  :)  But I find if restaurant staff show any discomfort, I am fine just ordering my coffee or tea and enjoying the company.  I really do enjoy that social time more than ever.  It is not just about the food.             

TRAVEL is always a challenge.  I found it best to plan the travel days ahead.  I had bars, shake packets, and shaker bottles packed for the plane ride.  I even found staff at a sub place at the airport who were willing to heat up my entree in their microwave.  Of course I agreed to buy their $3 bottle of water.  I hope the staff who went out of their way to bend the rules and stick an entree in their microwave realize how much they were appreciated!  Those little gestures mean a lot to people on specialized diets. 

DECEMBER has brought about many challenging moments.  My spouse and I are dealing with some personal issues.  And my dear Sister-in-Law (brother's wife) suffered a severe stroke.  We were so fearful of losing her.  But each day she gets stronger.  And each day I am reminded of how very precious life is.  How very precious is the gift we are given.  We need to support and love each other, even through the tough times, even if relationship dynamics change, even though we are miles apart.  Family is so very important.  As we appreciate them, we also have to honor and care for ourselves.  It is out duty to take care of the one body that will support us through this short precious gift of life.

CHEATING:  Have I?  Well, [blush], yes, on 3 occasions since starting HMR.  I found I was perseverating on two specific cravings: buttered popcorn and Cabernet,... and always on a Saturday night.  So I gave in a few times.  My HMR Educator reminds us that if we do cheat, or go "outside of the box" as the catch phrase is in HMR, we will be in Phase I longer, and I really don't want to be in Phase I of this diet forever.  I want to stay "in the box" so that I can move on to the next phase of the plan sooner, and enjoy more foods.  Even though I lost weight on the weeks that I did cheat, I could have lost even more if I was "in the box".  I am happy to report I have not cheated once during the past week and a half.   

WEIGHT LOSS RESULTS:  I almost forgot!  Here is my progress since starting the HMR program:

Day/Date:	Weight (pounds):	Amount Lost:	Total Amount Lost:
Monday, 10/08/12	213.9	n/a	n/a
Thursday, 10/11/12	211.0	2.9	2.9
Thursday, 10/18/12	209.2	1.8	4.7
Thursday, 10/25/12	204.0	5.2	9.9
Thursday, 11/01/12	203.4	0.6	10.5
Thursday, 11/08/12	198.4	5.0	15.5
Thursday, 11/15/12	197.6	0.8	16.3
Thursday, 11/22/12	194.6	3.0	19.3
Thursday, 11/29/12	194.0	0.6	19.9
Thursday, 12/06/12	192.2	1.8	21.7
Thursday, 12/13/12	190.6	1.6	23.3
Thursday, 12/20/12	188.8	1.8	25.1
Thursday, 12/27/12	185.4	3.4	28.5

Prior to starting on the HMR Program, I lost weight through other means, including Weight Watchers, Clean Eating, juicing, healthy eating on my own, and liposuction.  It was so easy to put on weight over the years.  I was averaging 10 lbs a year or so since about the time I got married in 2000, and had been on a slower gain prior to that.  When I began my second bout of grad school in 2005, I decided to join Weight Watchers just so I could hope to maintain during that stressful period of time.  Rather than maintain, I did end up gaining 10 lbs, but that was over the course of 4-5 years (rather than 10 lbs per year), so WW was successful at helping me slow down the weight progression.  And I made some good friends through an online support forum.  (Hi Dimers!)

I thought that once I completed my doctorate degree in 2010, weight loss would come easier.  However, I soon realized the study madness was just beginning, as I dealt with the nightmare that psychologists call licensure (and EPPP, CPSE, and all the stressful months of preparation that go along with that).  My graduation present to myself was a large volume liposuction procedure that helped even out a very disproportionate body shape.  I dropped 10+ pounds from the procedure, but the way it made me feel was transforming!  It really helped to jump start my weight loss journey.  Here is a recap of the weight lost since then:       

Day/Date:	Weight (pounds):	Total Amount Lost:
Wednesday, 10/06/10	245.2	-
Thursday, 12/27/12	185.4	59.8

    
My Journey, I feel, is just beginning.  I have a long way to go, but also appreciate where I've been.  I am excited for the future on so many levels.

Love to you all!  Take care of yourselves!  

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