TERESASLACK   64,329
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TERESASLACK's Recent Blog Entries

Christmas Cookies

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Thanks to what I've learned here and the 15 pounds I've lost since January, I am limiting my annual cookie baking to only a few batches. (Yes, my husband is pouting.) Tonite is our annual Christmas party so last night I baked a batch of oatmeal scotchies. During the course of my baking I ate at least 4. You know, the ones that break as you take them off the sheet. Or the ones that are a little too crisp around the edges. You can't very well serve those to guests.

At least that's what I tell myself.

I don't know how professional bakers don't end up weighing about 500 pounds, though from the looks of things, most of them do have weight issues. If I possessed a stronger character, I might not pinch a bite of dough off the edge of the bowl with every sheet that goes into the oven. Or I would throw away the broken ones or feed them to the dogs.

Do people actually do that?

If anyone has any advice about how not to eat a half dozen cookies during a baking session, I would appreciate hearing about it. Please don't suggest low-cal alternatives. I tried the Spark eggnog recipe. What a disappointment. Wasn't even worth the 80 calories. I'd rather have one honest-to-goodness Christmas cookie than 5 bland ones.

The key is stopping myself at one.

I've spoiled my husband's coworkers. They are already asking about the tray of cookies I've sent in every year before I joined SparkPeople. I love to bake, and I don't want to disappoint. Nor do I want one of you standing over my shoulder with a wooden spoon, ready to crack my knuckles if I sneak a taste. I do live in the "real" world.

What's a woman to do? It's that time of year, so I guess I'm just going to have to deal with it. Like my sister, the Weight Watchers advocate chants, "Food isn't your enemy, Teresa. It's all about moderation."

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's hard to do with the scent of baking cookies filling the kitchen.

Peace and love to all, and a blessed and beautiful Christmas season.

  
  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SHELLPRO 1/11/2009 8:31AM

    One or two cookies does not a Diet crumble! Hang in there & maybe try finding a healthier version of your baking choices & if all else fails & you imbibe- work your fanny off! Burn those extra calories. emoticon

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TERESASLACK 12/15/2008 5:23PM

    I sent a plate of cookies to work with DH last night. He came home this morning and said all the guys were disappointed in the small amount I sent compared to most years. They offered to buy me a bag of flour and some peanut butter if times were hard. They arent' being very helpful in this new healthier, leaner lifestyle.

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BONNIE627 12/13/2008 10:45PM

    cookies are one of my downfalls so I could not bake and not eat..they are just too good... when you figure out how to do it let us all know...hugs, Bonnie

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MISSYA72 12/13/2008 5:06PM

    Teresa for years I have baked Christmas cookies, so that between Thanksgiving and Christmas I took a different type of cookie to work everyday! Everyday!!!! Ok, this year I am down to a couple of times a week. But I love to bake, and my thinking was that they won't be at the house, but at work. I haven't eaten nearly as many, but like you, my dh is complaining. He wants cookies too. So....next weekend they are all for him!!

Happy holidays!

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VICKY777 12/13/2008 3:39PM

    Thanks for being real I have stopped making cookies for that reason alone.
I liked the idea to chew gum also agreeing withyourself you will stop at
two.Your making memories and you should keep christmas traditions.

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RAVON27 12/13/2008 1:29PM

    You can chew gum while you bake and tell yourself that after you are done baking you will sit down and relax and have a certain amount of cookies after you put all the others away. I use to work at a job that I had to bake cookies and I would have 1 every shift. After awhile I couldn't stand them. Good Luck with everything and have a happy and healthy Christmas.

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THECITYMOUSE 12/13/2008 11:24AM

    It's funny....I wrote about wolffing down two freshly baked Snickerdoodles just a few days ago....and how I baked another four dozen on Thursday and didn't touch any so Maj could take them to school and share them with her English class.

I'm not big on deprivation .... and I'm not going to pull a food Nazi on you and pop you with that peripheral wooden spoon. I will say, however, that everything in moderation is key. Or perhaps allow yourself "X" amount of bites of certain delicacies. I do not advocate "diet foods" .... I hate to say it out loud, but dangit real butter tastes better in .... well, everything, and cookies are no exception.

Allocate yourself a cheat day, one day a week when you eat without any sort of guilt or deprivation vibes....because sometimes those vibes can really get the best of a girl.
emoticon

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Staying Consistent

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

This is always the hard part for me. I start out like gangbusters; watching every morsel that passes over my lips, getting up early to exercise when all I want to do is catch a few more winks, and almost looking forward to getting on the scale or taking out the measuring tape.

Then after a few weeks--let's face it--a few hours, I get bored. I don't want to pay attention to my food or obsess about fat grams. I want to go back to the way things were in my twenties when I could eat anything I wanted and make fun of old ladies in their forties who stressed about weight.

Since joining SP in January, I have seen some results. Two pairs of jeans I couldn't pour myself into a couple of weeks ago now fit. (At least I can get them zipped, even if I'm not ready to wear them in public.) The scales have moved a little and I'm feeling pretty good about myself.

Well, you guessed it. I'm getting tired of watching what I eat. Especially this week. I've been filling Easter eggs today. More candy has gone in my mouth than in the eggs. As usual I bought too much candy so the overflow is in a candy dish in my living room. I don't want to guard my diet every minute of every day. But I need to realize this isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle change. I'm not 23 anymore. I can't eat like a pig with no repercussions.

I read somewhere today that exercise during perimenopause keeps weight gain during menopause to a minimum. Are you telling me that not only am I going to suffer mood swings and night sweats, I'm also going to balloon up and not fit into those jeans in my closet anyway? My mother never warned me about that.

Here's to surviving Holy Week and the family Resurrection Sunday dinner with no weight gain. I wish you all the best.

  
  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SASSYBANJO 3/24/2008 1:22PM

    Sounds like you are doing much better than I am. For two weeks, I ate instant oatmeal for breakfast, peanut butter and crackers or a peanut butter sandwich for lunch and a regular dinner. I lost about 3 lbs and got tired of peanut butter. I'm still eating the instant oatmeal but switched to a Cliff bar for lunch. I bought a 6-pk of those wonderful Reese's easter eggs over the weekend and have two of them left. I gained back the 3 pounds and more.
I would really like to be skinnier for my 25th anniversary next month, but like you said, it's so much more difficult to lose weight when your in your forties and as inactive as I am.
I would love to be able to exercise, but Cerebral Palsy has always been a big deterrent for me. Flexibility, balance and wearing my shoes out keep me from exercising and walking.

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ALLEGROVIVO 3/22/2008 7:27PM

    Hi Theresa, Happy Easter and BRAVO on losing 9 pounds so far. Remember, it is far better to lose the weight slower and keep it off. I have only lost a total of 8 pounds since January, so about the same. I actually started my diet before I found Spark People, hence, more wt. loss then stated on my spark page ***smiles! Just think, the Lord teaches us so much in HIs timing, so He wants us to trust Him in our weight loss too. Keep the faith and we will lose our wt. together. Hugs! Nancy

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STAR1970 3/21/2008 4:10PM

    Don't give up on yourself, nobody said we had to be perfect at it. As long as we keep trying we are bound to succeed eventually. I still have 50/50 weeks and i am okay with that as long as i don't give up because eventually i will have 80/20 weeks and for me that will be acceptable.
Good luck and stick with it you are worth it.

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GONE WITH THE WIND

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Last night I watched my all time favorite movie, GONE WITH THE WIND. When I watch a movie--especially one where I actually sit still and pay attention--I need to eat something. In fact if I know a good movie is coming on or if I rent a DVD, I also get something yummy to eat to go with it. Last night was no exception. By the time war was declared, I went into the kitchen and fixed a bowl of Schwan Cookies and Cream ice cream. For those of you who have never enjoyed Schwan ice cream, I feel sorry for you.

Either the ice cream didn't hit the spot or the movie was too long because before Scarlett even married Frank Kennedy, I had popped a bag of popcorn and eaten the whole thing. At least I didn't drink Pepsi with my popcorn so I saved a few calories there.

There are some temptations that are still too great for me. GONE WITH THE WIND is one of them. Spark People has made me more conscious of the food that goes into my mouth. I plan more activities so I don't spend as much time in front of the TV when I'll be tempted to eat. Last night I fell off the wagon, but I won't beat myself up. In the immortal words of Scarlett O'Hara; "Tomorrow is another day."

  
  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SABINEJADE 2/28/2008 2:02PM

    I love that movie too. I watch it at least once every couple of months. It was my mother's favorite too, and I was hair away from being named Scarlett. :) Something that is working great for me, I am keeping a mini trampoline (20 bucks at Walmart) in the TV room, and if I am going to watch TV I have to get on the trampoline. Google "Rebounding" and you'll be shocked how good it is for you. Now TV is healthy time for me. But there is no way I can jump all the way through a movie. :)

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RACHEL630 2/21/2008 1:08PM

    Grats on your first blog post! Hey, if you like snacking with your movies, just save some calories for the snack time and make healthy choices. 1/2 cup of low cal icecream or one of those 100 cal ice cream bars can do well. Popcorn can be low cal if you get the right kind. Air popped has about 20 cal per cup, I think. Also, you can munch on fresh veggies, fruit, or low-fat cheese.... There's no reason that you have to completely give up your favorite past time. Just change it to meet your healthy new lifestyle! No biggie. You'll be fine. ---- And don't agonize over one night. You've got the rest of your life ahead of you. :)

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PURPLEOKIE 2/20/2008 3:56PM

    Welcome to the group!!!

Tomorrow is another day!

One slip isn't the end of the world.



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BECCALOVESBOOKS 2/19/2008 9:56PM

    Hey Teresaslack!
I'm from the knitters spark team and wanted to make a quick comment on your blog.

I second that tomorrow is another day! Welcome to blogging...and keep working towards your goal! Don't give up!

happy sparking and knitting
Becca in IN

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COLEMANSR 2/19/2008 5:40PM

    Yes, tomorrow is another day. Schwan is very GOOD.

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