Thank you for journeying the one hundred days to Christmas together. The Countdown to Christmas is a challenge to self. Giving up bread or mince pies, following a food plan, dropping a dress size, losing a few pounds or reflecting on life’s blessings. How has Countdown gone for you?
We have had a programme of events for discussion and this week are looking at jobs still to do for the big day. Tell us your secret stuffing recipe, please??? Martinis shaken or stirred?
Next week is just
23/12 Happy Christmas messages/feedback
Hope you have enjoyed Countdown to Christmas Challenge. Happy, happy Christmas to you and yours.
Have a great holiday season!
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Hopalong1
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Hi, I'm still keeping on, as I lost a little bit of what I'd gained the previous week. I've finished my antibiotics now and am starting to feel a bit better. Been a busy week with trying to catch up on all the Christmas preparations I've missed, but I've managed to squeeze in a couple of short swims which have been lovely. Thanks to you all on this challenge for keeping me going .
So glad to hear that you're feeling better in time for Christmas, lovefabric. Well done for not giving up and for continuing to exercise and lose weight
Hello lovefabric Glad you are starting to feel a bit better and are able to swim. I hope your Christmas will be enjoyable. Well done on a loss xx 😊🎁😊🤶🎈🎅☃️🕊️❄️🌟
What are your plans after the burd? I bought Gin Stephens book 28 fast start day by day yesterday, out on Amazon 26th December. I would also like to ditch the sugar in the new year. Is this your thing? x
I'm currently writing a book about my life with a former soldier who had PTSD and went on to have severe medical issues. At times, as his carer, I felt like I had been missing out due to putting my dreams and plans on the back burner to spend that 9 years with Billy. We talked about it and he told me that he had that extra 9 years because I took that time to care for him and appreciated all I had set aside. That's why that song means so much to me.
That is great you can document your memories, Nancy. I think records are emotive. We lost my mum in 1979 and I can still remember the stack of records she played over and over. All the best with your project x 🌟🌟🌟
Hi Nancy, How was your week? The weights look good. Now you could motivate me to get mine out. My bingo wings could use a workout 😊🎁😊I am rocking to a few Christmas songs. Feliz navidad! x
I've been planning decorating and housing maintenance jobs to get on with while my PA has her annual winter break. I'm feeling I'm spending so much on trying to keep warm with blankets a heated throw and winter jammies I am having to keep the heating off.
My husband was away at his mother's this week and he is like a hot water bottle. I have an electric blanket that works only on my side. We need to decorate. Like you say all is so expensive. I was looking at stollen today and I am sure it is £2.50 dearer than last year. Wicked money! Big hugs x 😊🎁😊
Thanks for counting down with us, Hopalong. It’s been fun. 🤩
We are 🎶 driving home for Christmas 🎶 Saturday. We are spending Christmas with my parents and my siblings and their partners and children. We will be 18 people 🎄
I’m done ✔️ with the preparations except I might buy an extra gift for my children and I want to do some more baking. And my father’s mother used to bake a cake that he hasn’t had since she passed away 20 years ago. I want to make it for him again.
I will get as many steps in as I can this week. Last push before Christmas 🎄
That is lovely about the Bake a cake for your Dad. Is it a surprise for the kids or do you know what you are getting a a present? My son's best friend comes to us on Christmas Eve and says we are more his family than his own family. Sure that is not so. We have a party tea to line their stomachs. Then all the kids go into town and husband and I just relax. All the best to you and yours x 😊🎁😊
We’ve bought presents 🎁 for the kids already. I just might buy a couple more. They are 20 and 17 and don’t get many presents anymore, so I just want them to have a little extra. For my daughter maybe a sweater and for my son something that will be useful for him when he moves away from home, probably this summer. That’s the only thing on his wish list.
Morning Hopalong1 and all the other lovely countdowners. I finally learned how to tag people (I hope anyway). Thank you so much for thinking up this challenge. I've not lost as much weight as I planned to but have developed some very useful habits and learned what suits me. (I don't NEED to eat breakfast by a certain time for example and if I'm not hungry at a specific time then I don't HAVE to eat) so thanks once again and have a fabulous time xx
Thanks Miss, All the best to you and yours for Christmas! 😊🎁😊I had great weight loss until my birthday at the end of October and then had to hang on for dear life. I think the colder weather and lunch as presents made things difficult to lose. I would have to rethink my habits in this period next year. I think I know things could have been worse. Thanks for joining in the Countdown. Good to know you better. Is there anything you would have done differently in the group? xx 🕊️☃️❄️😊🌟😊🤶🎅🎈🎄
Those are excellent lessons learned, tippietoes. I’ve not eaten breakfast (except once) since my restart beginning of November. I’ve always believed the “three meals a day “ dogma to be true. And I am hungry when we reach lunchtime, and it’s not like I don’t miss eating breakfast. I do. Especially on weekends. But intermittent fasting just works really well for me with regards to weight loss. I hope you will lose the weight you want to lose next year!
Hi Hopalong, I have just posted but for some reason it has disapeared this is not the first time this has happened so my post must be floating around in the universe somewhere. Anyway what I did say was that it has been fun doing the count down to Christmas and all the topics we have discussed along the way. I am finished with my Christmas shopping now, all the presents are wrapped and ready to go. my challeng again this week is to maintain my weight untill Christmas, which is quite a challange this week with all the events planned. Have a good week everyone.🤶🤶🤶
Sorry your post disappeared. There is report box near reply, I would click "other" or we could tell TeamAdmin Good goal this week. Will you join maintainers now? All the best Momo53 😊🎁😊🎅🤶🎄☃️🕊️🌟❄️🎈
No worries about missing post. I am not joining maintainers yet, no doubt I will gain over Christmas and I would like to loose about another 7lbs. To be in normal BMI range.😀😀x
Well it has happened to me too, the disappearing post. Sorry for that. Good plan for the seven pounds. I bet you are feeling great with 3 stones + off xx🌟🌟🌟
Hi Hopalong1. Thanks for hosting this challenge. I can't believe it is coming to an end. Logging my food has definitely helped me become more aware of what I am eating. If I don't log it the "one won't hurt" mentality kicks in. Logging it shows me it does hurt.
I haven't lost as much as I would like but have lost some which I am pleased about. I did spoil it this week with a meal out on Thursday and takeaway last night as our grandson was staying and we took him to see the Christmas lights. By the time we got home and got him to bed it was quite late and we didn't want to cook. All of which has resulted in a gain. Not a great ending to the challenge but I am hoping to turn it around before the big day 🎄
Hubby and I are on our own Christmas day so hope to keep the food light as all the family are coming on Boxing day when we will have our Christmas Dinner. Presents are nearly done. A few little bits to get. It's a busy week at work with Christmas celebrations and taking our grandson for some Christmas treats so I'm looking forward to relaxing next weekend.
Hope everyone has a good week and a great Christmas 🎄
Hi Gizmocat Well done on recording an overall loss, with lots going on. It's not easy. We have panto with grown ups. Oh yes we are! All the best xx 🎄🌟😊❄️😊🍊🎅⛄🎁
Well done on hitting your targets yesterday. I am doing better today. Have not eaten a mince pie this season. Chose this because often they come in a box of six and one is never enough. Husband came back with one from his trip to Chesterfield pleased with himself. I told him to hide it. Amazon Santa arrived today with two books Prayer by Stephen Cottrell and Just one thing - how simple changes can transform your life by Dr Michael Mosley. Wishing you a fab week. What are your plans? 🌟🌟🌟x
Hello peeps, following on from my weigh in this morning could I request an extra couple of weeks squeezed in 🤣🤣🤣 quite a gain but then I have had a lovely week off work. Meals out and a Christmas party and absolutely no routine 🙃 Operation daughters wedding starts with a vengeance in January💪👊😊
I have my works do on Saturday (23rd) and a party tea Christmas Eve and then catering for only the two of us on Christmas Day.
Oh and I am so pleased Ellie and Vito won Strictly 🏆
Hello, I didn't see any losses when I had a quick glance at W-I today. We must have a Christmas pass. Husband and I had a tipple with a Christmas Carol last night. Then the neighbour came round with a box of chocs. O' Holy!!!! You are not alone, Luvvie x😊🌟😊🕊️❄️🎈🤶🎅🎁☃️
It is good you have your church to gather with. Going to post Compline later for Advent 3. Finding the carbs hard. I am out on Wednesday and Thursday for lunch and Pantomime on Saturday. "Oh yes I am!" 😊😊Happy days x😊☃️🎁🎅🤶🎈❄️🕊️🌟🎄
I loved this challenge and all the topics... Everything really... This week is a tough one and next week even tougher... I am tracking though... I am walking and it looks like I am going to complete my Lord of the Rings walking challenge... AwesomeI think I will allow the train wreck that is Christmas to happen as daughter just asked if I wanted some treats and you guessed I said yes
So for the rest of this year I will be awful and then I will be good and I will join your no sugar challenge in the new year
Thanks for your comments. So many opportunities to eat goodies and I too am enjoying joining in. We'll get back on track. Back at ya, have a gorgeous time xx 😊🌟😊❄️🍊🎅⛄🎁🎄
It's Tuesday afternoon here and I was busy this morning so I'm just getting here now.
I had a strange craving for a peanut butter sandwich, yesterday, so I had (more than) one on low carb bread. While I like peanut butter, it's not something I usually crave. (I wonder if I was low on salt or something.)
Anyway, the sandwiches didn't do much damage--only up 0.2 pounds at my daily unofficial weigh-in this morning.
I'll be baking some sugar free cookies for Christmas later. The doughs are chilling in the refrigerator right now. I plan on trying them but I will watch my intake!
Could be protein craving in the peanut butter. Well done on a miniscule weight gain and your 🌟🌟I am out for lunch for five today. It is two years my friend passed in January and we see her husband, brother(also widowed) and best friend once a month. I expect town will be busy, but heh ho, ho, ho! All the best x🕊️🎄🎅🤶🌟😊🎁☃️🎈❄️
I had a good day yesterday. Only had 4 of the small sugar free cookies I made. Most are now packed up and in the freezer for upcoming festivities.
I'll be doing a lot of walking today as I don't want to be in the holiday traffic on my trike. I'll be walking to the dollar store for some gift bags and treats to go with the ornaments I've made for my family.
Well done on your Christmas ticks 🎄🎄🎄and jolly gifts. We had a lovely get together. Tomorrow I am meeting a friend from school that lives in NZ now. Taking each day as it comes. x 🎄🕊️🌟☃️❄️🎈🎁🎅🤶😊🌟😊
I haven't had a mince pie all season. This week there has been more sugar and alcohol in my diet. I did drop a dress size and ended up 6lb lighter overall. At the beginning of November I was my lightest in a good while. I celebrated my birthday and struggled to get back in the zone. The group has helped me look more at the spiritual side of life and getting out in the fresh air. Thank you for your contributions to the Countdown to Christmas Challenge x 😊🌟🤶🎅🎈❄️☃️🕊️🎄
Friday 22nd December 2023 - 3 days until Christmas
So we have shopped and shared. I have a few of my family's favourites and am sure there is plenty. What will we do if we are not at goal at the new year? Fear not, we are not alone. On 2/1/24 we can look at Ditching the sugar together. Big hugs and joy to you and yours 🎈❄️☃️🕊️🎄😊🌟😊🎁😊🎅🤶
Hello Nancy, How has your week been? Naturally you'll be missing your mother, first Christmas without her. I went out with my two friends this week, who are both widowed. They said they enjoyed the company.
I am going to get a manicure today, sparkly silver. The technician is like a counsellor. My eldest son arrives tonight for a hug. We'll eat a bowl of chilli, like Columbo! All the best x 🌟❄️🕊️☃️🎅🤶
That's the mug my son gave me a couple of Christmases ago and it gets used daily because he cannot visit very often. Thanks for your kind words about my mother. I haven't seen Mum since one of her birthdays in August 2013, in the same year I moved to East Sussex from Hampshire where Mum was living in a care home after she developed Alzheimer's
Ahh, your picture of the decorations were your mum's. Do you have the two children? I have three. I have some tidying to do. The dinning table is a sea of books. Just a skip and a jump away if you need me. All the best, Treasure x 🤶🎅☃️🕊️❄️🌟🎈🎄
The picture of the monkey with the decorations was taken by my sister at her place. My sister (Jaquie) knitted the monkey (Monks) and makes an online advent calendar every year from pics of Monks, helping out with their family Christmas down in Hampshire. The decorations were those mum put on the tree back in the 60s and have been kept by my sister and brought out every year.
I have 2 children, both in their 40s. My daughter lives in a care home in Hampshire and my son also lives in Hampshire in the same stretch of the A32 that his sister does. My sister lives on the south coast in a beach house at Stokes Bay in Gosport (my home town)
My Dad and I always used to put the decs up together "lights first" then tinsel, then baubles. I must walk my little fella. Bought Jack Russell socks yesterday. See you later x🎅🤶
Hi Hopalong. Just 3 sleeps to go. You have taken us on an incredible journey on count down to Christmas thank you. Lost my way a bit this week with meals out, alcohol with visitors and chocholate because they are there. I Will be enjoying Christmas but determined to get back on track from the 28th. Merry Christma and Happy New Year to you and yours.😀😀😀xx
Thank you, Momo. It has been worth it. I can see points when I could have been stricter, but also there were strict times when I amazed myself. Buying chocs on Christmas Eve for our party. xx❄️🍊⛄🎅🎄🌟😊🎁😊 Have a great time!
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