I'm just hoping to make it through the holidays without gaining. That being said, in a perfect world I'd like to take off 10 more lbs between now and the new year, it's going to be tough though but with support we just might do it!

I agree, 5 at a time does seem much more manageable and it's a very realistic goal for the holidays. I know Halloween will be hard because there will be so much candy and Thanksgiving and Christmas will be just as bad. But I'm sort of planning to take a break on each of those days, just those 3 days, ok 4 because Christmas Eve, and not beat myself up. The rest of the time I want to stay on track.

These holidays will be tough for me-- I'll be in the process of moving back home to Canada from New Zealand (snif snif). We'll be doing a fair bit of travelling right before heading back so my goal will be not to gain while travelling, goodbye dinners, welcome back dinners etc. I agree losing would be great, but I think not gaining will be more realistic and quite frankly, in these circumstances good enough for me.

We're headed to Fiji for a week at the end of November so I'd like to have a flatter tummy by then. I'll be wearing a bikini regardless (go me!) but I'd love to rock flatter abs if I can!

I don't celebrate American Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving was a few weeks ago) but I've seen so many healthy fall thanksgiving-y recipes that I'd love to try-- roasted squash stuffed with wild rice casserole, things like that. I know some Thanksgiving meals can be super set in tradition, but I'd personally love the challenge of coming up with some healthy side dishes!

Hi all,
I'd love to lose five pounds by Christmas. I guess this means I need to replace the battery in my scale so I know what I'm working with...I suspect I'm at about 130-135, and I'd like to be closer to 115-120. My biggest problem is I need to find my motivation to get running again. Up until about a year ago, I was an avid long-distance runner, and in the past year, I've totally fallen off of it... I want to run another marathon this spring, and I'd love for it to be a sub-4 hour marathon, so I have some work to do as far as fitness AND weight-loss.

Re: Cold weather running. I've run in 5 degree Fahrenheit weather in Canada and run a half marathon in 14 degree weather, so here are my survival tips:

1. Wind protection is a must
2. You will warm up so don't overdress
3. You need sweat wicking clothes because cold clammy clothes are the worst

1. I have these amazing running tights from Nike with a wind-resistant panel on the front of the thighs and a thin fleece lining on the inside. They were pretty expensive (like $95) but I wore those bad boys on every single winter run so they've definitely paid for themselves. On REALLY cold days (5 and under), I'll throw on a pair of shorts over them to cut some of the wind, and wear some thermals underneath. I toss on a wind-proof jacket (pay attention to the seams) over whatever I'm wearing. Bonus because the jackets usually have pockets, so you can stash your gloves / hat / etc. when you start overheating.

Between 30-50, I will wear a headband to cover my ears; 15-30 I will wear a tech running hat (with a hole for my ponytail!) and a neck scarf; lower than 15 I usually wear then headband and a fleecy or woolen hat with a neck scarf, or a balaclava. My neck scarf is pretty long and can usually be pulled up over my mouth and nose, so that helps warm up the cold air a bit before I breathe it in and I find it helps with that feeling of sore throat.

I usually wear thin gloves, if it's really cold I'll put on fleece mittens over them. A lot of my running tops have thumb holes or an extra piece of fabric to loop over your fists, so that also helps with the wind protection.

2. I think there's an old Runners World article that says to dress as if it was 20 degrees warmer than what it actually is. Obviously everybody's different but this rule's worked for me. Between 30-50 I'll wear a tank top and a tech long sleeve with fleece inside; between 15-30 I'll wear a tank top, the tech top and a windproof jacket; when it's lower than 15 I wear a thermal, the tech top and my windproof jacket.

3 goes hand in hand with 2. I avoid cotton like the plague because it keeps in the sweat and then it becomes cold. Having clothing with lots of zippers helps as you overheat. I also plan my runs so that I have little to walk after I've done my distance before I duck into the warmth.

I personally can't run with crampons like ohhayitskk because I find they mess up with my stride and then I get injured, so I'm just extra careful on the snow and ice. Some people also put duct tape on their shoes to cut some of the wind and wetness in case you step in a puddle of icy water. Don't forget the obvious safety rules, as we run in the cold it also tends to get darker so make sure you're visible with high-vis vests, reflective clothing or lights.

All that said and done, I LOVE cold weather running, give me run on a crisp winter day over a sweltering humid day in the 80s anytime!

Ok, now I feel wimpy asking for cold weather running ideas considering I live in the south and you guys are running in some seriously brutal weather - lol.

After feeling sorry for myself yesterday for not losing weight faster and then eating a bunch of crap I got on the scale this morning to a 1lb loss. I guess the universe figured I could use a hug.

I feel kind of wimpy too, we don't get that kind of winter in Texas. I've been wondering how I"m going to fit in some good walking time when it gets colder here. I admire the dedication of the people that I see out in the weather rain or shine!

Ah, no worries girl! We're all in this together!

I went veggie shopping this weekend and spent a good hour cutting and prepping the veggies for the week. Now i've got carrot sticks ready for munching, and zucchini and mushroom for morning omelets.

I'm trying to add more protein in my diet and I'm surprised at the workhorse that is Greek yogurt - like that Frank's Red Hot ad -- I put that *kitten* in everything!

Now that I've had a few weeks of no-frills, no-stress running, I'm ready to start a training program again and I'm toying with the idea with signing up for my first marathon at the end of may. Realistically I'd start training mid to end- January which is doable if I don't get injured and don't really aim for a time, just for finishing and having a good time.