Losing it in Utah now.

It's not a yo-yo, it's a bounce. And it's the holidays. And it's hard to keep away from the new candy I keep discovering, like the Andes Cherry Jubilee. That stuff tastes like hot chocolate with a hint of cherry and it's oh-so-good. I could eat so much of it and it was half off at Hy-Vee the day after Christmas and so just before I headed home, I picked up a bag along with half off Ferrero Rocher which I have not broken into yet.

It's not smart for me to hide food, it really isn't. But if I don't hide it, it goes away horrifyingly fast. I should start hoarding good food like vegetables and the like out in the open, like in a bowl in the kitchen. I bet THAT won't go away in a hurry. But it is a good idea.

Now to wrestle with my conscience over the really really really good chocolate.

I took this off the Weight Watchers website because I think you have to actually log in to read their articles. I'm not sure, but either way, I found this to be a very interesting read and have fallen for these lies in the past.

"People may set unrealistic goals or deprive themselves in extreme ways that are very difficult to maintain," says Bethany Teachman, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Virginia. "It's no wonder so many people lose weight initially but then have difficulty keeping the weight off."

Here we address the most common myths that undermine a healthy approach to weight loss—and offer tips to overcome them to achieve success.

1. I need to go on a "diet."
"The whole concept of a 'diet' sets us up to think we will be 'on a diet' then 'off a diet,'" says Teachman. Instead, think of your weight-loss plan as a lifestyle commitment to healthy eating and exercise, for the long haul.

2. I'll get back on track on Monday/after the holidays/when the sun comes out.
There's no day like today. If you slip, just pick up where you left off. Persistence works wonders.

3. All my problems will be solved when I lose weight.
Dropping pounds may leave you feeling healthier and happier, but it won't make you more lovable or turn you into a runway model. Be clear about why you want to lose weight, and set realistic goals. "It's far more motivating to strive toward being fit and energetic than it is to strive toward being a size 2," Teachman says.

4. Fat people don't deserve to eat.
Do you forego the office pizza because you're afraid people will think you shouldn't be eating? Seeing yourself through others' eyes in a harsh, critical way "is a surefire way to blow a weight-loss plan," says psychologist Debra Mandel, PhD, author of Healing the Sensitive Heart (Airleaf Publishing, 2005). Instead, she suggests, it's more effective to focus on developing a more loving relationship with your body. A study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine (Winter 1998) found that those who started out accepting their bodies were more than twice as likely to lose weight than those who felt dissatisfied or ashamed.

5. I shouldn't wear a bathing suit (shorts, a tank top) until I've lost all the weight.
Lots of people of all different sizes enjoy sexy clothes. "When you love yourself, you start enjoying life," says Mandel. Break big goals into smaller ones, and reward yourself along the way. Rather than saying, "I need to lose 25 pounds," say, "I'll buy a new swimsuit, one size smaller."

6. The less I eat, the faster I'll lose.
Wrong. "The less we eat, the slower our metabolism gets, and the slower we lose the weight," says Mandel. "Deprivation also makes us unhappy and actually causes us to overeat and overindulge." A slow and steady approach—including treating yourself to your favorite foods, in moderation—is your best bet for building a healthy relationship with food and reaching your long-term goals.

So stop telling yourself lies that sabotage your efforts. Instead, start living your life with a weight-loss plan that works for you. You'll feel better about yourself, your confidence will grow, and you'll keep the weight off.

New measurements as of today:

bust: 39"
ribcage: 32.5"
waist: 31.5"
hips: 42.5"

And here were my measurements in June:

bust: 41"
ribcage: 34"
waist: 34.75" (from 38")
hips: 45.5" (from 47")

It was a very bad week. I weighed myself on Wednesday to find I had climbed back to 173-174 (I don't remember the exact weight) and was determined to bring it back down, which I did but not back to last week. I'm determined to see that 169 again!

But that aside, one of the really exciting things is that someone actually mentioned that I was looking better. I know that weight is a very touchy subject but I have to say, I am fully aware I'm overweight and I appreciate the comment that I look thinner and healthier. I want to hear it! I won't hate anyone who says so. But the girl was hesitant to say anything, which is okay, it's not something that is comfortable to come up to someone and say.

So hey, not only am I lighter, I'm looking thinner. Awesome!

So in about a month (since it's been that long since I posted...that's sort of surprising) I've lost about 4 pounds. That's a good goal, I might like to continue to stick to that. It's slow but it seems pretty steady.

Thanksgiving was a toss or so I thought. I ate out almost every night. Monday was all-you-care-to-eat pizza with friends. I was stuffed after the apple beer and two slices of pizza. Then Tuesday was sushi with a different group of friends. They had all-you-care-to-eat but I decided to play it a lot more smart and had one roll and a large glass of water, no ice. I hate ice in my water. And Wednesday I went on a last-minute run with some friends to Borders and since the Happy Sumo was right there...well...

So it was a surprise to find that before I left, I was 174.6 and when I came back, was 169! Where did it go? Oh well, it's okay, I don't want it back!

To celebrate, I bought myself a Gold Dragon Keychain though I will employ it as a zipper gem since I already have keychains a'plenty. :)

And I keep pluggin' along.