What a month! I moved into a new place, having to eat out a lot, plus with the holidays and family visiting, you can imagine what it's been like to stay on a plan! I've thankfully not gained any weight this month. Rather, I've lost a pound! Though the scale didn't move much, I consider this month a great success. I'm now back on the plan!

I've been walking a lot more than I used to, and I've also started to cook more. These two things will also be part of my new year's resolutions. Happy new year, everyone!

Talk about averaging out weighins. This week, I lost 5 pounds! So last week's weight must have been water or something. It's so nice to be doing well. Yesterday, I was walking to my car and I actually *felt* lighter. It was strange actually being aware of carrying less weight. I definitely notice the difference in my clothes, I'm sleeping better, and I have a bit more energy than I used to.

I tried a really good new recipe this week for lime-pepper chicken from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. I also found an apartment! I made sure it had a really nice kitchen so I'd be motivated to cook. Plus, it's right on the bus route, so I'll take the bus and walk to work, which will automatically build walking into my lifestyle. I could have picked a nicer place further away, but it would have meant driving to work, and I decided I wasn't just picking a place to live, I was also picking a lifestyle. And for the next year, I want my lifestle to focus on getting healthy and getting out in the world more, rather than isolating myself.

Thanks to everyone who's reading this. Please leave a comment (like Sara always does! thank you Sara!) if you have something to say, especially if you have any suggestions or favorite things to try.

Though I didn't lose any weight this week, I didn't gain any either. Not too bad for the week after Thanksgiving! One nice bonus is that today was measurements week, and I lost 7.5 inches. That's a huge victory. I'd definitely recommend doing measurements if you're trying to lose weight, because in some way it's more of a motivator than the scale is. Even so, I can't wait til I see 269 on the scale.

I cooked a bunch this week. I tried the apricot chicken and green beans recipe from the You book and it was terrific! The cinnamon apple saute dessert is also quite good.

Thanksgiving is over! Wonder of wonders, I got full and didn't even have pie! I did eat more than I normally would, but it was mostly turkey and an extra roll. Overall, I think I did pretty good yesterday. I had fun cooking for my family, and didn't get hung up on the actual eating. I went to the doctor to get my flu shot and also got my cholesterol checked (164). Unfortunately, I didn't request a full cholesterol check, so I don't know my HDL & LDL. I'll have to remember to do that next time. I bought a blood pressure monitor from the pharmacy, so I can track it to see if it goes down with the You plan. It's a little high right now, so it'll be a good motivator to exercise.

I'm apartment shopping. I'm trying to find a place close to a bus line so I can commute to work and do a lot of walking. I find that when I have a reason to walk, I'm fine with it, and it doesn't feel like exercise. It's only when I have to go "walk for half an hour" just for walking's sake that I start to not do it. Again, I want to incorporate it into my lifestyle. I want to live by a bus route, and near the library and grocery store so that I can walk to all of those places.

I really do not get cravings on this plan. I'm so happy with it. This is usually the hardest week of the month for me, and it's been fine! No problems at all. Don't get me wrong, I slip up occasionally, but it's rare and it's something small, not a huge binge like in the past. I think I have finally found a program that works for me!

I always notice weight loss first in my upper legs. I look down and can tell they're smaller. Plus my chin. I had that this week, and there is no better motivation than that.

Starting over, yet again. Isn't that the bad title from a book on Sex and the City? One of these days, it will just be for good. I think.. I hope? it is this time.

This time, I'm following You on a Diet, having seen it on Oprah a week ago. I had started off on Weight Watchers again, and I was going to do the points counting on Flex and just not attend meetings. However, I thought the You plan looked great, and so far I've had wonderful success. I pretty much started on Nov. 4, and I've already lost 5 pounds (a couple were probably from the week before) and I've lost an amazing 2 inches from my waist! The best part is that I feel I'm being healthy, and my body is definitely responding. I've lost most of my cravings, and I'm walking the 30 minutes a day that's required. I'm finding the eating plan has really helped. A real find for me? Eating nuts. It truly does curb my hunger. I'd highly recommend the plan to anyone who's looking for something new, and I'll post my progress as I go along.