Friend Making Monday: Have You Ever

I really should participate in this fun little blogger social activity more often.  <a href="http://www.alltheweigh.com/2011/12/fmm-have-you-ever-and-some-other-things/">Kenlie @ All the Weigh</a> hosts this weekly event.  Go check her out if you haven't already - she's already lost more than 100 lbs and is still going strong.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.alltheweigh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/FMM1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.alltheweigh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/FMM1.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>FMM: Have You Ever?</b></div><br /><b>1. …traveled outside of your home country?  If so, where?</b>  I've been to Canada. haha.. .I'm not a brave flyer.. but I have big dreams of going to Europe some day.  I'd also love to go to Japan as well.<br /><br /><b>2. …performed on stage in front of at least 1,000 people? If so, share some details!</b>  Never. <br /><br /><b>3. …watched an episode of Jersey Shore?</b>  I have, but no by choice.  I was at a friend's house and they were watching it.  I'm not a fan.<br /><br /><b>4. …baked a cake from scratch?</b>  <b>If so, what’s your specialty?</b>  I have many times.  I've done carrot cake and this pumpkin layer cake that I make every year for Thaksgiving for Joel's family.  This year I'm going to try my hand at a <a href="http://m.bhg.com/recipe/layer-cakes/red-waldorf-cake/">Red Waldorf Cake</a> (like red velvet) for our Christmas Eve dinner at Joel's grandparents.  So excited to try it out!<br /><br /><b>5. …worked in a grocery store?</b>  No.  Does a drug store count?<br /><br /><b>6. …dated someone who was your best friend first? </b> No - Joel and I were perfect strangers.<br /><br /><b>7. …made a difference in someone’s life during Christmas?</b> I hope I have by providing donations of gifts/money or just by bringing a smile to someone's face when they open a gift I've given them.  But this is all speculation on my part :).<br /><br /><b>8. …been on TV?</b>  Yes, as a child.  It was the local news.<br /><br /><b>9. …had cosmetic surgery?</b> No and I don't ever plan on it.<br /><br /><b>10. …learned a second language?  If so, what else do you speak?</b> I did learn French in both high school and college.  While that proved useful in Canada, in the U.S., particularly in Washington, DC, it would be much more advantageous to know Spanish.  Someday.. once I get done w/ these nursing classes!<br /><br />Now you try out these questions and post your link at Kenlie's page!  Happy Monday!

Friend Making Mondays Friend Making Monday: Have You Ever

I really should participate in this fun little blogger social activity more often.  Kenlie @ All the Weigh hosts this weekly event.  Go che...

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OBSESSIVE WEIGHING: A SIGN YOU EAT EMOTIONALLY

<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You should see the weird looks I get when I tell my hCG protocol patients not to weigh themselves. And the responses I get are very predictable: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">         </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“But I read on the Internet I’m supposed to weigh every day!”</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">         </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“How am I going to know if I should do an 'apple-day' when weight-loss stalls?”</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">         </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“If I don’t weight myself how am I supposed to know if the protocol is working?”</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">         </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“The only reason I’m doing this is to lose weight, so what am I going to use as motivation?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The amount of fear and anxiety people have after I suggest they not weigh is not surprising. In general, people only pay and enlist in diets because they hate how they look and are disgusted by their body fat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people have physical ailments because of their obesity, such as sleep disturbance, symptoms of adrenal fatigue (tired, lack of motivation, etc.), heart burn, hair-loss, skin problems, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>high blood pressure, decreased libido, hot flashes, high cholesterol, poor body-image, embarrassment in social settings, and many more issues associated with having too much fat and resulting fat hormones. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They’ll tell you these symptoms are profound reasons to lose weight, and they’ve convinced themselves these reasons are why they are enlisting in the hCG protocol. However, their main focus and source of motivation is centrally focused on watching the scale go down. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the first week, they notice significant relief from most, if not all, of the symptoms listed above. Patients profess how amazing they feel. But if the scale doesn’t budge one day−they're discouraged, and if weight on the scale stalls more than a few days− they're irritable and frantic. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They quickly forget about how good they feel, and the incredible relief they get from their physical ailments. If weight doesn’t go down (no matter how physically theraputic the protocol is) they really don’t want to continue to restrict themselves from eating. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once reward and motivation from the scale loses momentum, so does their desire to continue restraint, and in order to feel compensated for following the protocol, they rationalize a reward: cheating. What does this reaction to the scale tell you about their intentions? Do all of the hormonal ramifications that cause disease and early death, really have anything to do with why they are doing the hCG protocol? If so, why does the scale have such a large influence on motivation to continue the protocol or not? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You could notice the obvious improvements in energy, how much better you feel, how sleep has markedly improved, and how heart-burn and hot-flashes have disappeared, but if the scale doesn’t go down like you thought, the effort isn’t worth it. Worth what? If you’re not experiencing physical hunger, what are you giving up? Most likely, you are feeling emotionally deprived. This emotional deprivation is why people say it takes “self-discipline” to follow the protocol restraints, and why weight is used as bait or emotional reward.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Emotional delights, entertainment, fun, ego protection, and all reason we eat that have nothing to do with hunger, are what causes feelings of deprivation when dieting. People feel punished, even when there isn’t hunger, and there’s relief from hormonal ailments and symptoms that plagued their body. We’ve been confused to believe that weight is the problem, and not our emotional desires to eat. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Americans have been so misguided by the diet industry to believe that weight is a plague, and is the only reason you need to pay them to eat less. Yes, you pay a multi-billion dollar industry to eat less, to obsess over your weight, and to feel guilty about food. And you do this over and over again, even though this approach has never worked. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When did you start obsessing over weight? I bet it started with your first diet. They taught you weight defined success or failure and since then you’ve probably defined your value based on weight. Do you constantly feel guilty when you eat, and do you tend to binge eat whenever you don’t eat perfectly? The diet industry has caused major emotional problems by selling weight as the problem, and judging food emotionally. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Because of how judgmental and extreme the diet industry is, most people feel vulnerability and guilt when they eat. When you emotionalize what you eat, you lose your ability to make rational decisions. For example, most people have enough intelligence to understand a bite of pie is very different than a piece of pie, which is very different than eating the whole pie. However, when you’ve been taught pie is bad, one bite is just as bad as a piece, and is no different than eating the whole pie. If you’re going to have a bite you might as well eat the whole thing! Sound familiar? If this is how you think, you’ve fallen victim to the diet industry, and as a result you may have an emotional eating disorder. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I suggest you stop weighing yourself so you can actually fix the cause of the problem. Monitor the profound physical relief you get when you stop eating emotionally, and how emotionally vulnerable you feel without eating. Change the definition of diet, so that success is measured in a decline in the desire and need to eat emotionally. Think about it this way: if you didn’t like eating excessively or emotionally, would you have a weight problem? Would you have to “battle your weight”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you didn’t like eating for fun, for entertainment, and for emotional reasons you wouldn’t feel deprived by eating less and you wouldn’t need to weigh yourself as reward. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goal is to eat less, because you want to, and with this−you’ll never obsess over your weight again.</span></div>

OBSESSIVE WEIGHING: A SIGN YOU EAT EMOTIONALLY

You should see the weird looks I get when I tell my hCG protocol patients not to weigh themselves. And the responses I get are very predicta...

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Giveaway Winner & Weekend Recap

Well let's get right down to business, shall we?<br /><br />The winner of the $40 Target giftcard was announced on Saturday evening on The Big Weight Facebook page, but just in case you (or the winner) missed that, the lucky person is:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thekrazycouponlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/target-Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://thekrazycouponlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/target-Logo.png" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jena Rae!!!!!!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Jena Rae - please send me an email (thebighweight@hotmail.com) with your full name and address so I can get the goods sent to you as soon as possible :)... hopefully you can take advantage of those after Christmas sales!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">With the impending Christmas holiday, I don't know about you, but I've been SUPER busy.  I'm not only behind on my own blog, but I cannot keep up with my other favorites either!  </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">By the way, last Friday I had a small gain 0.8 lbs.  I didn't sweat it.   </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">What I am sweating is that this weekend I baked over 300 cookies (for gifts, not for me!!).  So, what I want to know from you is this:  <i>is it even possible to bake cookies and not sample them????</i>  </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I started off really well - just kind of focusing on making the cookies, and not dwelling on how awesome they might taste.  Then I transitioned to cookies that I hadn't ever made before, so I wanted to give them a taste.  Ok - no problem.  A small piece of one cookie (then pawning the rest off on to Joel) was no biggie.  But then shortly there after it quickly went downhill.  All day Saturday, and for about 6 hours on Sunday, I baked the following: Oreo balls, Snickerdoodles, Melt In Your Mouth Sugar Cookies, VF's Chocolate Chip Cookies, Buckeyes, Peanut Butter Blossoms and <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/12/bhg-fudgy-cappuccino-crinkles.html">Fudgy Cappuccino Crinkles</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Let's just say that from Monday to Thursday, I have to be ON POINT with the Points+ counting.  I mean, at this point, I may very well have a gain on Friday as it is, but I am going to try very hard to redeem myself from this weekend's self-sabotage.  Lord help me!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thankfully all those cookies are tucked safely in my deep freezer... hard as rocks by now :).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'll leave you all with this:  </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyoWlB0MxYbQZ7_ruT29ROYz0WgKYqz_5MnefRv-tzjrmakALotFGKmCUTlApfBZm-xY_v1auFDOIgKGUF6LMX_r-pYq1c7K0HcyJ7jdyoiNH00g3VhTHL4dwAyxfuNOmI2EtKJBwsv8/s1600/hair.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyoWlB0MxYbQZ7_ruT29ROYz0WgKYqz_5MnefRv-tzjrmakALotFGKmCUTlApfBZm-xY_v1auFDOIgKGUF6LMX_r-pYq1c7K0HcyJ7jdyoiNH00g3VhTHL4dwAyxfuNOmI2EtKJBwsv8/s320/hair.JPG" width="294" /></a></div><br />For 4 hours on Friday, Kim at <a href="http://ladolcevitalaplata.com/">La Dolce Vita Salon</a> changed my hair color from blonde to purple.  Love love love!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>

giveaways Weekend Recap Giveaway Winner & Weekend Recap

Well let's get right down to business, shall we? The winner of the $40 Target giftcard was announced on Saturday evening on The Big Weig...

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Annoying co-workers: Holiday edition

<br /><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: -30px;"><div class="hdr_org_bld" style="color: #ff6600; font: normal normal bold 18px/normal arial, helvetica;"><h1 id="articleHeadline" style="color: #ff7700; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></h1></div><div class="cbmsnArticleImage"><a href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=Frosty+the+Snowman&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=msns07" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Frosty the Snowman</a> isn't the only character coming your way this holiday season. In fact, the annual arrival of mistletoe, garland and<a href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=gingerbread+cookie+recipes&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=msns07" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">gingerbread cookies</a> can transform a normally rational and well-mannered employee into another person entirely.</div></div><div class="ArticleContent" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/6g/ar5l35x652pqz5pd226g.gif?time=10/28/2011%202:32:06%20pm" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/6g/ar5l35x652pqz5pd226g.gif?time=10/28/2011%202:32:06%20pm" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Here are some memorable individuals you might soon encounter, along with tips for making sure you don't cross the line from festive to annoying:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>The Not-So-Secret Shopper</b><br />This worker helps the overall economy but offers nothing to your company's bottom line. After taking excessively long lunch breaks to bag deals at the mall, the brazen bargain hunter spends the rest of the day shopping online. Responsible for countless hours of lost productivity, the Not-So-Secret Shopper rudely leaves others to pick up the slack.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Tip:</b> Don't let your gift list get in the way of your job duties. Even if your company has a liberal<a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/computer/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">computer</a> usage policy, err on the side of caution and save the shopping for after you get off work.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>The Human Holiday Display</b><br />This person pays no mind to the company dress code or office décor guidelines in December. Typically wearing reindeer antlers, a snowman sweater and candy cane pin, she transforms her cubicle into a blinding sea of blinking lights and tinsel. The over-the-top spectacle leaves fellow team members squinting their eyes and scratching their heads.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Tip:</b> It's fun to celebrate the holidays, but adhere to organizational and departmental norms when decorating your work space and yourself. Remember: everything in moderation.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>The Cookie Monster</b><br />Think that slice of pumpkin pie is protected because you put a sticky note on it claiming ownership? Think again. Unless you put a lock on the office <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/refrigerator/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">refrigerator</a>, no treat is safe when this sugar-craving sneak is roaming the halls. The sweet-toothed bandit also comes empty-handed to potluck meals and then shamelessly devours all the fudge brownies before anyone else gets a bite.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Tip:</b> Nobody likes a thief. Put the cake down slowly, and step away from the fridge. For more on this topic, see what happens when treats go missing from the office fridge at <a href="http://www.roberthalf.com/dont-let-this-happen-to-you" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">www.roberthalf.com/dont-let-this-happen-to-you</a>.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>The Sniffler</b><br />Holiday season is also cold and flu season. The germ-ridden "Sniffler" fails to think about the greater good, coming to work when he clearly should be at home resting. With a nose redder then Rudolph's, he coughs and sneezes his way through the day, oblivious to the risk he poses to co-workers and their holiday plans. The Sniffler believes he's displaying dedication, when in reality his frustrated colleagues are grumbling about his lack of consideration and common sense.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Tip:</b> When you're under the <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/weather/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">weather</a>, do everyone a favor by taking a sick day. If you absolutely must work, ask the boss if you can <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/telecommuting/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">telecommute</a>.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>The Party Animal</b><br />Regardless of how casual the setting is, the annual office party is still a work function -- not the best venue for letting loose. This fact eludes the Party Animal. Instead of viewing the get-together as an opportunity to strengthen or forge internal connections, this merrymaker overindulges in eggnog and creates all kinds of awkwardness. Inevitably, the entire company will be whispering about the Party Animal's regrettable antics by the next morning.<i></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Tip:</b> Allow yourself to have some fun at work events, but don't completely let down your guard. You don't need to be the life of the party to make an impression. Drink alcohol moderately, if at all, and don't pressure others who are opting to abstain.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>The Grinch</b><br />In sharp contrast to the workplace's most cheerful holiday enthusiasts, this frosty grump is well-known for having a bad attitude. He maintains a Scroogelike demeanor to make it clear he's not feeling festive and you shouldn't either. Full of cynicism, smirks and sarcasm, he finds a way to pooh-pooh everything. The <a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Grinch&FORM=msns07" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Grinch</a> remains unaware that the constant griping, groaning and gossiping are incredibly grating.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Tip:</b> Some people don't get into holidays, and that's all right. What's not OK is trying to spread a "Bah humbug!" attitude to everyone else. Be mindful that strong interpersonal skills such as tact and diplomacy are critical to career advancement.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Not everyone at your company celebrates the same holidays, and not everyone celebrates with the same level of enthusiasm. What's most important is to understand and respect those differences. And if nothing else, stop swiping the sugar cookies.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Robert Half International is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 350 offices worldwide. For more information about our professional services, visit <a href="http://www.roberthalf.com/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">http://www.roberthalf.com/</a>. For additional career advice, view our career bloopers video series at <a href="http://www.roberthalf.com/dont-let-this-happen-to-you" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">www.roberthalf.com/dont-let-this-happen-to-you</a> or follow us on Twitter at<a href="http://www.twitter.com/roberthalf" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">www.twitter.com/roberthalf</a>.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div></div>

Annoying co-workers: Holiday edition

Frosty the Snowman  isn't the only character coming your way this holiday season. In fact, the annual arrival of mistletoe, garland and ...

Read more »