Hi Laura
I would advocate you sticking with LT hun. I'd worry about anyone who decides to come off LT for Xmas. My pharmacist was just telling me last week what a big downfall Xmas is for people, even those who are really determined.
At first I was hoping to have finished refeed and been on maintenance by December, not only because of Xmas but also because I was going to go out for a meal to celebrate my best friend's 30th birthday (so yes, a milestone birthday!). But now that I won't manage it in time (if I'd managed the 1 stone a month average I would have, but I'm one of the slow and steady brigade lol!
), I'm actually now glad that I'll still be on LT over Xmas - because it keeps me detached and completely away from temptation. If I'd been able to eat at Xmas, it would have been so easy to fall into the "I've lost all this weight so one won't hurt" trap. Also, with being surrounded by naughty stuff at Xmas it would be easy to get back the taste for the wrong things, and we all know that's a slippery slope!!
I want to be through refeed, plus a few weeks doing maintenance, then well used to healthy eating before I am faced with temptation - so it will be much easier to resist once I am into healthy habits. I don't want to be straight out of LT and suddenly confronted with Xmas - the one time of the year when pressure to eat and drink is at its highest!
My pharmacist has told me so many times that it is much harder to do LT the second time, not only because it is so much harder to stick to it strictly the second time, but also people tend to not lose so well when they go back onto it, which in turn makes it harder still to stick to. Anyone who has done the same diet twice (as I did with Slimming World) will have found that diets just don't seem to have the same effect the second time. Having said that though, Scaz is one of the exceptions to this rule though - lucky sod!!
Sorry to sound all doom and gloom hunni - but this is my honest opinion and I can only speak from personal experience. For me, it really is not worth breaking the diet and making it harder on myself for the sake of just a couple of days, just because of the pressure of social conventions. And who said that Xmas had to be all about food and drink anyway?!! It is about spending time with loved ones, which you can do without filling your face lol!
Besides, once you have lost the weight, you have the rest of your life to enjoy partying at Xmas - looking amazing and feeling fantastic!
As for my friend's birthday in December, I have spoken to her about it and she is cool about going out in the New Year instead, because she knows how important this is to me and understands the risks of breaking the diet and trying to go back on it again, she doesn't want me to fail on this any more than I do. She knows I have been unable to lose weight on other diets (she's seen me try SO many!) and knows that this is my one chance to finally get to goal. Because true friends who care about you will understand these things.
Besides, I'll be a much more fun person to go out with when I feel more confident and outgoing in my slinky clothes!
Anyway hun, you have to do what's best for you, just make sure you have a plan and stick to it, whatever your decision. Good luck!
Sorry for the loooooong post!!
Mxx