just a little bit tired of the "how are you plannig to eat in the holydays" post?

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So i've being seeing a lot of post of people asking how the rest of people are going to eat/ handle Christmas ?, and i don't know, i think sometimes we get to much anxiety when this time a year arrives on how are we going to behave ourselves in the probably maybe one time a year where it's "normal" or ok to overeat and give ourselves a break, and we loose our sight on the big picture which is in my case the reason why i'm here ; to get healthy and finally take control of my life.

i dont want to make this too long, but really the holidays season are only a couple of days in 6-7 weeks, lets keep focusing in what we've being doing right, in my case i've being going to the gym for a while now for 1 hour 4x a week, and right now im pushing my self to stay for 15-20 minutes more, so by the time january comes i want to make an habit going everytime for an hour and a half.

i know, believe me, how it can get hard on this season to keep doing what we are doing, this is my favorite time in the year, love everything that comes with it, but the only thing that i love more than the holiday food, family getting together, Christmas partys, etc, is me loosing a dress size or feeling how my pants are going to get more saggy or that feeling when you look yourself in the mirror and your start liking what you see; those are the things that i say to my self that don't make me worry or feel anxiety in the upcoming holidays.

the reason why I wrote this is because sometimes i get the feeling that people come here looking for approval to overeat, to listen to others saying the "this is a one time a year so I'm gonna eat whatever i feel like stuff" , and feel ok with them self because subconsciously they know they are going to overeat a lot, if you want to eat what you want to eat; do it! but lets not forget that is possible to go true this time and improve our health and no gaining weight and actually also loose weight.

PS; one---> omg and this was not to suppose to be long -__- :D (soorry!). two ---> i really didn't want to offend anyone with my post in case anyone feels that way, im just getting some thoughts out of my head.

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Replies

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    I don't think people are looking for approval to overeat. I think they just realize that it is difficult to not overeat when there are family members constantly saying, "Here, have another helping. Here, have another piece of pie."
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    If posting it on the forums to hopefully feel less guilty about overindulging on a holiday is what they want, then I would want to help with that. There really is no reason to feel guilty indulging in the holidays.

    People dieting often do start out with an all or nothing attitude when it comes to adherence. I'd like people to realize that holidays are inevitable, and if you can't resist something you love to eat, then go ahead and have it this one time.
  • knitapeace
    knitapeace Posts: 1,013 Member
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    I think part of the problem is that the holidays aren't just a couple of days in 6-7 weeks, as far as parties and celebrations go. My office has a Thanksgiving lunch potluck on Tuesday before Thanksgiving, then a potluck breakfast the very next day, then of course the next day is Thanksgiving itself. Then there's the office Christmas party and all the friend and family get-togethers ("Let's do ours 2 weekends before Christmas, then you can do yours the weekend before, and then we'll be with our families on the actual holiday...") It turns into event after event after event all centered on food, because not everyone in our lives is as focused on healthy eating as we are. So it becomes a juggernaut of control and moderation which can be challenging, especially in the face of difficult family relationships and history.

    Not to mention, some of us also have birthdays the day before Thanksgiving, ahem. So naturally, cake. ;)
  • ElizabethNJ
    ElizabethNJ Posts: 32 Member
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    I have to agree. I'm planning on eating lol. It's really food I only eat once a year, I don't really care if others agree with that or not (that sounded snarkier than I expected). That being said, with my father being diabetic and my mother's high blood pressure, the food they make is relatively healthy, low in salt and nothing has sugar added, nothing fried. So my main focus is on not over eating and keeping my portion sizes under control. Which has pretty much always been my main problem, holiday or not. If I have an off day, then I will just get back on the horse the next day with proper diet and exercise. Having a day where you don't eat your best (we all have those) is not any reason to stop eating better... you know big picture vs small picture and all that jazz. I do still plan on logging my food, I'm interested in seeing how I do, maybe that will be incentive to keep my portions under control.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    So many people answer "It is just one day" or two days, if you count Thanksgiving. This attitude doesn't even account for the leftovers. Moreover, a lot of people have office parties and social parties and family parties. In my family, it used to start at Halloween. There was a big block party for Halloween, then my birthday, then Thanksgiving, then one brother's birthday, then the other brother's birthday, then Christmas itself, then family reunion Christmas, then the other family had New Years...

    Even now, we will be visiting our families Christmas through New Year's. My mother in law will offer us home made goodies throughout the day and comment on how thin her son is. If I leave the kitchen, my father in law will say something political that will make me want to shove food in my mouth to avoid screaming. Then we will go visit my family where, even thought I am obese, I am one of the smaller adults. The kids are all active and healthy and need to have food frequently, and for some reason we usually join in with them.

    You need a strategy to get through all of that.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    I'm going for 30K calories on Thanksgiving day and Christmas day.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Some of those parties are a lot easier to not overeat at than others.
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,426 Member
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    I am planning to eat over the holidays with a fork, knife, spoon and my fingers.

    /done
  • knitapeace
    knitapeace Posts: 1,013 Member
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    You need a strategy to get through all of that.

    For sure! I think a lot of people post to the forums just looking for help on those strategies. Nothing wrong or weak about that. :)

    I'm lucky, we're Jewish and don't have huge celebrations during December. But our Thanksgiving is huge, and my husband has to have his latkes fried in oil during Hanukkah!

  • MomTo3Lovez
    MomTo3Lovez Posts: 800 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    I'm going for 30K calories on Thanksgiving day and Christmas day.

    I'm with you on that one.

    And from what I have seen from friends is that for the holidays they aren't going to be a deficit, they are going to go with their TDEE and be in maintenance over the holidays that way they aren't freaking out as to what they can and cannot have but still have some type of control over what they are eating so they don't gain any just not lose any. Makes sense, though I am not going that route not for Thanksgiving and not for Christmas, it is what it is and come Dec 26th I am going to work my tail off. Holidays are supposed to be enjoyed not be made to be miserable. JMO
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,302 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    I'm going for 30K calories on Thanksgiving day and Christmas day.

    This has the making of a thread challenge. . . . .mmmmm 30K in a day. . . . ..dat gum it. . . . .somebody call the MFP sheriff. . .and let us not confuse 30k with cycling OR running OR swimming. . . . .
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I'm going for 30K calories on Thanksgiving day and Christmas day.

    This has the making of a thread challenge. . . . .mmmmm 30K in a day. . . . ..dat gum it. . . . .somebody call the MFP sheriff. . .and let us not confuse 30k with cycling OR running OR swimming. . . . .

    Well, I am doing a 5K on Thanksgiving...lol. Don't think that will cover the 30K cals though.

  • zchastain
    zchastain Posts: 55 Member
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    It's legit if they're truly worried about ALL THE GATHERINGS (not just the 2 major holidays).

    My gauntlet:
    My birthday - Oct 16
    Halloween
    Daughter's birthday - Nov 15
    Thanksgiving
    Office Christmas pot luck
    Company Christmas party
    Christmas Eve (my family)
    Christmas Day (extended friends/family)
    Daughter's birthday - Dec 30
    New Year's

    All these occasions have wonderful, delicious food. And LOTS of leftovers. (We're still just 1/3 of the way through my 11/15 daughter's leftover bday cake and I'm doing most of the work there!)

    I get in a few extra miles of running if weather allows and try to stay near maintenance on average over that period of time.
  • karyabc
    karyabc Posts: 830 Member
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    hi! :) i've read all of your comments , it's nice to hear other point of view of things! like i said i know it's really hard, and definitely every journey is different in each of us, i guess what we all have to remember is to never let a bad day to become a bad week and that to turn into a bad season.
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,834 Member
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    I have 5 holiday get-togethers between Thanksgiving and Christmas....and that's not even counting Thanksgiving and Christmas/Christmas Eve. Add them up with New Years and I have 9 outings I have to contend with. The holidays are stressful enough and I guess some of us are a little concerned about getting derailed and need some extra support or encouragement.

    Funny thing is that once all that is over I'll be back to watching Netflix every weekend for the next 10 months B)
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
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    Oh, then you might want to stay away from the forums later... most likely these same people will be the ones freaking out that they gained weight from all that eating... and asking advice on how to lose said weight. Oh there will be a lot of those kinds of threads.
  • allieallieoxenfree
    allieallieoxenfree Posts: 114 Member
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    knitapeace wrote: »
    I think part of the problem is that the holidays aren't just a couple of days in 6-7 weeks, as far as parties and celebrations go. My office has a Thanksgiving lunch potluck on Tuesday before Thanksgiving, then a potluck breakfast the very next day, then of course the next day is Thanksgiving itself. Then there's the office Christmas party and all the friend and family get-togethers ("Let's do ours 2 weekends before Christmas, then you can do yours the weekend before, and then we'll be with our families on the actual holiday...") It turns into event after event after event all centered on food, because not everyone in our lives is as focused on healthy eating as we are. So it becomes a juggernaut of control and moderation which can be challenging, especially in the face of difficult family relationships and history.

    Not to mention, some of us also have birthdays the day before Thanksgiving, ahem. So naturally, cake. ;)

    My birthday is the day before Thanksgiving too!!! This year at least. :):):)
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Okay karyabc, I guess you're right. I can just eat my regular amount of calories on Christmas. The only thing I feel I HAVE to have on Christmas is gingerbread cookies, so I'm pretty sure I can fit those into my cal goal. Probably just replace my daily french toast & bacon breakfast with a coffee and eggs breakfast. That should make room for me to have gingerbread men later. I'll try your way this year. Let's see what happens.
  • jolt28
    jolt28 Posts: 218 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    I'm going for 30K calories on Thanksgiving day and Christmas day.

    Will you log it all? I wanna see that!! :wink:

  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    Nothing wrong with planning ahead. People do tend to gain weight over these holidays. I want to have an idea in mind what I will eat. I like to taste everything, so I think I will just have smaller portions.

    I do know that if I get the mentality that I will go over my calories only on special occasions it is too easy for every day to become a special occasion.