Hints for Surviving Over Eating Christmas Day

Michael230272

Hi MyFitnessPal Community, Merry Christmas to All. Now like alot of us we struggle with the Temptations of Over Eating specially on the Junk Food. The only way I think I'd survive is by not actually going. I'd Just want to enjoy the day without feeling like I don't need to eat for a week. Does anyone have special Hints to survive and comfortably enjoy the day. Thanks Michael

MagnumBurrito

Fast till dinner

lmlmrn

Snack on veggies with a bit of dip then fill your plate with salad and veggies, turkey potatoes grave only get one corner of the plate then repeat

arditarose

I'm sure I'll survive. Lasagna has never killed me before, that I know of.

rileysowner

One day out of the year, or for that matter 8 or 9 days scattered throughout the year will not hurt long term progress. Enjoy your time with those you love, and forget the calories for the day. Then get back at it the next day and the days following. If you do that, over the month it will not make a significant hit to your overall loss. It is far more important who you are with at during that day than obsessing over the calories you are consuming.

As for a hint, eat slowly and drink lots of water while you eat. It will give time for you to realize you are full.

queenliz99

Enjoy the holiday, it is only one or so days out of the year. The rest of the year is what is important.

loulamb7

Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends. If this means eating a bit or a lot more, so be it. It's only a day or 2 of extra calories. Add an extra walk or workout if you want to. Eat, log and move on.

Nicola0000

LeadingMuscle wrote: »

Fast till dinner

Personally for me, this would be the worse thing. I'd be so hungry, I would just stuff myself!! lol

Jim_G10

I am already convinced it will happen and will get back to normal after.

Michael230272

LeadingMuscle wrote: »

Fast till dinner

thanks for that, but i'd eat my fingers by then so not sure if I can do that lol

cbhubbybubble

I've already given in to the temptations of the holidays....the goodies, the drinks...all of it. I fully plan to eat all the things on Christmas day, too. I'm glad I'm almost at goal and not starting out, so I feel I can give myself this little break and then get back to being serious after Boxing Day. I have been trying to limit the damage of all the dinners and potlucks by loading up on a lot of basic green salad and supplementing it with a little bit of each other dish. Still higher calorie than I'd normally eat, but not as much as I would have eaten this time last year. I have the same plan for Christmas dinner....lots of salad and turkey, but not going to deny myself a few perogies and dressing. I've also kept up my gym schedule, so I haven't fallen completely off the wagon. My skinny pants still fit, so I can't have done too much damage over the last couple weeks.....some damage, I'm sure, but not too much.

Relax and enjoy Christmas dinner. Get back on track when it's over.

yogicarl

Its only two days - so why bother celebrating it? Just eat as normal and let it go by.

jonnyman41

No reason why Christmas dinner can't be healthy. Turkey is pretty lean and fill up on veg and just a couple of roasts. Eat light but delicious snacks for breakfast and supper. A splurge one day won't undo your good work but depriving yourself can lead to you eventually falling off the wagon. Have sunburned sensible is what I plan to do

jonnyman41

Auto correct! Should say have fun. Not sure how that turned into sunburned

darrensurrey

Just eat everything then get back on it on the 27th. That's my plan. Best not look at the scales for two weeks unless you're not easily depressed. Continue training throughout the Christmas period. (If your gym's closed, do bodyweight stuff at home.)

Capt_Apollo

work out. eat a little less through out the day. don't go too nuts at dinner, but also enjoy yourself. it's one day.

DawnieB1977

You don't need to go overboard, just have normal portions.

We're having chicken and veg for dinner, with stuffing and pigs in blankets. I'll probably have egg for breakfast and cheese on crackers for for lunch, maybe a mince pie after dinner, and a glass of wine. Nothing I'm worried about!

Apart from that, I've had a couple of mince pies and some truffles so far, over the past few days, and today we're having a little get-together with cheese and pâté on crackers, quiche, crisps, olives etc. My gym is only closed for 2 days.

We don't have thanksgiving in England, so this is the one time of year I eat what I like, so there's nothing to stress about.

rafikiphoto

I will walk the dogs earlier than usual tomorrow morning, that's 2-3 miles, so that I can get my 12 mile cycle ride in before our Christmas lunch with friends. That gives me 2500+ cal allowance to eat. I have foregone alcohol for a month now and don't miss it so I shall drink water in my wine glass during the afternoon. I don't usually eat all my calorie allowance anyway. This evening we have Christmas eve with other friends, more temptation so I have already walked the dogs and am just off for my bike ride. Perhaps I will lose weight this Christmas!

darrensurrey

DawnieB1977 wrote: »

We don't have thanksgiving in England, so this is the one time of year I eat what I like, so there's nothing to stress about.

Imagine being an American Chinese. You'd have Christmas, Thanksgiving and Chinese New Year.

DawnieB1977

darrensurrey wrote: »

DawnieB1977 wrote: »

We don't have thanksgiving in England, so this is the one time of year I eat what I like, so there's nothing to stress about.

Imagine being an American Chinese. You'd have Christmas, Thanksgiving and Chinese New Year.

Lol. My sister's husband is Chinese actually. She's in Hong Kong with him right now. Wonder what they'll eat for Xmas dinner.

bossyfairy

I'm intending to do a 30 day shred day - it's only 20 / 25 minutes and I am doing it as a Christmas present to myself.
As for food, I will eat in moderation and not eat until I want to explode but I will go with what my Granny used to say "a little of everything does you good. Except sprouts. They are proper evil.

deksgrl

Self control. That is all it is. Most people don't just automatically have self control, it has to be developed.
-Fill up on healthier things, then you will be less tempted by the junk.
-Stay away from any trigger foods that you know you can't stop eating.
-Have a little bit of snacks that you know you can stop eating after just one.
-Get some extra exercise.

Or, just enjoy the day and get back to your routine tomorrow. One day didn't cause all of your weight gain and one day won't wreck your weight loss either.

ljones27uk

i think its really important to let your hair down and eat whatever you want. I know its not answering the question, but for me personally ive been committed to my weight loss for over 4 months now and if I cant forget it for a day or two then I think my long term plans will ultimately fail.. We've done the hard work, or are in the process of doing the hard work and losing weight, I think we deserve a day or two off.... I can think of no better time to enjoy the fruits of our labour, than christmas. We can get right back on the wagon come 27th December!.... Whatever you do.. enjoy! (that said, I do intend to go for a run on boxing day, but thats because im visiting family on the coast and I like the idea of a run along side the sea :-))

Francl27

I survived last year, I'll survive this year. Even if I gain a pound, who cares, I'll lose it again in a month tops...

Shirleybeville

I just started on Fitness Pal and I have done wonderful. But, my family Christmas scared me to death. I have already lost 10 pounds and don't want to gain it back. I hope I have the self control I need.

Ninkyou

Enjoy the holiday and your friends/family.

You'd have to eat 3500 calories over what your body needs to maintain to gain an actual pound. If you weigh yourself after xmas and the scale is up, it's water weight and will go back down. It's temporary. All in all, it's not a big deal. Don't make yourself miserable for the sake of "omg I don't want to gain any weight". Have a cookie or two with Santa and continue what you were doing after the holidays.

Michael230272

thank you everyone for all your advice very helpful. YES just enjoy so I have done so and I'm pleased to say I did eat more than usual but I wasn't left feeling like I couldn't eat again I was a bit uncomfortable but had an enjoyable day. Hope all had a great Christmas.

Michael230272

Ninkyou wrote: »

Enjoy the holiday and your friends/family.

You'd have to eat 3500 calories over what your body needs to maintain to gain an actual pound. If you weigh yourself after xmas and the scale is up, it's water weight and will go back down. It's temporary. All in all, it's not a big deal. Don't make yourself miserable for the sake of "omg I don't want to gain any weight". Have a cookie or two with Santa and continue what you were doing after the holidays.

thanks for those figures, that's very helpful. you seem to know your stuff so that's very helpful.

Michael230272

Shirleybeville wrote: »

I just started on Fitness Pal and I have done wonderful. But, my family Christmas scared me to death. I have already lost 10 pounds and don't want to gain it back. I hope I have the self control I need.

I like what most people have written so yeah, as scary as over eating is at this time of year we should just enjoy ourselves. I was just glad not to off stuffed myself so much that I don't want to eat for a week. Hope you had a good Christmas

princessnarmor

I think if you've been diligent on your diet throughout the year, eating some for Christmas, IN MODERATION, is fine. Having said that though, the average person gains 10 lbs over the holidays.

I have not been diligent this year, so I took an extreme approach to Christmas. No Christmas dinner. Weight loss is what I WANTED for Christmas. So I chose something that I can't normally eat a lot of (not a sweet) and that's what I had for my Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners this year. At this point I don't feel strong enough to turn down the hard stuff, ie. pies, cranberry salads, the stuff I crave a lot.

So this year, my Christmas present to me was losing 10 lbs, instead of gain 10 lbs on top of last years 10 lbs. Extreme or not, it was my gift to me. I'll eat with the family after I feel I've made sufficient progress.

In the past, The holidays have been the time when I had the most weight gain, and I just can't keep putting on that 10 lbs. It would be fine if I had lost it throughout the next year and maintained it, but I didn't. I'm not punishing myself by skipping the Christmas dinner, I'm gifting myself a 10 lb loss and that's what I REALLY wanted for Christmas.

princessnarmor

Oh and I also bought myself some new SMALLER clothes for Christmas, which made the sacrifice TOTALLY worth it.