How are you planning on handling the holiday feasting?

retirehappy

It is that time of the year, feasting season, one right after another. We seem to make the holidays happy with all the foods we didn't eat trying to lose the weight from the last holiday feasting marathon.

My biggest tool is NOT COOKING. I go somewhere have a single meal and that is it, no left over turkey, ham, roast or whatever, including all the side dishes, which are the ones that really add up quickly. Somewhere can be a restaurant or at someone else's home. If I do end up cooking something it is cheese fondue for DH, it lasts one meal only as well. Higher calories for sure, but it is just that one meal and done.

My second line of defense is eat grilled/baked/poached seafood whenever I can add a salad and a roll and I am good.

With no kids/grandkids, no holiday candies, cookies, pies or cakes are created either.

So what have others got planned? I know it is harder if yours is the house everyone comes to, but plan an attack on the calories and keep to it. Making things others like but you don't is always a great idea if you have to have treats around.

kayakerandbiker

I'm with you, retirehappy. If you don't cook it, you don't eat it. My DH and I aren't into the traditional Thanksgiving feast anyway. I'm more vulnerable around Christmas, as that was always an important holiday in my family. My Mom passed a few years ago (three weeks shy of her 99th b day) and I am nostalgic for those times we made cookies together. I have her old wooden rolling pin and the old sugar cookie cut outs so it's less about the food and more about the connection with her.

sharondtd

I still was in weight-loss mode last year, but finally was at a decent bmi. I didn't want to gain, but wanted to have traditional foods. Just now, looking back at those food and exercise diaries, I see I did have the treats, in proper proportions. I kept the calorie intake around 1200 by having lots of veg and small samples of the sweets. The other meals were just small, small snacks like 7 almonds or a serving of fruit or veg so I had calories for the celebratory meals.
The days that were most challenging were the ones when we ate out. The salt and fat and sugar in food prepared by the restaurants were astonishingly high. On those days, I went to the small snack method for the other meals to keep calories under control.
By cooking at home, I can control the way things are prepared. Also, I can break away from my side of the family's tradition of having 20 or more dishes, and the sides I choose are low cal, low fat, such as a vegetable. I send the lion's share of leftovers home with the others.
For buffets, I'd take a tiny sample of intriguing things, but they are a challenge. I hate buffets. No--I resent buffets. They cost so much, and the restaurant makes money off DH and me, as we just don't do the pig out thing.
I did not slack on exercise during the 2014 holidays, either. I used doing challenging calisthenics to help clear my head, as it was our first holiday without Mom.

retirehappy

Sharon, those are so great tips.

We are not fans of buffets either, so we avoid them. We have our own take out dishes and a carry bag for them, as a normal meal at a restaurant is enough for two or three meals these days. We always seem to get all we can eat no matter what the restaurant.

kayakerandbiker

Buffets are wasted on my DH and me too, and when we dine out we inevitably leave with leftovers. Honestly, since we retired and no longer live in the NY/NJ metro area within driving distance of relatives, we've minimized holiday eating and stress.

CrisEBTrue

I don't anticipate any problems with the holidays.
We don't have any family here, we don't do any socializing.
(that's not meant to sound pathetic) ha.

So I cook enough for us, avoid stuff I can't eat and make plenty of what I can.

Hubby is not a big sweets eater, so that eliminates that problem.

I do miss baking (and eating) cookies and other goodies, but life goes on.

janmoulder2

My plan is portion control and logging everything. And not eating between meals. But we don't do a lot of celebrating like going to parties and such, mostly I will just have to be watchful of dinners at cousin Jan's house. She feels personally responsible for providing tons of gluten free products just for me! I try telling her not to bother to no avail.

vicky1947mfp

All good plans everyone. We have scaled back the number of our holiday events also. Don't want to undo all the effort and commitment I have done.

I will faithfully log and exercise. I need to stay at my maintenance goal thru December because we are going on a 12 day road trip around Florida in January. That will be all eating food others have prepared. So I will have a big challenge during those 12 days.

This will be the first year in a long time that I have not cooked the traditional Thanksgiving meal. We lost my dear MIL and my dear Dad this year so we are going with my son (who will not have his boys) to an Thanksgiving meal at a Bistro in PA. No leftovers!! I will miss them but it is totally for the best.

New and different traditions all around.

sharondtd

low carb pumpkin pie question was asked. can't find the question now.
I'm experimenting with recipes. until we can get to Nevada, we aren't buying large quantities of anything.
however I've found that adding instant no sugar pudding mix (1/2 small package) and nonfat milk powder (1/3 cup but no water) and spices to a small can of pumpkin duplicates the taste and texture of traditional southern style pumpkin pie filling. Once we're back to where I can buy ingredients, I'm going to get guar gum and Truvia to make it more healthful. The instant pudding mixes have maltodextrin and aspartame. if you prefer fluffy pie filling, add water to the pudding, or substitute a milk if you're not on low fat.

mxchana

Thanks Sharon - yeah, I wouldn't want to use aspartame. I've found a few recipes online and I'm going to experiment. I will report the results here ~ Kathy

retirehappy

The MFP blog had some good substitute ideas today for Thanksgiving:
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/9-thanksgiving-food-swaps-to-save-calories/

I would use faux potatoes to make it even lower cals. And as Sharon mentioned on her newsfeed, no sugar in cornbread (makes me cringe thinking of it )

I like Truvia for baking and other cooking. Not so much in tea or coffee, I just skip sweetening in those all together.

I also like my pumpkin pies crustless, that helps a lot on the cals. as well. I like canned low fat milk in the pumpkin filling. Never considered using a pudding mix to make the filling, interesting idea.

DreamOn145

Sorry I started another holiday blog and THEN saw this one! I just do not look ahead sometimes! lol

I do like the holiday leftover recipes. Made Brunswick chicken stew and cornbread yesterday. I have solved the dessert problems courtesy of publix bakery single servings. Other than that, its going to have to be portion control.

mxchana

Self-defense: I take food with me that I can eat. Enough to share, of course. For our upcoming family Hanukkah party I am taking salmon salad (canned salmon, mayonnaise, green olives) garnished with cherry tomatoes and served on lettuce greens. I am also contemplating making some walnut-cheese balls that I used to make years ago - if I can find my recipe. If not, I'll fake it.

I am also taking my accordion, so I can keep myself occupied and entertain the 6 great-nieces and nephews age 7 and under. Planning on a songfest instead of a food fest!

sharondtd

Kathy, you're going to make memories for those nieces and nephews! Great!

DreamOn145

You play the accordian! That's lovely. I took lessons for a while when I was a kid, also took piano lessons. Unfortunately I have no musical ability whatsoever. The only two things I ever stuck with were painting and riding horses. And the horses are long gone now! I'm sure the kids will love it!