Holiday Whoas!
BRaye325
Posts: 1,383 Member
Anyone have suggestions and tips on surviving and staying on track during the holidays? Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas.
I'm traveling for Thanksgiving and hosting 2 Christmas parties this year - making me stressed already!
I'm traveling for Thanksgiving and hosting 2 Christmas parties this year - making me stressed already!
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We were just discussing this on the main board.
I promised DH cranberry sauce but we're not going to eat a ton of cookies and stuff.0 -
The actual holidays and travel days, including New Years, are not the problem. It is eating for the 60+ days from Halloween to New Year's Day that causes the weight gain.
Also, I severely limit my time in the malls and grocery stores ( no extra trips) during those two months because the colors, sounds, decorations, and smells are designed by practiced professions to prompt people to seek food and pleasure.0 -
My best tip for the Holidays and all the days in between is to log all of it......the good and the bad. This will be my third year of holiday survival and as long as I log and try to work some treats in on specific days and stay focused the other days..............I do survive.
Sometimes maintaining is the best game plan for the next couple of months as well. That's what I did last year and it worked well and then when Jan came around I got back to my deficit.
It takes discipline no matter what your plan is though!0 -
I just plan on not losing and keeping the gaining to a pound or two. Log everything! Eat something healthy before you go to a party so you don't get there starving and eat everything in sight. Thoughtfully fill your plate with what you really want and skip seconds, ( and thirds, lol). Veggies are your friend. Fruit treats are better than whipped cream and custard ones. Don't deprive yourself, makes me resentful, then I binge. Keep booze to minimum, that really makes for poor choices. In the end, it is only a few days and you can't sabotage all your hard work in that amount of time. Just a side note, my daughters and I go for a walk before the big events.0
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Great advice. Hosting two parties does allow me to have some control on the menu for Christmas. I plan to mix several healthy choices in with the goodies. Traveling to stay with and have Thanksgiving with relatives will be an interesting challenge.0
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The actual Holiday Season runs from Labor Day to Superbowl Sunday. People gain like 15 lbs, if I remember correctly.
Even today, my trainer said, "We have to work extra hard because of all the Halloween Candy we're going to eat ... " then she said "Well, we might not eat candy but We Drink. "
and then I though MIGHT DRINK ???? heck yeah, we drink ... and alcohol isn't calorie free either!!!0 -
We're going to be in Madeira for Christmas and New Year. Holiday and Xmas season! Plenty of fish and fresh veg, good - the grilled skewers ( enormous) and salads are wonderful. The wines, port and canapés- problem. Don't do desserts, no sweet tooth. Hope to find a happy medium.0
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my plan this year is to enjoy the day (Thanksgiving & Christmas) but not go nuts the whole month. Leftover desserts are leaving with guests, so I dont eat pie or fudge for the next 3 days. I am also looking for healthier or lighter versions of my favorites. Maybe we should have a healthy or light holiday recipe swap?0
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Well, I am hoping to not gain. Right now I am celebrating the holiday of My Mets Are in The World Series. They are so far killing me, but nonetheless. the nephew is coming over for a viewing party tonight and we are replicating our ballpark menu. Hot dogs, cracker jacks and ice cream. Fortunately, it's not nearly as expensive in the market as it is at the ballpark. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two days. The rest of the time I am just going to have to manage. So long as I don't gain I am happy. I am a really bad person, though. I moved since last Halloween and did not buy anything for the trick or treaters. No temptations here!0
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I forgot that the Super Bowl counts as a food holiday because I have not watched football in years.0
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One possible source of gain over the multi-month season is eating out more (fast food or sit-down) as a convenience because of being so busy with shopping, school and church programs, etc. If that's the case for you, one possible strategy is getting some portioned healthy meals into the freezer in advance that you can pull out and reheat.
Some years, I've done the Concept 2 Holiday Challenge - you're supposed to do 200,000 meters (about 124 miles) on the rowing machine between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Usually that works out to 30-45 minutes on the rowing machine daily for me to get to the 200K minimum, with a few unavoidable days off . . . it puts a calorie or two in the celebration bank.
If you're not a rower, some other type of activity challenge could play the same role, if you can fit it in. 0 -
One possible source of gain over the multi-month season is eating out more (fast food or sit-down) as a convenience because of being so busy with shopping, school and church programs, etc. If that's the case for you, one possible strategy is getting some portioned healthy meals into the freezer in advance that you can pull out and reheat.
Some years, I've done the Concept 2 Holiday Challenge - you're supposed to do 200,000 meters (about 124 miles) on the rowing machine between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Usually that works out to 30-45 minutes on the rowing machine daily for me to get to the 200K minimum, with a few unavoidable days off . . . it puts a calorie or two in the celebration bank. If you're not a rower, some other type of activity challenge could play the same role, if you can fit it in.
I think doing a challenge of some sort is a great idea. I just planned my workout schedule for the fall and winter since I'll be swimming indoors again but a challenge is an even better idea.
I think I'll just challenge myself to 2200 minutes of exercise per month. That should keep the pounds off!0 -
That's about 36 or 37 hours. Which is a lot !!!0
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So much Hallowe'en candy at the office today... So far, I've dodged it but man...0
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So much Hallowe'en candy at the office today... So far, I've dodged it but man...
You need to be ninja like. Perhaps you could pretend to be playing dodgeball!
Went to my daughters yesterday and the grandsons took in like buckets of candy, they were everywhere. So glad I was only visiting!0 -
I did 1970 minutes in August so I think I can do it...........It's about 500 per week plus 200 for the extra few days until the end of the month. It might be a bit tough over the holiday weekend but my husband and I are going to be alone this year so I should be okay!0 -
The actual holidays and travel days, including New Years, are not the problem. It is eating for the 60+ days from Halloween to New Year's Day that causes the weight gain.
are designed by practiced professions to prompt people to seek food and pleasure.
Excellent point! I've never thought about why I eat mall food at Christmas but can pass right by in the summer. I thought it was me.
This year, they won't win. The peppermint latte I usually get at the mall at Christmas is loaded with calories and fat. I'll make it at home this year, so I can control the contents.
Thank you. Thank you.
I also have a dr. appointment between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I must be diligent.
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If you love holiday food, and it's only available now, eat the things you love the most and pass by the rest. That's why I'm going to make cranberry sauce for DH (and now we're adding chocolate bark but that's mostly for me), but I'm not baking a lot of nonsense or frying food.
But we live our lives like that in general. One of the comedienes - Dave Barry maybe? - used to do a bit that, "no one sees you eat tuna fish". He meant it more as a money saver, but I'm using it as a calorie budget - eat less on your own, but treat yourself at a party or event.0 -
At Christmas I have Lindt truffles. they are available all year long but I only eat them at Christmas. I only eat Irish soda bread at St Patrick's. And mom only makes her stuffing at Thanksgiving. so I enjoy those things and generally forget about them the rest of the year. I should make all my favorite things yearly events. LOL. March 3 is lasagna day. April 2 is prosciutto day. Unfortunately, I probably have enough treats for every day to be "annual ______ day"! And I fear that it would just defeat the purpose!.0
