Food at Christmas

Samm471

okay so I've been on my journey for about 5 and a half months I've done pretty well and managed to gain some muscle and strength since I only started 5 and a half months ago I've never been on here or tracked anything at Christmas. What does everyone do over the festive period? Do you enjoy it and get back on track after Christmas or do you log everything and keep accountable? I think I'm just going to enjoy it ( too many goodies to eat) I won't go crazy though and get back on track after Christmas maybe the day after Boxing Day What about everyone else? Just curious

KANGOOJUMPS

Yes, I enjoy it,,, its a holiday... have fun!! But I do work out every day and try to burn 1000 calories too.

Samm471

KANGOOJUMPS wrote: »

Yes, I enjoy it,,, its a holiday... have fun!! But I do work out every day and try to burn 1000 calories too.

Okay cool! Yeah I will enjoy it I will still be conscious of what I eat though but I don't want to be strict and log things just enjoy it

Working2BLean

It is a "food relationship" issue.

If there is a link between eating all the holiday food with happiness, that is a bit of a warning sign that there is an unhealthy situation.

I enjoy a bit of it, in moderation, and on days I have a chance to burn it off.

The first year I passed on all of it. The second year I had a little bit at family gatherings. I also put in an extra hour of treadmill time in

It is just fuel. If you burn it off then it really just how to your calorie in/out balance.

Don't be scared of treating food for what it is. It is just fuel. Burn it off and move on. There is no guilt or morality to a brownie or turkey leg.

A calorie deficit does not care about anything but the math

Of course eating too much sugar and having to burn off 1200 extra calories a day isn't something I would do often...

Samm471

Working2BLean wrote: »

It is a "food relationship" issue.

If there is a link between eating all the holiday food with happiness, that is a bit of a warning sign that there is an unhealthy situation.

I enjoy a bit of it, in moderation, and on days I have a chance to burn it off.

The first year I passed on all of it. The second year I had a little bit at family gatherings. I also put in an extra hour of treadmill time in

It is just fuel. If you burn it off then it really just how to your calorie in/out balance.

Don't be scared of treating food for what it is. It is just fuel. Burn it off and move on. There is no guilt or morality to a brownie or turkey leg.

A calorie deficit does not care about anything but the math

Of course eating too much sugar and having to burn off 1200 extra calories a day isn't something I would do often...

Yeah totally and that's how I see my food as fuel really. I do still have things from
Time to time like if I've got enough cals left at the end of the day I will have a biscuit or cookie as a treat it's not a problem at all I will be aware of what I'm eating but I won't totally pass up on treats etc we do still have to live were all human and christmas comes once a year it's good to be able to enjoy it

brower47

I definitely enjoy myself until I don't anymore. I've logged holidays in the past to try to keep me self in check. Sometimes it works but sometimes the temptation of all those unhealthy foods becomes too much. Still, at least with logging, I always had a record. I'm going to go with less logging this year to see how I do. It's a journey and everyone has to find their own way. I hope you find yours!

Francl27

I eat all the foods. And log it. And go back on track the next day (last year I was so sick the day after that I only ate 450 calories).

Athijade

Be aware of what I eat but enjoy myself and those once a year treats. I will log most days, but not on the holidays themselves. Then I get back to it the next day.

Ninkyou

I enjoy it and try to fit it into my calorie goal. But if I end up going over, it is what it is. I just log it and move on.

Kalikel

Christmas is the worst for dieting! It's cookies and cakes and all manner of yumminess being forced upon you!

Getting through Christmas is a struggle for a dieter. I'm already planning and preparing. Halloween was okay. Thanksgiving...it's one meal.

But Christmas...ugh.

scorpcookie

Christmas is my favorite time of year and the food tends to be one of the reasons for it. I have so many wonderful memories related to trying different foods during the holidays and this year I plan on baking up a storm. Not to mention all the store bought foods I already have stock piled, ready to eat and share with family and friends.

I know I'm going to put on some weight during the holidays, however I plan on trying to exercise as much as possible before, during and after to try and mitigate that weight gain.

The flood gates of feasting upon sweets will probably not start until the 2nd half of December. I figure I still have about a month left to lose a final 5lbs before trying to maintain for the next month or so as I enjoy parties, the big Christmas meal, a holiday trip and finishing leftovers which will likely last into mid January.

I plan on thoroughly enjoying Christmas this year.

pdxwine

I still log everything. Last year, I did not go over for any holiday meal. I was very proud of myself for sticking with a plan.

I did not deprive myself of anything, I simply kept to a plan and goal.

yesimpson

I love Christmas.
I eat what I like, but I think about it. Do I need to eat a slightly stale shop-bought mince pie every time I'm offered between Bonfire Night and New Year? Nope. Do I need to drink eggnog at the work Christmas party just because it's seasonal, even though I don't really like it? Do I really have to accept a chocolate from every shop/the hairdressers/my gym entrance desk, even though Quality Street are available all year round?
I enjoy the little festive touches that I don't get access to all the time, like my mum's Christmas cake and mulled wine at the markets, but I try to be sensible and avoid the stuff I don't love, or the stuff I already had yesterday, and to make the usual sensible choices I do year round.
I'm a right pig Christmas Eve-Boxing Day, then I start reining it in. Exercise is a big part of my life so that doesn't hurt.

Samm471

It's good to see what everyone plans on doing. I think Christmas Eve , Christmas Day and Boxing Day I will not be logging anything and I work pretty hard and find it easy to drop weight so I know it won't take long to take whatever I've gained back off. The main thing is wether your logging your food or not that you enjoy christmas ☺️

mommarnurse

I've been at this long enough to know that it's okay for you to enjoy eating a variety of foods on a major holiday like that. It doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself silly (that never feels good). Would one day of eating healthy make you become skinny? Of course not. One day of going (way) over maint. Calories isn't going to make you fat again, either. Also, I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to offset that day of caloric splurge by making more of a deficit the week before and after. Say, for example, you know you probably had 2,000 calories over maint. Then for the week before and after just cut 1,000 calories each week or like an extra 150-175 per day. That's not Much to cut but will even out your surplus that one day. Me? I'm not counting on Xmas. I'm enjoying all the foods and will probably end up cutting a bit the week before and after.

kbmnurse

Too soon to work about Christmas. Try getting thru Thanksgiving first.

salembambi

Christmas Eve - Dec 27 no logging eat what i want

get back to somewhat on track for a couple days then New Years Eve is a *kitten* show love it

have fun and enjoy yourself and your time with people you love

akboy58

mommarnurse wrote: »

I've been at this long enough to know that it's okay for you to enjoy eating a variety of foods on a major holiday like that. It doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself silly (that never feels good). Would one day of eating healthy make you become skinny? Of course not. One day of going (way) over maint. Calories isn't going to make you fat again, either. Also, I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to offset that day of caloric splurge by making more of a deficit the week before and after. Say, for example, you know you probably had 2,000 calories over maint. Then for the week before and after just cut 1,000 calories each week or like an extra 150-175 per day. That's not Much to cut but will even out your surplus that one day. Me? I'm not counting on Xmas. I'm enjoying all the foods and will probably end up cutting a bit the week before and after.

Definitely this^

This will be my third holiday season since rethinking my relationship with food. The first year I dreaded Thanksgiving and Christmas because I had no clear idea what I could or couldn't eat, or what the consequences would be. Would I binge? Would I gain back all the weight I lost? Didn't happen -- I pigged out once or twice, but otherwise kept on track, and managed to enjoy myself. It was easier last year, and this year, now that I'm on maintenance, I feel pretty confident that things will go smoothly (diet-wise if not family-wise ...)

Queenmunchy

We have two days of Christmas meals - Christmas Eve is usually calorie friendly appetizers (but there are so many that it's easy to overeat) and calorie friendly brunch. It's the liquor that becomes difficult. Wine, champagne, bloody Mary's. Eek! Anyway, for the past 20 years or so I've kept track and kept it moving.

TrickyDisco

I'll do the same as last year, eat and drink whatever for a few days then get back to calorie-counting in the new year. Might log it all just to see how many calories and the nutrition (or the lack of it!) look - did this last year and it didn't look as bad as I thought it was going to.

Francl27

mommarnurse wrote: »

I've been at this long enough to know that it's okay for you to enjoy eating a variety of foods on a major holiday like that. It doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself silly (that never feels good). Would one day of eating healthy make you become skinny? Of course not. One day of going (way) over maint. Calories isn't going to make you fat again, either. Also, I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to offset that day of caloric splurge by making more of a deficit the week before and after. Say, for example, you know you probably had 2,000 calories over maint. Then for the week before and after just cut 1,000 calories each week or like an extra 150-175 per day. That's not Much to cut but will even out your surplus that one day. Me? I'm not counting on Xmas. I'm enjoying all the foods and will probably end up cutting a bit the week before and after.

It's the same way I lose vacation weight... 1000-1500 calorie deficit every week. The weight is always gone in 2 months. Plus one day of overeating isn't going to be a huge deal, if you keep even a 200 deficit the rest of the week you could eat 1400 over maintenance and still be fine. I can't even imagine gaining more than 1 pound of fat over Christmas anyway, unless obviously you overeat for a whole week.

Gosh most weeks I have a day when I go 1000 calories over and usually still end up with a 1000+ calorie deficit that week anyway. So, same business as usual. Just focus on what you really want and don't get to eat the rest of the time.