Food at Christmas

Samm471
Samm471 Posts: 432 Member
in Food and Nutrition
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 :)

Replies

  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    Yes, I enjoy it,,, its a holiday... have fun!! But I do work out every day and try to burn 1000 calories too.
  • Samm471
    Samm471 Posts: 432 Member
    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 :D
  • Working2BLean
    Working2BLean Posts: 386 Member
    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
    Samm471 Posts: 432 Member
    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
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    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
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    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
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    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
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    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
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    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
    scorpcookie Posts: 113 Member
    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
    pdxwine Posts: 389 Member
    edited November 2015
    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
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    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
    Samm471 Posts: 432 Member
    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
    mommarnurse Posts: 515 Member
    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
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Too soon to work about Christmas. Try getting thru Thanksgiving first.
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,585 Member
    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
    akboy58 Posts: 137 Member
    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
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    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
    TrickyDisco Posts: 2,869 Member
    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
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    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.

  • mpat81
    mpat81 Posts: 353 Member
    This will be my first Christmas since I started my weight loss too! I have met my goal in the last week so I'm on maintenance now. I think I will log everything, try to exercise a bit more and enjoy it! You aren't likely to gain more than a couple pounds even if you go crazy .
  • fruitydelicious
    fruitydelicious Posts: 623 Member
    It really depends on how many days you are talking about. A few days of not tracking, no big deal. The whole month of December, bad idea if your mindset is to indulge in goodies. As someone else said, it also depends on your food relationships and how difficult it will be for you to get back on track once the festivities are over.
  • Samm471
    Samm471 Posts: 432 Member
    For me it will probably just be from 24-26th then the 31st but between Christmas and new year I will hit the gym and the after new year back on track again :) it's good seeing what everyone is going to be doing for it and I didn't even think of the cutting the cals back before Christmas to compensate I may try this :)
  • ddavenport63
    ddavenport63 Posts: 74 Member
    I think that the 25th and 26th will be the only days i will relax and enjoy what i want then after that i will be back on track hopefully !!!
  • hamlet1222
    hamlet1222 Posts: 459 Member
    Really unhealthy, but i just eat Xmas goodies and try to keep the calories down by cutting back on healthy foods, I do work out a lot too over the period, and do a damage assessment on the 12th night.

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