How to not gain the "Holiday 15"

kmyers4545
kmyers4545 Posts: 41 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
'Tis the season for family feasts and office treats, cold weather and cozy couches. I'm fighting a losing battle of the budge this holiday season and need some guidance. Pushy relatives during family feasts, and a work snack table that's covered in new treats daily. I'm trying to exercise as well, but that doesn't seem to compensate overeating. Who has tips and tricks to avoid overeating terribly delicious holiday fare when it's constantly in your face?
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Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Preplan most of your day and leave 200 ish calories for snacks. Allow yourself a break on holidays. Focus on eating lean meats first. Avoid liquid calories. Stick to things you can't get the rest of the year. Stay active, but don't think of exercise as punishment for enjoying life.
  • snowflakesav
    snowflakesav Posts: 649 Member
    I try to keep the hammer down until Christmas Eve...it is much easier to recover from 3 days than 30. I also exercise outdoors..just keeping warm outdoors in the winter is a super way to up your metabolism.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I enjoy my feast days but don't treat the entire holiday season as a free for all...I still eat healthfully and I still train regularly. If I feel like a cookie, I have a cookie..just not all of the cookies and I don't feel the need to indulge in all of the office goodies all day, every day. IDK...maybe it's just time as I've been at this for over three years, but the tables full of goodies don't really phase me much.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,976 Member
    It really comes down to COMMITTING to not overeating calories. You can have a little of everything you like, but don't exceed your TDEE.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Change your weight loss goal to maintenance for the days you are at an eating feast. Try to track your calories as best as possible. Get back to eating less on opposing days.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I would pre-log my days and stick to them.
  • sunandmoons
    sunandmoons Posts: 415 Member
    edited November 2015
    You wont gain 15 pounds. Its one day. Measure, log it and carry on. Stick to your goal. Pushy relatives are not going to shove food in your mouth. You control you.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    The "holidays" are 3-4 days, not 40 days. Plan accordingly. I maintain my normal regimen on most days, and will eat until I'm fit to burst on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    Jruzer wrote: »
    The "holidays" are 3-4 days, not 40 days. Plan accordingly. I maintain my normal regimen on most days, and will eat until I'm fit to burst on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.

    This.

    I plan to eat ALL THE FOODZ on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and probably drink a day's worth of calories on New Year's Eve (safely, of course).

    But I'll stick to plan to meet my goals the other 30+ days of the holiday season.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I enjoy my feast days but don't treat the entire holiday season as a free for all...I still eat healthfully and I still train regularly. If I feel like a cookie, I have a cookie..just not all of the cookies and I don't feel the need to indulge in all of the office goodies all day, every day. IDK...maybe it's just time as I've been at this for over three years, but the tables full of goodies don't really phase me much.

    This is the same for me as well. I don't eat food just because it's there and available. If I want some, then yes, I'll have it and make sure it fits with my current eating plan. But just because more food is available during this time of year does not mean it has to be eaten.

    I also tend to work out more in the winter just to stay warm and I dislike to eat food any time of year after it's been sitting out all day and handled by a bunch of people. Yes, I know I'm weird, but I'm okay with it.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Don't eat 52,500 extra calories.

    Small portions, so "no" if you need to.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    kmyers4545 wrote: »
    'Tis the season for family feasts and office treats, cold weather and cozy couches. I'm fighting a losing battle of the budge this holiday season and need some guidance. Pushy relatives during family feasts, and a work snack table that's covered in new treats daily. I'm trying to exercise as well, but that doesn't seem to compensate overeating. Who has tips and tricks to avoid overeating terribly delicious holiday fare when it's constantly in your face?

    Pushy relatives aren't the boss of you.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Do people really gain 15lbs over the holidays?! It's like, 5-7 days max, when you figure in parties.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Christmas is such a diet killer. Recognizing that it's going to be tough is huge, IMO. Learning to say NO! to all the treats that will be foisted upon us is the trick. It is for me, at least.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    I find that logging my treats before eating them gives me extra time to really think about how much they are really worth compared to real food, and it's a stall tactic too...someone is peddling the cupcakes at the snack table "Oh, I don't know, I'll have to check on that" usually shuts down the peddling and I can escape as gracefully as possible...
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
    The key to not gaining at the holidays? Not using the holidays as an excuse to over eat.

    I have a rule at work - if I didn't bring the food in, I don't eat it. I don't need candy, cookies, cakes and pies.

    NO ONE other than myself is in charge of what goes in my body. If I don't want it, I say no. Even if I do want it, I say NO.
  • pchrysta
    pchrysta Posts: 105 Member
    I just had my 1st of 3 thanksgiving dinners. This one was catered in for work. I stuck to a slice of turkey, a slice of ham, a spoonful of corn and a spoonful of green beans. I allowed myself a small piece of pumpkin pie in exchange for the carby goodness of dressing, mashed potatoes, hashbrown casserole or mac&cheese.

    I'm going to eat it ALL (in moderation) at my next dinner a week from now - without trying to count it all up. I'm saving myself for the one on thanksgiving day because I now how good the "cooks" are and it will be the yummiest.

    I also only had a 120 cal protein drink for breakfast and I did 30 min in the treadmill this morning to give me some buffer on logging my lunch items.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    15lbs?

    That's like 52,500 calories OVER maintenance

    For real? :open_mouth:
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    Holiday is really from Labor Day until Superbowl Sunday. It's a real lot of extra parties and calories.

    All I can say is, keep active and only eat and drink the best goodies that are out there. Everyday things like pretzels and chips at a party aren't worth it for me !!!!
  • kissedbythesunshine
    kissedbythesunshine Posts: 416 Member
    Nope I refuse to go down that road again holiday or not. I'm going to enjoy myself but I'm not going to stuff 15lbs worth of pies and cookies down me. I'm enjoying my shrinking body more:)
  • FredKing1
    FredKing1 Posts: 98 Member
    Saw this item on-line "The average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone, according to the Calorie Control Council." My plan is 1200 cals/day plus I eat my exercise. My BMR is about 2,000 plus I can exercise about 500 that morning - if I eat half of "average" I'll be alright - measure and weigh. Back to normal Friday, the left overs are toxic.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    FredKing1 wrote: »
    Saw this item on-line "The average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone, according to the Calorie Control Council."

    7b46fe31daf11857d17a2c8126144cbfb98ba08f37140be4dbeff09824b9f656.jpg
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited November 2015
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    Do people really gain 15lbs over the holidays?! It's like, 5-7 days max, when you figure in parties.

    This^

    15 pounds is a crazy high number, I'm thinking more like 3-4 (?).

    But yes, allow yourself a snack here and there. A taste of this, a taste of that, BUT be selective. Don't treat the season like a free-for-all. Work is crazy here - all the homemade goodies plus all the stuff vendors keep sending. Last year wasn't pretty.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Plan what you will eat and drink. A lot of holiday foods are pretty predictable. Pre-log.
    Eat reasonable portions. One plate of food, one dessert, one glass of wine. Don't mindlessly speed eat or drink. Savor it. Log it.
    Keep active. If you know you are going to eat more you can also exercise a bit more.
    Be busy talking, taking pictures, playing with kids, helping clean up, going for a walk.

    If you eat over your calorie goal 1 or 2 days you don't gain 15 lbs instantly. That would take some real effort.
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,585 Member
    i eat how i normally do within my calorie goal until Christmas Eve

    then i dont log for 3-4 days go back to normal for a minute then have my new years eve of no logging

    then back to normal but its not that hard for me to not over indulge in parties or whatever since i have no interest in them
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    FredKing1 wrote: »
    Saw this item on-line "The average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone, according to the Calorie Control Council." My plan is 1200 cals/day plus I eat my exercise. My BMR is about 2,000 plus I can exercise about 500 that morning - if I eat half of "average" I'll be alright - measure and weigh. Back to normal Friday, the left overs are toxic.

    I ate around that last year... logged 4700 calories. Didn't drink any calories.

    Didn't gain any weight because I had a good deficit the rest of the week. This year there should only be two desserts though, and no pecan pie, so that's going to help a lot, and last year I had a big breakfast, which I'm going to try to avoid this year too... so it shouldn't be that bad. And if it is... *shrug*. It's just one day.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    It's so easy to start esting and drinking at Thanksgiving and not stop until January. So many treats to indulge in...eggnog, liquor, chocolate, pies...have you seen Trader Joe's (West Coast) during Christmas? There are treats they don't have any other time of year, in your face for weeks. You just have to not cave into it all.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    This is not an issue. Stick to calorie goal for the days that are not Thanksgiving and Christmas. On those two days, eat whatever you want, and enjoy the special fun of the day.
    If you are someone who is eating in a deficit and find it to be a real struggle, move to maintenance level calories. You won't lose weigh during the holidays, but you won't gain. Just be mindful that it will be work to move back to a deficit after the holidays are over.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    My biggest thing is needing to feel in control. I will not just let myself gorge and then say "WHOOPS!" I either make the choice to go big, or I make the choice to stay at maintenance or a deficit.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    My biggest thing is needing to feel in control. I will not just let myself gorge and then say "WHOOPS!" I either make the choice to go big, or I make the choice to stay at maintenance or a deficit.

    This is why I always stick to my calorie goal (with the exception of the actual day of the holiday). If I allowed myself to have whatever I wanted throughout the whole season - whoa. Go BIG.

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