Pre-Holiday Blues, maintain

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1990Vmax
1990Vmax Posts: 3 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Just want to get through the Hiolidays without gaining, preferably losing weight, & not too stressed out.
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  • Dootzy1
    Dootzy1 Posts: 2,221 Member
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    Just take each day as it comes. You can really do a number on your head, with "the holidays" looming over you. Realistically, we face extra challenges. Be selective, remain active. AND I will try to take my own advice!! o:)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Eat a bit less the rest of the time to make up for it. It's what I'm trying to do.
  • jimskelton
    jimskelton Posts: 13 Member
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    Exercise will do both. Go hard (85-90% max) for 15 minutes during your workout and you will both burn calories and reduce stress. Increase your protein percentage to help feeling full and avoid eating after 7:00PM. These have all worked for me...
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    I agree with exercising more. Not only does it burn the calories, but it'll just help you feel less stressed out in general, and feel good about yourself and your body. And you'll probably sleep better which will help with the stress as well. Win, win, win!

    Also, I've started looking at the Holidays as just one day each, not a whole "season" of unrestricted gluttony. On those individual two days (Thanksgiving and Xmas) I eat what I want, don't log and don't worry about it. Getting on the scales the next day is painful, but it's just one day. It goes down again.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    I agree with exercising more. Not only does it burn the calories, but it'll just help you feel less stressed out in general, and feel good about yourself and your body. And you'll probably sleep better which will help with the stress as well. Win, win, win!

    Also, I've started looking at the Holidays as just one day each, not a whole "season" of unrestricted gluttony. On those individual two days (Thanksgiving and Xmas) I eat what I want, don't log and don't worry about it. Getting on the scales the next day is painful, but it's just one day. It goes down again.

    Agreed but sometimes exercising more just isn't possible. I know I just can't physically exercise more, my legs just can't take it, for example.

    But yeah, making it one day (or two) and not a week is huge.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    The holidays are a few days of indulgence - its your choice how much you want to indulge.

    Personally I'll eat pretty much what I want on Christmas & Boxing day (around 3000 cals per day instead of my usual 2000) and then it'll be back to normal eating.

    I don't gain over Christmas at all any more... or at any time really. I have a different outlook on food now. As much as I enjoy eating good and really tasty food, I make better choices every time. This way of thinking doesn't happen over night but bit by bit.


  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
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    Look at this as a lifestyle change. Just try to make better choices and continue with portion control. A good friend of mine gave me a tip, just try 3 bites. It helps.
    Remember, the holidays will be over in a month. Not too much damage can be done in a month and even if you do overindulge, just don't let it become a habit and continue to do in 2016, what got you to maintenance in the first place.
  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
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    1990Vmax wrote: »
    Just want to get through the Hiolidays without gaining, preferably losing weight, & not too stressed out.

    My weight's been uncomfortably high for a few months and Thanksgiving didn't help (two dinners on two days). I'm easing into a short-term diet. If I don't get some control over my weight before Christmas, I'll be crying into my champagne on New Year's Eve.

  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
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    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    The holidays are a few days of indulgence - its your choice how much you want to indulge.




    It depends on where you live and work. Some people are surrounded by high-calorie treats at home, at work, and at parties pretty much through all of December.
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
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    I log even if it is high and it seems to help. I have had to tell my Mom to not give me cans of popcorn, candy and the lady I work with to not bring me treats, have to quit being a people pleaser.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Verdenal wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    The holidays are a few days of indulgence - its your choice how much you want to indulge.




    It depends on where you live and work. Some people are surrounded by high-calorie treats at home, at work, and at parties pretty much through all of December.

    well I have a few party nights out with meals but I'll eat lighter during the day so I can enjoy it...its just a matter of planning...

    as for the boxes of chocolates that will be appearing in the office any time now, I'll have one sweet if at all and leave it at that. I know its not easy for everyone to do this, but for me it is now.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
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    Verdenal wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    The holidays are a few days of indulgence - its your choice how much you want to indulge.




    It depends on where you live and work. Some people are surrounded by high-calorie treats at home, at work, and at parties pretty much through all of December.

    Where I work people are always bringing in high calorie foods and having parties for this occasion or that. If I didn't have Celiacs disease I don't know how I would be able to avoid not eating these things. As it is, I just bring my own foods in and eat them instead.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    Dootzy1 wrote: »
    Just take each day as it comes. You can really do a number on your head, with "the holidays" looming over you. Realistically, we face extra challenges. Be selective, remain active. AND I will try to take my own advice!! o:)

    I like this advice. I found myself sliding into depression the past few days. It might be a Thanksgiving hangover (it was fun), but I think it is dread of shopping. The commercial aspect of the holidays really wears me down.

    "The holidays" (the season vs. the two actual days) do bring extra challenges. I am basking in the quiet of this week--kids back in school, one party tonight, otherwise all quiet at home. Next week I have 6 parties. Half of those are open house affairs, and the other half are meals in restaurants. I'm not so concerned about the food. I eat before open houses so I'm not hungry or tempted to choose poorly, and at restaurants I try to "be selective" & eat light earlier in the day. It's the alcohol that throws me. I genuinely enjoy myself more when I have a glass of wine, preferably two. I normally don't drink during the week, and it really adds up. Compensating with extra exercise is an option, but I'm going to stick with my regular routine so I don't burn out. If I gain a pound or two, I at least want to be able to say it was really fun, I enjoyed it, and it was worth it.
  • who4fan
    who4fan Posts: 388 Member
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    I have set my calories to maintenance level and will leave it that way through New Years weekend. I probably will not eat all of them many days, but it's good to keep track. I have my self set to sedentary with no exercise even though I will be working out, I just figure it will give me more leeway when I do have an indulgence. I think it will work pretty well as long as I keep weighing, measuring and tracking.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Verdenal wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    The holidays are a few days of indulgence - its your choice how much you want to indulge.




    It depends on where you live and work. Some people are surrounded by high-calorie treats at home, at work, and at parties pretty much through all of December.

    just because the food is there doesn't mean you have to eat all of the food. i'm surrounded by all kinds of stuff this time of year at the office...it doesn't mean i have to stuff my face with it. my wife also bakes a *kitten* load of cookies this time of year...doesn't mean i need to eat all of the cookies.

    a little self control goes a long way...
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
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    1990Vmax wrote: »
    Just want to get through the Hiolidays without gaining, preferably losing weight, & not too stressed out.

    It is a choice. I wake up and think, "Oh my gosh. I've gotta do this,this,this,this,this...I can't do it all!" and then I say, "No. I'm going to enjoy the Christmas season." It's hard not to give in to chaotic thoughts! But I will try.

    The eating is another aspect... I love all the special baked treats. I can't see a happy Christmas without them. I will try to maintain exercise and eating lightly throughout the day. But if I gain, I gain. I figure it will be the price I pay. January will be a whole new ball game.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,276 Member
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    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    Dootzy1 wrote: »
    Just take each day as it comes. You can really do a number on your head, with "the holidays" looming over you. Realistically, we face extra challenges. Be selective, remain active. AND I will try to take my own advice!! o:)

    I like this advice. I found myself sliding into depression the past few days. It might be a Thanksgiving hangover (it was fun), but I think it is dread of shopping. The commercial aspect of the holidays really wears me down.

    "The holidays" (the season vs. the two actual days) do bring extra challenges. I am basking in the quiet of this week--kids back in school, one party tonight, otherwise all quiet at home. Next week I have 6 parties. Half of those are open house affairs, and the other half are meals in restaurants. I'm not so concerned about the food. I eat before open houses so I'm not hungry or tempted to choose poorly, and at restaurants I try to "be selective" & eat light earlier in the day. It's the alcohol that throws me. I genuinely enjoy myself more when I have a glass of wine, preferably two. I normally don't drink during the week, and it really adds up. Compensating with extra exercise is an option, but I'm going to stick with my regular routine so I don't burn out. If I gain a pound or two, I at least want to be able to say it was really fun, I enjoyed it, and it was worth it.

    This is me. Add to that the fact that I work full time, so with those parties/social outings that aren't normally part of my week that replace my workout after work. I was just telling myself this morning that I might have to get myself out of bed for a 6am swim if I'm going to miss 3/5 evening swims :( That is really hard for me, but being overweight is hard too, right? Ugh. After years of taking the easy way out, it takes a lot of energy and self talk to make the change. Too bad all of that mental energy doesn't burn calories!!
  • vicky1947mfp
    vicky1947mfp Posts: 1,527 Member
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    It's not what you eat from Thanksgiving to Christmas, it's what you eat from Christmas to Thanksgiving.

    We'll be OK.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited December 2015
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    This thread says trying to "maintain", but "maybe even loose weight"... Is there a deficit in your calorie allotment to actually loose some weight?

    Sounds like two opposite goals here when I read this..

    IMHO, just log and log and log.. Be more dilgent about getting it in there honestly.. And for parties and get togethers, eat before you get there with your stuff that will help you stay on track.

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