Who Gained Weight During The Holidays? I Have A Solution!!!
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WinoGelato wrote: »Does everyone remember that it takes 3,500 extra calories ABOVE Maintenance in order to gain 1 pound of fat? Did all of you who are lamenting your choices during the holidays log what you ate? Even guesstimating? I did. I ate and drank everything I wanted, and then some, for an entire week (we had a lot of celebrations and a lot of leftovers!). I was over my calorie target every single day - nothing but red for the entire week. OMG, can you imagine seeing all that red? EEEK! Guess what the weekly overage was? 3,657 calories. That's right. With indulging to my heart's content, by logging what I thought I was consuming, I realized that I really didn't go over that much. That's about 1 pound of true fat gain, even if my estimates were way off, I know they weren't off by a factor of 5. Perspective!
Now, who's ready for New Years!?
Yep, I looked at the 5lb weight gain, decided there was no way I ate 3500 Calories above maintenance for every one of the five days I didn't log for and decided that I still managed to hit my target of getting down to 180lb by the end of the year (got there in the week before Christmas). Dropped one out of the five pounds in the last 2 days and fully expect to pee the rest out in the next week.
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Gained 12 lbs in 4 days and I ain't even mad1
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I gained 5.5 lbs in the last 5 days, but then i probably did do an extra 3,500 calories a day
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Indulged for three days (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and day after) and am now right back where I started. It really isn't worth all the panic it seems to incite!
Mostly commenting to keep this thread bumped up!0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »I sure have noticed a lot of threads the last week or so with people concerned about all the weight they gained over Christmas, and wanting to get back on track for the New Year. Never fear, I have a solution - it's called the PP Program.
What is the PP Program you ask? Well it's simple.
Perspective + Patience = PP
Let's start with Perspective. This has two critical components.
First, Perspective about the holidays themselves. In mid-December, there were so many threads about how people were dreading Christmas and what it was going to do to their diet and worrying they were going to undo all their progress. Christmas is supposed to be a joyful time! It comes once a year - and it is filled with so many wonderful things - and one of those wonderful things are food traditions. It is sad how many people are dreading something that should be so enjoyable! After Christmas, I've counted dozens of threads of people regretting their eating/drinking choices during the holidays, talking about throwing out food and never doing this again. Seriously - perspective people!
Now let's talk about the numbers Perspective. Does everyone remember that it takes 3,500 extra calories ABOVE Maintenance in order to gain 1 pound of fat? Did all of you who are lamenting your choices during the holidays log what you ate? Even guesstimating? I did. I ate and drank everything I wanted, and then some, for an entire week (we had a lot of celebrations and a lot of leftovers!). I was over my calorie target every single day - nothing but red for the entire week. OMG, can you imagine seeing all that red? EEEK! Guess what the weekly overage was? 3,657 calories. That's right. With indulging to my heart's content, by logging what I thought I was consuming, I realized that I really didn't go over that much. That's about 1 pound of true fat gain, even if my estimates were way off, I know they weren't off by a factor of 5. Perspective!
What's that you say? You've been weighing yourself and you gained 10 pounds? Who here ate a lot of sodium rich, carbohydrate heavy foods during the holidays. Oh yeah - everyone, right? That's what holiday meals are made of. Guess what - those things cause a big spike in water retention. You know what happens with weight gain from water retention? It goes away in time...
Which brings me to the second P. Patience. Everyone just needs to take a breath and be patient. You didn't put on all your initial weight over night, you didn't lose your weight over night, and you didn't put on 10 lbs in 3 days at Christmas. Things will normalize, you just need to be Patient.
But wait, I'm not done yet! You know how you get rid of water weight? You drink a lot of water (I know, sounds counter intuitive) and guess what you do? You go Pee Pee!!!! And the more you go Pee Pee, the faster you'll lose that water weight and the faster things will return to normal.
So just to recap:
Patience + Perspective = the PP Program. (And in the meantime, if you can go PP, it will help!)
Now, who's ready for New Years!?
I love this! This was my 3rd Christmas since maintaining my weight loss. Each one of those Christmases, I gained around five pounds. I knew though something I didn't before losing my weight. All I had to do was count my calories, eat that many and I would re-lose it. I still like to enjoy my holiday food and it's worth it, at least to me.
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I got on the scale this morning, I'm a good 10lbs up on my lowest recorded weight and I give no you know whats. It's not all fat, though some definitely is (I discovered hot buttered rum this festive season, completely obsessed).
But I also have had a very sad festive season due to losing the chap in my profile picture very suddenly the week before Christmas. It prompted me to just go eff it, I need to look after myself emotionally more than anything right now and I will resume where I left off on the 1st January. So I have eaten all the foods, am super bloated and have really rather enjoyed it!4 -
Oh @VintageFeline I am so sorry to hear of your loss :-( You are absolutely right to take time to look after yourself emotionally in my not-so-humble opinion, and you're smart to have a plan to look forward to on 1st Jan.
I'm back down 2.8lb this morning, bring on the Cadbury Heroes!1 -
@VintageFeline I'm so sorry to hear about your baby. He looks so sweet, and to lose a family member at this time of year is so hard.
Hoping you can get back on track when your mind is in a better spot. Also, I've always been curious about hot buttered rum. Sounds dangerous!2 -
@VintageFeline - I'm so sorry for your loss, which is especially difficult when it's sudden like that.
Big hugs to you!0 -
Slightly under a pound gained. I'm thrilled with that. Still have New Years eve to contend with but was back on the treadmill this morning. Still have the rest of the week off and having an issue with the lack of routine and wanting to snack, but will get through.
@VintageFeline Sorry about your loss. Hard this time of the year.1 -
WinoGelato wrote: »@VintageFeline I'm so sorry to hear about your baby. He looks so sweet, and to lose a family member at this time of year is so hard.
Hoping you can get back on track when your mind is in a better spot. Also, I've always been curious about hot buttered rum. Sounds dangerous!
Thank you. He was sweet and asshat in equal measure and the flat is far too quiet without him. I have two girls too but they are far too nice and quiet (and independent, Dave was velcro cat and I loved it).
As to the hot buttered rum, it is godly. Mine is without ice cream FYI, should you decide to investigate further........2 -
I'm so sorry about your sweetie pie, @VintageFeline. No time of year is a good time to lose a loved one, the holidays make it harder, though.
Keep being good to yourself.0 -
I love this thread! thanks for posting!0
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I was terrified to get back on the scale after a week's worth of not logging and eating pretty much what I wanted. I was mindful of what I ate, but certainly didn't stress over it. This morning I finally had the guts to get back on...and nothing...not one pound gained!2
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Most timely post ever. We know why we need to do but become sidetracked. PP program it is!!!0
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Awesome post you make a lot of sense0
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I didn't have the patience to read it tho.
Can I just magically stop being fat?5 -
Great Post!!!0
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I always get up to about 190-195 during fall/winter, and then drop to around 180 by April. The goal is to have more muscle each summer than the year before, and I'm on track to do that again this year.
As of January 1, I'll be kissing all that beer/ice cream goodbye.
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Great post and I'll take that into the New Year- cheers!0
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Hugs @VintageFeline0
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I gained very minimally thanks to keeping up the gym effort. Beers were always going to register. Nothing that can't be lost next month
Today is a great day 
Well, it's the fifth day of Christmas! Time for some golden rings, Definitely better than all those silly birds.
Or did you mean something else?0 -
VintageFeline wrote: »I got on the scale this morning, I'm a good 10lbs up on my lowest recorded weight and I give no you know whats. It's not all fat, though some definitely is (I discovered hot buttered rum this festive season, completely obsessed).
But I also have had a very sad festive season due to losing the chap in my profile picture very suddenly the week before Christmas. It prompted me to just go eff it, I need to look after myself emotionally more than anything right now and I will resume where I left off on the 1st January. So I have eaten all the foods, am super bloated and have really rather enjoyed it!
So sorry about your loss, VintageFeline!
(I have stuff going on and am not really going to worry about any eating stuff or tracking or anything until Jan 2, probably. I think sometimes we just need to focus on other things, and having a day where you know you will change focus again isn't a bad thing, and to me that's one reason why days associated with new starts -- also new months, Mondays, etc. -- can come in handy, even if that approach is often not favored here (or such is my impression).)
Glad you've been at least enjoying the foods and the hot buttered rum discovery!0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »I gained very minimally thanks to keeping up the gym effort. Beers were always going to register. Nothing that can't be lost next month Today is a great day
Well, it's the fifth day of Christmas! Time for some golden rings, Definitely better than all those silly birds.
Or did you mean something else?
I never knew those started after Christmas! Wow, thanks for teaching me something. This really is a great day!
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I gained almost 5 lbs, but it isn't the food I had. Bloody bugs n viruses and bacteria and medicines.....got a serious water weight issue happening, and I cannot blame it on the holidays. Dang lol.0
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WinoGelato wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Well, it's the fifth day of Christmas! Time for some golden rings, Definitely better than all those silly birds.
Or did you mean something else?
I never knew those started after Christmas! Wow, thanks for teaching me something. This really is a great day!
Yes - the twelfth day (Shakespeare's Twelfth Night) is the Eve of the Epiphany - January 5th.
In England, it is the traditional date for taking down Christmas decorations. Is that the same elsewhere?0 -
ShammersPink wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Well, it's the fifth day of Christmas! Time for some golden rings, Definitely better than all those silly birds.
Or did you mean something else?
I never knew those started after Christmas! Wow, thanks for teaching me something. This really is a great day!
Yes - the twelfth day (Shakespeare's Twelfth Night) is the Eve of the Epiphany - January 5th.
In England, it is the traditional date for taking down Christmas decorations. Is that the same elsewhere?
Our family traditionally leaves up decorations until the Epiphany (Jan 6). That was also the day we had our celebration at my paternal grandparents' home.
Not English, though (Belgian Americans, very Catholic, too). Perhaps a bit of shared traditions?
Oh, I gained 7lbs of food baby (plus some real gain) during Christmas
. Down 2.3lbs already. Rest will go whenever it goes. My past experience has shown it just takes it merry old time. I will be back in my normal range by the end of January. I'm the queen of patience. 2 -
ShammersPink wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Well, it's the fifth day of Christmas! Time for some golden rings, Definitely better than all those silly birds.
Or did you mean something else?
I never knew those started after Christmas! Wow, thanks for teaching me something. This really is a great day!
Yes - the twelfth day (Shakespeare's Twelfth Night) is the Eve of the Epiphany - January 5th.
In England, it is the traditional date for taking down Christmas decorations. Is that the same elsewhere?
That's what we did (Sunday after Epiphany) although now I often go until the Baptism of the Lord (following Sunday). I justify this by putting up Christmas decorations/decorating the tree quite late so as to actually have an Advent that is separate (and selfishly, because my birthday is early December, heh, so we waited until after that when I was a kid and now it's habit).
Lots of people in the US seem to see Jan 1 as the date to get rid of the tree, etc. (if it's up as early as many put it up I get it, and even the before Jan 1 trees out by the garbage I sometimes see).0 -
This is so encouraging to me. I gained six pounds in the past two weeks..time to get back in the saddle!0
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