Is it too early to talk Thanksgiving?

fitoverfortymom

I am a planner. If I know I have a plan, then I am confident I can navigate the holidays and staying on-point pretty easily. I'm OK with a day or two in the red to enjoy a holiday (I have my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, each about a month apart). I've been doing the mental prep for Thanksgiving. I typically do 90% of the cooking because hubby and daughter have Celiac disease, so I do most of the food to ensure there's no cross contamination and they can enjoy a traditional meal. This typically includes a cherry and pumpkin pie, a big *kitten* turkey, mashed potatoes, gluten-free stuffing, green bean casserole, candied yams (I don't eat those, gross) with marshmallows (I do eat those, yum!), and some kind of bread...and of course gravy. Gravy gravy gravy.

I think what I am going to do is increase my Thanksgiving day calories from 1250 to 1500 (which is still a deficit for me), have my typical breakfast and snacks, make sure I get my walks in (usually do two dog walks a day plus one fitness-me-only kind of walk), and focus my plate on a solid portion of turkey and green beans (not going to casserole them, just fresh cut green beans), and then small sides of mashed potatoes and stuffing. Then, with my increase of calories, my treat will be the crustless pumpkin pie with some whipped cream.

What strategies have others used to be successful through the holidays?

Chef_Barbell

I usually cook for Thanksgiving, but this year I am off due to baby coming. I usually clear at least 5000 calories for the day. It's my favorite holiday and for me, it's worth it.

fitoverfortymom

Chef_Barbell wrote: »

I usually cook for Thanksgiving, but this year I am off due to baby coming. I usually clear at least 5000 calories for the day. It's my favorite holiday and for me, it's worth it.

I think that's my approach for next year when I'm at or much closer to goal.

astroamy

I love Thanksgiving food, turkey, stuffing, gravy (I make the BEST gravy), mashed potatoes.... My general philosophy is that as long as it is only one meal, and you don't over-stuff yourself, it isn't going to hurt anything. So I make sure to eat light most of the day (even most of the week if I can do it), get in my exercise, but at the actual meal I don't worry much but make sure to stop eating when I am full. The danger with Thanksgiving is allowing the indulgence to continue for days or weeks.

Golbat

I love Thanksgiving and I'm OK with having one or two days a year that are absolutely not weight loss days. LOL. Bring on the carbolicious calorific yums.

cwolfman13

I tend to be a big picture thinker...in the big picture, a handful of special occasions are pretty irrelevant. Also, on feast days I tend to eat that one meal...it's usually mid afternoon so I might have some appetizers and whatnot and then the meal...I'm not one to stuff myself to the point of discomfort either...I good plate of food is all I need.

My wife and I also have a long tradition of doing a 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning...

rileysowner

If you look at the total number of days from Thanksgiving to January 2nd, it becomes really clear there are only a handful of days where you would have a party or event where you would eat a lot. The vast majority of days do not have events like that. However, the tendency is not to just eat a lot on those handful of days, but on all the others as well. If you keep your eating under control on all those other days, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and maybe a work party will not throw you completely off track.

laur357

I mostly go big on actual event days, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Day, NYE & Day - maybe two or three additional parties/happy hours or whatever. It ends up being about 7 days of eating at maintenance or a little over spread out over 6 weeks. Eat and drink what I want, but not until I'm over stuffed. And I try not sit near bowls of chips or tables with dips and cheese and crackers because I'm a disaster around dip. So (big picture) in terms of actual weight gain, I might have a total of one week where I would stay the same or gain .5-1 pound. Easy to rectify throughout the rest of the season.

I then refuse (or freeze normal portions of) the leftovers my family tries to send home with me, don't keep snacks/cookies/caramel corn at my apartment, and keep up with my normal exercise. I do bake and cook a lot because I like to do it, but then I give it all away. No holiday gain, and I usually lose a few pounds overall. This is something I can handle doing for many years in the future, so it's a solid plan for me.

Toronto6fan

We're only a few weeks from thanksgiving up in Canada so I'm already menu planning!

Toronto6fan

And my plan is to only eat what I love, no wasted calories so I can fit stuffing and pie both in.

Treece68

No I just made a test gluten free pumpkin pie ... it failed the pecan crust burnt, but the inside was delish. So I will try again with alterations.

Gisel2015

Yes, it is too early to talk Thanksgiving, at least in the USA! Let the turkey "live" a little bit longer and don't worry so much about something that it is two months away. Planning is good, over planning...not so much.

MissTattoo

What's Thanksgiving? Do you mean Black Friday Eve?

jopalis

I will adhere to my calorie goals up to Thanksgiving and after but I am going to enjoy my favs on Thanksgiving. I may still watch portion sizes but I am going to eat it all! AND dessert!

NEOHgirl

I eat lighter the day before & the morning of Thanksgiving, I make sure to get some sort of physical activity in (a long walk, shoveling snow, etc), and I make sure my portions stay small. I also make sure I am heavy on protein & veggies, light on starches, and only take a small piece of whatever dessert I want most, I don't sample anymore. I am thinking about changing my setting for the day to maintenance, just so I don't freak out if I see a -500 calories at the bottom of my MFP tracker that day, but then again, as long as I see a lower # on the 5-week prediction, I know I am still at a deficit and I am OK with it.

Chef_Barbell

Gisel2015 wrote: »

Yes, it is too early to talk Thanksgiving, at least in the USA! Let the turkey "live" a little bit longer and don't worry so much about something that it is two months away. Planning is good, over planning...not so much.

It's never too early for pie.

cross2bear

October 10th is Thanksgiving day in Canada. I just bought the two turkeys on the weekend - we have turkey and gravy (not me - just turkey), butternut squash roasted, cabbage rolls from my mother, bread rolls (I pass), mashed potatoes (I take just the boiled potatoes out for myself, skipping the cream and butter) and cranberry sauce. Dessert has to include pumpkin pie and something chocolate, and a tub of Cool Whip on the side! I also make stuffing but generally pass on that too - its just not that great tasting enough for me to waste any calorie budget on it. I will probably fit some wine in there too.

I hadnt started my journey last year at Thanksgiving, but have been through a few big events (Xmas, Easter) over the last year so I have the routine down pretty well. I prep my plate in the kitchen, but serve family style at the table - that way I can weigh my portions out of sight, and feel in control of my meal.

I have to keep in mind that these events are not excuses to eat uncontrollably - they are for getting together with my family, the majority of whom I actually like, and spending time with them, telling jokes and stories, and then maybe sitting around a fire getting snuggly. Thats the part I look forward to.

scottkjar

All of my siblings are married with kids, so Thanksgiving and Christmas are always at their houses. I end up with very little control (and very little self-control) over what I eat. I usually gain a bunch of weight over the holidays, and then spend the entire next year trying to get rid of it. (I still have about 4 pounds to go from last year.)

KANGOOJUMPS

YUM!, I eat and drink it all!, then work it off. its a holiday! I ENJOY AND INDULGE!

Lounmoun

I plan and cook a reasonable amount of food. I do not cook enough food for 10 people to eat for a week for 1 day for the 3 people in my family.
Last year I had 2,209 calories on Thanksgiving day. I ate an apple for breakfast. We had turkey and a couple of side dishes for lunch and dinner. I made 1 dessert and had a serving of it. I drank water. It was over my calorie goal. I did not nibble all day though. I ate at normal meal times. I did normal exercise. The days before and days after I ate fairly normally. I had pre-logged my food and made choices. I had what I wanted most and was satisfied.

Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Independence Day, Memorial Day, birthdays, anniversary is similar. I have not gained weight over the holidays just eating a reasonable amount of food and going back to normal asap.

Gisel2015

Chef_Barbell wrote: »

Gisel2015 wrote: »

Yes, it is too early to talk Thanksgiving, at least in the USA! Let the turkey "live" a little bit longer and don't worry so much about something that it is two months away. Planning is good, over planning...not so much.

It's never too early for pie.

That is if you like and eat pie..

Chef_Barbell

Gisel2015 wrote: »

Chef_Barbell wrote: »

Gisel2015 wrote: »

Yes, it is too early to talk Thanksgiving, at least in the USA! Let the turkey "live" a little bit longer and don't worry so much about something that it is two months away. Planning is good, over planning...not so much.

It's never too early for pie.

That is if you like and eat pie..

Giggity.

Francl27

I think I did 3500+ calories for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year... it's the damn desserts! I usually just eat the stuff I really like though (I really don't care how good for you green beans are).

It's just a couple days so whatever. Just make sure to stick to your deficit the rest of the week and you'll be fine.

pdxwine

For the past two years, I have stayed under my daily calorie goals on Thanksgiving.

I do not do the traditional turkey dinner. I rarely have, over the years.

This years menu is:

Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin with Root Vegetables
Spinach Salad
Not sure what wine, yet
Pumpkin Pie

This photo was an appetizer, one year. Seared Scallops.

arditarose

Yes. It's too early. It's too early to talk about Halloween, or this Friday even.

thisonetimeatthegym

So funny you mention this. I just posted on a thread called early holiday prep, where I discuss my eating strategy and also doing holiday tasks early so I have less stress and a slower pace. Often its shopping for hours at a time (because holiday lines at stores), lead you to the exhaustion of a fast food drive thru.

I also have a strategy for eating sweets and treats this time of year, to not offend hosts or give up on your calorie goals.

Sharon009

Good tips. I usually just watch my portions but have no idea how many calories I eat.

MissDi321

I'm trying to focus less on the food and more on the plan that my son, DIL and grandson are coming for a visit. More of a focus on family and conversation, less on eating so much that I am concerned about the calories. Focusing on being thankful that I even have food to eat. That is how I am approaching the holidays this year.

cosmonew

your meal sounds wonderful. I will probobly be eating at my MIL's which means I won't be eating. I plan to stay on track. Dessert is a treat I will accept, but only if its cheesecake and I know how many calories are in it.

Wynterbourne

I'm basically going to quote myself from previous thread where someone else was discussing the upcoming holidays and possible weight gain:

"I looked at my "records" for Halloween to New Year's from last year. I went to two Halloween parties, a Thanksgiving gathering, a Christmas gathering and a New Year's Party. I ate/drank what I wanted on those *five* occasions. I also averaged my calories per week and not by the day (still do), so I was able rearranged/shift my calories around for the parties. I was 18 lbs lighter at the beginning of the new year than I was at Halloween and I didn't feel like I missed out on anything. It's all in the planning. As someone else pointed out, it's not every single day of those few months that you are having to deal with parties/food being thrown at you. Just a handful spread out. Easily balanced if you are just aware and take a moment to plan."

cerise_noir

It was thanksgiving in Canada on Oct 10. Turkey with apple and sausage stuffing, gravy, roast potatoes, yams and onions, vegetable 'surprise' (boiled and mashed carrots and turnip), pecan pies and a baked pumpkin pie cheesecake.

It was marvellous!