It's coming! Holiday weight gain...!
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I am just refusing to accept the "but it's (insert holiday here)!" mentality from myself. All these holidays will be pre-logged and within goal because I have no intention of going backwards from maintenance. Effffff that2
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It's officially weight-gaining season!
• October: Thanksgiving (Can) & Halloween
• November: Thanksgiving (US) & Shopping
• December: Christmas
• January: New Years!
According to studies conducted in Japan, the US and Germany, this is the lightest weight the average person will be all year! The study also concluded that the weight gained within the next three months will take an average of five months to lose! Maybe instead of New Years resolutions, people should make Q4 resolutions ...!
What are your plans manage your weight during the holidays?!
And yet ... last year I hit my lowest weight about a week before Christmas.
I have put on about 3 kg in the 10 months since then, but I've been maintaining and 3 kg is within my allowable maintenance range. Plus my focus has been on long distance cycling rather than weight loss.
I'm kind of hoping I might be able to drop that 3 kg before Christmas again. I'll only be doing moderately long distances and in the next couple months, and since summer will be coming, I hope to be able to do a lot more exercise outside.
Plus ... there's no Halloween or Thanksgiving here, and I've got about 10 days off over Christmas to exercise.
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I'm going to do what I did last year- creating a higher deficit on the days I don't have any special plans and indulging on days I do. I'll also eat at maintenance those weeks instead of trying to lose weight. I actually lost a little weight over this time last year. 1
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trigden1991 wrote: »A) Eat within my calorie goal
Keep activity high
Yes, this. Did the same last year, and still lost weight. Maintaining now, so get even more calories to play with.
It's holidays, so you've all got more time for exercise. Family is no excuse. Family need to exercise too.1 -
endlessfall16 wrote: »Unless EVERYDAY is Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, there's plenty of room (days in between) for cutback.
The problem I see with daily counters is that they have to meet their daily quota or close to it. That's tough.
Yeah that's why I go with weekly average... I can have a 4000 calorie day and still have a deficit for the week. But it's the tough part - let yourself enjoy ONE day without going crazy the rest of the time too.
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endlessfall16 wrote: »Unless EVERYDAY is Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, there's plenty of room (days in between) for cutback.
The problem I see with daily counters is that they have to meet their daily quota or close to it. That's tough.
Yeah, I log daily but let things average out over a week or so. I'm not one to feel like I "have" to do anything. So, I'll enjoy the holiday events to the fullest, but the days in between won't be an eat-fest! 1 -
Just to put my own thoughts out there in order to have a plan in mind:
-As said above, the holidays are spread out over about two months, but that's no excuse to eat myself into oblivion for 60 days.
-Halloween shouldn't be an issue. I'll buy candy that won't blow my calories in case I have some left. For example, mini tootsie pops have 15 calories. I'll get some good stuff, too, but I'll give it away first.
-Thanksgiving is one day. I plan to run a Thanksgiving 5K that morning, so I'll have extra calories. I'll enjoy my breakfast and my lunch thoroughly, but I'll still log it. I will eat at maintenance or slightly over if I can make it up during the week. By dinner, I usually don't even want food.
-Christmas - there will be parties, and no 5K on Christmas Day (unless I decide just to walk to get out and get some steps). For parties, I will attempt to get in a workout those days to earn some extra calories and I will choose to eat to maintenance those days and try to make up the cals during the week. Let's face it, the parties are usually on the weekend and I have the whole week to do the right thing.
-Random food sitting around - well, at least celiac disease has this one advantage. I can't just walk by the break room and pick up a donut or a cupcake or a brownie - or anything for that matter. Problem solved.
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eat on the holidays.. stay on plan all other days.1
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endlessfall16 wrote: »Unless EVERYDAY is Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, there's plenty of room (days in between) for cutback.
The problem I see with daily counters is that they have to meet their daily quota or close to it. That's tough.
Yeah that's why I go with weekly average... I can have a 4000 calorie day and still have a deficit for the week. But it's the tough part - let yourself enjoy ONE day without going crazy the rest of the time too.ItsyBitsy246 wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »Unless EVERYDAY is Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, there's plenty of room (days in between) for cutback.
The problem I see with daily counters is that they have to meet their daily quota or close to it. That's tough.
Yeah, I log daily but let things average out over a week or so. I'm not one to feel like I "have" to do anything. So, I'll enjoy the holiday events to the fullest, but the days in between won't be an eat-fest!
Yep, that's the way to go. It does require a bit of discipline with the cutback days but the advantages are many. No hangup on any foods, drinks or the amount.
About the cutback days It helps a lot if you have the concept of "diet" foods and eat these foods on the cutback days. Foods that are quick to obtain (as not get yourself thinking, too involved), nutritious, plain and don't activate appetite and sometimes you can eat in small quantity and still be fine.
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I have learned so much since last year that I know that I can use those tools acquired to avoid weight gain over these holidays. I'm kind of excited to have such an arsenal of techniques and strategies.2
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endlessfall16 wrote: »Unless EVERYDAY is Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, there's plenty of room (days in between) for cutback.
The problem I see with daily counters is that they have to meet their daily quota or close to it. That's tough.
Yeah that's why I go with weekly average... I can have a 4000 calorie day and still have a deficit for the week. But it's the tough part - let yourself enjoy ONE day without going crazy the rest of the time too.
Exactly, but I find it so easy to stick to my calorie goal after high-calorie days. I have less cravings after having what I want and it's easy to put what you're craving off a few more days until the next one.
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Russellb97 wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »Unless EVERYDAY is Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, there's plenty of room (days in between) for cutback.
The problem I see with daily counters is that they have to meet their daily quota or close to it. That's tough.
Yeah that's why I go with weekly average... I can have a 4000 calorie day and still have a deficit for the week. But it's the tough part - let yourself enjoy ONE day without going crazy the rest of the time too.
Exactly, but I find it so easy to stick to my calorie goal after high-calorie days. I have less cravings after having what I want and it's easy to put what you're craving off a few more days until the next one.
Yeah same here unless I'm PMSing then I'll still be hungry the next day. But last Christmas I ate so much for 2 days, I didn't even reach 800 calories on day 3.1 -
mysteps2beauty wrote: »I usually cook the holiday dinners, so when I cook I don't want to eat much of it... But if I go to someone else's event, I'm looking for the wine, the appetizers and the dessert. So guess I'll be cooking this year too..
I was just going to whine that it is the added stress of all the hosting I do over the holidays, combined with all the leftover decadent food, and here I read your comment saying it's easier if you're doing the cooking! If only I reacted the same way.
Anyone else out there host a lot and have tips to stay on track? I go to maintenance for a day or two leading up to the event (like today in prep for hosting Thanksgiving dinner and overnight guests), so I have no excuse not to get the cleaning and decorating done. The day of the event, I am more likely to have wine and that reduces my food inhibitions. Then afterwards I get this idea in my head that I've earned those leftover treats as a reward for the superhuman effort I just put in.
I downloaded a meditation app (Headspace) that I'm going to try afterwards. Can't think of much else in the way of strategies.
Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians!
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I've never gained much over the holidays. Most of the treats are made with wheat and I'm allergic. Plus we do a big hike on Thanksgiving through the redwoods. It's BBQ season that gets me every time.2
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Just to put my own thoughts out there in order to have a plan in mind:
-Halloween shouldn't be an issue. I'll buy candy that won't blow my calories in case I have some left. For example, mini tootsie pops have 15 calories. I'll get some good stuff, too, but I'll give it away first.
There is also no problem with throwing leftover candy away.1 -
Holidays are great. Two or five days of feasting aren't going to blow a year of work.
No, it's not the holidays, it's the cold and the dark that last for months. My plan is to keep committing myself even when I'd rather hibernate. Tell my friends I'll meet them for a walk in the morning, join a swim class, go to a gym where my absence is noted.
Find low calorie and non food comforts like hot tea and knitting. Have my snow suit and snow shoes lined up and ready to go at a moment's notice.
Keeping active helps with my seasonal depression. My therapy light seems to help too, and I don't care if it's a placebo as long as it works.2 -
I'm going to make sure I don't eat myself sick like usual0
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Packerjohn wrote: »Just to put my own thoughts out there in order to have a plan in mind:
-Halloween shouldn't be an issue. I'll buy candy that won't blow my calories in case I have some left. For example, mini tootsie pops have 15 calories. I'll get some good stuff, too, but I'll give it away first.
There is also no problem with throwing leftover candy away.
No problem for YOU maybe, but it's very difficult for me. I can justify spending money on weight loss, but throwing away food is abhorrent for some reason. Even candy that I don't want, and worse yet, that is likely to tempt me at some point if I leave it hidden away elsewhere.
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Yass.. this is the best time of the year to be bulking. All the foods are belong to me
I never thought of that, but that's a great idea. Time to start that weight lifting program I keep putting off...
I don't have a special season for weight gain though. I find that I can easily gain weight any season.0
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