Holiday party

92019start
92019start Posts: 80 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
Looking for advice for going to a cookie exchange tonight. I know that winging it will not be a good plan. So, what is a good plan? Eat dinner beforehand, or bank all my calories for then?

Replies

  • j000881
    j000881 Posts: 2 Member
    I recently did my brothers birthday party and I stuck to red wine no hard liquor and counted calories on typical party food, I was able to have fun by watching qty and skipping the cake
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I'd definitely save calories for it.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    I'd be happy to just have one cookie and leave it at that. I don't have much of a sweet tooth....
  • qpmomma1
    qpmomma1 Posts: 220 Member
    Personally, I do better if I bank my calories for parties.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    If you can get through the day, then go ahead and bank calories. If it's going to make you miserable, then go ahead and eat, and maybe exercise a bit extra for the rest of the week, or eat a bit less over the next few days.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,171 Member
    I would bank calories for it. How many cookie exchange parties do you go to? It might not be the most nutritious dinner ever, but it isn't a regular occurrence. @MsAmandaNJ my sister used to do a cookie exchange at Christmas. We sampled all the cookies and then took some home to share.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    I would advise to bank the calories for it. I'm doing the same thing tonight except it's a full dinner, not just a cookie exchange. I am eating light for breakfast and dinner so I can enjoy myself tonight. It does help to know the menu beforehand though...maybe ask around to see what people are bringing so you can sort of pre-plan?
  • WJS_jeepster
    WJS_jeepster Posts: 224 Member
    samanthaluangphixay wrote: »
    I would advise to bank the calories for it. I'm doing the same thing tonight except it's a full dinner, not just a cookie exchange. I am eating light for breakfast and dinner so I can enjoy myself tonight. It does help to know the menu beforehand though...maybe ask around to see what people are bringing so you can sort of pre-plan?

    Cookies. People are bringing cookies. The menu is cookies. :)

  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,331 Member
    92019start wrote: »
    Looking for advice for going to a cookie exchange tonight. I know that winging it will not be a good plan. So, what is a good plan? Eat dinner beforehand, or bank all my calories for then?

    Personally I decide if I want to enjoy the event and eat whatever or not. Remember, you didn't get fat because of one day eating a whole lot, it took time. That means the issue is not the party itself, it is what you do all the other days. My usual choice is enjoy the event, eat what I want, and get back to my calorie goal the next day. For some people that does not work. It seems to work well with me. It certainly reduces the stress level.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    I would still eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but would eat lighter versions of them. Bank some calories for the party, but if you skip eating the rest of the day, you'll likely overdo it because you'll be hungry.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    I am horrible at banking calories and winging it when I get to an event. I arrive hungry, I'll eat one of everything that looks good rather than being selective.

    If it's just cookies, eat a filling dinner before you arrive -- like a big salad with chicken -- then pick only the most delicious looking cookies to try. Feel free to take a bite and toss the rest. No obligation to eat the whole cookie if it's not worth the calories.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    it's a cookie exchange not taste test evening...

    when I do my exchanges we don't eat them we exchange them and maybe eat one or two so not sure why this is a concern.
  • 92019start
    92019start Posts: 80 Member
    Thank you for all of your advice. It sounds like banking calories is the way to go. It may seem like the obvious choice to you, but in the past I have gone into these types of situations and failed miserably by either having an unrealistic plan (i.e. to not eat on iota of anything there) or having a free for all. I have a good idea how many calories are in the cookies I made, so that will help me gauge how many calories I eat there on the spot. Guesstimating is a bit hard for me, but on the other hand there aren't too many of these instances in life. Thanks again!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited December 2016
    One little party is going to be pretty irrelevant to the bigger picture. If this isn't going to be a regular occurrence throughout the holiday season, I wouldn't worry about it.

    We have a holiday party coming up next weekend...Christmas eve and Christmas day aside, it's our only party of the season...not too worried about it.

    ETA: cookies won't be the issue at the holiday party I will be attending...
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Don't waste calories on cookies that aren't great. If someone brings store-bought cookies, I'd leave them. If I tasted one and wasn't really into, I wouldn't finish it.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    One little party is going to be pretty irrelevant to the bigger picture. If this isn't going to be a regular occurrence throughout the holiday season, I wouldn't worry about it.

    We have a holiday party coming up next weekend...Christmas eve and Christmas day aside, it's our only party of the season...not too worried about it.

    Same. My party is done and I did not concern myself with one night. Ate a decent amount and drank a fair bit, but right back at it the next day (or was it the day after). Yeah, the scale went up but it's gone back down since and I had a good time.

    It's the season.
  • 92019start
    92019start Posts: 80 Member
    I have to laugh when I read, "One little party is going to be pretty irrelevant to the big picture." True, but the cookie exchange is over, and tonight is a Christmas buffet, tomorrow is my son's first birthday, that afternoon is a food-filled concert my kids are in, and tomorrow night is a Christmas party at my friend's house. Sunday we are hosting someone from church for lunch. The following weekend we have another holiday party. Christmas weekend we are going to an upscale buffet. Pretty much back to back food festivals!!! I do need a plan.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,331 Member
    92019start wrote: »
    I have to laugh when I read, "One little party is going to be pretty irrelevant to the big picture." True, but the cookie exchange is over, and tonight is a Christmas buffet, tomorrow is my son's first birthday, that afternoon is a food-filled concert my kids are in, and tomorrow night is a Christmas party at my friend's house. Sunday we are hosting someone from church for lunch. The following weekend we have another holiday party. Christmas weekend we are going to an upscale buffet. Pretty much back to back food festivals!!! I do need a plan.

    Wow! Most years other than Christmas Eve/Day and one other Family even with the In-laws we have at most 2-3 other events. This year, only one, and it is on the same day as our one family event so just a day off. BTW, if you have that many, there is no reason you have to eat at every one. For that matter having people over for lunch has never been a reason for me to eat a lot, I eat a normal meal for me and log it.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    92019start wrote: »
    I have to laugh when I read, "One little party is going to be pretty irrelevant to the big picture." True, but the cookie exchange is over, and tonight is a Christmas buffet, tomorrow is my son's first birthday, that afternoon is a food-filled concert my kids are in, and tomorrow night is a Christmas party at my friend's house. Sunday we are hosting someone from church for lunch. The following weekend we have another holiday party. Christmas weekend we are going to an upscale buffet. Pretty much back to back food festivals!!! I do need a plan.

    I hear you. It's never 'just one day' around the Holidays.

    Your best plan is to keep the meals that are completely under your control as filling and low calorie as possible... stay active and try to 'bank' calories for those events. Then have small servings of the things you REALLY want... and pass on the rest.

    Ideally, avoid high calorie treats and non filling foods during the week leading to those events too. Something that works for me and my terrible sweet tooth is asking myself 'what dessert do I really want right now?'. And whatever it is, it's what I save my calories for. So if I want sugar cookies but the first parties only have gingerbread cookies, it's easier to tell myself that I don't want any because I'm saving my calories for the sugar cookies of party #2 or 3, for example (plus honestly, gingerbread cookies wouldn't be as satisfying for me if I really wanted sugar cookies instead).

    Same for every dish really - if it's not what I really want right now, I'll just fill up on lower calorie foods instead.

    Also make sure to ask what is in the cookies and don't waste calories on those that have things you don't really care for.

    Anyway, good luck. Been there!
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    92019start wrote: »
    I have to laugh when I read, "One little party is going to be pretty irrelevant to the big picture." True, but the cookie exchange is over, and tonight is a Christmas buffet, tomorrow is my son's first birthday, that afternoon is a food-filled concert my kids are in, and tomorrow night is a Christmas party at my friend's house. Sunday we are hosting someone from church for lunch. The following weekend we have another holiday party. Christmas weekend we are going to an upscale buffet. Pretty much back to back food festivals!!! I do need a plan.

    Yikes, that's a lot. He is right though. I am going to treat myself to a huge meal at Cheesecake Factory on New Year's Day. I haven't eaten at a restaurant since April 2015. Believe it or not, reminding myself that it's just one day has helped me with the mental back and forth as to whether I should do it.

    Don't know if I could do the back to back events though. Good luck. I hope your plan works. :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited December 2016
    92019start wrote: »
    I have to laugh when I read, "One little party is going to be pretty irrelevant to the big picture." True, but the cookie exchange is over, and tonight is a Christmas buffet, tomorrow is my son's first birthday, that afternoon is a food-filled concert my kids are in, and tomorrow night is a Christmas party at my friend's house. Sunday we are hosting someone from church for lunch. The following weekend we have another holiday party. Christmas weekend we are going to an upscale buffet. Pretty much back to back food festivals!!! I do need a plan.

    Well that's the thing...I don't treat the whole month as some big party...

    It's not incorrect that one party is irrelevant...You're just living a party lifestyle...and really, pretty much no plan is going to help when that's your lifestyle.

    I generally have one or two events between Thanksgiving and Christmas...Christmas eve, Christmas day, and New Years eve...IDK...been maintaining my weight for over four years pretty easily...maybe address the lifestyle and/or learn how to be social and still be able to control yourself. When I go to a party, I don't have to eat all the foodz....

    Also, even if you're just going to town for a whole month...there's 11 other months in the year...and the whole of your life which is what I refer to as the big picture...even a month isn't really relevant to the whole of your life...big picture...

    If you really need a plan, mine would be shoot for maintenance...dieting when you're doing all of that *kitten* seems kind of silly...
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    92019start wrote: »
    I have to laugh when I read, "One little party is going to be pretty irrelevant to the big picture." True, but the cookie exchange is over, and tonight is a Christmas buffet, tomorrow is my son's first birthday, that afternoon is a food-filled concert my kids are in, and tomorrow night is a Christmas party at my friend's house. Sunday we are hosting someone from church for lunch. The following weekend we have another holiday party. Christmas weekend we are going to an upscale buffet. Pretty much back to back food festivals!!! I do need a plan.

    Well that's the thing...I don't treat the whole month as some big party...

    It's not incorrect that one party is irrelevant...You're just living a party lifestyle...and really, pretty much no plan is going to help when that's your lifestyle.

    I generally have one or two events between Thanksgiving and Christmas...Christmas eve, Christmas day, and New Years eve...IDK...been maintaining my weight for over four years pretty easily...maybe address the lifestyle and/or learn how to be social and still be able to control yourself. When I go to a party, I don't have to eat all the foodz....

    That, or chalk these next couple of weeks up as a - I don't want to say, "loss" - non-win and continue after the holidays. That doesn't mean go whole-hog - it just means to not stress/worry about not losing weight. Keep your regular deficit and try to stay around maintenance during the festivities.
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