What is YOUR Holiday eating strategy?

anewell28

With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and winter celebrations coming up, what is your strategy when it comes to holiday eating?

Have you used a strategy before and been happy with it after?
Trying something new this year?
Do you log everything still or neglect logging at all?

I'm very interested in these answers because I haven't figured out my plan yet!

pinuplove

Halloween is a non-issue. I'll snag some candy but it'll fit into my calories. I won't log Thanksgiving day or Christmas day. I'll eat too much and be slightly miserable but won't feel deprived of holiday cheer. Maybe a few other days eating closer to maintenance, depending on family get togethers, but I'll log those.

tinkerbellang83

I tend to eat around maintenance when on holiday, still log as best I can but don't worry too much if I forgot something or went a little over.

I find I tend to still be very active even when I am away on holiday or visiting family/friends but I do eat a lot more carbs/sodium and drink more alcohol, so the majority of the extra weight I gain on holiday is water weight and comes back off within the first week back.

CindyWard2

I don't log on vacations, Thanksgiving or Christmas. I eat what I want and get back on track the next day.

TavistockToad

anewell28 wrote: »

With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and winter celebrations coming up, what is your strategy when it comes to holiday eating?

Have you used a strategy before and been happy with it after?
Trying something new this year?
Do you log everything still or neglect logging at all?

I'm very interested in these answers because I haven't figured out my plan yet!

i don't celebrate halloween or thanksgiving, so they don't count.

i will probably not log on Christmas day and boxing day, and possibly new years eve. other than that i log (and exercise) as normal.

missysippy930

I am back after losing a lot of weight on MFP from 2012 through 2013 (I gained back 1/2 of the weight I lost). What worked for me before (and I hope will work this time) is try a little of everything, log it, and continue on. My issue is maintenance, it is harder than losing the weight for me.

acfisher88

I'll try and eat maintenance; maybe get the family to join me for a walk before dinner so I can get some extra calories in

pocntasha

I am consistent at being inconsistent. I feel guilty if I do not log, and like a pig if I do. So my strategy is to log even if I splurge, by logging I am holding myself accountable, and it will be my inspiration to work out the next day!!!

NelwynnValala

Good question, hadn't thought about that yet. There are certain dishes/delicacies that I only eat around Christmas, and I will still have those. You can pry the Béarnaise sauce from my cold, dead hands, thankyouverymuch. I will log, but not worry too much since it is an unusual event.

My real downfall around this time of year is always chocolate, cookies and sweets though. It will be good to be aware of that this time. A handful of chocolates is a lot of cals... Many friends bake cookies (I do too) and they are delicious, but just having one is also an option... Stuff like that can really add up and I definitely think I should log all of it, just to be aware of how much 'just a little nibble' will add up in the end. I will not freak out over it, but will be extremely aware. Will probably also make a conscious choice to only eat good quality chocolates (lots of it is just crap that you eat because it has a decorative Christmas bow around it).

Thanks for posing this question and making me think of my strategy beforehand. :-)

kommodevaran

I've admitted defeat, and at 47 I'm living by my mom's adage: "It’s not what you eat between Christmas and New Years, it’s what you eat between New Year’s and Christmas".

I don't celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving.

I do log my intake, because I plan my meals and don't delete the plan as I eat.

ladyhusker39

On top of those occasions I also have 5 birthdays in my family including mine between now and New Year's. This is my first year calorie counting and I'm still a little ways from my goal. I keep going back and forth about how to handle the food. For me, it's not so much the crazy eating on a few days; it's the constant availability of sweet treats which has always been my weakness.

I think I'd be happy with maintaining for the next couple of months. If I lose a little that would be great, but I won't be disappointed if I don't. I will log what I eat except on TG and my birthday. Christmas isn't a big eating day for us. It's pretty normal.

For my birthday I've already told everyone all I want is the best apple pie in all of Athens, GA. I have no idea where it's going to come from, but I plan to eat every bit of it, so I'll probably go over on those days. I can almost taste it now.

pinuplove

kommodevaran wrote: »

I've admitted defeat, and at 47 I'm living by my mom's adage: "It’s not what you eat between Christmas and New Years, it’s what you eat between New Year’s and Christmas".

I don't celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving.

I do log my intake, because I plan my meals and don't delete the plan as I eat.

I love this!

RoxieDawn

Thanksgiving day and Christmas day are two days I do not worry about tracking calories. I go to a couple of Christmas parties, these are usually lunches or at night and only one meal. I don't worry about thateither.

All of this falls inline with how to be flexible when social events and holiday arise. Its just a few days.

I don't do a whole lot of celebrating for Halloween, I eat some candy sure, I log it.

malibu927

Thanksgiving: eat at maintenance (it’s one meal, and with three people there isn’t a ton of food to go around)
Christmas: I take a diet break the week going into it and get back to logging in the 26th.
The other days: I stick to my goals

JillianRumrill

1. No sugary drinks, only water or tea 2. Limit my desserts- One small slice of cheesecake OR One small slice of Cannoli cake, 3 Anisette Cookies (OR Almond Paste cookies), 2 mini Cannolis OR 2 Pusties, and 3 Pizzelles (can you tell I'm Italian? LOL) NO ICE CREAM, NO OTHER DESSERTS 3. NO CORN

I get mad headaches when I have too much sugar, so that's why I'm doing it like this. Plus, I'm sick of corn. F**k corn.

lauracups

I'm trying a different way this year. The past year was awful, stress, mourning, too much to handle at once and I allowed myself to regain 12lbs. I do not want to use the excuse of celebration and festivities to add to that number. I also have an injury inhibiting my usual level of fitness. I will eat at a deficit, doesn't matter the food choices, if it's something dense in calories and I get just a taste or one spoonful etc, so be it.

RachsLosses

Very interesting post, this will be my first year logging and the troublesome areas will probably be;

- Halloween: Not too fussed about this as I don't get trick or treaters where I live. STRATEGY: stay away from the multipack sweets & chocolate in stores
- Halloween Party: This is most likely going to be drinking which I would general log - STRATEGY: Focus on hoarding calories throughout the week, log everything (including alcohol...if I remember drinking it )
- Amsterdam visit (December 9th/10th) wanting to try new things and indulge a little but make conscious choices STRATEGY: no logging
- Christmas Eve/Christmas Day/Boxing Day: I haven't got my plans sorted just yet so this may change STRATEGY: no logging, conscious choices, smaller plate.

Then it'll be just getting back into it asap. I have some time off work between Christmas and new year so I might go to the Gym a couple days.

Who else is dreading the new wave of resolution gymmers...

Need2Exerc1se

Halloween is a non-issue here. I don't really have a strategy for the holidays other than to enjoy the time with family and friends. I imagine I'll put on a few lbs like I do every year and then I'll lose them in January like I do every year. I will eat sensibly and enjoy every bite.

Slowfaster

Since many of us tend to gain a few pounds, every year, during the holidays -- and never lose it -- I've been going the other way. I've decided not to make the holidays about what I'm going to eat, but about friends and relatives. I'm usually the one doing the decorating, cooking and clean-up for my family, so it's sort of a "work" time for me anyway. It's not as though I get to sit on the sofa and nibble treats all day, while my mom cooks anymore. So I stick to my No Sugar diet and I can weigh in on New Years with a sigh of relief and no regrets.

Lounmoun

anewell28 wrote: »

With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and winter celebrations coming up, what is your strategy when it comes to holiday eating?

Have you used a strategy before and been happy with it after?
Trying something new this year?
Do you log everything still or neglect logging at all?

I'm very interested in these answers because I haven't figured out my plan yet!

Have a maintenance calorie day.
Eat reasonable portions. Put more vegetables on your plate.
Plan- prioritize and prelog. A lot of holiday menus have the same foods every year so you can anticipate at least some of what you will eat. Pick what is most important to you rather than eating everything.
Look at the whole day and weekly calories instead of just one meal. Eat lighter the other meals that day or the days before or after.
I don't use my calories for drinks very much as I don't find that as satisfying as eating more food. Try having more lower calorie or no calorie drinks.
Stay active. Get involved in something other than eating or drinking all day. Be the person at an event who helps set up, takes pictures, goes for a walk, starts a game, runs a 5k, plays with the kids or dog, helps clean up.
Cook the holiday feast yourself so you control what you will be eating. Don't buy or cook enough food for 30 people when there will only be 5 people. Send leftover food home with people, freeze it right away or toss it.
If dining at someone else's home bring lower calorie dishes or snacks to share. Don't take lots of leftover food home with you.

I have logged Thanksgiving a couple of years now and came in under 2,000 calories. I ate what I wanted and was pretty full. It was over my calorie goal but I didn't gain massive amounts of weight becaiuse it was not every day. Realistically you might maintain or gain a couple of pounds if you really indulge. Don't stress about it. Going well over my calorie goal a few days out of the year is less important than what I do every day. Get back to normal ASAP.

livingleanlivingclean

Halloween isn't big here, and we don't have thanksgiving. Christmas is usually small, and being in Australia (and the summer heat), eating light but delicious food is easy. Lots of seafood, plus turkey and salads. Dessert is my biggest splurge! I usually skip breakfast, and we have late lunch that ends up being dinner too...

GrumpyHeadmistress

Halloween I’m at a funeral so little fun to be had there!
No thanksgiving here.
Holiday (5th to 20th November) I will continue to count and measure except on days I fly. Usually lose due to increased swimming.
Christmas - eat all the things and worry about it on the 27th!

CaliMomTeach

Thanksgiving is just one day so I say eat whatever and move on. The month of December is more challenging as delicious eating options present themselves throughout the month I find. Last year, I just ate what I wanted for a couple of weeks and attempted to log. It did slow down my weight loss, and I even gained a few pounds, but it came off. I will probably take the same approach this year, though I am pretty much done with losing and just want to stay around the same weight. I agree with the poster above who said that she doesn't log on vacations.

sardelsa

For me, I will usually bulk/gain in the fall/winter so it works out perfectly. That covers Thanksgiving, my daughter's birthday, Halloween, Christmas, New Years, my birthday, my son's birthday, Valentine's day and sometimes Easter.

crystald911

I intend on treating the holidays like I have every other day of the past almost 300 days I have been logging. Eat within my calories. If I go over, I go over but I will not stress about it. I will not give any more power to turkey and dressing and all the yummy sides that go with the holidays than I do with the everyday foods that tempt me, well, everyday. I have lost almost 60 pounds so far this year by taking it one day at a time and this is what will see me through the holidays as well. (And, all of this sounds good, like motivational good, so I will be repeating it daily through out the holidays in the mirror every morning!) hahahaha!!

sprinklemepink65

Plan, budget, eat what i want & enjoy!

iamthemotherofdogs

I've cut out added sugar, so I'll be skipping Halloween candy. I plan to buy myself some sugar-free dark chocolate to partake in if I get desperate. Thanksgiving, I'll just go heavy on the turkey and proteins, and probably go for a long bike ride that morning to give myself wiggle room for treats. I'll also be sure and make myself a side or two that I know the nutritional info of and fit my goals so I can stay somewhat balanced. I'll log to the best of my ability-- always a wild card in the mix when other people are cooking, but I'll do my best-- and remind myself it's one day a year.

jemhh

On Thanksgiving and Christmas, I eat what I want. In general, I splurge on the foods that I don't get the rest of the year and eat little to none of the foods that I have the rest of the year. For example, I'll eat plenty of sweet potato casserole and skip mashed potatoes. I don't log either day.

The rest of the time, I keep to my plan or might have a maintenance day if I am in the middle of cutting calories. I don't really have a bunch of high calorie get togethers but I do struggle a bit with easily available baked goods so I try not to have too much in the way of Christmas cookies in the house.

Sunnybrooke99

One thing I do is I’ll bring food gifts, like cookies, or chocolates, to Christmas parties, or set them out for the kids for some snacking, and just have a couple. If someone just loves it, I’ll send the rest home with them, and let the gifter know how much their treats were enjoyed by everyone.

WinoGelato

I use a lot of the good strategies that people have outlined above, and I continue to log everything, even on Thanksgiving. But mostly, I try to remind myself of the things in this thread which I posted a couple of years ago... it's all about perspective.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10303793/who-gained-weight-during-the-holidays-i-have-a-solution/p1

cat_lady77

Last year around the holidays, I literally did not care - at times it was almost like I TRIED to overeat with the idea I would start good habits in the New Year...yeah, well it took a lot longer than that & now I've been stuck with extra weight since then. I gained about 10 lbs in the last few months of 2016.
This year, I will NOT be keeping those tempting leftovers at my house - they will go home with family or they will get chucked. Last Xmas we did family dessert at my house & there was literally a table full of cookies, cake, & candy when everyone left. I have zero self control so I just kept eating it.
I don't mind having leftover turkey, roast, veggies, whatever, but the cakes & pies will not be welcome after the actual holiday. I am standing my ground this year!