What is YOUR Holiday eating strategy?

olive1968

I'm on a logging streak so I will log every day, though maybe not completely!

I feel confident I can handle Halloween since my kids are out of the house.

I feel somewhat confident I can do Thanksgiving and keep the next day reasonable.

Christmas isn't one day to me. It's about 10 days of fun. I think I will be a disaster? The 23rd-27th are big deals in our house.

23rd: Christmas eve eve, my favorite day of the year, always have friends over
24th: Christmas eve, big dinner, big fun!
25th: Christmas, day of fun and food
26th: My daughter's birthday, let the party continue!
27th: Jammie day, do whatever you want day

I'm hoping to make up for the (wine) calories by burning more. Last year on Christmas we all went on a nice hike together. I'm thinking that should be our new tradition. Get outside for a couple hours all together, burn some cals, and enjoy being with one another.

Blythmag

i try so hard week in week out, i refuse to think about calories over xmas, those scales will still be there to help me , for one week only i will have a bit extra. Pigging out no but logging will be a no, my choice .

Lisa8823168

I don't do Halloween so that's out anyway but I set my goals at maintenance levels from Nov. 20 to January 3. In addition, if it is my party, everything, including desserts are made with low calorie recipes. I happen to love to cook and bake and test recipes, including sweets through the year. Pull from that experience for parties. If I am attending a home party, I offer to bring something, which I do in a low cal and/or low carb option. That way I can eat it. If it is a restaurant event, I make sure I know what is on their menu (usually found online) and plan according to the choice I will make. If I truly don't know what food options I will have, I wing it based on the common sense of my experiences on counting to date...BUT, I log everything. Easy to get out of control and off track and gain a lot in just 5-6weeks of time.

sandy_taylor13

Halloween is also a non issue. I will just avoid the candy and go for some kettle corn (ACT II is awesome)
Thanksgiving and Christmas I'll get up early and do a long run and then likely eat those exercise calories back. I'll log my food as normal since I'm on a great streak. Maybe at the end of the day I'll go on a walk with friends/family so everyone can at least feel like they are working it off.

oliviagodsey113

As far as Halloween, I always buy the candy for trick or treaters that I don't want to eat to eliminate as much temptation as I can.
For the other holidays, I usually volunteer to bring a dish or two that I know is good/better for me and by eating that along with whatever is served I don't usually get the 'i shouldn't have ate all of that' guilt as bad as I usually do. I also try to do really well on the days leading up to holiday eating and after in order to make up for the splurging.

ritzvin

For Thanksgiving, Christmas, Christmas eve, maybe New Years eve... I'll just Quick Add ~4000 calories and eat all the things. I didn't get fat from over-eating only 4 days per year.

himenaya

Thanksgiving and Christmas are entire cheat days for me and I do not log. Next day I get back on track. Two days of splurging ain't gonna break any progress I've made.

lorrpb

Portion control is your friend.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I think I am going to try to do a 5k on Thanksgiving morning. And then, probably not log and just try not to over-
stuff myself.

Heather4448

My strategy:
Distract bacon loving BIL with beer.
Eat all the bacon wrapped things while he is inattentive.
Eat lots of s’mores.
That’s pretty much it.

cwolfman13

BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »

I think I am going to try to do a 5k on Thanksgiving morning. And then, probably not log and just try not to over-
stuff myself.

My wife and I have done a Turkey Trot every Thanksgiving for the past 5 years...it's become a fun tradition.

Sp1tfire

I like to bring my favorite treat (that I know the cals and can log too!) and I'll mostly eat that and have a tiny portion of other treats. My favorite to bring to holidays are merengue cookies, they're really low cal each!

jasummers76

I just plan on pouting in the corner. Lol

wonderchu

I eat whatever I want on the day of (e.g. Christmas) without logging. I do try to get some decent exercise in like a long walk but that's just what I do anyway. Then I try to get right back into a regular logging routine straightaway.

As for events like meals out or hot chocolates with friends or Christmas markets, I just enjoy them and make sure I'm on track on the days in between. Seems to be work for me.

81Katz

I'll probably just eat whatever (no logging). Thanksgiving is usually turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, misc other veggies, rolls, pie. *Try* to eat sensibly I suppose.

Christmas is usually chili, meat/cheese trays, veggie trays, some holiday type desserts (fudge, chocolate, cookies) again probably just *try* to eat sensibly.

When I first lost weight a few years back, my first Thanksgiving on a 'diet' I was miserable. Would not eat much, didn't even let myself have a piece of pie even though my mom got pecan just for me.

Graelwyn75

I try and log but usually end up giving up on Xmas day and Boxing day. We do not have Thanksgiving here (thank goodness) and I don't really do Halloween other than having some of the funsize chocolate bars/bags.

Christmas is the main one for me as I am totally out of my usual environment and I don't think my mum would be impressed if I took my Greek yoghurt, fruit and usual foods along with me and declined all the stuff she stocks up on to make sure we have a good few days. There is always a load of mince pies, Xmas cake, stollen and chocolates left over anyway which I try and leave for my brother to take home. I eat what I want Xmas lunch, ensuring to pile on the veggies and turkey. I tend to not want much later on that day and usually it is a cold buffet of things like pickled beetroot,smoked salmon, quiche, cucumber, tomato, cheeses, potato salad and that sort of thing that we just take when we feel like it.

I try and get back to working out on the 27th and ensure I get some good workouts in the days before. My main issue really is getting back on track as I often find I am continuing to eat the sweet stuff until just after New Year. We shall see. Unless I gain a load of weight before December, I should be okay as I am at the very very bottom of BMI for my height anyway.

Fitnessmom82

First year at this...
Halloween- Not worried. My kids always have some junk treat in the house and my will power is Ok!
Thanksgiving- I plan on rearranging my week so that thanksgiving is my cheat day. I'll still make mindful choice and log my food. But definitely enjoying some sweets!
Christmas- same as thanksgiving. This will be my biggest challenge. I bake hundreds of cookies around Christmas, to give away and serve at our parties. There will be treats available every day. I am going to try to work a small treat into my calorie allowance every day in the two weeks leading to Christmas.
I'll make sure not to skip the gym during the holiday rush. And will probably add an extra day of cardio or lengthen my cardio time. I plan on eating super clean (zero cheat meals) leading up to and after the holidays.

scorpcookie

Increase the cardio sessions to 2 times a day to try and mitigate the inevitable weight gain.

swebb1103

I have a 5k on Thanksgiving morning to give me a cushion, but other than that, not grazing all day, and being diligent in working out the rest of the time, I won't deprive myself.

bellaesprita000

This is my first holiday season since I've been on MFP. I'm thinking I'll have a smaller dinner Halloween night so I can work some chocolate into my calorie goal. Thanksgiving I'll be eating at maintenance and not taking home any food. Christmas will fall on the first days of a 2 week long diet break so I'll be eating at maintenance as well.

callsitlikeiseeit

to enjoy my holiday meals.

like i have for the past 3 years as i lost 100 pounds.

jenilla1

Same as it ever was. There are only a few food holidays every year, so why stress about them? I just eat whatever I want on those few days and get back to normal right away. Doesn't seem to have a negative impact - I've been maintaining at goal for almost 6 years now.

mysteps2beauty

Eat what I want just less of it. Take a nice walk after eating. Start back next day.

BecomingMoreAwesome

I usually take a couple of weeks in December at maintenance. I think last year I didn’t log on days of big holiday parties where it would all be WAGs anyway. On Halloween itself I eat at maintenance, and then work 1 leftover Halloween treat into my deficit calories each day until they’re gone or I get bored of pumpkin shaped peanut butter cups. I logged on Thanksgiving, but didn’t worry about going (way) over.

girlwithcurls2

karla24687 wrote: »

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!

We are twins...
Standing ground here too!!

ritzvin

BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »

I think I am going to try to do a 5k on Thanksgiving morning. And then, probably not log and just try not to over-
stuff myself.

Oh yeah. .I forgot. at least I get a 5 mile run at race pace (and usually an accompanying 5 mile walk) on Thanksgiving morning before eating all the things.

kbmnurse

Holiday eating=enjoy you only live once.

cbstewart88

I basically ignore the food on the holidays. I've seen 62 Halloweens, Thanksgivings and Christmases - and there is nothing new - nothing that I haven't seen or tasted before: not one candy bar, not one serving of stuffing, not one cookie. So I eat as if it is any other day - and if I want a few extra cocktails (which I usually do) - I adjust calories accordingly.

kierrakins

I struggle a lot with sweets around the holidays so I have a bunch of low calorie low carb recipes that I make for substitutions. Also, Thanksgiving and Christmas day never get logged due to my overwhelming love of mashed potatoes and dumplings lol. I usually try and do some extra cardio prior to a big holiday feast.

mammacoty

For Halloween, I'm letting the kids each pick a small amount of candy to keep & hide on their own, and giving the rest to the candy buy back program at their school. I've given up added sugar, and have no self control, so that's best.
For Thanksgiving, I'll get a big workout in that morning to allow for wiggle room, but stick to mostly protein & veggies at the meal, avoid the breads. The drinking is what's gonna hurt!
I think by Christmas, I'm either gonna be ready for a real cheat day, or I'll be doing so well that much of the foods won't be worth eating. Not sure yet.
I also always, always offer to bring the veggie tray, so I can fill up on veggies instead of all the heavy appetizers.