October 14
Replies
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Yes x35
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Working from home has really cut a lot of my holiday eating issues out. I don’t have all the client gifts in the office, etc. We only make sugar cookies to paint them - which the boys will eat and I don’t like. There will a pass day or three but nothing too major hopefully. This is a year that we’re at my in laws for a week for Christmas so I won’t be in charge of food which will is somewhat of a problem but I don’t really enjoy their cooking so probably not too much of one. It also helps that after 17 years with my husband (14 years of marriage) they can never remember that I don’t eat meat and I end up just eating the one vegetable that doesn’t have a meat product in it (or one I can pick out) while my husband gets pissed. Honestly, it’s not a passive aggressive thing either they actually really like me - my FIL just doesn’t remember and then my MIL gets mad at him. 😂🤣🤦🏻♀️
My spending habits on the other hand…😂😬. I love buying people presents. I am a present buying monster. I need help. Lol.
✅✅✅
HIIT Circuit class at the gym.
Pass days remaining: 27 -
Happy, happy anniversary!!
Thanks for sharing this great topic. The Xmas into New Year's holidays has always been tough as it's one of the few times that I see my collective family. So we enjoy our cultural dishes and drinks FULLY
But this year, I actually joined a group on MFP that's called the Getting Ready for Christmas challenge so that's 1 of my strategies to keep moving towards my goals.6 -
October 14
✅ Exercise - workout video
✅ Calories
✅ Tracked
2 Pass Days Used3 -
Oct 14
Exercise - yes
Tracking - yes
Calories- yes
1/3 Pass days
Barely made it today…Traveling & visiting family, so lots of temptations!3 -
✅✅✅ holiday plans.... Enjoy but keep the wheels on.2
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@jjjcat - HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!0
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In the past, I would try to come up with a plan for parties, get togethers, family meals, etc. I would stress and plan and plan and stress. Seldom, if ever, did I adhere to any of the plans. Then I would beat myself up. Then one year I heard myself think, “oh well, you messed up the plan so you’ve failed”, upon which I just ate and stressed and stressed and ate. About 5 years ago, I decided not to make a plan, not to stress, to just enjoy the moment and be in the present instead of trying to control and predetermine the future. I found I ate within reason for the circumstances. That being said, I no longer bake tons of cookies and baked goods for anyone anymore (none of us need them) and I limit when I am enjoying holiday foods to actual events. I no longer sit on the couch every night with spiked egg nog and holiday treats binge watching the hallmark channel (although it is fun trying to guess if a character is Santa or not, or who will fall in love, in the first 3 minutes of holiday movies).
Thursday, October 14
Tracking: Yes
Calories: under
Exercise: Yes, full body stretch warm up, cycle 45 min, cool down ride, post ride stretch
Pass days to date - 44 -
Date: 10/14
Exercised ?: never again will I miss an opp to walk. Did EMOM plus 5 min warm and 5 min core routine
Calories ? YES
Tracked? YES
Pass Days 1/34 -
Mrs_Hoffer wrote: »I'm excited about heading into the holidays..... because I have a plan!! Lol. And it did work well for me last year.......
Last year as it got closer to the holidays, I decided to put my daily calorie goal up closer to a "maintenance" level. I figured I'd rather do that and MAINTAIN throughout the month of Dec, then feel frustrated and even perhaps give up because I couldn't stay under my cal goal every day. Doing that helped me to STAY in the HABIT of tracking everything I ate, and still having a goal to try to stay under - which is what I needed in order to not go completely off the rails!!!! When the holidays were over, I had not gained any weight - I had held the same. AND I was STILL in the daily habit of tracking every single thing! WHICH MADE ME VERY HAPPY!
In past years, it's been very hard for me to get BACK into the habit of logging after the holidays (IF I came back at all!!!!) Plus, last year I found that on many days I WAS ABLE to stay way under (closer to my original, lower calorie goal), but on the days that I needed a little more grace - it was already built in to my food diary. Just a thought.....Another thing that I sometimes do to try to "trick" my brain....... is when I have a Christmas cookie or two (or another sweet) and find that I'm wanting another, and another...... is to quickly PUT THEM AWAY and GO OUT FOR A WALK!! Yes, GET OUT OF THERE! Layer up and go outside, or even go downstairs and do an aerobic workout!! I MEAN, RIGHT NOW! Even if it's only a short workout! It focuses my mind on something else other than more sweets!! And by putting them AWAY (OUT OF SIGHT) before I leave, then, when I do come back into the kitchen, I don't have them staring up at me to instantly REMIND me! I've even asked my hubby to HIDE goodies from me. (I DON'T go looking for them, because I DON'T want to find them!)
I sometimes will TALK TO MYSELF as though I'm an 8-year old and will say things like
"No, not now. You can have 2 cookies after dinner". (And SOMETIMES I can even continue to put my little 8-year old self off throughout the day!)
Or, "Go walk 4 miles first, and THEN you can have 2 cookies!" (again, postponing, instead of telling myself "no" which doesn't work for me if I really, really want something........ you get the idea!)
I don't have a lot of other stress at the holidays. Being a great-grandma to 4, grandma to 8 plus 8 significant others, mom to 4 plus their SO....... we have a very large family. I no longer buy Christmas gifts for everyone, just the little ones. For everyone else, I take them out on their birthday for dinner at the restaurant of their choice - instead of spending all that money at Christmastime! It's worked very well for me. On Christmas day, we do have a big meal and have everyone over (potluck style) and I will make gluten free and keto stuff for myself. We have a large family gift exchange, so I only have to buy one gift for that. I can usually have all my gifts purchased by thanksgiving weekend and go into December just enjoying the season.
Sorry - I guess it's my turn to be long-winded!
So awesome u hve a plan that u hve tried and knows works!!! Loved it tips with delayed gratification!!!! The going for a walk one is brilliant as it is actually the opposite to eating the cookie. He he!!! I love it!!! I am also a massive sweet tooth so i tots know wat u mean!!! Xo3 -
October 14 (wedding anniversary for us)
Exercise: Yes - 30 minute dog walk
Calories under: Yes
Tracked all: Yes
My goal for the holiday season is to keep up with this group, even if I have multiple pass days. I need the ongoing accountability of staying honest.
Great strategy!!! U r in the right place for that. Xo2 -
October 14 (wedding anniversary for us)
Exercise: Yes - 30 minute dog walk
Calories under: Yes
Tracked all: Yes
My goal for the holiday season is to keep up with this group, even if I have multiple pass days. I need the ongoing accountability of staying honest.
Happy anniversary. Xox1 -
lesdarts180 wrote: »Well, Christmas will be difficult this year. It is our first Christmas since my son died earlier this year. Last year the UK government cancelled Xmas, we couldn't get together. It was the last year my son was alive. In December 2019 we were all reeling from the shock of his diagnosis, but it did bring us all together.
My DIL is going home to the States with the children from Dec 20th to April. I'm happy for her to spend time with her family as she hasn't seen them for nearly 2 years. So my mum and I will spend Xmas with my daughter and her children.
I don't know how I will deal with it.
I will stick with UAC and just get through it.
So nice that u will be surrounded by your daughter's little ones!! Hopefully this will help be a bit of a distraction. Xox2 -
TerriRichardson112 wrote: »✅ - Exercise 20+ Minutes: 93 minutes, aerobics/walking/circuits/tai chi/dancing
✅ - Calories within budget
✅ - Tracked everything
3️⃣ Pass Days left
Since embarking on my new fitter/healthier lifestyle, my usual December routine has been to continue to track, and eat under maintenance except on Christmas Day. I do extra workouts on days where I am socialising.
My plans for Christmas this year are very fluid. Up until Covid our home was the focus of many family gatherings, as we are the seniors of our tribe. We took over this role when DMiL/DFiL were getting older and it was too much for them. Christmas dinner was for 15, and we would have half a dozen family members staying over the Christmas period.
Last Christmas was the first time in over 30 years that we didn’t have guests, and due to lockdown, we couldn’t have family gatherings, except for a Christmas Eve walk, and coffee, mulled wine (non alcoholic for the drivers), etc, and seasonal goodies in our garden afterwards. (The weather was mercifully dry and sunny.)
Although we missed our usual family celebrations, I have to admit that we enjoyed the lack of hassle immensely, and I was grateful for the lack of the usual surfeit of seasonal goodies, as I had sent most of the Christmas fayre home with the family on Christmas Eve.
My daughters had been suggesting that they could do the family honours at Christmas, so maybe this year I will finally pass over the reins to them.
@WhatMeRunning <> I use all the stress relievers suggested in that article apart from the counselling. I find meditation particularly helpful.
@Mrs_Hoffer <> I only take off Christmas Day from tracking (I do it a couple of days in advance, and adjust as necessary), so don’t have the hiatus of having to get back to it.
I also use distraction if I feel the munchies. My exercise of choice is to put on some rock music and boogie. 😂 it gets those feel-good endorphins into play.
@lesdarts180 <> (((Hugs))) You are a amazing and resourceful, the way you have dealt with all of that. As Teresa said, you are a strong woman and you will get through it.
@TerriRichardson112 u are sooo right dancing is such a fun distraction.. Wenever i can't go 4 a walk and need to entertain bub in wet weather I will dance around with him, he loves it and it automatically puts me on a high! Xo3 -
jamcnewman wrote: »@donna25trinity Thank you for sharing 💛 You have really done a lot of personal work and have identified issues and challenges that get in the way of your well-being and success. Be strong for yourself and your husband and baby. The boundaries you identified are so important.
And all those “thumbs up” for today — way to go! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Will do, thanks a bunch!!! Xo2 -
SummerSkier wrote: »14 Oct
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? yes
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? yes
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? yes
Pass days used:0
Holidays. wow. interesting reading and I think Mrs H has the best one yet because it gives her ROOM mentally to not go off the rails. I see SO MANY people who just go all out crazy with food starting with Halloween thru Thanksgiving and Christmas/holiday of choice season and mentally they think "I will restart Jan 1". I learned quite a long time ago that doing that only made it worse and of course when I failed on 3 Jan I was in a much worse position. The same holds true when I hear folks say "I am just going to finish up all this bad stuff I already have in my house and then I will start".. Typically I never hear the after part of that as a success either. But advice is just that. I think we make our own decisions and experience is usually the best teacher.
This is spot on!!! Xox2 -
Katiecan2021 wrote: »Exercise - yes 15 mins yoga, 40 mins walking
Tracking - yes
Calories - no…just plain hungry today so I went over and I’m still going to bed hungry (should have had more fibre / protein!)
I think the holiday season is easier in the uk now I’ve read all these entries - it’s just Christmas and new year. December is busy and festive and fun but that’s when it starts. If we had thanksgiving too that would make the whole thing longer (and probably more stressful!).
@donna25trinity I think I’m the same as you, a pleaser. It’s second nature to put other people before me, I too am trying to get better at that. I really have to stop baking for everyone all the time, it’s a time sucker and sometimes a slippery slope to a sugar filled rubbish day. I think the sugar makes me stressed too!
@jjjcat happy anniversary
@lesdarts180 you’re right, one day at a time is the only way. And you might not think of yourself as strong but you have consistently kept up this group and your healthy habits at a time when everything must be so difficult. And by doing that you are also doing your best by your mental health and hence your family. Honestly, I think you are an inspiration.
@TerriRichardson112 I’m so impressed by you only taking a pass day on Christmas Day! That’s discipline!
Yep I think ur right, we are a rare breed we are!!! Ha ha!!! Great idea with not feeling like u need to bake for others all the time esp if it's stopping u from reaching ur goals!!Xo2 -
Mrs_Hoffer wrote: »I'm excited about heading into the holidays..... because I have a plan!! Lol. And it did work well for me last year.......
Last year as it got closer to the holidays, I decided to put my daily calorie goal up closer to a "maintenance" level.
I did close to this exact same thing for my Canadian Thanksgiving trip to my Dad's - we left home Thursday and got back Tuesday, and I knew there would be lots of dinners out and things outside my control. Rather than try to hit my normal deficit, fail, and feel frustrated, I purposely set my calories to maintenance - 10%, and that was my measure of success for the timeframe that I was gone.
I think this can be a GREAT strategy for many. It kept me accountable to something - I still had the Thanksgiving meals but it gave me space to enjoy.
I still lost weight - I tend to overestimate calories in these meals out as I prefer that over the alternative so it ended up being the right plan for me.
In terms of Christmas, by that time I'll be coming into the later stages of my weight loss goals and my calorie deficit won't be as large. My strategies will be:
1) continue to get my exercise
2) take maintenance - 10% calorie days when I know I'm going to family dinners
3) otherwise, follow my normal plan (allow treats IF they fit into my deficit)
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October 14 (wedding anniversary for us)
Exercise: Yes - 30 minute dog walk
Calories under: Yes
Tracked all: Yes
My goal for the holiday season is to keep up with this group, even if I have multiple pass days. I need the ongoing accountability of staying honest.
Happy anniversary and great goal! This will be another strategy for me as well.4 -
lesdarts180 wrote: »Thanks for the kind words. I have to say, I'm not "strong", there is no choice but to get through the days. I still cry a lot, have some days when I really struggle. One day at a time is a all you can do.
I think there is a lot of strength in sharing your experience with others - thank you for your vulnerability. My heart goes out to you as well.
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@WhatMeRunning ... great topic, really enjoyed reading everyone's strategies! With Canadian Thanksgiving just wrapping up, Halloween around the corner, and then American Thanksgiving and Christmas, it's never too early to get our plans together!
Today:
Did I exercise - yes, 4 hour hike in the mountains
Did I track it all - yes
Did I stay under calories - yes
Pass days used - still holding at 3! Determined to stay in the Winners Circle!6 -
Tracked - Yes
Within calorie budget - Yes
Exercised - Yes. Another day just using the treadmill at home: 25 minutes walking and 35 minutes jogging.
Pass Days Used: 4
If I could maintain my weight over the holidays that would be super! I need to get through Halloween first though, and then I'll start thinking more about how I'm going to handle Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the days surrounding.😉5 -
Oct 14
Pass day 2
Lots of walking
Didn’t weigh all my food6 -
10/14/2021
Exercise? No
Tracking? Yes
Calories? No
Enjoying reading everybody's holiday strategies. So many great ideas.5 -
10/14
Exercise: 45 minute biking, 22 minutes elliptical, 50 minutes weight training, 55 minutes stretching and PT exercises
Tracking: yes
Calories: under
Pass days: 14 -
Track: yes
Calories: yes
Exercise: yes- Full Body Warm Up: 5 min
- Day 27: EPIC I - Arms & Abs Dumbbell/Body Weight Workout (+ cool down): 45 mins
Today's EPIC workout was titled as Arms & Abs but it was actually triceps and abs. I don't have strong triceps so it was a struggle. Ms Girvan is a beast. She can do proper one arm push ups.
As far as holidays they aren't an issue for me. I quit exchanging gifts in 2004 with family and friends (it was at my request). I have no family where I live. My partner does but he gives them all restaurant gift certificates. So no shopping which I detest and no stress. We attend a few parties in December (except last year) and take a bottle of wine and/or an appetizer store bought. Easy peasy. I don't bake nor am I tempted by sweets or candy or really most of the food unless it's something like potato chips.
When I still worked in an office I never participated in any of the potlucks or other food related doings because I'm a bit of a germaphobe and wouldn't eat the baked goods and such that people brought in since I had no idea how sanitary the kitchens of my colleagues were. Maybe thinking about that would be helpful to some of you.
However, we're taking a short vacation over the Thanksgiving holiday and I'll have to be vigilant with my restaurant meals.5 -
Oct 14
Exercise - yes, 2+hours of walking in the woods at a work retreat
Tracking - yes, but had to do some estimating for the walking and the ice cream
Calories - under, but I do fear that I overestimated the walking and underestimated the ice cream
Friday is to be my high calorie day in my new eating plan, but I am going to keep it a low calorie day to see if I can actually get to some loss. I had 2 high calorie days last week with the pass day, so 0 this week would average out.
Re: holidays - I have loved reading others' insights.
Since beginning this recent weight loss 2.5 years ago, I have had 1 small treat every night. It's often a seasonal one. And I can usually confine my treats to that time of day (usually with an exception for the actual holiday, when I eat them all day).
Looking back at my weight loss data, it looks like Thanksgiving is often a gain of a few pounds but evens out in a week or two. Thanksgiving leftovers are usually the kind of food that I can incorporate into my calorie budget in reasonable portions and still lose weight. We usually host Thanksgiving. Last year we did it by ourselves. This year we are hoping to have just a few family members over.
It was interesting to look back at data for Christmas. Looks like I usually have ended the year with a loss, because I usually end the year sick. Last year, due to covid precautions, I did not get sick. Christmas has always been with my wife's family and with multiple family gatherings. Last year I was honestly really happy to skip it. Even pre-covid, I could not see the wisdom of gathering so many people together in small rooms to share food in cold and flu season. Yes, I am literally the Grinch It is just that etiquette seemed to demand everyone show up even if they were sick. There was one year we all got norovirus when we had a 2 year old - and we knew people were sick but gathered anyway! I just can't see going back to that after covid - not just because covid is a possibility, but because I have gotten used to getting sick so much less often. I have asthma and an autoimmune condition so every cold lasts weeks for me. I do actually enjoy my in-laws - and this summer I pushed my wife to plan get togethers with them outside and we did do some. We'll see what happens - a fight may be brewing . It all depends if kids can be vaccinated by then - if not, we're definitely not going anywhere.4 -
Pass day.
But at least I went hiking. I'd also guess that I was within my calorie budget but since I didn't track, there is no sure way of knowing.4 -
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~🎃~~10 / 14 /2021~~ Waving Hi ~~🧙🏼♀️ ~~ OCTOBER ~~ BLESSings ALLways ~~ 💖 ~~
Exercise for at least 20 minutes .................................... ✅ ... 210+ min.
Stay within my calorie budget for the day ...................... ✅ ... I am
Keep track of everything I ate and drank ....................... ✅ .... I did
STEPS......... 28,780+.......... 180 walking ........ 30 min. house cleaning
I started full force to drop this weight on July 1st 2021 when I saw the scale hit 189.8
it was ANOTHER huge Wake Up Call ... This Time I will Maintain my weight loss because
I refuse to go back to feeling UNhealthy & I know that my way of eating made it so.
I am on TRACK to Reaching my Healthy Goal Range 150 - 155 by Thanksgiving
I feel confident that My Body has taught me What I can & can't eat at my age Now
to remain Healthy & Energetic ... I used to Enjoy Eating toooooo much on a daily
basis... Now I eat to Nurture my body to remain Healthy.... & I have decided that
I will be ENJOYing eating on Special occasions & Holidays as a celebration
(* EnJoying eating to me meant ... eating sugary starchy foods, CARBS which I now
eat at a very minimum... & will enjoy Just occasionally to maintain a HEALTHY ME)
I am looking forward to the HOLIDAYS to put my Maintenance Plan into action
Documenting My CONSISTANCY = For personal ACCOUNTABILITY
(if there is a P=instead of number its a Pass Day)
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14
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MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »Oct 14
Pass day 2
Lots of walking
Didn’t weigh all my food
Hope everything is OK. This is not like you to not keep track for 2 days in a row... Hope your weather is great for hiking and even though you aren't tracking you are "on track" so to speak.
***hugs***
today is a new day.1