The Holidays
Rei1988
Posts: 412 Member
Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas/yule is approaching, I'm curious to hear how you are going to handle the holidays in terms of food? Are you gonna declare it a free day? Limit your portions with a few treats? Make a low-carb friendly meal?
I know I want to make a keto friendly thanksgiving foods for me when the time rolls around. Still debating on the other Holidays because I know I'm gonna want some candies.
Tell me what you plan to do!
I know I want to make a keto friendly thanksgiving foods for me when the time rolls around. Still debating on the other Holidays because I know I'm gonna want some candies.
Tell me what you plan to do!
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Replies
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I love all holiday food. Will be eating what everyone else is on the holidays and take the week from Christmas thrum new years off. Its not for everyone but I look so so forward to all the meals...desserts..drinks..and appetizers!!!0
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Halloween isnt really an "eating" holiday for me, so for that day I dont plan to do anything differently.
Thanksgiving day and Christmas day will be a cheat days, though I'll try to keep it to a feast and not total gluttony for each day!
Then I'll dedicate the remainder of the year getting back into ketosis so that I bring on the new year on track.0 -
Halloween is not a trigger holiday for me, so it wont really make any difference than any normal day.
Thanksgiving I have to work, so I will pack my lunch as usual and stick to that... again No problems.
Christmas -- I will stay on plan as I dont plan on doing much..if we cook I will stick to what is on my plan, and I plan to prepare a low-carb desert that "I" can enjoy as well as anyone else who wants it... I just wont tell anyone else that its low carb LOL
There are ways to make this work for "Us" low carbers.... For me, I can not afford any cheat days... 1 cheat day leads to 10 cheat days, and then I end up right back where I am right now.... but who knows maybe by then I can have my brain think differently and my body reacting differently... hopefully by then I will be on a one track and not that procastination to work out track!!
Food is not my problem... getting that UMPH to routinely work out is my issue... I am working on it...
(sorry to hog your post..ooops)0 -
I think there are so many great low carb recipes out there, the holidays should not be that big of a deal. I just had pumpkin pie tonight from Fat Fast Cookbook by Dana Carpender.0
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cool guys!0
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I think there are so many great low carb recipes out there, the holidays should not be that big of a deal. I just had pumpkin pie tonight from Fat Fast Cookbook by Dana Carpender.
Man I REALLY want to get that book soon!0 -
I agree that there are a lot of great LC recipes, but short of making a completely separate dinner, cooking a completely LC dinner won't work in my family dynamic. There are a number of siblings, each with their own family units that attend holiday dinners- of which I am the only low carber. Dinners are a combined effort where each family unit brings a few dishes. I intend to make two or three LC dishes (one of which will be a dessert) and then eat as everyone else is eating, but in small quantities.0
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We don't really do Halloween or Thanksgiving here in Australia so that is at least two holidays I don't have to worry about food!!
In regards to Christmas I am already trying out the receipes I usually make with a keto spin - right now I am eating a cauliflower bake, which is basically cauliflower, cream, cheese, bacon and french onion soup which I usually make for Christmas with potatoes, tastes deliciuos!
Now all I need to do is start practising some keto desserts!
Also my birthday is a month before Christmas and I told my boyfriend I was taking that as a cheat day so I need to try and keep christmas as keto friendly as possible!0 -
good plan!We don't really do Halloween or Thanksgiving here in Australia so that is at least two holidays I don't have to worry about food!!
In regards to Christmas I am already trying out the receipes I usually make with a keto spin - right now I am eating a cauliflower bake, which is basically cauliflower, cream, cheese, bacon and french onion soup which I usually make for Christmas with potatoes, tastes deliciuos!
Now all I need to do is start practising some keto desserts!
Also my birthday is a month before Christmas and I told my boyfriend I was taking that as a cheat day so I need to try and keep christmas as keto friendly as possible!0 -
I don't really think of Halloween as a "food" holiday, so I will stick to my usual food choices. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, I plan to eat like the rest of my family, being careful to stick to small, small portions. I'll get ready for these treat days by kicking up my workouts and eating super smart in the days before and after each holiday.0
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Halloween isnt really an holiday. For me, "holidays" are non-work days. So, for that day I dont plan to do anything differently. Thanksgiving day and Christmas day will basically be cheat days, but I will still stay at my macro limits on those days.0
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Great topic!
I always find myself just staring at all the cookies, cakes, and pies during Thanksgiving and Christmas.. with disgust.
I know too much now-- I know exactly what all that sugar will do to my arteries and my mood, as well as my confidence. I think that realization alone is why I don't typically have any problems.
When I first started, I would bring keto peanut butter cookies drizzled in unsweetened baker's chocolate. They were a hit and also a save haven for me to indulge if I felt like it.0 -
Great topic!
I always find myself just staring at all the cookies, cakes, and pies during Thanksgiving and Christmas.. with disgust.
I know too much now-- I know exactly what all that sugar will do to my arteries and my mood, as well as my confidence. I think that realization alone is why I don't typically have any problems.
When I first started, I would bring keto peanut butter cookies drizzled in unsweetened baker's chocolate. They were a hit and also a save haven for me to indulge if I felt like it.
awesome!0 -
In regards to Christmas I am already trying out the receipes I usually make with a keto spin - right now I am eating a cauliflower bake, which is basically cauliflower, cream, cheese, bacon and french onion soup
Can you share this recipe?0 -
We dont do that, only really xmas
But im all about the meat, fat and veg ! will have occasional dessert but they dont have as much sway on me taste wise anyway0 -
I just stick with my plan as best as possible. I will not have any planned off-plan meals. Worked for me last year. I might make a couple of LC desserts along the way but that's about it.0
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I'm going to keep a handle on it throughout the season. Thanksgiving Day, all bets are off! I will eat and drink whatever has the misfortune to be in my path. Three days later, I'll be back in ketosis.
Christmas is with my in-laws, and their culinary tastes are quite different from my own. I'm not expecting to eat much other than the ham, so no keto worries there.
New Year's Eve, I'm going to drink a case of Great Lakes Christmas Ale, and probably call it a season.0 -
I'm going to keep a handle on it throughout the season. Thanksgiving Day, all bets are off! I will eat and drink whatever has the misfortune to be in my path. Three days later, I'll be back in ketosis.
Christmas is with my in-laws, and their culinary tastes are quite different from my own. I'm not expecting to eat much other than the ham, so no keto worries there.
New Year's Eve, I'm going to drink a case of Great Lakes Christmas Ale, and probably call it a season.
lol seems like you got it all mapped out
Mmm Hornsby's hard cider...0 -
I don't really do much for halloween might get some sweets in for the kids, but won't really be that tempted.
My birthday is at the end of Nov, I will take a couple of days off around then. Back in keto up to xmas I am working up to christmas eve anyway so should be part of my routine. Then allow myself a few days off to enjoy all the yummy xmas food. Then back on for new years as I am working it anyway.
I have learnt from experience as long as you dont eat like 5000cals a day, it takes you as long to correct a binge day as you take.
So take a week off, it'll only take a week to get back to where you were which anyone can manage, and in the longer plan is no time at all!0 -
Canada has already had Thanksgiving which i handled by eating very carefully for supper and then gorging on desserts (I regret NOTHING!)
Halloween we usually buy candies for the kids and the last kid who shows up before we close shop for give-aways gets all that's left
We still end up eating some of the chocolates but not much and we make sure there are no leftovers for us to snack on.
Christmas I do the same as thanksgiving- eat VERY carefully for the majority on the meals and then go nuts once a week with desserts and drinks0 -
Thanksgiving, we are having somewhere around 25 people here. But I'm cooking- so it's my menu! We'll do the normal stuff that people like, mashed taters and mac and cheese, etc, but I won't eat any of that. I'm doing 2 turkeys, one on the smoker, one in the oven, and a ham. Brussels sprouts with garlic and olive oil will be my main side dish, and we'll probably do a big salad.
Christmas is usually quiet here. We go to my sisters Christmas eve, but Christmas day is just my wife and I and our 2 adult kids will be around a bit, but we don't plan a big dinner.0 -
In regards to Christmas I am already trying out the receipes I usually make with a keto spin - right now I am eating a cauliflower bake, which is basically cauliflower, cream, cheese, bacon and french onion soup
Can you share this recipe?
Sorry only just saw this!!
I kind of just made it up as I went but the first time made it the recipe was:
250g kraft perfect melt cheese
350g philli cream for cooking 30% less fat
1.5 heads of cauliflower
200g short cut bacon
1 packet french onion soup
I steam the cauliflower for about 20mins, then add it to a baking tray with the cream and french onion soup, mixing it all together.
Add the cheese on top.
Bake for 20mins at 180 degrees (that is celcius for me) with alfoil on the top
Then another 5 - 10mins with teh alfoil off to give the cheese a brown look.
It can be a little high in carbs so need to be careful with serviing sizes.
I also made it with mixed veggies (squash, zuchinni, celery etc) which was also delicious0 -
what is high in carbs with that? I think cauliflower is an awesome low carb food because the fiber content is nearly as much as the carbs, it nets out very low.
We did mashed cauliflower recently. A lot of calories for sure, but relatively low in carbs. I used a big head of cauliflower and microwaved it until it was tender, then added some butter, heavy cream, and cheese with some salt and pepper.0 -
I'm the baker in my family. I make tri color cookies every holiday season as well as a dozen other sweet treats folks have come to expect. I'll be making all the usual for everyone else but low carb (or best case scenario, keto) versions for me & my husband. The kids are old enough to choose according to what they feel might be tasty..
I'm starting to prepare by making tester batches using products bought from Netrition. My order should arrive tomorrow. The first order of business is to try out low carb ebelskivers. If there isn't a difference in taste or texture and if the recipe lends itself well, as in 'not offputting, then I'll make the lowest carb version I can get away with.
Mostly though, I think I'll be sticking to meat & veggies with LOTS of cheesy creamy sauces!!!
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what is high in carbs with that? I think cauliflower is an awesome low carb food because the fiber content is nearly as much as the carbs, it nets out very low.
We did mashed cauliflower recently. A lot of calories for sure, but relatively low in carbs. I used a big head of cauliflower and microwaved it until it was tender, then added some butter, heavy cream, and cheese with some salt and pepper.
It was the cream I used the first time, just found a much lower carb cream yay which brings the carbs down a lot more
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what is high in carbs with that? I think cauliflower is an awesome low carb food because the fiber content is nearly as much as the carbs, it nets out very low.
We did mashed cauliflower recently. A lot of calories for sure, but relatively low in carbs. I used a big head of cauliflower and microwaved it until it was tender, then added some butter, heavy cream, and cheese with some salt and pepper.
It was the cream I used the first time, just found a much lower carb cream yay which brings the carbs down a lot more
I used heavy whipping cream in my mashed cauli, zero carbs in that. And it tastes great!0 -
Halloween is no problem for me...we don't give out candy as we live on a very dark road in the country. Thanksgiving, I have already picked out a couple of low-carb side dishes to have but I am sure there will be stuffing and potatoes in there too for my non low carb family members but my plan is to stick to my low carb as much as possible. Christmas might be tougher as I am not sure what we will be serving and which family members we will be with. I think my biggest weakness will be the cookies, but I don't plan to make any for our home and I am hoping that friends/family don't give us a huge container of them. I will definitely indulge here and there during Christmas but don't plan to do it the whole week for every meal between Christmas and New Year's. Hubs and I have an anniversary in there as well, so that will be a special dinner. I really don't feel good when I go all out and cheat more than a couple of times so that makes me not want to do it.0
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I survived thanksgiving here in Canada pretty well. As the food will be almost identical I think I'll be ok at Christmas. I'm not planning to restrict myself but I find these days I don't really have a sweet tooth anymore. It will be some of the savoury things I've been dreaming about, stuffing, gravy, potatoes...I may substitute for mashed cauliflower? I'll talk to hubby.
I think I'll stick to small taster portions and make sure I listen to my body for fullness. And enjoy each bite. :-)0 -
Halloween is no sweat. I have a big bowl of Reeses Peanut Butter cups that have been in my cupboard for over a week now -- I haven't been tempted at all. I prefer the keto PB fudge I've been making lately anyway!
Here's my game plan for the next two months:
*I'm busting it full-on intense keto between now and Thanksgiving! I've been doing great this week -- hitting under 10% carbs every day and over 75-80% fat ever day this week. I've also be exercising intensely (running a few mornings a week + P90X). I plan to maintain this level of focus for the next 4-5 weeks until Thanksgiving.
*I really want to learn to do refeeds every 7-10 days -- but this has been extremely unsuccessful for me thus far. 1 refeed turns into 1 day and then 1 week and sometimes longer of carb binging. But I know that for this to work as my rest-of-my-life lifestyle, I need to find a way to have an occasional cookie, scone, slice of cake, pizza, etc.
So I think the holidays are actually a great opportunity for me to try to refeed but limit it to 1 day or 1 meal a week. Game plan outline:
Oct. 27 - Nov. 28----100% keto
Nov. 28
Carb refeed
Nov. 29 - Dec. 7----100% keto
Dec. 8
Carb refeed (this is my birthday!)
Dec. 9 - Dec. 24----100% keto (I might need to do 1 refeed in here as it's major holiday party season...)
Dec. 25
Carb refeed
Dec. 26 - Dec. 31---100% keto
Dec. 31 into Jan. 1--Carb refeed (boozing it up, I'm sure)
Jan. 2, 2014
Back to keto 100%0 -
what is high in carbs with that? I think cauliflower is an awesome low carb food because the fiber content is nearly as much as the carbs, it nets out very low.
We did mashed cauliflower recently. A lot of calories for sure, but relatively low in carbs. I used a big head of cauliflower and microwaved it until it was tender, then added some butter, heavy cream, and cheese with some salt and pepper.
It was the cream I used the first time, just found a much lower carb cream yay which brings the carbs down a lot more
I used heavy whipping cream in my mashed cauli, zero carbs in that. And it tastes great!
I am yet to find a cream in Australia that has zero carbs
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