How are you gonna handle the holidays?

Brandonalex15

Holidays are coming up . Alot of food , family , the atmosphere . will just make you overeat like crazy , cus your gonna figure "oh , hell its the holidays , F*** It". How are you gonna deal with the hollidays ?How are you gonna control yurself.. I have a horrible time with binging i can eat 6k in one day .

Brandonalex15

B.u.m.p

notdieting

I'm gonna get a print out of my 'before' picture....it makes me cringe to look at it..... and I will stick it to the fridge door to remind me how far I've come and why I don't want to slip back. I also have no intention of stocking the home food cupboards with the usual ton of high calorie non-food (crisps, chocs, mince pies etc)

The good thing is, all family members, bar one, are trying to 'watch their weight' so are happy to accept the considerably reduced menu. We will have Christmas Day dinner with all the trimmings, no holds barred, but that's it. The rest of the time we will have healthy options only. I don't mean a diet of carrot sticks either but well thought out, portion controlled meals, just like I eat every day normally with a few snacks that don't sky rocket the intake.

As for the inevitable eating out at social events, I will be practising the control I have learnt over the past eight months of my journey and making friends aware that I WILL NOT be cajoled into poor choices, that I will find it offensive if they even try.

I see a lot of posts regarding friends and family becoming offended when their meals are turned down but I can never quite understand how that doesn't cut both ways. I don't have the problem thankfully, my family are very supportive but I would certainly tell them if I had to, that them forcing unwanted food on me is just as offensive as me refusing it but only one of those results in MY backside expanding!!

If excess is unavoidable...if there really aren't any 'good' choices available ( I have a couple of events that have pre-set menus so I would have to decline to eat entirely to stay 'in goal', or not attend, and neither of those works for me) I shall instead, get myself onto my elliptical and burn of the excesses.

I had that very scenario last night. I logged the meal I was going to have and it took me 300 calories over goal so I went out, thoroughly enjoyed the meal, then got up this morning and did a 340ish burn on the elliptical to cancel those out. I then exercised as I would have normally....which on a Sunday, normally consists of a nice walk out somewhere.....which I did and burned another 350ish.

I know I sound a bit preachy and like I'm implying that dealing with temptation is easy but that's not the case....I shall struggle at times I'm sure. I shall crumble at times too, of that I have no doubt. I'm just saying I know how I SHOULD deal with it, how I CAN deal with it and how I hope to deal with it. I am pretty damned determined that this will be the first Christmas in my adult life that I will not gain weight.

deanjou59

I too struggle with binge eating. I am going to be realistic and acknowledge that I will most likely eat more than I normally do on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve/Christmas day- not necessarily more but most likely higher calorie. I am going to try to eat in moderation- but I will allow myself to enjoy some of my favorite treats And, I will realize that this is only a small part of my life- even if I completely go overboard, I will be sure to realize that my eating behavior and healthy living is the big picture- a few days of slip ups do not need to determine how I live the majority of my life!

trudijoy

drink water, concentrate on the strawberries (it's strawberry season here and I love them more than all the other xmas food put together) and remember that if i put on a couple of kilograms i can take em off as well.

yogicarl

- like any other day. My goals are more important than any celebration.

janicebinva

I too struggle with binge eating. I am going to be realistic and acknowledge that I will most likely eat more than I normally do on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve/Christmas day- not necessarily more but most likely higher calorie. I am going to try to eat in moderation- but I will allow myself to enjoy some of my favorite treats And, I will realize that this is only a small part of my life- even if I completely go overboard, I will be sure to realize that my eating behavior and healthy living is the big picture- a few days of slip ups do not need to determine how I live the majority of my life!

^^ Exactly that. I'm going to my parents' house for Thanksgiving, and it's usually a three-day food-fest, what with the dinner, the desserts, the wine, going out to dinner one of the other nights, and bagels and lox at breakfast (I try to avoid white carbs because, among other things, I don't have the calorie budget for them once I eat my requisite protein and veggies, and then allow myself a couple of decent snacks in the afternoon). But I figure I'll eat small portions of all my favorite things at the feast dinner, and then try to hold down the extra calories to a few hundred over the course of Friday and Saturday. That means only one or two servings of something I wouldn't normally be able to eat. Also, I plan to take walks each of those days for at least an hour. That will help damage control. And last, I'm trying to build up a larger than usual calorie deficit during this week leading up to the holiday. Maybe 700 calories a day instead of 500. That's a lot for me, but I figure the extra effort is better spent up front than trying to play catch-up afterwards. If I can keep losing a pound a week, I'll be very happy.

Llamapants86

Dinner at my mom's and my MIL's I do not track, I don't worry about it too much because it only happens a couple of times a year. I do also plan to stick more to the turkey and veggies and less to the potatoes and gravy. At most it will set me back a week, totally worth it.

notdieting

Christmas buffet foods that you can have in better versions....


Crisps ........ half fat crisps

cheese ........ half fat cheese

quiche ....... crustless quiche

sausage rolls ....... made with venison sausages (naturally low fat) and filo pastry

pate ....... home cooked livers, blended, no added fats

prawn cocktail ....... prawns with no sauce or very low fat sauce

vol au vents ........ use baked open cup mushrooms or scooped out tomatoes instead of vol au vent cases

cheese and biscuits ......... water biscuits with grated cheese (means you use a lot less but still get the taste)


Christmas dinner reductions...

dry roast your potatoes/parsnips etc

use venison sausages and turkey bacon for 'pigs in blankets'

remove skin from meat

make your own cranberry sauce using low cal sugar/sweetener

buy reduced calorie Christmas pudding, have low fat custard instead of cream

Or have fruit and custard as an alternative



There are lots of ways to still have good food but just not have the level of calories usually associated with it. Also, to make a plate of food up when you want to eat rather than 'lay out' a buffet.

I personally, will be pretty much cutting out booze altogether but if that's not gonna work for you, drink spirits rather than beer, with low cal mixers, buy light wines and alternate each alcoholic drink with a diet soft drink so you can pace yourself.

sexybrownmomma

i think i'll just hold on to a saucer and load that up... any food hanging off just doesn't get eaten.. LOL! hopefully that work's no mountain high or jammed plates just lot's of little nibbling. :bigsmile:

usmcmp

Log most of the days. Don't log the parties. Understand that one or two days means nothing compared to 365 days. Be thankful I have family to celebrate with and food to eat.

Railr0aderTony

Read this for a better perspective on holiday eatting. It was posted today and is one of the best things I have read in a long time.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1142021-thanksgiving-a-different-view

kathleennf

Log most of the days. Don't log the parties. Understand that one or two days means nothing compared to 365 days. Be thankful I have family to celebrate with and food to eat.

This- basically, but remembering that Thanksgiving is ONE day, Christmas is ONE day and New Years is ONE day. I can eat what I want those days, but not for the whole 6 weeks. I have learned my lesson!

ChrisM8971

I will spend the days with family, I will eat until full and have some drinks and thoroughly enjoy the time. I will accept that my weight will increase a little but my weight issue was the result of years of overeating not overindulgence over the holidays.

When its all over I will get back on track and lose anything I have gained.

brandiee2

I'm not even going to try and track my calories because I won't be cooking. I'm just going to workout in the morning of Thanksgiving, drink plenty of water, and just watch my proportions. Like others are saying, it's just one day out of the year. I don't want to get worried about it so I'm just going to try my best and that's all I can do!

Panda307

My plan is to do the treadmill first thing in the morning, and just try to eat the healthier options at the family get together! Good luck to you!!

SherryTeach

Nothing "makes" me eat. I decide what to eat. I worked too hard and I feel too good to give it up. I met my goal in early December of 2012. I will handle this year's holidays the same way. I exercise a little extra on the days with a major meal and eliminate most of my snacks. That really is only Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. I stay physically away from workrooms at school that have tables laden with stuff I don't plan to eat. I have plenty of food with me to choose instead.

I have maybe two or three parties to attend. I plan to eat a light meal before I go so that I'm not starving. Then I'll nurse a glass of wine and few small treats. That worked fine last year.

anaconda469

I am going to be alone so I don't have to worry about it. Just eat regular old stuff.

tinyzombie

I'm going to have some of everything, like usual, but I am going to pay a LOT more attention to my portion sizes than usual. I'll also log honestly, try to get in a good walk after dinner, and the next day, I'll kick *kitten* with my normal routine.

victoriousO

I am going to snack on a lot of veges and the rest of the time, wait for a meal to eat and just eat the way I always do. I just have to keep retraining my mind everyday that I don't need excess of anything, it will cause many negatives in my life. This attitude will be the same on Thanksgiving day or Christmas day just like any other day:))) Just keep your same habits everyday and you should do just fine.....

bluefish49

I WILL NOT be cajoled into poor choices, that I will find it offensive if they even try.

I see a lot of posts regarding friends and family becoming offended when their meals are turned down but I can never quite understand how that doesn't cut both ways. I

This, for me, has been one of the mid-level keys of the number you see below. (Major keys were calories and sugars)

krazyforyou

The day is called Thanksgiving for a reason. It is a time to be with family and friends and reflect on your blessings. I will eat what I want only much less of it.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I'm going to enjoy spending time with my family and friends and be thankful for everything I have. I am not going to stress over calories that day. If, after more than 2 years of logging calories, I can't manage to eat reasonably and without stress for one day then it's a pretty sad state of affairs.

robinsondel

I'm going to eat, then I'm going to work, then I'm going to eat again, then I am going to the gym. I won't be stuffing myself until I pass out, like in the past, but I'm not going to refuse to eat anything that I really want, that I usually only get on a holiday. I'm not going to do the normal, multiple meals at different places all week this year, just going to do Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving. For someone who has over 200lbs to lose, I'm not going to make myself crazy and I'm not going to create a new version of an eating disorder by stressing over certain foods on a few days a year. What I have come to realize, it's not the 10 days of celebratory meals each year,that has made me fat the past 36 years, it's the other 355 days of each year, of overeating and eating crap that has made me fat over the past 36 years.

MinimalistShoeAddict

The holidays are the perfect time to bulk up! My plan is to gain about 2kg from November - December

jennz81

Do what I always do: enjoy myself!

Cranquistador

I am not going to care about calories and eat what I want.

and PIE

and more pie.

cwolfman13

Well, Thanksgiving is one day and Christmas is one day....I'm not too worried...that's only 2 days out of 365...pretty sure they're irrelevant in the grand scheme.

Also, If you're really worried just start pumping some iron and eat all the foodz...muscles are awesome.

CyberEd312

Log most of the days. Don't log the parties. Understand that one or two days means nothing compared to 365 days. Be thankful I have family to celebrate with and food to eat.

QFT!!

LishieFruit89

Oven mitts

KnM0107

I plan on enjoying the time with my family. Food is secondary. I will treat it like any other situation. I will eat what I want with in reason and I will enjoy every bite. I also won't log much in December, I will practice portion control.