How do you stay on track at Christmas?
weezie1206
Posts: 6 Member
How does a person stay on track at Christmas with all the parties and get together's? It's just starting and I'm having a heck of a time staying on track!
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Replies
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I allow myself to indulge during the holidays, but not go crazy. For example, I hosted Thanksgiving and I had a ton of fattening foods (sausage stuffing, potato casserole with heavy whipping cream and cheese baked in), and I just had one serving (reasonable size) of each and filled the rest of my plate with a slice of turkey and lots of steamed green beans and simmered carrots. So I guess my suggestion would be to fill up on the healthier options, healthy can be delicious! My steamed green beans are delicious, I steam on the stovetop for about 3 minutes, pat dry, and add a small amount of butter and kosher salt for taste. Even my picky 8 year old son gobbles them down
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Keep it clean every day you're NOT going to a party and make it a goal to not skip ANY workouts for the month. Indulge a little at parties but what I like to do is look at what's being offered and ask myself whether I can eat it the rest of the year. If the answer is yes (like cheap appetizers you buy at the grocery store), skip it. If the answer is no (like your Great Aunt Meg's sticky toffee pudding she ONLY makes during Christmas) then YES! Have a slice! Indulge but don't OVER indulge.
Does that make sense? Feel free to friend me! 0 -
How does a person stay on track at Christmas with all the parties and get together's? It's just starting and I'm having a heck of a time staying on track!
By making the right choices.
IE, discipline.0 -
I allow myself to indulge during the holidays, but not go crazy. For example, I hosted Thanksgiving and I had a ton of fattening foods (sausage stuffing, potato casserole with heavy whipping cream and cheese baked in), and I just had one serving (reasonable size) of each and filled the rest of my plate with a slice of turkey and lots of steamed green beans and simmered carrots. So I guess my suggestion would be to fill up on the healthier options, healthy can be delicious! My steamed green beans are delicious, I steam on the stovetop for about 3 minutes, pat dry, and add a small amount of butter and kosher salt for taste. Even my picky 8 year old son gobbles them down
This.
I try most side dishes, but get 1/4 cup of each one. I find that satisfies me.
I do not go back for "seconds"
I save room for dessert and then have a small portion
I give leftover food on my plate to my husband. Although he is also tracking his food on MFP so he doesn't always want all of it! ;-)0 -
Everything in moderation - I don't deprive myself of my favorite holiday foods. One way to curb eating is to have something from home that is filling and drink some water before you go to any gathering. This helps fill you up so you don't tend to eat more. It also takes a lot of will power. Hoping the best for you during the holiday eating festivals!:drinker: :flowerforyou:0
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Always work out on days you have a party to go to and don't eat late!0
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The words "no thank you" are very powerful. I also pick and choose the parties I attend. I do not need to go to 5 a week for the next 2 weeks. I don't need to try every cookie at the cookie exchange and try to go to the more active walk around or dance type parties rather than the sit and eat ones.0
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I never deprived myself of sweets and stuff before...I just learned when to stop. Just deploying those same things during the holidays keeps me on track.0
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oh BROTHER!
this weekend... I really didn't
but because of that, I'll just be careful to REALLY stick with my nutrition & exercise plan during the week.
Hopefully maintaining balance will help!
(Cutting myself completely off treats/indulgence @ xmas time just isn't an option!!)0 -
Most of this is good advice.
Moderation
Extra workouts
Don't deprive yourself
Use No thanks
Good stuff :-D0 -
I keep up my usual routine of exercise and all things in moderation.0
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Keep it clean every day you're NOT going to a party and make it a goal to not skip ANY workouts for the month. Indulge a little at parties but what I like to do is look at what's being offered and ask myself whether I can eat it the rest of the year. If the answer is yes (like cheap appetizers you buy at the grocery store), skip it. If the answer is no (like your Great Aunt Meg's sticky toffee pudding she ONLY makes during Christmas) then YES! Have a slice! Indulge but don't OVER indulge.
Does that make sense? Feel free to friend me!
Awesome advice, especially the indulge a little at parties!
The way I treat dessert is that it's always better shared with a friend! I can usaully find someone willing to split a dessert with me.0 -
Control yourself. You don't have to eat ALL OF THE FOODZ. Just a little bit.0
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First of all, I really wish there was a "like" button on this board! So full of good advice.
I was really worried I would over-indulge at Thanksgiving, especially since this is the first year I cooked the whole feast myself- but it was also liberating because I had so much control over the options! We had an Early lunch, so I split up the feast throughout the day- ate lots of salad and some turkey and ham at one meal, then when I got hungry again I ate small portions of potatoes, stuffing, and asparagus. Then I took my parents' dog for a walk and came back for dessert and even had a glass of wine.
All in all I lost 0.2 lbs at my next weigh-in, but I would have been perfectly content just to not gain weight.
Hopefully I can manage to have similar strategies when I go to visit my brother and his family in Philly- they live in a fun area to walk around.0 -
I agree with TuffyTuffy1, I would also try and leave a little color on the plate and try and have more veggies than anything else. This would also be a great time to "beef" up the work out routine.
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Well whats more important, 2 weeks of parties or your goal?0
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I will try damage limitation but I don't intend to spoil Christmas for myself and my family by being a food martyr. I have to admit I won't buy as much but I'll only miss out the things that won't be missed. For example I won't buy salted peanuts. I only buy them because it's a tradition. We don't really bother with them but then pick our way through them because they're there. Also we're going to Cadbury's World on the 21st December and I'm certainly not going to turn down the free chocolate lol. Some days I won't even think about what I eat whilst on other days I'll try to be more careful. I know I'll be heavier after the event but as long as I get back on track it won't be a problem.
The question has been asked 'What's more important, 2 weeks of parties or your goal?' I think you can have both. We're not dieting, we're changing our lifestyles.. If that's the case then we have to allow for times when it's traditional to feast. and allow ourselves to join in and enjoy. The difference between us and others is that we will then revert to our healthier lifestyles and pick up where we left off.0 -
"Discipline is doing what needs to be done even when you don't want to do it" Indulge and enjoy the Christmas season (within reason). I'm looking beyond Christmas to New Years Eve and focusing on the tiny dress I intend to wear
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Methaphatamine.0
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So there's a lot of good advice on this thread, but let's be honest: I'm in the same position you are, just getting back on track, and we didn't get to this point because we have discipline and will power, amiright?
So here's how I'm getting thru the holidays:
I'm super strict with myself during the week, keeping to my minimum calories and not skipping the gym. If I have an event during the week, I just do the best I can at the event. It's not going to be a huge party thing for me because I have to work the next day.
Weekend events? I eat a really small breakfast and a low calorie snack during the day so I can save the calories to indulge later. When it comes to the party food, I skip all the stuff I might like and go for the stuff I LOVE and don't normally indulge in (or those 'once a year' yummy things). Remember you're at a party...there's going to be lots of food so it's not like you have to fill up on the first thing you see. Start with a small bit so you still have room for other stuff. You can always go back and get more food. Same with desserts. Store bought? Don't bother wasting the calories. Go for the homeade good stuff. It's ok to be hungry when you get there, just don't go starving or you're setting yourself up.
Finally, don't stress too much about it. Do the best you can and enjoy! There's already too much holiday stress going on anyway, don't add to it. I find if I focus TOO much on this, I end up scrapping my whole plan. So if I mess up and indulge a little too much? Whateves. Tomorrow is another day. I will be dancing a jig if I make it thru to Jan 2 without gaining.0 -
i don't always, its christmas. indulge a little.
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I bring alternate food items for myself to enjoy. For example, today at work we have about 4 different cakes sitting on the table that is directly in front of me. AND they are homemade :sad: But, I have my sugar free chocolates, candy and cashews to snack on. I have not been tempted not one bit. I think it is really mind over matter at the end of the day. Your goal is bigger than the food. Good luck on your choices. :flowerforyou:0
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How does a person stay on track at Christmas with all the parties and get together's? It's just starting and I'm having a heck of a time staying on track!
By making the right choices.
IE, discipline.
this.
And I don't go to holiday parties much. And I just you know- use portion control.
Eat lots of meat- and lots of dessert.
Bam- problem solved.0 -
Basically three methods work here. Pick one depending on your personality.
1) Boot camp style discipline. Have no treats you don't log first. On 'normal' days stick to the lowest calorie count in a healthy range for you. Up your exercise (or at least don't skip any).
2) Relax and enjoy (but don't go crazy). On 'normal' days, behave normally. At parties, choose the best of the best, and take a small portion - smaller amounts for calorie-dense foods, larger amounts for calorie-sparse foods. Eat, knowing that if you're still hungry after you've given it a little time, you can go back for more. If you do, don't beat yourself up over it. If you feel like having a treat, have one (or half of one) and don't beat yourself up over it. Know that if you gain over the holidays, it will come back off.
3) Blend 1) and 2) to taste.
Biggest trick - don't make yourself feel deprived if you're one to say "screw it" and cut loose. You'll do more damage that way, both calorie-wise and to your mental state.0 -
The more I think I can't have something then the more I'll want it so I'll buy what I think is a reasonable amount and when it's all been eaten I''ll get back on track.0
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i don't always, its christmas. indulge a little.
That pic made me laugh!0 -
Thank you for all the advice/tips! I think I'm generally on the right track, but just need to add a bit more discipline to my diet and need to get back into my exercise routine. It makes me feel better that a lot of people on MFP are thinking along the similar lines as I am.
I'm not one who needs to eat everything in sight, and it's seldom that I go back for seconds. My problem stems more from stress and boredom eating, or just eating whatever I feel like. I've been able to curb this for the most part, and do try to make the healthy choice 90% of the time.
Unfortunately, it's been insanely busy at work the past few weeks, so I haven't been able to exercise at all during this time, and there tends to be more functions to go to where it's not possible to have no control with what's served like you would if you were eating at home (but I agree you can control what you eat). Thankfully things at work are slowing down and I can restart my exercise routine again.
I do indulge once in awhile...I don't believe in cutting yourself off from certain foods 100% - I think this just sets yourself up for more trouble later on.
Hope you all enjoy your time with family and friends this Christmas!0 -
I do calories cycling and keep my ``high days`` for days when I have a party. That way I have more calories for treats on those days :-)
That said, I put veggies or salad on 1/2 of the plate and enjoy the goodies on the other half. One plate. And a bit of dessert if it`s worth it.0 -
how many parties are you going to?
I am seeing three potential binge days/moments..christmas day, new years eve, and office party for work (two of these if you have a spouse)
so you are talking about four days over a two month holiday span …
I would say the day before increase your deficit and then enjoy on day of said event ..0 -
For me I'm not usually tempted by snacks. If I do suddenly crave something sweet I'll take one bite of it. That's it, and that usually satisfies my cravings. My weaknesses tend to be carbs, not candy or cakes.0
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