Three Months of Candy, Food, and Oversized Portions

simplyychaos

October starts the three months where I feel like it's hardest to avoid binging on unhealthy food... Halloween candy just showed up at the supermarket near my school, making everything look 10x more tempting. Even if I get through with only a handful of slip ups, it's right into Thanksgiving. Tons of potatoes, gravy, desserts, lasagnas, the whole boatload set up in buffet form at my aunts house. Even for the veryyyy slim chance I've still been able to be good, Christmas is thrown at me in full blast. Candy canes, puddings, and other sweets return again. Plus moving back home for a month means eating "family" dinners which my parents always cook with loads of butter/oils, and super sized portions of starches (big fans of pasta, rice, and white breads).

With all of this ahead of me I'm desperate for any advice on how to get through the next three months without severely going overboard.

dmpizza

I set a somewhat firm rule that special occasions last one day.
Thanksgiving is Thursday, not Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Christmas Eve is one day.
Christmas is another but the day after Christmas is just a regular day, etc......

hiemerapril

For the big meals like Thanksgiving I heard that you should use plastic spoons, get one spoonful of each food that u want. Each new food has a new spoon, so you see how many bites u are taking. When you are done with your plate you evaluate if you are still hungry or not. I am planning to do this myself, hope it works! Also, try chewing gum all the time, helps me not just munch.

Rachaelluvszipped

Lol, I totally know what you mean..haha.. I say try and eat a big salad prior to each meal, with the family thingy... in fact just load up on veggies..veggies as snacks .and by the time you want to put something High caloric in your mouth..you will feel fuller and not want to finish what is on your plate..I do this when we go out with family to restaurants..I always order a salad.. on the candy thingy..haha, i freeze them..the chocolate ones anyways..and when I want a few pieces or so..I go and grab em..and Drink up your water..it totally helps..

eliz_in_pink

I'm sure it will be hard, but with small portions and self-control I am sure you will rock it. Just make sure to work out on days you KNOW you are going to eat pretty well (if ya know what I mean, lol). You can do anything you set your mind to... You are working toward a goal... to let one month of moving back home or three months of challenges (candy in stores/the holidays) detour you sounds like an excuse. Don't make excuses! As Nike says, "Just do it!" And you know you can do it or you wouldn't be on here Best of luck! :flowerforyou:

nilla128

When you joined MFP didn't you think to yourself "I don't want to eat like I used to, anymore"? So, DON"T !
You used words like binge/tons/super sized- that was the way you USED to eat, but not now.
Enjoy the holiday season but eat small portions of all the things you love, exercise more to compensate for all the extra calories you are consuming and I'm sure you will be just fine. (remember, just because everyone else is eating like a pig does not mean you have to copy them)

ahavoc

I make sure I work out on those days, like any other day, and I keep my breakfast and lunch in scope, Then I have the ability to eat a little extra, but as DMPizza says, only on the holiday, back to it on the rest of the other days.

Fairysoul

These are great ideas! As far as being at home offer to cook sometime and make something super healthy and yummy, maybe you can be encouragement for them to eat healthy too, especially coming from their daughter

j_courter

i feel you! the real key is portion control. you can still enjoy that food, but eat FAR smaller portions and savor them. if you grab something that doesn't thrill you, don't eat it! yep, you read that right... there's no shame in throwing away food... it's better than adding it to your butt (or thighs, or belly). if you have to, hold it up to your belly and think... "i guess i really don't want it to end up there!" i think i've finally got it figured out after all these years! best of luck to you too!

the other side of it is this: if you overindulge, make up for it with extra exercise!

ellie403

last year my gym had a don't gain, maintain challenge at our gym. we weighed in at the beginning of nov. and then again on Jan. 2. It was a great idea - you had your name on a master spreadsheet and checked off one block for every hr. you were at the gym. My friend and I decided that we would text each other everything we put in our mouths all day long for 7 of those weeks. That was what helped me lose a pound over the holidays last year.it's one thing to log it on fitness pal or just not log in on a day that you were terrible...but you can't escape a friend pestering you to find out why you havent texted your food all day. I really think that helped me last year and am planning on doing it again this year.

mirrim52

My problem is clearance, post-Halloween candy. It is so hard to pass up the sales! I plan on only going shopping with my husband so he can remind me not to give in.

As for your family, serve yourself! Do not let them plate out super sized portions. If they leave everything on the table for everyone to dish out themselves, reach for the veggies first and starches last. Every holiday party I have been too has had things like veggie trays. Load up on veggies and have a small treat. Drink lots of water so that you aren't snacking just for something to do with your hands when mingling. And watch the alcohol (if you are of age)! Sooo many empty calories there.

Elmaunie

Eek - glad we don't have Thanksgiving in UK. Especially as I tend to be the family host for these things (and also the hoover for the leftovers...). My birthday's in November though, as well as hubby's and the eldest in Oct and little un in December, so I do have boxes of chocolates, birthday cakes and meals out to negotiate. I'm going to have a similar problem I think! My plan is to try and have just a little each time. No point in missing out but also no point in going overboard. Someone above mentioned remembering that each of these days is just one day! That's advice I'll try take too.

Good luck to us :bigsmile:

cramernh

Pre-plan ahead for the holiday meals - is a big start. Unless you want to allow yourself to enjoy everything. Get your protein, your double veggie, allow yourself 1 TB of everything else that way you dont feel like youre missing out.

Candy - yeah, its out in full force here in southern NH.. Honestly, the prices of what they are going for, I tell myself "the red bell peppers on sale - I could get three pounds for the price of one large bag of candy bag"

Throw a stick of gum in your mouth if you go grocery shopping... that sweet might help curb the need to feed...

Take a DEEP breath - have that bottle of water in your hand at all times when shopping...


It can be done......