Question for those Success Stories out there!

sweebeesmom

i'm with most of the responses out there. I keep to a pretty strict calorie constraint most of the time. When holidays or celebrations roll around I let myself have it. I don't go nuts and eat until I'm stuffed, but I let myself eat whatever I want. I'm all about having more good days than bad ones.

I think we are all out there doing this to have a better life, and what's life if you've got to give up all of the good things that go with it?

1953Judith

I have added these boundaries to my holiday eating where I am the hostess to primarily young family members.

1. I always provide three choices for dessert -- fruit/after dinner liquor/something decadent. I personally always choose the after dinner drink.

2. While alcoholic beverages are available to all, I try to limit myself to either a glass of wine with dinner or an after dinner drink.

3. I do not add salt to most of my recipes allowing my guests access to the salt shaker.

4. I try to make sure there is at least one healthy choice with the meal and encourage myself to select that choice, but don't get bent out of shape if I choose the less clean choice.

5. I honor portion sizes regardless of whether the food is rich or not (think cheesey mashed potatoes)

6. I Send calorie rich leftovers home with the young adults or freeze immediately.

When going out for a festive event, I limit alcohol and attempt to enforce portion control. If it is an event with a lot of appetizers, I play a game in my mind. I give myself a calorie budget before I leave home, say 500 calories. At the event, I scout the room for what one item I must have. Then I attempt to figure if and what I can have to expend the full 500 budget. Between saving calories for the event and pre and post exercise, it is easy to earn that 500 calories.

Hopefully somewhere in here, there is something that might work for you.

ianfoster

I love to party sometimes.... so I am in a similar predicament, I do my party thing and then after I go on a mini rampage the next work out or two to make up, sometimes I have to get mad with myself inside to drive me on, or come on here and see whos been a good boy/girl and they spur me on! hope that helps

feydruss

In those situations I tend to enjoy a little of everything. If I want cake, I'll have cake--just not two slices! It's not everyday, so enjoy yourself and move on. We need to find a way to live in moderation and good health for a lifetime.

Pebble321

I try to think ahead, look at a menu if I'm going out, make a few smarter choices (like limiting the extras I eat when I'm out - bread for example) but if I want a dessert or an after dinner brandy then I have it, enjoy it and get back on track next day.

I usually go for a long run on Saturdays so that typically gives me an extra buffer of calories to eat if we are out for dinner, but if it's not on a Saturday I just accept that I will be over for the day and that as long as I enjoyed the celebration and/or food it's all good!

Life is going to continue whether I am eating healthy or not, I am aiming to continue to make the healthiest choices I can on regular days and just keep a little bit of moderation happening when we go out - if I think I'm going to have dessert, I'll choose a lighter main course for example.. I don't necessarily eat everything on my plate at a restaurant, I keep a bit of an eye on how much I'm drinking and alternate with water or soda water if it looks like a long night.

This is a great topic because now I'm so close to my goal (0.1kg away today!) I have to face the awful reality that I can't stop paying attention to a healthy lifestyle now I'm here. I have to keep making good food choices and keep exercising or I will slide back up to where I was 8 months ago - just as I've done so many times over the years.
So, it's a case of "the (weight loss) goal is dead, long live the (maintenance) goal"!

Shishkeberry

I eat the same things I used to (unless I'm cooking, then it's usually lower calorie versions of the traditional stuff), I just make sure I eat a lot less of it.