Xmas is coming. The goose is getting fat!

SaishaLea

Anyone else terrified of the holidays? I make sugar cookies every year with my siblings for all our neighbors and relatives. I normally eat about 5 while making them, never mind licking the frosting spoon afterward! Ugh..these past few months are the first time I have ever counted calories. It's been going great! But, I think it will be so much harder around Christmas time.
How do you handle it? With all the cookies, sweets, parties....ect.
What is the game plan going into the holidays???

coolk440

I would suggest looking up lower calorie and sugar recipes that you can enjoy. Also it's not bad to have a bite or two of the tempting stuff now and then, moderation is key.

jeninne

YES!

kirstiey

I am going on maintain ace for a couple of weeks. Thats how I am gonna handle it.....if you call that handling it!

CouleeRunner

What I did last year was sip a really nice baileys and coffee (150 calories) while baking. I hate eating anything when drinking baileys and coffee so I just sipped, baked, and enjoyed the experience. I saved the cookie for dessert and ate within my calorie limits.

Do you have something that will work for you? Chewing gum, sipping a special christmas drink, sucking on a small candy cane?

ETA: with regards to parties, I make sure to eat light during the day and I have a nibble or two of whatever appeals to me. Most parties I manged to just have 600 or so calories and it always fit into my day. You don't have to give up anything - just keep within your calories.

hbkanumalla

I'm also a little nervous about the holidays coming up, but ere is some advice I keep telling myself:
- Make the best effort you can to make more healthy food choices
- Drink plenty of water
- Don't worry if you slip up every now and then. The next day is a new day.
- See if you can make some healthy goodies you won't feel guilty about having this holiday season
- Exercise when you can, if you know you're going out for a holiday dinner, try to sneak in a morning workout.
- Pick and choose some things to indulge on this holiday season.
- Continue to be active, maybe put some music on to dance to while cooking or baking (I know I'm guilty of that!), do some weight lifting while waiting for those cookies to bake!

There will be days you might indulge a little too much, but don't let it defeat you. You've made it this far, you have lost 30 pounds! By being more conscious of what you're eating and the exercise you're doing, you'll be more successful.

Best of luck!!

Figuringoutme

I love the holiday food, I love eating it, baking and cooking everything. This year I am not baking anything!!! It's so hard but it's easier for me to do that then make it and it have the dough or batter before I even cook it. I don't usually go to many holiday parties (don't have much free time)so i am not sure How I am going to handle that. I try to count everything I eat but with eating stuff I don't know how many calories are in will be tough!!

lor007

Terrified? No.

court182

I too am a bit nervous! I like the drinking coffee or chewing gum while baking; never though of those. I'll have to try those!

JediMaster_intraining

I'm making cookies this year and while I'll keep enough for myself and my boyfriend I'm giving the rest away to whoever wants them! If I have a bottle of water near me I'll drink it so keep water near by and chew gum while you bake or brush your teeth before you bake! This helps me when I want to nibble!

I'm not terrified but I'm a little worried. I'm going to keep on track (except on xmas day when I have family come over). Keep working toward your goal! Remember one slip up won't hurt you but multiple could delay your progress if not stop it! Try eating small snacks before you go to parties so you won't eat so much when you get there! Hope this helps! :flowerforyou:

Rain_Howard

Eat a good, healthy, filling meal before you bake. That way you aren't hungry and much less inclined to snack. Find a veggy that you like a lot and cut up small pieces to keep in a bowl next to you while working in the kitchen. Eat those instead.

I'm a homebody with no social life so parties aren't an issue.

PetitePerfection

well if making cookies is like a one day thing, then i'd say go ahead and have a cookie, or even two on the day youre making them! you can just plan ahead and fit it into your calorie budget for the day, if you go a little bit over thats okay. and if youre like me and get the holiday baking fever and you're always in the kitchen baking something, try to find low cal recipes or bake things that you dont really enjoy eating so that way you aren't tempted! for me, that's biscottis because they're fun to make but i don't like eating them. but if you're baking for someone else though, i wouldn't recommend the whole low cal recipe because most people aren't as accustomed to healthy foods and while you're baking, chew gum! you can't nibble if you have gum in your mouth! well...you could but it'd be pretty nasty!
as far as parties go, eat very healthily that day and make sure you eat something right before you go so that you're not ravenously hungry and giving in to all the goodies.

SaishaLea

Great suggestions!

I'm not actually *terrified*. lol I tend to over exaggerate at times...