Looking for some advice (Festive food and weight loss)

behind_blue_eyes_83

Hello all,

I started using MFP about two weeks ago and have so far lost 4lbs, which I'm really pleased about. I'm 5'4" and have about 80lbs to lose. I have lost significant amounts of weight in the past - but obviously not for good, as I'm starting from my highest ever weight! I have learnt a lot from just reading the boards, but I'd really appreciate some advice about a couple of things...

The first is the next few weeks, which are always a nightmare for me as they contain my anniversary, birthday, Christmas and New Year! One of my problems - something I'm trying to avoid this time - is that I tend to have an on-plan (being very 'good')/off-plan (eating everything in sight) mentality, and once I start making less healthy choices at Christmas, things tend to spiral out of control. I am thinking that this time, instead of trying to stick to a weight-loss calorie intake (1400 for me -1600 with exercise) over Christmas-New Year, I might change to maintenance calories. This is partly because I will be away staying with relatives - my family, then my boyfriend's, both places where I'd like to participate in festivities normally without making a big deal about losing weight (again!). I could then say for a week or two I hadn't lost, but more importantly I hadn't gained and could get straight back to losing in January (instead of thinking, there's no way I can stick to 1400 and I can't escape the house for any exercise - ah screw it, I'll just keep eating!). I would maintain control, track everything, and make good healthy choices for my body - no one cares how many roast potatoes I eat - but I wouldn't have to be po-faced and not try the home-made food - say, my boyfriend's Christmas pudding or my mum's trifle or my boyfriend's Dad's sloe gin! I have always cooked healthy meals for us and can make healthy food at both places, but it is the 'extras' that are the problem. I'm also hoping we can take lots of long wintry walks etc.

Does anyone have any experience of consciously choosing to maintain and eat more for a short period while very early on in weight loss (c.2000 will seem like a lot now and I can enjoy some treats by eating healthily most of the time) and whether it helps? I wouldn't be 'on-plan' but I wouldn't be 'off' either and might avoid going crazy with the mince pies/mulled wine/chocolates etc! Or should I be 'strict' for the entire holidays, maybe taking a break just for Christmas dinner (and perhaps risk blowing the budget and giving up)? Also, would I need to change my long-term goal to 'maintain', do you think, and later change it back?

My other question is about exercise. I have not heard of Jillian Michaels as I live in the UK, but I am hearing such good things about 30-day Shred I am considering buying it. I currently have low levels of cardiovascular fitness - my current (new) exercise is walking 30 minutes to and from work every day. Would you recommend it for a total beginner? Or does anyone know a good UK equivalent? I currently have 2kg weights - would these be suitable or do I need other equipment? I'd really like to find a form of cardio/strength training that I can fit around my v.busy schedule and actually enjoy!

Sorry this is such a long (first) post! Thanks in advance for anyone taking the time to read and reply! x

Fatbuster205

First of all welcome! This is a great site and I have found it very motivating! The Christmas discussion is no doubt going to be varied. Personally I will be visiting my brother and his family so I won't be in charge of the food. That said it is my intention to stick to plan more or less. I feel really commited to this journey and I do not want to sabotage my efforts to date. I will probably go over calories on Chrstmas Day but the rest of the time I intend being disciplined (rather than strict!). At the end of the day it is what suits you and the scenario you are in. What I do intend doing is walking every day, including Christmas Day, as that way I can keep my exercise going. Add me as a friend if you like!

almille

About the holidays- thats a really complicated question which boils down in the end to self control, motivation and determination. If you want to get healthier, make healthier choices. Talk about trial by fire, though, because most of us are at our weakest when surrounded by family and tempting food. The best way to start a diet is gradually, phasing out bad choices with good replacements, or starting better habits one at a time. I agree that going all out super strict during the holidays is setting yourself up to slip, feel like you failed, and then give up.

Personally, I'd suggest small concrete, achievable goals. Like: "I will get out of the house for a short walk every day."
or "At big meals I will fill one plate and not get seconds" or "I will eat a large serving of the healthiest vegetable on the table first". Decide whether your biggest issue is overeating in general or sweets, or inactivity and make an easy goal to help you manage that weakness.

Don't go crazy with strict or extreme goals, but make your limits concrete. Set yourself up to feel like you won every day, and you'll probably be on your way to positive motivation and have avoided the majority of holiday weight gain.

behind_blue_eyes_83

Thanks for the replies!

I am also not in 'charge' of the food at either place, which is really hard! Especially at my boyfriend's families where they do things like barely eat all day and then have one massive meal - not helpful!

Like you both said, I think I will definitely try and set a goal of going for a walk once a day. As this is similar to my current routine, I won't suffer from sudden inactivity, plus it's fun. Hopefully I can drag the families along too so I'm not being anti-social. I like your other 'goals' too. I love the idea of having 'won' every day by meeting the targets I set - that way I'll be able to start the New Year feeling like I achieved something. I might slow my goal to 1/2 lb per week as a sort of stepping stone - that way I'm not too 'strict' but also I keep a sense of motivation and achievement.

mike41french

HMV have a pre-order deal on the Jillian Michaels 4 disk box set @ £15.99, much less than buying even two of them individually. Providing you can wait until Boxing Day

http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=435535

As for coping with the holiday period - I'm not going to relax my target loss, I'd rather keep it constant and aim to be on or under it. Realistically you won't eat and drink excessively every day if you are keen to lose weight and the odd meals and treats won't derail you completely. Get used to a higher target every day and it will be harder to come back down again.

For those odd days where I think I will be eating or drinking more then I'll just look to go to the gym, or do a decent bike ride to make some room in my calorie allowance. I'd be wary of relaxing my focus on my target daily calories by upping them and then trying to take them down again after the festive season.

No one will shoot you if you go over on your days allowance, and whilst if you up them and stay green on mfp you'll still be in the same position in the real world as going over a hundred or so on your current target...

behind_blue_eyes_83

Thanks for the advice and the tip about HMV. I'm sure I can wait until then, would be good to get my general fitness levels up before I try something that hard.

Lol, I hope no one will shoot me! I think that is partly the point I was trying to make - it's 'just' staying green (ie the calories in are the same as if I'd gone over), but it feels like I'm still sticking to something ('winning' as almille said) each day. If I go over, and see the red numbers, it is psychologically worse somehow! But thanks for the point about getting used to a higher target, I hadn't thought about that much. Hmm, what to do...

slashkiss

I have been doing MFP for about 4 weeks and I am 13 lbs down doing 1200 calories a day so I am anxious to continue my plan and keep the pounds coming off but I have to be realistic too! The holidays are a time I always enjoyed with family and good food and I do not want any regrets. Those regrets could include overeating and falling off the "wagon" but they also could include being so focused on my calorie counting that I miss out on all the foods I only get once a year. My plan for my thanksgiving trip and Christmas trip is to go for an hour walk every day I am gone ... this will be fun and if I can get some of my family to come too will be a time to talk and enjoy each other without the distractions of the tv. I also plan on not counting my calories at all on Thanksgiving and Christmas day ... those are going to be "gifts" to myself. One day is not going to ruin me ... I am not going to gain 5 pounds in 1 day! The rest of the trip I am going to stick to a 1600-1800 calorie plan which is alot more than I normally eat so I will be able to actually enjoy some of the foods being served. My goal for the week is to not gain anything. If I can make it through those 2 weeks without gaining then that is a success for me. I don't mind losing those two weeks of weight loss when over the scheme of things won't really matter much. This is a lifestyle change for me ... not just a diet so I have to be able to live with my plan. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and doesn't spend it stressing over food ... enjoy your family and friends!!!!

behind_blue_eyes_83

Well done on your amazing progress so far! You are right - regrets could be not just missing amazing foods, but feeling uptight, stressed, and miserable at fun family occasions (but also, as you say, no one wants to fall off the wagon!). Can I ask whether you will change your numbers in MFP (for the psychological reasons I was saying before)? I hope you enjoy your 'gifts'!

slashkiss

I don't plan on changing my numbers for the week because keeping them at 1200 actually makes me really think about if I really want to put "that" in my mouth. For some reason seeing the numbers go "negative" just makes me make better choices. If I set it to 1800 then I tend to be like "Oh I have 500 more calories I can have a soda and another piece of pie" where if I am say at -150 I may think ... I really want that second piece of pie so maybe I should grab a glass of water instead of a coke. It is weird but it works for me!

behind_blue_eyes_83

It's not weird! I can see the logic - and it is definitely a better reaction than 'Uh-oh, I'm into negative numbers, I might as well eat the whole pie'!