Surviving Holiday Dinner

lilojoke

Some awesome tips here!

Thanks!

Contrarian

We will NEVER have nice things. :sad:

becoming_a_new_me

Personally i like my twist on her tips better, but if you want to be eating two bites of all food for the rest of your life, then by all means have at it..

LOL Oh please! OP never suggested eating two bites of your food at every meal, obviously.

Thank you!! No, I would never suggest just take two bites of your food at every meal. In my family though, the potatoes are usually made with cream and real butter, we often have this corn casserole thing that is made with cream, sugar, cornbread mix, cheese, etc. I love these foods, but one full serving is like 400 calories per dish. If I didn't exercise restraint and have just a couple of bites, I'd end up in the thousands of calories. I think many people have this same issue. Years ago on a holiday, I would load up on the corn casserole (it's a veggie - right?? lol), a ton of ham, mashed potatoes, a river of gravy, handfuls of jelly beans, some chocolate eggs, 5-6 deviled eggs, etc...you get the picture. Sometimes sharing a few best practices saves others from the week-long guilt trip that someone like me would end up on after a holiday.

Elizabeth_C34

Personally i like my twist on her tips better, but if you want to be eating two bites of all food for the rest of your life, then by all means have at it..

LOL Oh please! OP never suggested eating two bites of your food at every meal, obviously.

Thank you!! No, I would never suggest just take two bites of your food at every meal. In my family though, the potatoes are usually made with cream and real butter, we often have this corn casserole thing that is made with cream, sugar, cornbread mix, cheese, etc. I love these foods, but one full serving is like 400 calories per dish. If I didn't exercise restraint and have just a couple of bites, I'd end up in the thousands of calories. I think many people have this same issue. Years ago on a holiday, I would load up on the corn casserole (it's a veggie - right?? lol), a ton of ham, mashed potatoes, a river of gravy, handfuls of jelly beans, some chocolate eggs, 5-6 deviled eggs, etc...you get the picture. Sometimes sharing a few best practices saves others from the week-long guilt trip that someone like me would end up on after a holiday.

Even having a small portion of the food my family cooks for the holidays can end up making a plate with over 2000-2500 calories on it easy. Some people are fine with that, some some aren't. I pig out on Thanksgiving and Christmas (don't even log it and eat what I want), but I don't do it every single holiday gathering.

I think you offered some excellent advice for people who didn't want to have today be a cheat day.

JennieAL

These are GOOD tips, people. Get a grip. She is being very helpful here to some types of eaters.

jjelizalde

The purpose of this is to help people survive and stay within their calorie goals without completely foregoing something they love.

Also, I dislike that you imply veggies are some how healthier than eggs. That's simply not true either.

Ummmm...deviled eggs made with mayo are NOT healtier than veggies...just' saying

Also, if this won't work for you...great. However, many people on here are either recovered or recovering binge eaters. What you suggest about just eating the fatty and creamy foods until you are full doesn't work with everyone. These are tips to be helpful...sorry that I tried.

Please don't be sorry! You shared great tips. As you know there are always people who will argue regardless of which side of the question they're one. You can't please everyone, but the people who needed the tips you offered are grateful and happy for a reasonable way to get through holiday meals. :flowerforyou:

RachelsReboot

I think you gave great advice and I feel sorry for people who have one heaping portion of one good thing and don't have enough sense to have a couple of bites of 10 different awesome things. As for me I filled my plate with ONE bite of 20 awesome things and i don't feel like I deprived myself of a darn thing, I feel like I hit the jackpot!

becoming_a_new_me

I think you gave great advice and I feel sorry for people who have one heaping portion of one good thing and don't have enough sense to have a couple of bites of 10 different awesome things. As for me I filled my plate with ONE bite of 20 awesome things and i don't feel like I deprived myself of a darn thing, I feel like I hit the jackpot!

By the looks of it, you had a heck of a tasty day!! AND you deserved it with all the work you put in over the past week!!

moongreentea

Thank you so much for this post. It's not just Easter. That is one day a year and wouldn't make much difference if we ate big that day. Your tips are to help with potlucks at work, gatherings with friends, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Birthday parties, Dinner parties. These are common occurances. We need to know how to control ourselves around food to stay healthy. That is why most of us are on here. The holidays do not need to just be about the food. 2 bites is my rule also...of desert or rich and creamy foods, when I want to stay within my calorie goals for the day. THANK YOU! Sorry you were attacked for your helpful hints

becoming_a_new_me

Thank you so much for this post. It's not just Easter. That is one day a year and wouldn't make much difference if we ate big that day. Your tips are to help with potlucks at work, gatherings with friends, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Birthday parties, Dinner parties. These are common occurances. We need to know how to control ourselves around food to stay healthy. That is why most of us are on here. The holidays do not need to just be about the food. 2 bites is my rule also...of desert or rich and creamy foods, when I want to stay within my calorie goals for the day. THANK YOU! Sorry you were attacked for your helpful hints

Thank you, and you are right...at least once a month we are faced with the need to decide whether to make a smart decision or go without. I so often see posts on here with people upset that co-workers have brought donughts, cake, pies, etc or that there was this tempting potluck...and they *sigh* were stuck eating their salad in a corner.

I'm one of those crazy people who will cut a donught or cupcake in half and leave the other one. Guess what? Someone is ALWAYS relieved that they didn't have to be the one to do it and takes the half over a whole every time.

I started out my weight loss journey in the "deprived" group, and would inevitably end up cheating and feel like I had completely blown it all and would binge for a week. Then I'd get back on the horse and start again. When I learned that I too can eat the yummy foods and not feel deprived, I gained success and have kept losing. The only time I stopped losing is when I stopped watching my intake and not paying attention to foods.

Life is about living, and learning how to practice moderation is one of the hardest things. Whether you are eating 1200 or 2500 calories a day, using moderation is the key.

MindyG150

I tried all that....I over ate....Monday is a new day!

A happy and blessed Easter to all!

MissJay75

*deep breath*

The problem with some of you on this thread is that you seem not to understand that why YOU got too big, why YOU eat the way you do now, how YOU exercise etc simply. does. not. work. for. everyone.

Goody for you if you can eat whatever you want now. But don't come onto a thread where the OP is making suggestions for the rest of us and flaunt your 'superiority' because you don't like/need this advice. OP said many times this post is not for everyone, but as you can see from the replies it is definitly helpful for many. So if it's not what YOU plan to do, great. But don't be so freakin' negative. Do you have to start an argument? Can't you just pass this thread over and check out the next one??

*end rant*

becoming_a_new_me

*deep breath*

The problem with some of you on this thread is that you seem not to understand that why YOU got too big, why YOU eat the way you do now, how YOU exercise etc simply. does. not. work. for. everyone.

Goody for you if you can eat whatever you want now. But don't come onto a thread where the OP is making suggestions for the rest of us and flaunt your 'superiority' because you don't like/need this advice. OP said many times this post is not for everyone, but as you can see from the replies it is definitly helpful for many. So if it's not what YOU plan to do, great. But don't be so freakin' negative. Do you have to start an argument? Can't you just pass this thread over and check out the next one??

*end rant*

You Miss_Jay75 are awesome. Thank you! Megladgrl, going over a little isn't bad...did you stay below maitenance? Like you said, tomorrow is a new day!!

ElizabethRoad

Why not call the thread "tips for making lower-calorie choices at a holiday dinner"? The dramatic title makes it sound like you will DIE if you go over your calorie goal.

becoming_a_new_me

Why not call the thread "tips for making lower-calorie choices at a holiday dinner"? The dramatic title makes it sound like you will DIE if you go over your calorie goal.

Because for some people, it feels that way. Besides, I can't possibly put every possible butt-hurt disclaimer in the title cause then I would run out of room. Technically I could have titled it "Handy tips for getting through a holiday dinner without going over your calorie goal unless of course you don't care in which case this is not for you and just pass on by" but that didn't really make much sense now did it?

ElectricMayhem

Why not call the thread "tips for making lower-calorie choices at a holiday dinner"? The dramatic title makes it sound like you will DIE if you go over your calorie goal.

Because for some people, it feels that way. Besides, I can't possibly put every possible butt-hurt disclaimer in the title cause then I would run out of room. Technically I could have titled it "Handy tips for getting through a holiday dinner without going over your calorie goal unless of course you don't care in which case this is not for you and just pass on by" but that didn't really make much sense now did it?

omg , i love you for this!! Apparently those who "eat whatever they want" etc don't have the same prob as some of us who just can't open up that pandora's box for fear of losing control. What works best for me is to usually avoid even tasting those no-no foods, but again this is what works for ME!
PS like my mom always said "if you can't say something nice, don't say something at all!"
So stick that one in your juice box and suck it haters :P

becoming_a_new_me

Why not call the thread "tips for making lower-calorie choices at a holiday dinner"? The dramatic title makes it sound like you will DIE if you go over your calorie goal.

Because for some people, it feels that way. Besides, I can't possibly put every possible butt-hurt disclaimer in the title cause then I would run out of room. Technically I could have titled it "Handy tips for getting through a holiday dinner without going over your calorie goal unless of course you don't care in which case this is not for you and just pass on by" but that didn't really make much sense now did it?

omg , i love you for this!! Apparently those who "eat whatever they want" etc don't have the same prob as some of us who just can't open up that pandora's box for fear of losing control. What works best for me is to usually avoid even tasting those no-no foods, but again this is what works for ME!
PS like my mom always said "if you can't say something nice, don't say something at all!"
So stick that one in your juice box and suck it haters :P

Hahaha!! I love you!!!

shellykinder

I personally thought this was a fantastic post! You obviously know a little something about weight loss hence how FAR you've come!! So write a helpful status, a post hell write a book~ I'll read it!! lol TY!!