My First ThanksGiving

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MyKids04
MyKids04 Posts: 178 Member
in Motivation and Support
Ok since I joined MFP I have lost wt and managed to keep it off. Now I have not lost it as fast as I would have liked but at least I am not gaining it back.

Well I was so scared to face the Thanks Giving. This is the very first since I decided enough was enough. Well, my will power sucks so I taken myself out of a lot of events were I know the food will be flowing or at least unhealthy food. Until I have more control.

Well my family do it really big for Thanks Giving both my side and my in laws. And both sides have very thin and beautiful women and I feel every holiday everyone just stares at me like is she eating that, so I always end up feeling really bad after spending time with the family.

Well this year my husband will be taking the kids to Thanks Giving dinner at his parents house and I will be showing up an hour and a half late missing a big part of dinner. So when I get there I can say I had to finish some work sorry I am late and just grab a salad and just go with the flow.

I know I can't hide from food forever but I don't think Im strong enough yet. What are some tricks you guys use not to give into temptations

Replies

  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    It's one day.

    I'm going to eat breakfast and exercise. I'm going to eat a healthy snack on the way so I'm not starving when I get there (2 hour drive). I'm going to control my portion sizes, but I'm going to eat every single thing I want to eat. My mom said "Do you want me to make something special for you?" That was *super nice* of her to ask but my reply was "Um, no, I want the good stuff!" :laugh:

    But, really, that's how I eat now. I don't deprive myself. I just control my portions. I feel like I'm often reminding myself, "moderation, moderation, moderation." My method is certainly working for me -- 31 pounds gone in 2.5 months. :wink:

    I'm not a believer in deprivation. I think that leads to failure. Willpower is great, but there's a limit. And if you completely deprive yourself, chances are, your willpower is going to break. And then you're going to *over*indulge which could lead to the whole "I can't do this" meltdown & the gaining back of all the weight you worked so hard to lose. I know this because that happened to me in a big way 4 years ago when I deprived myself for 4 months to lose 40 pounds and then gained 70 the following 2 years. Not recommended, my friend! :laugh:
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    Having already been through a couple of special occasions, I'm not really worried about Turkey Day.

    I've already planned out my Thanksgiving meal for myself. We are making mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. I'm even having a roll or two! If you'd like to see how I did it for less than 1,000 calories, check out my diary entry for that day:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/DrBorkBork?date=2009-11-26

    I don't plan on skipping lunch, but I haven't figured out what I'll have yet. Might just log my calories under snacks as I plan to snack on goodies throughout the day.

    Easiest way to cut the calories: Eat your turkey skinless, cook your stuffing outside of the bird so it doesn't absorb animal fat, and try making mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. :)
    And don't forget to drink LOTS of water before and after you eat. It will help you fill up!
  • pawprint061
    pawprint061 Posts: 640
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    I agree with jlb. If you give up everything you enjoy, you will eventually break. Until you break your gonna be miserable. Learn how to control the portions and how often you give in to things. I was drinking pop like crazy, now I'm drinking one a day. Yes I know it's bad but I'm not giving it up all the way. Fast food was all the time for my family and me and now it's once a week if that... portion control for me is the best. I have retrained my stomach and also my mental thinking. I use to eat three cheese coneys from skyline, now I am lucky if I can eat one. Eat what you want, but limit the amount and don't feel bad about eating. That is a horrible way to think and it's gonna get you in trouble...

    Plus it's only one day.
  • pawprint061
    pawprint061 Posts: 640
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    I agree with jlb. If you give up everything you enjoy, you will eventually break. Until you break your gonna be miserable. Learn how to control the portions and how often you give in to things. I was drinking pop like crazy, now I'm drinking one a day. Yes I know it's bad but I'm not giving it up all the way. Fast food was all the time for my family and me and now it's once a week if that... portion control for me is the best. I have retrained my stomach and also my mental thinking. I use to eat three cheese coneys from skyline, now I am lucky if I can eat one. Eat what you want, but limit the amount and don't feel bad about eating. That is a horrible way to think and it's gonna get you in trouble...

    Plus it's only one day.
  • ali258
    ali258 Posts: 403
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    My game plan for Thanksgiving is this:
    1) Go to my parents house for dinner and don't bring home leftovers. This makes it Thanksgiving DAY instead of Thanksgiving WEEK.
    2) Eat something for breakfast, and go for a walk in the morning before the big meal.
    3) Eat whatever I want for dinner -- this is going to be my "free meal" for the week. This means I'm eating the things I really want to eat, not just the things that are there and that I would have eaten before just because they're there. I'm planning to think about my choices. I'd rather have a big scoop of a casserole that I love than a little scoop of everything if most of it isn't something I love and that I wouldn't miss anyway.
    4) Wake up Friday morning knowing that it's a new day, it's not Thanksgiving anymore, and I don't have to worry about the temptation again for another 364 days.

    I normally weigh myself on Saturdays, and that might be the only change I have. I will probably weigh myself Thursday morning on Thanksgiving, and then get back to Saturdays the next week.

    Some more tips are to try to enjoy the conversation, put your fork down between each bite to slow you down, or help the hostess a lot (bring out more food or help with clean up, instead of sitting around and eating if you're not hungry anymore).

    Good luck. You are going to do great. You have lost almost 20 lbs, and you've established some really helpful habits already that will get you through this one meal. Even if you go completely crazy, just don't sweat it, and get back on track on Friday.

    -Alison
  • frogtoestoo
    frogtoestoo Posts: 66
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    I agree with the advice not to deprive yourself but to limit portions. Drinking lots of water and a healthy snack of raw veggies a little while before the big dinner is good advice. I've been working on this since Feb. and have attended a wedding with a buffet, have gone to a potluck barbecue, and have gone to our wonderful Chinese lunch buffet a couple of times - and had the chocolate cheesecake. For me, I CONCENTRATE on the food. I make sure I taste each bite and ask myself if I'm enjoying it or "just eating for the sake of eating". Usually a few bites of each thing is enough to satisfy my taste for it. If there is a ton of food, try to concentrate on the "special" holiday foods and skip the more basic everyday items. That way you don't feel like you deprived yourself of that once-a-year treat that so-and-so always makes. Then, go for a walk afterwards or do an extra workout and start Friday fresh. You can do it!
  • knittygirl52
    knittygirl52 Posts: 432 Member
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    Lots of good ideas here! I really like paying attention to what you eat and only choosing the things you really love. I used to take some of everything and then felt like I had to finish it all to get seconds on the one or two things I really enjoyed. That meant eating my sister-in-law's gross stuffing and thick enough to stand on its own gravy! Seriously! I would much rather have another slice of turkey and maybe even some cranberry sauce.

    I also loved the idea of weighing on Thanksgiving morning BEFORE you go out to eat and then waiting until the Saturday a week+ away to weigh again. Make the Thanksgiving meal a one-time deal and its okay. Its when you let it wreck you for a week or more that it's a problem.

    Oh, and at our house, whenever there are leftover desserts -- that's the one thing that goes in the garbage. We know our limits!

    8 down -- lots to go.
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,953 Member
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    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: I started this journey wanting to be thin and healthy more than anything and that is what I focus on. For months I stayed out of restaurants and asked my friends to meet me to do things other than eat. I eat only nutrition dense foods and the longer I do that, the less interest I have in empty calorie foods.

    We're having Thanksgiving with friends who live two hours away. I have no idea what will be served other than that it will be Thanksgiving. I assume that there will be turkey and vegetables in sufficient amounts to meet my needs for a healthy meal. I worked too hard to drop this weight to suddenly indulge myself in a frenzy of recreational eating. there is no piece of pumpkin pie that could possibly please me the way buying size 6 jeans did. :bigsmile:
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    <snip> there is no piece of pumpkin pie that could possibly please me the way buying size 6 jeans did. :bigsmile:

    But, that's just the thing!

    You can have a piece of pumpkin pie AND size 6 jeans. :happy:
    You just can't eat a large piece of pumpkin pie every single day. That's the whole trick. :wink:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    we had a luncheon at work. Everyone made their favorite (fattening) side dish.

    I filled my plate with white meat turkey..1/2 my plate, or so it appeared,1/4 with salad and green beans, approx 1/2 cup stuffing, and a bit and I mean tablespoon of everyones yummy stuff.

    Now I have been around long enough to feel this is one day..........and I will survive............but everyone was happy I tried their favs and I didnt feel like I went against my new beliefs.

    I can tell you I did not get up the next morning craving homemade macaroni and cheese!:tongue:
    I exercised for 500 cals........and with maint. cals I was not much over for the day.

    My point is.......if ANYone says ANY thing about the food you select...........puff up your chest and say " I am on a new journey. One which is taking me to a healthy lifestyle and feeling good about myself. So what are you having today??"

    I am thankful I have no one but my kids and husband to feed............and they have to eat what I cook:laugh: :laugh:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    <snip> there is no piece of pumpkin pie that could possibly please me the way buying size 6 jeans did. :bigsmile:

    But, that's just the thing!

    You can have a piece of pumpkin pie AND size 6 jeans. :happy:
    You just can't eat a large piece of pumpkin pie every single day. That's the whole trick. :wink:

    :wink: Why, yes I did....uh I mean can:laugh:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    I agree with jlb. If you give up everything you enjoy, you will eventually break. Until you break your gonna be miserable. Learn how to control the portions and how often you give in to things. I was drinking pop like crazy, now I'm drinking one a day. Yes I know it's bad but I'm not giving it up all the way. Fast food was all the time for my family and me and now it's once a week if that... portion control for me is the best. I have retrained my stomach and also my mental thinking. I use to eat three **cheese coneys from skyline**, now I am lucky if I can eat one. Eat what you want, but limit the amount and don't feel bad about eating. That is a horrible way to think and it's gonna get you in trouble...

    Plus it's only one day.

    drool.......I love my Skyline Chili!! I stopped for a year when I logged in my 3way, 2 cheese coneys, bowl of crackers and Pepsi for the 1st time. :noway:

    Now I eat a childs 3 way and 1 cheese..........and work out that day for sure. But man, I could not LIVE without my coneys!! :heart:

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