For everyone freaking out about Thanksgiving...

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  • ebaymommy
    ebaymommy Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Great post!!!

    I plan to eat all the foods on Thanksgiving. Running a Turkey Trot 5K that morning with my mom, grandma and daughter (can we get a hooray for a 4-generation participation in at 5K?) and I'm sure the few calories I burn running 3.1 miles won't even make a dent in what I plan to consume. It's all about the day, the family, the traditions and they yummy treats that I only get at grandma's house once a year.
  • leeanneowens
    leeanneowens Posts: 319 Member
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    I really like this post. I am from the south like the OP and all of our Thanksgiving food is the opposite of low cal. I too plan to enjoy some of everything. The only things I plan to do different this year are to keep my portions smaller and not stuff myself until I feel sick.
  • Daniloveshockey94
    Daniloveshockey94 Posts: 348 Member
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    If you have been on this board at all the past few weeks you have likely seen many new topics posted about how to stay on your diet plan during Thanksgiving, how to not overeat, how to tell your relatives you can only have salad, etc... As someone who lost 80 pounds 8 years ago and has managed to keep it off (except for a few minor weight gains in the first couple years as I learned about proper weight maintenance), I wanted to give my completely non-expert, non-professional, non-scientifically founded advice.

    Hopefully, you see whatever diet/exercise plan you are following as a lifestyle change and not a quick fix. Now, are you going to freak out about Thanksgiving every year for the rest of your life? I have eaten whatever I wanted at Thanksgiving since I got to my goal weight eight years ago. My family is from the south and absolutely every side items is a casserole, full of butter, cream, cheese, bread crumbs, etc. There is not one single healthy option, except maybe the celery that is under all the cream cheese. I have eaten that food, drank several glasses of wine, had pumpkin or pecan pie, and then had a leftover turkey sandwich for dinner every Thanksgiving. And you know what? It has not hindered my long term weight loss goals. Now, I wouldn't recommend stepping on the scale the next day. But I would recommend not feeling guilty, not trying to starve yourself for days to make up for it, and not trying to throw in hours of extra exercise in an attempt to burn the calories. Just wake up, get back to your normal routine immediately, and your weight will soon be back to normal. Most of the weight you put on will just be water weight anyways.

    I have seen posts on here in the last week with people saying they are only going to eat salad and a piece of turkey, they are going to use an extremely small plate, one person even said she was going to ask the hostess to keep all the food wrappers so she could log in the calories exactly. Can you imagine if someone asked you to do that? Not only would I think they were incredibly rude, I would think they were a certifiable nut job.

    This is ONE DAY that happens ONCE A YEAR! As gluttonous as it is, it is an American tradition. So please, stop stressing. This is supposed to be a fun time to spend bonding with your family over traditional foods. Don't ruin it with anxiety over some extra calories that are not going to matter a few days later. Maybe watch your portions and pick one dessert instead of all three, exercise in the morning, but enjoy yourself and don't worry about every calorie you take in!

    6 days ago, I got back from an all inclusive island vacation. I ate like it was Thanksgiving every morning at the breakfast buffet and every afternoon at the lunch buffet. You would have thought every five course dinner was my last meal. I pretty much drank like I was on college spring break. I did run 5 to 6 miles every morning, but with the amount of food I was eating it didn't matter. When I got back home, I made the mistake of weighing myself. I had gained 10 pounds! I freaked for a second, but promised myself the next day I would just get back into my normal routine of daily exercise and healthy eating. I weighed myself this morning and I am back to my pre-weight trip, in less than a week. That is from 5 days of binging, so I don't think anyone is going to gain 5 permanent pounds from enjoying one Thanksgiving dinner.

    I know everyone's body/metabolism/whatever is different, but be realistic here. If you really want to make this a lifestyle change, it has to be doable and you have to allow yourself to relax sometimes and just enjoy life.
    THIS!
  • LoveAlwaysAlisa
    LoveAlwaysAlisa Posts: 111 Member
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    Yes, I don't understand why people get so nervous about eating around the holidays. You can absolutely partake in the holiday meals. What I do is stick to mostly the meat and veggies to fill up on and just have smaller portions of the fattier things. Allow yourself to have what you want in small portions. It's just ONE DAY after all.....it won't kill your weight loss progress unless you allow it to. Just don't pig out...you'll be fine!!
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
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    Thanksgiving has lost its thrill, there is no need to binge anymore. I am only planning on having five things:

    Spiral Ham
    Whole Wheat Mac and Cheese
    Peas
    Boiled Baby Carrots
    Pumpkin pie made with Truvia, organic soy milk, and wheat flour
  • cindy4361
    cindy4361 Posts: 31
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    Great post!! I was seriously thinking of skipping some of my families Thanksgiving traditions just for the sake of not going over my calorie points! This post made me change my mind! I am going to eat, drink and be merry!! Thanks for posting!! Happy Thanksgiving!
  • tad328
    tad328 Posts: 2
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    EXCELLENT post !! Thank you !!
  • darleyschroeder
    darleyschroeder Posts: 322
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    Great post!! I was seriously thinking of skipping some of my families Thanksgiving traditions just for the sake of not going over my calorie points! This post made me change my mind! I am going to eat, drink and be merry!! Thanks for posting!! Happy Thanksgiving!

    You and me both! I was getting stressed out about what I was and wasn't going to eat. I was thinking about what I was going to do to kill myself with exercise. I was only going to eat one meal. This changed my perspective quite a bit. I am pretty excited to partake in the meal that I make for my husband and I, not having to watch him eat a bit of everything and me not have any.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Great post!! I was seriously thinking of skipping some of my families Thanksgiving traditions just for the sake of not going over my calorie points!
    You call that healthy?
  • timmymon
    timmymon Posts: 304 Member
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    I can't wait to eat everything on Thanksgiving. And for anybody that feels like they should skip this meal or anything like that...I will eat your thanksgiving dinner as well
  • Rubberchikken
    Rubberchikken Posts: 5 Member
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    Easiest solution:

    Move to Canada.

    Thanksgiving has already passed.

    :)
  • bikinibeliever
    bikinibeliever Posts: 832 Member
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    Best post ever! :flowerforyou:
  • capriciousmoon
    capriciousmoon Posts: 1,263 Member
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    I'm only worried that Thanksgiving dinner may happen on Friday, when I'm at work, so I won't get to eat any of the food while it's fresh. :frown:
  • WeatherGirl88
    WeatherGirl88 Posts: 41 Member
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    This was a very great post, thank you! I've been freaking out a bit because I just went away on a trip, binged and gained five pounds... but this really helped me to calm down a bit! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
  • ReinasWrath
    ReinasWrath Posts: 1,173 Member
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    Thank you, you made me feel better :flowerforyou:
  • dorlincecum
    dorlincecum Posts: 39 Member
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    This post came at the right time for me because I have been thinking about what I was going to do. I am only a few days into this program and have in the past have been "I start again on Monday" but Monday didn't mean the next one. I'm still on the fence as to what I'm going to do but I know I have good options. I know I don't want any regrets!!! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone.

    ITNEVERTOLATE
  • Sharkington
    Sharkington Posts: 485
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    Yes, thank you. This is the best Thanksgiving post I have seen in the forums. I planned on doing exactly as you suggested.
  • Maybelline120
    Maybelline120 Posts: 12 Member
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    My local gym is offering an hour long cycling class on Thanksgiving. I signed up for it. We will be eating our turkey dinner about 3 is. I will have breakfast as usual, a snack, then turkey dinner and then another snack or two. Then I will go for a walk. All planned out, lol.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    I want a Southern Thanksgiving meal!
  • Time2LoseWeightNOW
    Time2LoseWeightNOW Posts: 1,730 Member
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    Thank you...this is so true...

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