Bogged Down By The Holidays

Italian_Buju

I can't be the only one that feels this way! I tried so hard to keep up this year, but now we are so close to Christmas that I just feel like I do not have time to do ANYTHING.....I am still trying to be careful what I eat, but I am stressed out with time constraints that I do not always succeed. Forget about the gym, I have not been since the last day of Nov, and the EARLIEST I can go back is Dec 27 (and that is even a maybe, as I have company coming that day, so timing is everything).....

Between all that, and extra holiday treats, how do you NOT undo everything that has been done? My biggest weakness is social eating too, I eat WAY more at a party and around other people than I ever would at home.

samandlucysmum

Dont be hard on yourself, many people are in the same boat as you, the best thing is to try your best when you can, and remember that it is not long before it is all over anyway.

Joanitude

I'm a big believer in Plans. For example....let's say you have an office party coming up on Wednesday. I would plan ahead and make sure I eat a bunch (healthy things) right before going. I would try to figure out how to keep a low-cal drink in my hand at all times. For me, having a drink in my hand makes it harder to reach for munchies. Part of my plan would include eating some of the goodies: instead of mindlessly grazing, I would aim for the healthier items and limit myself to X number of bites of goodies. And of course I would have to log *every* bite. That in itself is a deterrent to me.

This would work for me - but we are all different, so it may or may not work for you. Make a plan that will work for you.

eris1981

A big thing for me as far as healthy holiday eating . . . if I really really want something, no matter how unhealthy it is, I don't deny myself . . . I allow myself a small reasonable portion. If I refuse to let myself have any of the horribly bad for me things that are so delicious, I end up binging later. I look at it as . . . 100 (or 200 or whatever) bad calories is better than a few thousand bad calories.

pinky_pie

I'm going to enjoy the holidays and not worry about it. I know there are going to be sweets and baked goods and high calorie foods. I know, also, that I don't have to eat everything!

If you're out, write down everything you eat and then log it - even if it's an estimate, it's something. The holidays will only derail you if you let it.

And remember, it's only a small part of the year - there is another 365 days ahead of you

RhonndaJ

Cut yourself some slack.

Try to be good in your choices, but don't beat yourself up if you make some mistakes. Just plan that once the holidays are over you'll get back fully on track.

This journey is not about being perfect. It's about learning to live better.

As for social eating, if it's picking at hors d'ouvres and the like, keep your hands full of something else so you have to think to pick anything up. If it's sit down eating, make a good a choice as you can, and focus on portion control.