Weight gain season upon us

Moderation moderation moderation! If I tell myself I'm not going to touch holiday foods, I'd be setting myself up for failure. Still enjoy your seasonal favorites, just know when to stop For instance, I have not been raiding the Halloween candy bucket at work. Also for Thanksgiving I will allow myself one plate. I can put whatever I want on that plate but NO SECONDS! Set a pre-New Year's resolution... like, "I want to be able to wear a size X to the office Christmas party" or "I want to be thinner than my awful cousin Lisa with the rockin' body when she comes to visit for New Years!"

I usually change my calories to maintenance levels right around Thanksgiving and leave them there until after NYE. It makes the season a lot more enjoyable and I also don't stress out if I go over calories here and there.

I've done this the last two years and I gained one pound the first year and two pounds last year. All of which came right back off after the holidays.

this is a great idea!

Exactly. 3 off days won't break the bank. My parents are jewish and all my friends are people who celebrate Christmas, also I'm in college, so between all of it, for me, there are dozens and dozens of gatherings I plan on attending, most of them including lots of alcohol. So for me, I could really blow my holiday if I wasn't careful.

I've posted this is several threads today but here goes...

Look at yourself in the mirror and see how much better you look. Take a moment to see how much better you feel, having lost weight. Then weigh that against how good pie makes you feel, especially now with the added guilt of knowing exactly how many calories are in it and how few "good things" like vitamins and protein are in it. Is it worth it. Is it REALLY worth it?

Also, like I say to myself whenever I feel like giving in and quitting. "If you had stuck to all your diets/ healthy eating / exercise habits in the past, you would be healthy and skinny by now!"

That being said, if you do take a "day off" your diet for a Christmas party, or for thanksgiving, plan it in advance. That way you don't feel like you caved in and failed. I noticed in years past, if I said I wasn't going to eat at a Christmas party, and then ended up stuffing my face, it would take me several days to "get back on the wagon" after my failure. If you plan it, it doesn't feel like a failure, and you can get right back to logging and working out the next day.

I love this! Great advice!

I've posted this is several threads today but here goes...

Look at yourself in the mirror and see how much better you look. Take a moment to see how much better you feel, having lost weight. Then weigh that against how good pie makes you feel, especially now with the added guilt of knowing exactly how many calories are in it and how few "good things" like vitamins and protein are in it. Is it worth it. Is it REALLY worth it?

Also, like I say to myself whenever I feel like giving in and quitting. "If you had stuck to all your diets/ healthy eating / exercise habits in the past, you would be healthy and skinny by now!"

That being said, if you do take a "day off" your diet for a Christmas party, or for thanksgiving, plan it in advance. That way you don't feel like you caved in and failed. I noticed in years past, if I said I wasn't going to eat at a Christmas party, and then ended up stuffing my face, it would take me several days to "get back on the wagon" after my failure. If you plan it, it doesn't feel like a failure, and you can get right back to logging and working out the next day.

I love this! Great advice!

I also think this is great advice. Thank you!

I started one year ago today and quickly realized oh maybe I should have waited until the new year. Amazingly I was able to stay under my goal every single holiday dinner. I did fill up on a lot of lo-cal appetizers, such as dill pickles, carrots, celery, cauliflower and broccoli. Then at the meal, I concentrated on things that I wouldnt have as part of my ordinary weekday meals but rather just used portion control and no second plate.

It also depends on how many holiday meals you are going to have. We usually have only one Thanksgiving meal, one meal between Thanksgiving and Christmas and one on Christmas Day. So I figure 3 meals out of a year isnt going to break me.

I plan on being very strict with not letting myself give in. IF I get down to 147 by Oct 31st, I will allow myself 2 pieces of pizza and 2-3 drinks for a Halloween party I'm throwing November 3rd. That being said, I plan on exercising the day before, the day of, and the day after and eating JUST as much as I need to not be hungry, and use all my extra calories for the party. That way if I do gain any, it will be very little.

I am also going to cali Sunday nov 18 through Friday Nov 23rd in which I will have NO way of tracking calories. AT ALL. I'm going to eat ONLY when I'm hungry, watch my portion control, and I will be doing Jillian Micheals 30 day shred while I am down there along with long walks in the evening (if possible) Or walking around shopping.

That's my plan and I'm sticking too it. I also realize I might gain a few lbs while I'm down in Cali, but at least I'm aware that it will happen and I can help prevent myself from gaining too much by portion control and still do exercise. (most all of the meals I have will be healthy anyways as my future mother in law cooks only healthy stuff!)

This is the first year that I'm going to attempt to have some sort of self control on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I will allow myself to have a little bit of whatever I want on thanksgiving, which is pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole. I don't even want the turkey. If I can get a little bit of those three things, I'll be happy. I'm not a leftover fan, so I won't be tempted if there is any. I have to agree with what the previous posters have said about taking a step back and looking at how far you have came. That will hopefully be my motivation to enjoy everything in moderation this holiday season. I will say that I am limiting my "cheat" meals up until those dates so I can have a little extra splurge room. We'll see how it goes.

I'm in the same boat. The key to thanksgiving for me will be portion control. Which I'm VERY bad at doing in those types of situations. Good Luck I hope you will succeed, as I know you can.

To be the unhealthy girl of the group, I just plan on logging the snot out of everything and exercising like a nut job to burn off the cookies.

I have decided to handle the holidays by only eating holiday food on the holiday itself. That way I don't make it a whole eating season. I will indulge at Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas brunch and New Year's Eve party dinner. But not on the days before or after. I hope this helps someone!

I like this idea!!!

This is the first year that I'm going to attempt to have some sort of self control on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I will allow myself to have a little bit of whatever I want on thanksgiving, which is pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole. I don't even want the turkey. If I can get a little bit of those three things, I'll be happy. I'm not a leftover fan, so I won't be tempted if there is any. I have to agree with what the previous posters have said about taking a step back and looking at how far you have came. That will hopefully be my motivation to enjoy everything in moderation this holiday season. I will say that I am limiting my "cheat" meals up until those dates so I can have a little extra splurge room. We'll see how it goes.

I'm in the same boat. The key to thanksgiving for me will be portion control. Which I'm VERY bad at doing in those types of situations. Good Luck I hope you will succeed, as I know you can.

We are hard wired to eat more when more food is right in front of us. This is why I now avoid buffets like the plague.

On the contrary, I love buffets. I like the variety and different choices. alittle here, a tad there, a bit will do, main course, salades and desserts. Shakes things up. Wierds the body out! .... But as usual, I stay away from processed foods, most pastas, breads, breading, etc. Knowing they butter everything reduces that portion a bit more, but still have a some. It is a life style choice, not a pig out fest. Anyway, I do enjoy the buffet every once in a while and I treat it as an opportunity. Just gotta count it and make choicers you can live with.

I have decided to handle the holidays by only eating holiday food on the holiday itself. That way I don't make it a whole eating season. I will indulge at Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas brunch and New Year's Eve party dinner. But not on the days before or after. I hope this helps someone!

Exactly.

I love this season. For some reason this is the time I have a much easier time losing weight. Usually my worst time is mid-end of summer. By this time I am back on track.