The Holidays!

So I came across a post more recently and it asked whether you are going to use those as "cheat" days or exercise it off, or if you are going to calorie count, make a low cal meal, ect. I gave my regular " just exercise it off if you go over your deficit or make a few low cal changes to the food", answer. But now im thinking about it. I mean sure Ill add "healthy" changes, like almond milk, less or no butter- I dont use it anymore. But am I really gonna skip those candied marshmallow topped yams that I quite literally only eat twice a year? Reeeeally? What are YOU going to do for the holidays???

Replies

  • mmckee10
    mmckee10 Posts: 405 Member
    I'm not skipping a damn thing. LOL I'll just have less of it than I used to.

    eat_all_the_foods.gif
  • bethannien
    bethannien Posts: 556 Member
    Portion control! I plan on enjoying all my favorite foods on Thanksgiving but in moderation. I also plan on only indulging at events rather than bingeing from Halloween through New Years, as per my usual holiday season. So stuffing and gravy with no huge modifications other than portion? Yes please. Prime rib on Christmas? YES PLEASE.
  • Portion control! I plan on enjoying all my favorite foods on Thanksgiving but in moderation. I also plan on only indulging at events rather than bingeing from Halloween through New Years, as per my usual holiday season. So stuffing and gravy with no huge modifications other than portion? Yes please. Prime rib on Christmas? YES PLEASE.

    Completely agree. I used to binge through the whole holiday season. Not this time. I will have a treat. But in the right portion and on the holiday. As well as try to cook everything a little healthier.
  • benol1
    benol1 Posts: 867 Member
    What holidays?
  • mmipanda
    mmipanda Posts: 351 Member
    I love having an american stepfamily, we do a big turkey Thanksgiving feast every year <3

    I'm probably going to eat whatever I want. YOLO
  • cassig13
    cassig13 Posts: 78 Member
    Its one day a month its not like eat like that everyday. I will eat what I want but of course portion control.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Its one day a month its not like eat like that everyday. I will eat what I want but of course portion control.

    :drinker:
  • janimei
    janimei Posts: 105 Member
    I decide ahead of time what I will eat and what I won't for a holiday meal (and the amounts).
    Then I do a food log of it, and see how it totals before the event.
    It helps me indulge myself a moderate amount.
    If you're not sure what will be served, you can still set a few guidelines for yourself the day before.
  • What holidays?

    Halloween
    Thanksgiving
    Christmas
    And new years parties all within about a two month time
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I'll do it exactly like I do the rest of the year. Eat delicious candy and cookies and fudge, and adjust my other food intake to meet my calorie/macro goals. Maybe get in some cold weather hiking and jogging, too! My fiancé and I would be all about that.

    I foresee a lot of salad lunches to make up for hearty dinners, and lunch with family potluck-style followed by my go-to "Meatless, Breadless Philly" (grilled peppers, mushrooms & onions with a bit of melted provolone).
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm doing what I normally do...I will carry on as usual. Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday which is usually a gym day so I'll probably just do some body weight stuff and go for my usual run...there's no reason to do anything extra or do unplanned exercise or whatever...this is actually a path to some pretty disordered thinking and the notion that you have to go kill yourself with a bunch of cardio just because you had a friggin' marshmallow or something.

    I'll eat the traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all of the fixins...I'll drink beer and wine...I'll over indulge, and it'll be fine...because it's one day of many. Over indulging on a feast day and/or celebration isn't going to make one damn bit of difference...unless everyday is a feast day.

    Just enjoy your holidays...practice portion control and fit it in...or go over a little...it aint gonna killl ya.

    Also...way too early for these posts...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    What holidays?

    Halloween
    Thanksgiving
    Christmas
    And new years parties all within about a two month time

    Oh Noes....

    So let's say that someone eats really crappy....doesn't get any nutrition...doesn't exercise or anything. But...they have one day in October, one day in November, and one day in December where they really get their fitness on...they get 4-6 servings of veg...all the fruit...lots of lean protein and healthy fats and hit their calorie goals. Are they suddenly healthy and fit because they had a "health" party once per month?

    Use some common sense and logic....
  • walleymama
    walleymama Posts: 174 Member
    I prefer to choose one day where I will "pig out" and around those days be really good or maybe even a bit of a deficit. I will also usually eat very little on those days until dinner.

    Holidays is where I fell of the wagon last year, but that was when I was doing low-carb and all that yummy food made me remember what I was missing.

    I think this time, because I am counting calories, I will make better choices about what to go extra on. And I know I'll be able to enjoy all the leftovers in days to come, but within my daily goal. And I know that overeating will only push my end goal back a week or so, rather than result in "failure", so I keep it in perspective.

    Sometimes you just need a break from worrying about making your daily goal. Luckily I am Canadian so there is a big gap between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    I will admit, however, to wondering how to deal with Halloween. I usually eat a good portion of the kids' candy over a few days. I don't want to do that this time. The question is, will I have the willpower to make them last for days in order to stick within my daily limits? Or should I just go crazy one night and get rid of all the temptation...I'll probably decide on Oct 31st, lol.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    The best days of MFP are the days after holidays when everyone details how much they ate.

    /*kitten*
  • verymissk
    verymissk Posts: 262 Member
    29683-Emma-Stone-no-no-no-gif-XKS5.gif


    IT'S ONLY SEPTEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • LeslieN65
    LeslieN65 Posts: 127 Member
    I am going to eat until I am full and then go for a walk (weather permitting) and not sweat it:-) and just enjoy my Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years too:-)
  • In my world the hardest part is definitely all of the wonderful cocktails. Mulled wine, spiked apple cider, champagne, egg nog, beautiful dinners w/ice wine and port, parties w/martinis and manhattans. The food part is just a small part of the caloric equation.
  • clepant
    clepant Posts: 3,569 Member
    While my mind says yummy; my stomach just can't handle pigging out any longer. Even if I try, I will fill filled despite what I think because my stomach has shrunk, Eating too many sweets gives me severe acid reflux anymore, So I will enjoy in modification but will not deprive myself of those once or twice a year specialties.
  • yolokindagirl
    yolokindagirl Posts: 24 Member
    I'm doing what I normally do...I will carry on as usual. Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday which is usually a gym day so I'll probably just do some body weight stuff and go for my usual run...there's no reason to do anything extra or do unplanned exercise or whatever...this is actually a path to some pretty disordered thinking and the notion that you have to go kill yourself with a bunch of cardio just because you had a friggin' marshmallow or something.

    I'll eat the traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all of the fixins...I'll drink beer and wine...I'll over indulge, and it'll be fine...because it's one day of many. Over indulging on a feast day and/or celebration isn't going to make one damn bit of difference...unless everyday is a feast day.

    Just enjoy your holidays...practice portion control and fit it in...or go over a little...it aint gonna killl ya.

    Also...way too early for these posts...

    ++++++++1
  • What holidays?

    Halloween
    Thanksgiving
    Christmas
    And new years parties all within about a two month time

    Oh Noes....

    So let's say that someone eats really crappy....doesn't get any nutrition...doesn't exercise or anything. But...they have one day in October, one day in November, and one day in December where they really get their fitness on...they get 4-6 servings of veg...all the fruit...lots of lean protein and healthy fats and hit their calorie goals. Are they suddenly healthy and fit because they had a "health" party once per month?

    Use some common sense and logic....

    No need to be rude.
    Obviously one day isn't so bad, and that's what we said.
    Our previous habits were. For some of us this is our first holiday season getting healthy.