What's your plan?

I am still making a turkey dinner but I have certainly made some changes to our "feasts" for holidays.
I no longer make stuffing and if I do I only use 100% whole wheat bread and am VERY aware of my portion size. I also still make gravy, but will use low sodium chicken broth and a small amount of the pan drippings so it isn't so fatty. We don't eat many potatoes any longer so I sub in yams or sweet potatoes instead as at least they have more nutrition. Other than that I make a big salad and the brussel sprouts as my family loves them.
Desserts at my house now consist of a fruit salad or sugarless jello. We actually dipped strawberries in chocolate fat free pudding last time, which seemed like such a decadent treat!

We tend to focus on the occasion now and not the food . . . what a world of difference!

My plan is as follows. Make a simple meal. Don't go for turkey and stuffing. I usually do a Standing Rib Roast with mashed potatoes and peas (hubbys fav) and make one pumpkin pie. Normally it is just Geo and I along with the MIL. (sigh) When the Pot Luck for Thanksgiving comes along at work I WILL stay clear of the desert table! As for all the other delectable items that are roaming about it will be a standard answer "Thank you, but no thank you."

Oooops, somehow it got there twice. Sorry.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. My plan is to allow myself on Thanksgiving and Christmas to eat. I will watch my portion size and not fill myself so much I want to puke, but I will not worry about the calories in my Mom's mashed potatoes, or the fat in the chipped beef dip. I think it is ok every once and a while to allow yourself to enjoy yourself and not fret over it.

That being said, I am only allowing it on THAT day. No leftovers, minus turkey breast, my favorite! I will dispurse leftovers to friends and family who are interested in it.

With Halloween coming up, I don't keep candy in my house. I don't need it, and the only other person here who eats is my 2 year old daughter (Hubby is deployed, other daughter is 8 months old) who obviously doesn't need more than a small piece or two. I will probably keep the good stuff, small chocolates, etc for little indulges, but the rest I am sending in packages to my husbands unit in Afghanistan. I've already been spreading the word to friends and family so we can send a bunch of boxes of candy up to them over there.

But again, I love Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I am fortunate enough to spend it in my hometown with my friends and family while hubby is gone. So, for me, I will be enjoying it, and not fretting, but will be concious of my portions and will not be holding on to leftovers.

Honestly....I'm giving myself a *free* day for the holidays...but on the holiday ONLY. So like Thanksgiving...I'm going to eat what I want. But I'm going to split up the left overs or give them away, so the day after Thanksgiving and so on... is no longer a free for all.

I'm thinking about doing the same for Christmas too. Avoid the cake, cookies & candy all around it, but actually on Christmas...I'm just going to do what I want.

that is my plan too, though I think I will get some exercise in too on turkey day! I really miss mashed potatos, I won't deprive myself on that one day.

I allow myself to eat how I'd like on holidays and vacations (and I don't keep tabs on what I've eaten, either).

On Thanksgiving I'll be riding my bicycle ten miles out to my grandma's (or aunt's), so I think that eating as much as I possibly can is totally okay. And as many left-overs as they want to give me will be great for the ride home. I'm of the mind that if you are diligent most days, you should allow yourself caloric rewards. However, my biggest problem now that I've begun exercising regularly and trying to be more healthy is getting enough calories on a daily basis ... but I manage in the end.