Do you have a strategy for Thanksgiving yet?

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fultimers
fultimers Posts: 153 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone,

I know that there are plenty of people on here who will use Thanksgiving as a cheat day. And I'm not criticizing that decision in the least. If it works for you--great!

But for me, I have made up my mind that I am going to cook Thanksgiving dinner for my husband I (the closest family is hundreds of miles away). My goal is to stay within my allotted 1400 daily calories. Here is my menu:

Roast Turkey
Turkey Gravy
Homemade Cranberry Sauce (made with Splenda)
Baked Sweet Potato (the whole ones--not the casserole)
Broccoli with Cheese Sauce (I bought the frozen kind)
Squash Casserole (using a recipe)
Stuffing Stuffed Onions (using a recipe. I figure I will eat less stuffing this way)
Green Beans with Onions and Bacon
Mashed Cauliflower (not as good as mashed potatoes but not bad)
Pumpkin Custard (made with Splenda)

I will be weighing and measuring everything and logging it. I hope to keep this one meal around 800-900 calories. My diary is public so you can see how I did for the day if you want to.

I'd love to hear your strategies if you are planning to do this. Again--I'm not hating on those who are going to eat what they want for the day. I'm just hoping to hear from those few who hope to do something like I'm doing.
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Replies

  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
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    Those all sound very good! I am going to eat 100 cals less each day up til Thanksgiving the week of, go to the gym M-TH (yes, on thanksgiving!) and since I am going to a restaurant for thanksgiving I will have alot of choices I am sure. So my goal is to load up on salad and any other veggies, eat the items I totally want and I could say at any amount I want but I will be moderate :), not eat the things I am just so-so on (like Mashed Potatoes..I know that horrifies most ppl)..anyhow...create a bigger deficit throughout the week with diet and exercise and pretty much eat what I want..have a great turkey day!
  • amflautist
    amflautist Posts: 941 Member
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    Thanksgiving here is just for hubby and me also.

    I'm not thinking of Thanksgiving as a cheat day. I don't believe in cheat days. I want to live from now on in such a way that I can enjoy family gatherings with minimum calorie overage, and then continue the next day with my new healthy-life eating plan.

    So #1, there will be none of the usual bread stuffing. And no sweet potato casserole. I will do a turkey, brussels sprouts with a tiny bit of real butter, whole steamed carrots, and a salad. Big lovely salad!!! Homemade cranberry sauce using just cranberries and an orange (no sugar, always do it this way because I really am a sourpuss!). Maybe squash. Think I would like roasted acorn squash spritzed with lime. Maybe cauliflower rice again? DH loved it when I did it last week.

    These days I am skinning my chickens before I cook them or use them for chicken stock. Don't think I will skin the turkey however. And I love, love, love dark meat. More than breast. So I will keep the amount down. Probably best to log it first so that I know how many ounces I want to eat before I start.

    Not holding myself to my usual # calories, but would like to be in <1500 range.

    Thank you for the invitation to plan ahead!
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
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    Doing an extra workout, eating a light breakfast and eating dessert first.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
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    It's one day...i didn't get fat because of a holiday, birthday, or other special OCCASION...I got fat because I treated everyday like a holiday and didn't move.

    I will be enjoying the day. I'm not going to eat to the point of being sick, but I'm not going to worry about how many calories I'm eating and I'm not doing some random unplanned exercise either. I have a planned lifting session the day before and I have a planned long ride the Saturday after. Basically I'm going about business as usual.
  • Slivnfree
    Slivnfree Posts: 152 Member
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    I will be snacking on healthy snacks through the day. Veggies include celery, carrots, and broccoli.Meat and cheese dish with thinly slices cheese and wheat crackers. I will make homemade salsa and chips for the game or course, and have some homemade cookies and fruit. I will keep my portions right and moderate. Dinner will be turkey, stuffing, mashed potato's, green bean casserole, and a roll. I have to also have homemade apple pie and vanilla ice cream as that is a family tradition I am not willing to part with. :drinker:
  • mayerrocks
    mayerrocks Posts: 112 Member
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    Smart choice! You can have your cake and eat it too!
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
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    We're just gonna do a reasonable turkey dinner but go a little nuts on dessert. :) Damage control is where it's at!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    you could try this!!!!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1138743-7-day-fruit-and-vegetables-only


    JKJK

    1.) don't eat as much during the day of
    2.) make sure I go for an extra long run/spin/workout session the day before- the day of or the day after. Just build a little extra buffer.

    I typically don't eat breakfast- I have a light snack mid-day- and then we do dinner... and then an hour later or so dessert.

    I also typically go for a walk after because well- being overly full makes me unhappy.

    I typically don't stuff myself silly- I eat small portions of everything- and roll with it.

    And then I just stop worrying about it and enjoy the time with family and friends.
  • MisConway
    MisConway Posts: 25 Member
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    -I will get a great workout in that morning followed by a big healthy breakfast so I am not starving for the meal at 1pm.
    - I am Paleo and will be making some paleo side dishes to go along with the traditional dishes that everyone else likes (i.e. paleo sweet potato casserole, cauliflower mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts with bacon, paleo cranberries). I am hosting, so I have the advantage of making lots of good sides :) I figure as long as I have food I love to eat, I won't miss the high calorie stuff!
    - I will eat lots of meat!
    - I will allow myself 2 bites each of my favorite thanksgiving dishes: pumpkin cheesecake, 3 meat stuffing, apple and raisin stuffing.
    - I will not waste stomach room or calories on things I don't care about like gravy, dinner rolls, or green bean casserole.
    - I will have my cocktails and not worry about it. I can't wait to sip on a glass of red wine!
    - I will remind myself of how far I've come, and that stuffing myself beyond full will only make me feel crappy for the afternoon, where as making healthy choices will leave me feeling better.
    - I will remember that ONE meal won't make or break anything!
    - I will be thankful that I am lucky enough to actually get to pick what foods I choose to eat or not eat, and that my family has an abundance of food to choose from.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    - I will allow myself 2 bites each of my favorite thanksgiving dishes: pumpkin cheesecake, 3 meat stuffing, apple and raisin stuffing.


    god that's a depressing sentance.

    I plan to eat at least once whole pie that week. I usually have two or three slices a night. I love pie. I never skimp pie. I'd rather eat less of dinner and eat more pie than anything else in the world. I don't DO pie the other 364 days of the year.
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,789 Member
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    My strategy for Thanksgiving is to eat whatever I want, wash it down with plenty of wine, go for a good long walk with my son and my friends, and go back for a fresh turkey sandwich and extra stuffing before bed. I don't plan to be a massive pig -- no need for three slices of pie when one will be fine; no plans to eat past the point of satiety -- but neither do I plan to worry about calories or anything else other than having a good time and getting some movement in.
  • Just_Maddy
    Just_Maddy Posts: 94 Member
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    Doing an extra workout, eating a light breakfast and eating dessert first.

    Newbie here :) Why are you eating dessert first?
  • explosivedonut
    explosivedonut Posts: 419 Member
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    It's one day...i didn't get fat because of a holiday, birthday, or other special OCCASION...I got fat because I treated everyday like a holiday and didn't move.

    I will be enjoying the day. I'm not going to eat to the point of being sick, but I'm not going to worry about how many calories I'm eating and I'm not doing some random unplanned exercise either. I have a planned lifting session the day before and I have a planned long ride the Saturday after. Basically I'm going about business as usual.

    +1
  • frood
    frood Posts: 295 Member
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    Stuffing and champagne. What else do you need? :drinker:
  • BL_Coleman
    BL_Coleman Posts: 324 Member
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    Honestly thanksgiving isn't my killer. I "like" most of the foods so I can say no relatively easy and just keep it to a small plate of everything I like.

    So good breakfast, long walk before "lunch/dinner"

    It is the rest of the weekend which is my renewal and my friends and family are coming in for that will be the killer.
  • dtimedwards
    dtimedwards Posts: 319 Member
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    Instead of cranberry sauce I'm going to make Raspberry Ketone sauce.which should pair nicely with my green turkey smoothie.
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
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    Doing an extra workout, eating a light breakfast and eating dessert first.

    Pretty much this.

    They hold "Turkey Trots" for exactly this reason. :)
  • JackieEnos203014
    JackieEnos203014 Posts: 10 Member
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    Im kicking off the day with a run and teaching insanity class.
    For food I will start my day as usual with nutritional shakeology.
    I cant do dairy so that helps stay away from fatty casseroles (green bean) or things with cheese which add a lot of extra fat/calories.
    Remember things in moderation so know what an actual portion size is and stick to that. I will have a lot of turkey(no gravy) for protein and I always make some steamed veggies with nothing but seasonings added. I also make my own cranberry sauce just heat cranberries, water and STEVIA not splenda. I will drink even more than my usual water intake. If you want a piece of desert have some. Go for pumpkin its got less ingredients added to it.

    www.facebook.com/Jackiesfitnessandhealth
    www.facebook.com/Jackies.enos.35
  • rbcrawford1
    rbcrawford1 Posts: 29 Member
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    I'm going to enjoy it. I don't need rolls or gravy, but I live for stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie and that stuff comes but once a year. Just for comfort's sake, I hope to not go for seconds of anything (I eat crazy fast, and if I do seconds I almost always regret it 20 minutes later). I will probably take the kids on a long walk before and after to get their crazies out. I'll hit the gym the day before and day after.

    Really, I think the only thing I'm changing this year is I am not hosting Thanksgiving, which means I don't have to eat leftovers for the next five days. I don't think the actual holidays (in my case, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas) are what made me gain weight last year. It was much more likely that it was the week after each holiday when I kept consuming holiday-level calories that did it.
  • JackieEnos203014
    JackieEnos203014 Posts: 10 Member
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    Not bad just drink extra water too all day

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