What are you eating for Thanksgiving?

I have already started filling out my food diary. I'm going to have a houseful of relatives and I love gravy! I'm going to allow myself 2000 calories that day only and go for a long walk. What are you planning to do to get through the holiday?
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Replies

  • jamiesillimandunn
    jamiesillimandunn Posts: 270 Member
    I plan to eat a little of EVERYTHING , lol....I'm giving myself a days worth of maintance calories , working out that morning maybe twice to compensate for the pie ...but allowing myself to have fun ...I will have my scale and measure as I always do ...my main goal is to not have to roll from my chair in order to enjoy a great Thanksgiving Feast !
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    Not eating in the morning (which is the norm for me). After church we're heading over to relatives-
    steaks on the grill
    sweet potato fries, deep fried
    large salad with regular ranch dressing
    may or may not have a dinner roll
    other sides will be offered, but I probably won't eat them
    I'm bringing an apple blueberry crisp
    ?? for dessert

    then we're heading out to see a movie at night and we'll probably pick up a pizza afterwards.

    Calorie wise I'll still be within my maintenance calorie range.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    2000 is what i'm eating now-and for me going a little over is better than going a little under. While I am going to count it- as best I can.... I'm going to eat and log and that's it. I refuse to make myself crazy with it.

    Turkey
    Homemade Cranberry sauce
    Sweet Mashed Potatoes
    green beans
    Pie and fresh made whipcream
    lots of pie
    moar pie

    and more whipcream
  • Diet_Soda
    Diet_Soda Posts: 124 Member
    We already had our family Thanksgiving. I ate a little bit of everything. I worked out like usual.

    On the actual day of Thanksgiving, we are doing a Drumstick Dash (4.6 miles), and I will do my Insanity workout as well. We are having turkey and noodles over mashed potatoes. I think my workout will help cover that, but probably not the pecan pie I also plan on eating!
  • mrandolph69
    mrandolph69 Posts: 197 Member
    I worried about this issue Thanksgiving of 2011 (I joined MFP 8-11). Over the next year I really began to realize that one day did not, for me, make a whole lot of difference one way or the other. Thanksgiving of 2012 I ate pretty much what I wanted and went back to my regular routine the next day without any problem. I look at it this way, if I eat 7,000 calories over my maintenance level on that one day (way more than I would eat but I'm just using it as an example) I will only gain 2 pounds. Using MFP, I know how to get those 2 pounds off within a month (if not much sooner) with no problem. Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holidays are much less stressful for me when I look at it this way.
  • D_squareG
    D_squareG Posts: 361 Member
    Do you track what you eat during a big feast?
  • Maisylouise2
    Maisylouise2 Posts: 10 Member
    It's one day. Enjoy your life!
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
    Our menu:

    Turkey
    Stuffing
    Mashed Potatoes
    Green Bean Casserole (made with fresh beans, mushrooms, and onions - no condensed soup)
    Sweet Potato soufflé
    Homemade cranberry sauce
    Homemade Pumpkin Pie (made from fresh pumpkin) with homemade whipped cream
    Egg nog
    Cabernet Franc
    Chardonnay

    I am not going to log for the day, but I will watch my portions to make sure I have room for everything.

    ETA: I am currently at maintenance, but I am eating at a slight deficit (~100 calories) in the days leading up to the holiday so that me week will (hopefully) balance out at either maintenance or slightly above, although I'll never know since I am not logging the feast :laugh:
  • _crafty_
    _crafty_ Posts: 1,682 Member
    I will be logging nothing and eating everything.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    My cousin is cooking, so I won't be able to plan anything ahead. I know she intends to have lots of vegetable dishes, since she's been working on losing weight, too.
  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
    I'm allowing myself infinite fresh vegetables and fruits! Gonna try and fill up on those so when the real stuff comes out, I'll be satisfied with smaller portions.

    Staying away from alcohol will hopefully keep me from making two (or three or four) trips to the pie table. BUT I will indulge in something sweet and delicious and enjoy every bit of it~

    Whatever, really, I'm not gonna stress out about it.
    Holidays are crazy enough without worrying about every single bite I'm eating.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    Everything.
  • cfredz
    cfredz Posts: 292 Member
    TOFURKEY + EVERYTHING ELSE but meat :)
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    TOFURKEY + EVERYTHING ELSE but meat :)

    tofurkey?

    that's a thing

    wow- will wonders never cease.
  • karen2628
    karen2628 Posts: 12 Member
    Wow what a great post! I read through all posts and what I noticed are the people who've lost quite a bit of weight are allowing themselves to eat what they'd like. I was going to go without some things knowing that they'd be high calorie- high fat items. I'm going to really think about eating what I'd like in moderation. I am not hosting Thanksgiving so I can indulge a bit and not have to worry about the left overs lingering in my fridge.

    We plan on going for a 6 mile hike prior to the Thanksgiving feast. So if nothing else I will have at least logged a very steep hilly hike to help get my heart rate up and metabolism working.
  • cfredz
    cfredz Posts: 292 Member
    TOFURKEY + EVERYTHING ELSE but meat :)

    tofurkey?

    that's a thing

    wow- will wonders never cease.

    yup, theres a full 3lb roast i bought with mushroom gravy
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    forget the food.
    drink the booze
    call it a day.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    forget the food.
    drink the booze
    call it a day.

    cersei-wine-game-of-thrones.gif
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
    the-word-foodimage-of-an-image-of-yellow-blocks-with-word-food-on-them-mxwzxdac.jpg

    That about sums it up.
  • I have a traditional Southern meal:
    Turkey
    Ham
    candied yams
    pintos
    stewed new potatoes ( for those that don't like sweet potatoes)
    macaroni salad
    slaw
    corn fritters
    stuffing

    This year my daughters birthday fell on Thansgiving so we will be having cake and ice cream. I plan to eat all my calories and maybe a few more for this day. I will be working out the morning of, since we will not be eating until 6 or so.
  • jljewell
    jljewell Posts: 28 Member
    I'm going to stick to my calories. We're having Thanksgiving at home and I'm making the turkey roulade from Cooking Light with apples and cranberries, roasted kale, and some homemade dinner rolls. We don't like potatos or gravy, so this works well for us. I'm thinking about making a pie for dessert.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I'm planning to eat and enjoy myself ...

    I don't eat meat, so no turkey. But I'll eat almost everything else (except green bean casserole, because yuck).
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    forget the food.
    drink the booze
    call it a day.

    cersei-wine-game-of-thrones.gif
    GOT for the win!
  • Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, gravy, mashed potatoes, ham, cheesecake, ice cream, and a few beers to wash it down. Oh Yeah!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's one day...I'm not going to worry about it...just like I didn't worry about it last year and still hit my goal BF% earlier than anticipated. Your health, nutrition, fitness, etc is not predicated on what you do for one day or a handful of special occasions throughout the year...it is predicated on what you're doing most of the time.

    IMHO you should enjoy the day...give thanks for all of the blessings in your life and enjoy the time with your family and friends. Life is full of hustle and bustle, sometimes it's nice to just sit down with everyone and celebrate all that is good in our lives.

    Also, there is such a thing as middle ground...all of these holiday posts (and they are abundant every year) assume one of two things...either you're going to restrict yourself and worry about counting every last calorie or you're just going to go flat out crazy and explode out of your stretchy pants...I just don't see why people can't enjoy their feast with some moderation. I've never been a fan of stuffing myself...never like the feeling. Yes, I will be consuming more calories that day than my maintenance but I won't be stuffed to the gills...and it's one day, it's not going to ruin anything or derail anything.
  • celtbell3
    celtbell3 Posts: 738 Member
    I always enjoy the holidays. If you are trying to be 'good', I recommend enjoying the turkey and anything green - beans, salad, etc. Turkey is delicious!!
  • PennyM140
    PennyM140 Posts: 423 Member
    I'm going to eat everything and log nothing! I plan on making that deal with myself as long as I just limit that to Thursday only. No leftovers.
  • starrylioness
    starrylioness Posts: 543 Member
    Thanksgiving - absolutely and Christmas too! (probably Christmas eve as well since my family does things on both days) I figure life is too short not to enjoy a day or two now and then! I don't plan on logging those days.
  • pesigrandi
    pesigrandi Posts: 74 Member
    My boyfriend and I will be going to one of his relative's house. Given that I don't know what's on the menu it's hard to say what I'll eat but I plan to stick to meat, potatoes and salad. I don't like stuffing or green bean casseroles or a lot of the other traditional things people make. I find most deserts to be too sweet so don't feel compelled to eat them very often. I like my sweet potatoes with butter and a little maple syrup so if it involves marshmallows I won't be trying any.

    I don't consider the holidays a problem eating-wise. I like my wine and cocktails though so with all the extra holiday functions we attend I have to monitor my alcohol intake a bit more than normal.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,267 Member
    I plan on eating a little of everything but maybe no dessert. My family is known for its SUPER HIGH FAT thanksgiving meal, so small portions and lots of water will be my friend.
    I am making a "healthy" sweet potato casserole and I can already tell you my family isn't going to love it as much as my usual b/c I'm cutting out atou 75% of the fat.