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Feast Days

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arshness
arshness Posts: 60
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So how do you handle Feast days? (Sabbats, Esbats, Holidays, etc)
Do you give yourself the day off? Try to count anyway? Prepare special meal to avoid the feast part? Or just give yourself a day off but try to keep it sensible?

I'm in the latter category. I try to enjoy the feast day because that's part of the celebration of my faith. But I want to enjoy it sensibly. So basically, I try to make sure that I don't eat crazy while still enjoying and I don't always bother logging because it's impossible to know what is in someone else's potluck dish. :)

I have my next one coming up in September. What about you guys?

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  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
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    Well. Th eonly holiday my family really does is Thanksgiving and around them I don't mind telling them to eff off. I have my one plate full and carry on.

    This year, my bf's family is made up of food pushers so I have no idea. I need a strategy in place haha.
  • siratlas
    siratlas Posts: 239 Member
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    i don't think i have a set strategy...i see how i feel on the day and take into consideration other factors. I'm currently living with family so the only holiday I've celebrated with others is Easter. I didn't do too badly.....

    Samhain is the one that's going to be a challenge personally. Sometimes I fast the day before I feast and sometimes I don't and then I end up eating all of the leftover halloween candy after I have myself some ritual wine :S

    In general I think I'll log what I can for holidays and not worry too much. Everything in moderation, including moderation.

    I just have a hard time keeping myself accountable when there's a large gathering of folk who are eating together, like a potluck. That doesn't happen at holiday times in my world
  • Theotherkels
    Theotherkels Posts: 24
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    I usually make sure I get some sort of exercise on the day that I'm going to eat outside the norm and then I just enjoy myself - I don't over-stuff myself, but I also don't say no to things I would normally avoid. Then the next day I get right back on track and continue on. In the past that sort of thing would have totally derailed me and unraveled all my hard work, so I definitely had to wrap my head around a different way to think about it. We just made it past our anniversary and my family visiting....I think I'm mostly in the clear until our state fair in October which pretty much revolves around food ;)
  • lazieats
    lazieats Posts: 185 Member
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    Everything in moderation, including moderation.

    I like that!
  • lazieats
    lazieats Posts: 185 Member
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    My feast days are usually self-regulating. I'm a lactose-intolerant vegetarian, so most dishes people bring are off-limits to me. Having said that, when there is a dish that I actually can partake in, I do indulge a bit more than a normal day. I'm a firm believer that enjoying particular celebrations didn't make me gain weight. It was the day-to-day eating and lethargy that did it. So when I put together our Thanksgiving meal, I enjoy the hell out of it. But the next day I start paying attention to my portions again.

    Mabon was always a little easier to enjoy because our coven would bring a lot of fruits and the first of the root veg dishes. Depending on preparation, they were usually pretty healthy.
  • jillshadow
    jillshadow Posts: 76 Member
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    You know, this is really the third time I have tried diet/exercise. I've never been on diets on the holidays. I intend to be from now on forever because it has to be for me (I have diabetes). I guess I will just make sure I don't eat a ton of food. Low fat options when I can. No appetizers unless it's veggies.
  • icck
    icck Posts: 197 Member
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    In my tradition we have A LOT of feasts, occasionally centred around a specific food. I tend to prepare a lot of veggies where applicable - I love vegetables, so for me that is enough of a feast. :)

    The local groups I celebrate with all choose to share vegan food following rituals, so there is usually plenty of stuff that I don't need to worry about. :)
  • Etherlily1
    Etherlily1 Posts: 974 Member
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    The only advantage to being solitary is that I have complete control over the food I fix. No one else is bringing anything as it is just me...well, and my cat. Still on some of the feast days that fall on ones that are popular (Halloween and Christmas) I guess as to what is going to be there and plan ahead. I'd rather use a bit of time to get prepared for the challenges. And as has been suggested, one night/day is not going to be problematic; the problem only comes when it turns into an everyday thing.
  • Lelah77
    Lelah77 Posts: 177 Member
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    I cook all my own "feasts" because I am the only Wiccan in my family, so I have a LOT of control over what goes on the table. I typically serve a single, special meal for the family on sabbats.
    I also have been VERY open with my family about my weight loss goals and at other occasions (birthdays, etc.) they are incredibly accommodating and no one ever hassles me. My MIL even consulted me on some ingredients for the last occasion we had, which was incredibly sweet. I am pretty lucky in that regard. My gram picks on me a little when I show up with my own bag of cut up veggies and fruit, but she means no harm - it is just very strange to her generation.
  • Shirotora88
    Shirotora88 Posts: 121
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    I'm a solitary witch so Feast days are a breeze I make healthy choices.

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