How do you handle the holidays?

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higgins8283801
higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Labor Day. Multiple cookouts, multiple opportunities to self sabatoge. In fact it has been an entire weekend of cookout after cookout. Then Labor Day kicks off the fall festivities: Halloween and dreaded thanksgiving, Christmas and new year. So how in the world do you survive these next few months? I need tips. Advice. Whatever because this weekend was an eye opener that I'm not ready for holidays at all. Help me.

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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    These are occasions...nobody became overweight because of an occasion or a holiday. Beyond that, practice portion control...you don't have to eat until you explode...you really don't. You don't have to eat it just because it's there.

    Thanksgiving for example...I load up my plate pretty good and it's a hardy meal to be sure...but I only have one plateful...I'm not going back for 2nds and 3rds and eating until my pants are ready to come undone...portion control and moderation.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I will likely eat whatever I want on Thanksgiving and Christmas. On the days themselves, that is. Not at every event. The other holidays are not really big food holidays for me. If I was going to a cookout I'd probably volunteer to take salad or a veggie or fruit tray. I'd eat that plus the protein.
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    These are occasions...nobody became overweight because of an occasion or a holiday. Beyond that, practice portion control...you don't have to eat until you explode...you really don't. You don't have to eat it just because it's there.

    Thanksgiving for example...I load up my plate pretty good and it's a hardy meal to be sure...but I only have one plateful...I'm not going back for 2nds and 3rds and eating until my pants are ready to come undone...portion control and moderation.

    We have multiple thanksgiving dinners to go to over a course of a week. That's the problem. Too many social gatherings. If it was just one. No problem. This weekend alone I had 4 cookouts and a BBQ later today.
  • fitcrt
    fitcrt Posts: 76 Member
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    OP - I am feeling the same way, it seems like Labor Day weekend rings in the holiday / eating season & I'm trying to figure out how to approach the holidays differently this year & I'm not feeling confident about it! I would also love to hear tips & ideas how to do the holidays differently this year & how to avoid all the excess food.
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
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    You don't HAVE to overeat at every event. That is completely up to you. If the rest of your day is moderate, one burger with a bit of potato salad and dessert won't throw your whole week off, even if it is 4 days in a row.

    Generally I just log what I eat and plan some extra exercise so that it fits my goals. Even if you eat at maintenance for the next 4 months, you won't be setting yourself back any, but it's completely possible to still achieve a weekly deficit.

    ETA: I think it's mostly attitude. If you look at the next 4 months (that's 1/3 of the entire year!!) as the eating/weight gaining season, it's more likely to happen. If you look at it as regular months with a few events thrown in, and plan appropriately, then you can get through without adding the seasonal 20 or whatever, and even lose. Let this year set up your attitude and habits for the years to come :wink:
  • jennifurballs
    jennifurballs Posts: 247 Member
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    I am blessed to come from a family of great cooks, so when we get together for parties/holidays, the food is always good and not particularly healthy. On those days, I get one or two (at most) bites of everything I want. I get to taste it all, but don't overdo it that way.

    Best of luck to you this year!
  • DjinnMarie
    DjinnMarie Posts: 1,297 Member
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    I enjoy it. Even when I was in the middle of my weight loss journey. I workout so I can enjoy the holidays without remorse. Enjoy the day, practice intuitive eating, and if you reeeeaaaaallly want that second helping of stuffing go for it. The next day I throw all of the leftovers out except the turkey and put those extra calories to good use in the gym.

    I volunteer to take everybody's leftover turkey this year. Just sayin....
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
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    Holidays are no different than any other day. We don't cook or eat any differently.... still have to feed, water, take care of the farm and garden, etc., just as always and we don't have family gatherings at all... our families are mostly dead, scattered, or busy with their own thing, so there is no problem.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    These are occasions...nobody became overweight because of an occasion or a holiday. Beyond that, practice portion control...you don't have to eat until you explode...you really don't. You don't have to eat it just because it's there.

    Thanksgiving for example...I load up my plate pretty good and it's a hardy meal to be sure...but I only have one plateful...I'm not going back for 2nds and 3rds and eating until my pants are ready to come undone...portion control and moderation.

    We have multiple thanksgiving dinners to go to over a course of a week. That's the problem. Too many social gatherings. If it was just one. No problem. This weekend alone I had 4 cookouts and a BBQ later today.

    so eat in moderation?
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Eat, drink be merry......In moderation, just like every other day!
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
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    For damage control, if it was me, I would look at the order I eat things. For example, when presented with a big feast-like meal, I would go for the protein first, then the non-starchy veggies, and then the complex carbs. Only after that would I contemplate sweets and alcohol, as by eating in this way, I would feel I've given myself the best possible chance to fill up on filling, healthier foods, and thus be less likely to overdo it on the starchy carbs and high calorically dense stuff.

    This is just how I would do it, as its something I've given thought to, as I want to not let social events and occasions undo me when it comes to weight loss or weight maintenance. Further damage control could be helped by ensuring a little exercise before any feasting, as well as either banking some calories in the days beforehand, or cutting some calories in the days afterwards.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I typically eat 2500 calories or something those days, or at least I did last year. The key for me was to avoid what I can get any other time (like, I can make sweet potatoes easily any time I want some, so I can skip those), and just have a reasonable portion of the things I rarely eat, and otherwise load up on veggies. I don't drink so it's easier though, but typically I'm stuffed at 3000 calories nowadays anyway... And yeah, try to eat light the rest of the day.

    The key is to make it a one or two days thing, not a week of cheat. If you eat even at a 300 deficit the rest of the week, you can still go 1800 calories over your maintenance that day and still end up eating at maintenance for the week. It's really not a big deal.
  • keefmac
    keefmac Posts: 313 Member
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    I treat it the same as my holiday, just enjoy myself and any excess weight will drop back off within a couple of weeks!.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    Labor Day. Multiple cookouts, multiple opportunities to self sabatoge. In fact it has been an entire weekend of cookout after cookout. Then Labor Day kicks off the fall festivities: Halloween and dreaded thanksgiving, Christmas and new year. So how in the world do you survive these next few months? I need tips. Advice. Whatever because this weekend was an eye opener that I'm not ready for holidays at all. Help me.
    Just like I handle any other day- moderation in all things.

    The only difference is on Thanksgiving and Christmas, I make a smaller breakfast, no lunch, and save the calories for the meal because I want a bit of everything that has no lactose in it. :bigsmile:
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    Thanksgiving for example...I load up my plate pretty good and it's a hardy meal to be sure...but I only have one plateful...I'm not going back for 2nds and 3rds and eating until my pants are ready to come undone...portion control and moderation.
    That's the spirit- for me, at holidays I alway went back for seconds....or thirds. Didn't do this last year, and I doubt if I'll do it this year.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    Last Thanksgiving, I was invited to 4 dinners and attended each one and ate very little and brought the rest home. I portioned out the leftovers for lunch and dinner over the course of the next week. You have to let people know you are trying to lose weight and have other engagements and cannot eat all of the food at each place on the same day.
  • fitcrt
    fitcrt Posts: 76 Member
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    Update - I've been looking around for tips online to not gain weight this holiday season & have found the following helpful:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/weight-control-over-holidays/
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    Last year in late October, I began trying to lose weight again for what felt like the millionth time. I did not track during those holiday festivities, but I chose smaller portions of each food. I managed to lose a little, but I had decided I would be happy to not gain. In the end I have decided that for me, this needs to be about balance. I want to enjoy the time with my family and loved ones, I want to enjoy the food, and for the first time in a long time, I made it through without that 'I've eaten way too much and now feel sick' feeling. My weight loss is taking time, but at least I'm not gaining anymore, and I will get there eventually.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    You just decide if you want to overeat or not. If you do, it's a setback. You'll recover.

    If you don't want to have to lose the same pounds twice, then don't overeat.

    Other than Thanksgiving, I'll be fine. Thanksgiving means my aunt's Mac n cheese and I'm eating it. If the heavens fall down and die, I'm eating it. Everything else, I'd rather be healthier and thin, so not eating it will be no problem. :)

    It's just about making basic decisions. Do you want to overeat or not? Choose what you want more and do that and be happy about it. :)
  • CarolinkaCjj
    CarolinkaCjj Posts: 622 Member
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    The tip link is great - good ideas and pretty much how I started. I started logging last thanksgiving - really. November and December were easier for me than August. Maybe because in the winter holidays, you are indoors, sitting at a table rather than milling around (which for me leads to snacking).

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