holiday dinner

Realistically, I'd say portion control is key! It's not fun to deprive yourself and your diet shouldn't feel like a punishment. For me, if I want dessert, I cut a really small piece and usually it will kill the craving. Plus, I think about how gross and bad I'll feel if I over indulge and it's not worth it. Good luck!

bring a dessert to ur gathering! Something that is sugar free but still amazing (cookies, cake, etc etc), or zuccini bread with wheat flour, or something.. talk to ur family, see what u can bring, or if they are willing to help making it lower calorie (but still bomb). maybe a fruit platter with some type of sweet dip--like sugar free chocolate pudding. Or something old fashinoned like a sugar free jello cake with fruit inside... veggie tray with ranch (no fat sour cream--or reduced fat, with one of those seasoning packets)..
if you always have scalloped potatoes and they are ur fav, ask if u can make them, use yogurt butter instead of full butter (45cal for a tbls instead of 100 (There may be other, lower cal butter, but im in love with my brummel and brown yogurt butter), and fat free/skim milk instead of full, tastes the same just less cal; dont salt it, cook with onion slices & fresh garlic & pepper...ppl can salt it themselves if they want.


also, save calories to indulge on other things... eat low cal (but filling breakfast, and a low cal, but filling lunch) all day before dinner to save as many cal's as possible (big salad with lots of veggies and instead of dressing use garlic powder/pepper/red pepper flakes is one idea that way the dressing wont increase your salt intake which could get high eating holiday food; having fruit and a low cal yogurt for breakfast maybe...??

DO NOT GO TO THE DINNER STARVING!! you will over indulge while you are there... alot of people dont eat all day and show up starving to start snacking on whatever is served as appetizers, and you want to enjoy tasting some various things, while not eating like a cow... ;-)

oh yea, piece of cake with you cooking!! Just look at ur normal dinner, and think of ways to change it to make it healthier & lower cal!! noone will know the difference just by using a different kind of milk or a lower cal butter. Lots of ideas of healthy eating websites, or even if you run across a good recipe somewhere that isnt low cal, look at how u can change it... everything can be made healthy..

U have to have Will Power & Not fall into Temptation with the desserts. Also eat off of a smaller plate and really be concious of your serving sizes. You'll do fine I'm convinced you don't want all of your hard work to go to waste.... Hang in there you can do it....