Thanksgiving Dinner

Hey there!

I know the holidays can be a little scary when you are doing the weight-loss thing.

I started my lifestyle change last September, 2007.....right before the holiday season! BUT, I got through Halloween, birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas AND Super Bowl Sunday unscathed!

I think the key is to allow yourself to relax a bit and not stress over every little thing those days but also be reasonable with things too. AND the most important thing is to not let that one day turn into the norm again. Just get back on track the next day and you will be ok! Your loss that week might not be exactly what you had been doing......but so what........it won't hold you back for long and we do need a day here and there to allow ourselves to take it easy.

-Tami

The thing that I think is important to remember is that this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. It's not about completely depriving yourself, it's about learning to eat sensible healthy amounts of food. I plan to eat a light breakfast and light afternoon snack so that i'm not sitting down to the Thanksgiving table starving. I will eat what I want, stop when i'm full, and take a walk after dinner; and hopefully I will be able to continue that tradition for the rest of my Thanksgivings :flowerforyou:

I like what you said. I will definitely follow what you are saying. I intend to exercise all week though just to stay on track.

This too will be my first holiday since starting my weight loss journey last August. Thankully, my family is all on board with what I am doing and are very supportive, so I think that helps when it comes to holidays, because they all know how hard I am working. The thing I would tell yourself is, it is just another day, enjoy it and remember it is more about spending time with your family than the food (though the food can be extremely tempting!!).:drinker: I approach temptation days as this, I can eat what is there, just don't go overboard, because seeing those numbers go down on the scale are more important to me than any tempting morsel!! Good luck and just enjoy the day with your family!!

I am allowing myself to have whatever I want that day...but...my family is making some alterations to our normal Thanksgiving dinner that will make it lower calorie.

*Instead of having candied yams, we are having baked sweet potatoes
*Our stuffing will be made with half light bread and half regular white bread (that was the ONLY change I was willing to make because my mom makes the BEST stuffing ever and it's the ONLY thing I'm willing to blow huge amounts of calories on because it's the only thing that I MUST have on Thanksgiving and cannot do withoutlol...)
*Instead of a cheese, ring bologna, cracker, dip, pickle, and olive tray to snack on before dinner, we are having just the pickles and olives
*Instead of just one vegetable we are having several
*We are not having rolls or bread
*We bought a 12-13 pound turkey instead of a 20 pound turkey

We are making small changes that individually wouldn't save a lot of calories, but all together will add up. I am planning to have a yogurt or some oatmeal for breakfast, and carrots and dip for a snack. We usually eat our main meal around 2 or 3 so that will take the place of lunch and dinner. I will still eat throughout the day as I usually do, but in smaller quantities so as to keep the bulk of my calories for my Thanksgiving dinner.

Yes - I refuse to deprive... that doesn't make sense on Thanksgiving... I wish I had someone to run with... make it way easier... but I'll be biking 30 miles that morning or running ... and then of course some black Friday shopping!

I don't think thanksgiving dinner is the dangerous part of the holidays. It's all the other bad eating oppurtunites that surround it. Keep you other meals that day to you plan and try to enjoy a great meal with your family. Here's a tip that might help. Go ahead and have what you want at dinner, but try using a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. It's a great way to give yourself that full plate feel with much smaller portions. Oh yeah and get out in the yard and play some football or something. Get active with the kids!


Have a great holiday!

I'm cooking a Turkey, no stuffing (don't like it), rice for DH, squash, bell peppers, and crescent rolls. I'm throwing some garlic cloves in with the turkey towards the end of cooking time so they'll get roasted and will use that instead of butter on my rolls. Got that tip from Alton Brown Yea, AB! :drinker: And, then for dessert, I'm putting an apple or two in the over with some splenda and cinnamon--YUM!