Thanksgiving Survival Strategies

Options
fenshae
fenshae Posts: 27 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So it's coming....the biggest eating day of the year. *queue epic music*

What's your strategy for staying on-target this Thanksgiving? Are you cooking or eating someone else's meal? Counting calories or taking it as a cheat day? Are you eating multiple dinners (god help you)? Weigh in (ha) about what you're looking forward to/dreading and give us some pointers on surviving with minimal damage :D

Myself, I'll be cooking a lunch with my parents on Wednesday and am trying to keep it on the healthy-ish side -- I'm putting together a menu right now. It's still undecided if we'll drive down to visit the in-laws on Thursday, but if so, there'll be a smorgasbord of delectables waiting for me when I get there. God grant me the serenity not to eat the entire dish of sweet potato casserole om nom nom.

Anyway. Sharing time! you go!
«1345

Replies

  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    Options
    The way I see it, it's basically one day a year and I might as well eat what I enjoy. Having said that, I try to stay away from the leftovers..................well, okay, I may have a sandwich and leftover stuffing w/gravy on Friday but after that, I'll be done.

    I'm cooking and it's weird but by the time I'm done and get everything on the table I'm just not that hungry..............until dessert rolls around and suddenly I'm famished.

    Just do the best you can, it's only one or two days. I usually try to hit the gym on Wed, Thurs, and Friday just for extra measure!

    Like any other party meal, it's what you do afterwards that really counts!
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    Options
    I'm doing Thanksgiving at my house. :) I plan on eating what I want, but controlling my portions. I'll be going heaver on the turkey (I like white meat more than dark meat) and veggies (this is why I love doing T'giving at my house...b/c I love veggies but everyone else in the family seems to think of this, and ANY "special" day as a calorie-and-fat-fest) and maybe a slice of pumpkin pie for dessert.

    I'm pretty excited, I love the smell of turkey cooking in my house.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Options
    Eat a lot, not too much
  • legowrangler
    legowrangler Posts: 229 Member
    Options
    I am planning on eating smaller portions... more meat and veggies and less carbs plus i'm probably going to cook less so I won't have so many leftovers but not planning on counting and i'm going to basically eat that meal and MAYBE a light breakfast
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
    Options
    1 - Big picture thinking...it's only one day, there are 365 of them in a year...no biggie. Nobody got fat because of a holiday or special occasion.

    2 - Realize you don't have to eat until your pants explode...it's ok to just take a plate of good food and call it a day...save some room for a nice slice of pie.

    3 - I'll be at my in-laws, so I'll be drunk by noon...
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    Options
    The good news-our entire family is going to a big resort in the mountains for 4 days! Lots of hiking, ice-skating, swimming (indoor pool) and dancing!
    3 large buffet meals a day but plenty of things to choose from.
    The bad news-no bad news cause there'll be lots of physical activity between meals!
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Options
    Running a 5 miler in the morning and then coming home for baked pumpkin french toast. Our families live far away, so Thanksgiving dinner will just be my husband, my son, and I. We are having crab legs, brussels sprouts, and red skin potatoes. And of course pumpkin pie with whipped cream for dessert. Nothing too crazy.
  • MissJay75
    MissJay75 Posts: 768 Member
    Options
    Guess I'm just lucky. I like turkey, gravy and mashed potatoes. Stuffing, rolls, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes - not so much. And I can't stand pumpkin pie. So I'm not really all that tempted to overeat.
  • dieter1200
    dieter1200 Posts: 56 Member
    Options
    My plan is hopefully workout that day. Eat low calorie for rest of day probably oatmeal for breakfast depending when we eat lunch or dinner will probably be soup. I will have only one big plate of food, no seconds, and a slice of pie. I hope to eat at maintenance but a little gain would be o.k.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    Options
    I am going to enjoy the hell out of it. Doing nothing different, it's Thanksgiving and I'm getting down on all the goodies.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    edited November 2014
    Options
    My husband makes jambalaya for Thanksgiving. This year, he will probably make it next weekend so that we can go sailing all weekend long for Thanksgiving.

    When we used to have Thanksgiving at my parents' we used to all go to the park for a walk after dinner.
  • FitOldMomma
    FitOldMomma Posts: 790 Member
    Options
    I'm adjusting a few of my traditional dishes. The stuffing will have just one stick of butter rather than 2, mashed potatoes I will use 1% milk rather than half and half. I'm roasting the Brussels sprouts with a bit of olive oil and parmesan rather than the normal butter and cream. So, I'm making a few changes, but will still enjoy the meal. I really don't think my family will notice the changes since they smother everything with turkey gravy anyway, lol.
    I sure as heck will indulge with pumpkin pie, but just a bit smaller slice.
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    Options
    Eating at my parents' house. I'm responsible for two pies and two sides. One of those sides will be healthy and the other is stuffing from a family recipe. I can avoid my own desserts because my aunt is making cheesecake.

    I'm working out 5-6 days a week now, getting good burns (okay, for me they're amazing burns), and I don't eat back most of those calories. I only cheat on the rare occasions I go out to eat. So yeah I'm eating what I want! I don't think I'm going to want to go whole hog though--I can pass up things that really aren't worth the calories--but I'm not going to beat myself up over a slice of cheesecake.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
    Options
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Eat and enjoy the day. It's one day. Surviving to me means not dying. One day of enjoying myself won't kill me.

    ^This
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    Options
    At least a taste of everything. This will be my third Thanksgiving on MFP. The most important thing for me is not to let one day of indulging become a habit of overindulging as I did for years. The 28th, I will be right back on track, eating as I have been for my almost 3 years on MFP. Also a new annual tradition for me, the 5K "Turkey Trot", the morning of Thanksgiving. Also my 3rd Turkey Trot. MFP has been very good for me!
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    I'm planning to cook a turkey, a country ham, biscuits, maple glazed bacon, roast pork belly, roast squash, pumpkin meringue pie, chocolate cream pie, green beans, brussels sprouts.

    Oh and gravies. Lots of gravies.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
    Options
    dbmata wrote: »
    I'm planning to cook a turkey, a country ham, biscuits, maple glazed bacon, roast pork belly, roast squash, pumpkin meringue pie, chocolate cream pie, green beans, brussels sprouts.

    Oh and gravies. Lots of gravies.

    Maybe I'll just skip my in-laws this year...provided you have a good bourbon on hand that is...

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    I'm planning to cook a turkey, a country ham, biscuits, maple glazed bacon, roast pork belly, roast squash, pumpkin meringue pie, chocolate cream pie, green beans, brussels sprouts.

    Oh and gravies. Lots of gravies.

    Maybe I'll just skip my in-laws this year...provided you have a good bourbon on hand that is...

    Currently in stock, Noah's Mill and Rowan's Creek, and bulleit in both bourbon and rye varietals. Then I have some cachaca brought up from Brasil for me.
  • Ash_danielle
    Ash_danielle Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    I plan to eat small portions of whatever I wish...I need to keep in mind that when I eat like crap I feel like crap...I hate the feelings of being overly full (glutinous) but I don't always think about that as I'm stuffing my face. So this year I will be more aware of being satisfied vs full and stuffed. Also I plan to have a workout session the morning of.

Categories