Holiday Eating and Parties... How do you survive the Holidays?

Eat at maintenance. You won't gain, and you can enjoy your food.

Pretty sure my "methods" are unpopular, but they work for me:
1. I dislike eating differently than I normally do simply because of the date on the calendar. Holiday foods don't interest me.
2. I don't eat food that's been sitting out. No telling if it is still safe to eat.
3. I generally don't eat foods other people prepare (other than close family). No telling if it was handled properly.
4. I dislike the large quantities of food consumed simply because it is "the season". How about donating all that extra food purchased to a food bank or homeless shelter? Or give them the money you'd spend on extra food? Or volunteer at one of those places on your "holiday" and give back?
This is just my personal opinion. I'm not saying anyone else should either do these things or agree. Wonder if I'll get flagged for this? Oh well.

Pickles! & fresh veggies...my go to at a party.

Concentrate on the important things - the people. I get so busy talking and milling around I sometimes forget to eat.

Eating at maintenance is a good idea.

Portion control is also key. Eat what you want, just not a whole plate full.

I always eat a healthy breakfast (and/or lunch) and have a healthy snack before the big meal - then let myself eat anything I want, just for that meal. If I'm not starving when I get there I've found I don't really wind up eating that many more calories than at a normal meal (as long as I stop when full). And I try to plan my calories the next couple days to allow for leftovers without going over my goal. I've never been super careful, honestly, but I've also never gained weight over a holiday - I think stopping when you're full and not grazing between meals (or sticking to veggies) is the key there.

I want a little of everything when I go to a party/special occasion, so I use plastic eating spoons to put stuff on my plate. Doing that, I don't have to put a whole spoon full of that one dish on my plate, just 3 or 4 bites of it. Instead of grazing at the dessert table, graze at the fresh veggies table. Just my personal opinion.
(and yes it is clean plastic spoons I use, I always bring a pack or two as part of my contribution)

GrahamSS - sounds like southern Italy - I learned to cook while I lived in Napoli.

Hopefully my plan of drinking water and portion control goes off without a hitch this year.

Happy holiday season

Watch out for the fru-fru drinks.
Wine, light beer, the hard stuff on the rocks or low cal mixers, for the most part and maybe 1 full bodied beer or fru-fru drink per occasion. Always alternate with sparking water with a slice of lime in a fancy glass.
Hmmmm, you can guess my priority at these events.
I have the food under control- sample everything I like then I won't feel cheated out of a flavour. Always save cals for desert.
I have a 102-107lb sliding maintenance weight and am already for the holiday season having reached the low end today.

BruceHedtke wrote: »

If you're talking about "parties", I would say watch your portions, fill up on the healthy while tasting the decadent and save some calories for that night.

But, when it comes to the big Holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Fourth of July ((Mothers Day for me)) or something like a Super Bowl party), I say just let go for one day. Don't worry too much about calories. MFP should be used as a site where you learn how to live healthy and if you're a good student, you know what you need to do to stay fit/lose weight. Five or six blow-out days a year aren't going to hinder your well-being in the slightest. Enjoy your food, live it up and the next day...it's back on the horse.

I agree completely. This should be about a lifestyle change over the long term. A 'bad' eating day with family and friends isn't going to derail anyone over their goal for the long term. I'll do a little more exercise and make sure I'm not going to use it as an excuse to overeat on 'regular' days during the holidays. But at parties/holiday dinners I'm going to indulge (not over-indulge.)

I just eat/drink what I really, really want to. The nibbles, desserts etc at parties are usually too sweet, too processed and have sat around for too long waiting for people who are not hungry to stuff their faces with. I just avoid them and focus on spending time with the people. I honestly prefer my cooking to pretty much anything served at work parties or other people's houses, but I enjoy the company.

dopeysmelly wrote: »

I just eat/drink what I really, really want to. The nibbles, desserts etc at parties are usually too sweet, too processed and have sat around for too long waiting for people who are not hungry to stuff their faces with. I just avoid them and focus on spending time with the people. I honestly prefer my cooking to pretty much anything served at work parties or other people's houses, but I enjoy the company.

Ditto!

I'm going to do what I always do: Eat what I feel like.

This is only a small period out of a much, much longer-term plan.

dawnmcneil10 wrote: »

I personally don't eat the foods I could get anytime especially if I didn't prepare them.

This! This has been a huge mental check for me throughout. Cake for somebody's retirement party? Eh. Cookie with the lunch? Eh. I tell myself the food is nothing special. But if somebody is going to the trouble of making their Greek grandmother's baklava, oh yes. Totally worth it.