Weight loss during Thanksgiving holiday?

_Justinian_
_Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
edited November 26 in Health and Weight Loss
So what is everyone here planning to do during the Thanksgiving holiday? Are you going to count calories? Just say forget it and eat whatever you want? Fast all day until the evening meal? Double or triple your exercise during that period? I'm curious how everyone handles themselves during those major feasts on holidays!
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Replies

  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    Well, we don't have Thanksgiving where I live but my birthday usually falls on that weekend. I'm having a night off :)

    I'll usually do a workout, have a light lunch, and make sure I have at least 1000 calories left for the evening. I'll probably just quick add 1000 and try not to go too overboard.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    It's a roast turkey ...a great lean meat

    Just watch what you add to it ...roast carrots alongside the potatoes, have a big vegetable dish that is not heavily oiled or buttered or in sauce

    Save calories in advance, exercise more

    It's part of life - make it work
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    Lean Cuisine Glazed Turkey Tenderloins, which includes whipped sweet potatoes, dressing, and cranberries. 270 calories of yummy.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,401 Member
    I'll probably beat the elliptical machine up while everything is cooking. And the day before. Probably the day before that as well. Maybe for a week after if needed.

    But I'll eat pretty much what I want for that day or two.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    edited November 2015
    I do an event in the morning (race or cycling with my club), then feast. Usually feasting is early so I also have a light meal that night. I'm usually still over maintenance for the day but it's one day. I just won't stuff myself silly. Only happily full. And I still make better choices than I would have before.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Hubby and skip the turkey and enjoy staying home relaxing from work for the 4-day holiday.
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
    Since I host I'm too busy and then tired to eat..it's the left overs that kick my *kitten*...I failed last year..planning better this year. Live and learn
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    edited November 2015
    I am the cook, and I think I'll only make half the stuffing I normally do. It's the stuffing that gets me. I'll aim for no leftovers left at my place.

    I'll have a piece of pumpkin pie, but I normally work a small piece of pie into the week, so it should fit. I will have to walk more for my glucose, eating both of those close together, though! We'll take the dog to the lake and have a long trek! It'll be a new T-Day tradition :)
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
    There aren't many days during a year that I will allow myself to just forget about losing weight and enjoy myself. Thanksgiving is one of those days. I will not gain back everything I have lost in one day, or one weekend.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
    I'm visiting my parents back home, so for those three days I'll be eating at maintenance, and using the gym down the street from their house. I love thanksgiving!! :)
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    edited November 2015
    I plan on eating at maintenance or a little above, so 4-5000 calories a day, on Thursday and Friday. Most of that will be chocolate pie, but I'll fill up on turkey and smaller portions of the side dishes.

    It's just a couple of days. Don't make it more than it is.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
    I'm just eating what I want in that day. My diet's already at 1200kcal so I don't want to go much lower than that for the week prior.

    I'm also having friends over for a Day-After-Thanksgiving-Party. Everyone brings their leftovers and we have a more sensible dinner party. Kills a lot of tea leftovers.

    Whatever is left after that will get weighed, portioned and eaten!

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    It's just like any other day. I don't need to use a holiday as an excuse to feed, I can do that on any day if I choose to.:smiley:
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    If I go over, I go over. I'll be at work that morning and dinner will only be my mom and me, so it won't be all that huge.
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    Weigh and log everything, but it's because weighing helps me to make sure that I'm taking the right amount of insulin for my meal. Eating lots of turkey, lots of vegetables, and nothing that isn't worth the extra insulin (I'm looking at you, pumpkin pie and my mother's super bland mashed potatoes). I'll probably eat somewhere around 1500-1600 (a bit above maintenance).
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    I'll take a long walk at some point in the morning & I will eat (and log) everything. I celebrate the feast days without guilt. Trust me: Thanksgiving is not the reason I've been too heavy! It's those pesky 'regular' days that ganged up on me...
    ;-)
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    I eat at maintenance. I don't eat breakfast anyways, so almost 3000 calories split between lunch, dinner, desert and snacks.

    Yes, I'll log it all, but I probably won't weigh anything. The information gets put into a spreadsheet so I can calculate running averages of TDEE. A rough estimate is better than a complete hole in the data.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    Let's do some basic math:

    "The typical Thanksgiving meal weighs in at about 4,500 calories, which is more than twice the recommended amount of daily calories for adult men and women." healthland.time.com/...sgiving-dinner-in-calories/

    A pound of fat = 3,500 calories.

    Assume your calorie allowance is > 1200 calories.

    An average Thanksgiving dinner is 3,300 calories over your daily limit.

    Also assume that you are planned to lose one pound a week.
    Your calorie limit has a 500 daily calorie deficit built in and you have stuck to that limit all week.

    If you adhered to your calorie limit all week, save for Thanksgiving, you'll be 3000 calories under maintenance. Do your 4500 Thanksgiving calories and all other things being equal, is of little or no moment in the greater scheme of things. You'll be 3,300 calories over your one pound a week weight loss plan but still be 200 calories under maintenance. Enjoy!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    It's just one day. I do the same as usual, eat at a bigger deficit all week so it's not a huge deal if I go over on Thanksgiving.
  • rockmama72
    rockmama72 Posts: 815 Member
    I won't be counting but won't gorge.

    Every year on Thanksgiving my family does something fun and active together to help work off some of the extra. We've gone for long walks, bowling, and one year we went roller skating! My sister suggested a Turkey Trot this year but nobody wants to get up too early :smiley:
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
    Last year I ate at a bigger deficit than usual leading up to it and spent Thanksgiving Day eating what I wanted to. Lost a pound that week too!
  • Monsterdog1114
    Monsterdog1114 Posts: 32 Member
    I eat reasonable. I eat everything I want. But I keep it to the 1 meal.. I don't eat high calorie leftovers for days. I also plan a nice long walk (normal). It is 1 day. Enjoy it..
  • lizzocat
    lizzocat Posts: 356 Member
    I don't plan to count calories, it's one day. But I also don't plan to go crazy, I'm just going to eat reasonably, exercise that morning, and go back to counting the next day.
  • wjeter3
    wjeter3 Posts: 1 Member
    I plan on eating whatever I want and do my best to make up for it the other days of the week. Just as long as I have a 3500 cal deficit for the week, I'm happy. That may mean that the other days are 1200 calorie days but that's ok. I love green bean casserole and pumpkin pie!!!
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  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    MiniChef_Kriss wrote: »
    I have never really understood this issue people face about holiday eating.. when thanksgiving came around for me last month I planned my day and stuck to it. I had a pretty decent sized dinner and enjoyed every bite
    Maybe you're missing that the issue isn't necessarily even the planning, but what to plan.
  • ElleMarieRose
    ElleMarieRose Posts: 37 Member
    I am low carb, which helps with staying within my calorie range (mac&cheese and apple pie is what would get me!). I will also just fast until dinner and eat at maintenance.
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  • tmartin19710
    tmartin19710 Posts: 41 Member
    My niece who has a new house this year wants to host Thanksgiving so no left overs for me. I will eat a normal breakfast, light lunch and then sit down to one nice meal with the family. Take no leftovers home.

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    MiniChef_Kriss wrote: »
    DeguelloTex wrote: »
    MiniChef_Kriss wrote: »
    I have never really understood this issue people face about holiday eating.. when thanksgiving came around for me last month I planned my day and stuck to it. I had a pretty decent sized dinner and enjoyed every bite
    Maybe you're missing that the issue isn't necessarily even the planning, but what to plan.

    Okay..so you get to where you're going to eat and see what's happening.. when it's time to dig in plan your meal first before scooping it on to your plate? When my dad visited for a week it didn't stop me from eating what I made him.. I served him first and yeah it took a few extra min to weigh and check out everything before I sat down with him to eat but I still don't really see the problem. I bring my scale everywhere so to bring it to someone else's place for a holiday meal is not really that big of a deal to me.
    Again, I think you're missing the issue underlying the question.

    Eat at a deficit? Maintenance? Surplus? Try to keep your week in line? Accept that this week will be above goal or even above maintenance? Or don't?

    It's not about tracking what is eaten. It's about deciding how much differently to eat, if at all, on a holiday.

This discussion has been closed.

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