How are you doing so far?

We are a few weeks into the Holiday Challenge, and we have made it through Thanksgiving! What strategies are working for you? Have you tried any new exercises or healthy recipes? Share your progress, successes, struggles, and strategies. We can all benefit from each other!
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Replies

  • Crharris13
    Crharris13 Posts: 4 Member
    Portion control. Smaller plates and smaller meals. i made it through Thanksgiving at my maintain weight which is a victory for me! Now I need to hold on and try to lose the few pounds I'd like before Christmas.
  • madifehling
    madifehling Posts: 71 Member
    Crharris13 wrote: »
    Portion control. Smaller plates and smaller meals. i made it through Thanksgiving at my maintain weight which is a victory for me! Now I need to hold on and try to lose the few pounds I'd like before Christmas.

    WOW! A Victory indeed, congratulations CrHarris! Keep up the great work, being mindful, using smaller plates and controlling portions will help throughout the holiday season and really throughout the year :smile:
  • evinston
    evinston Posts: 31 Member
    Way to go, Crharris13. Prep helped me with Thanksgiving. I had my meals planned. And, since I was in charge of the menu and cooking, I didn't get blindsided with anything. I offered all desserts to departing guests. I tossed the leftovers that only I love. I did not get my walks in though. I missed those!
  • sdel128
    sdel128 Posts: 1 Member
    Using MyFitnessPal has helped me track what I eat and try to control my portions!
  • madifehling
    madifehling Posts: 71 Member
    evinston wrote: »
    Way to go, Crharris13. Prep helped me with Thanksgiving. I had my meals planned. And, since I was in charge of the menu and cooking, I didn't get blindsided with anything. I offered all desserts to departing guests. I tossed the leftovers that only I love. I did not get my walks in though. I missed those!

    Way to go Evinston! That is exactly it! Planning ahead of time, knowing what will be there and incorporating healthy options. Not keeping tempting items around too and having guests take home desserts is a great idea. Even if you did not get your walks in, it is still something to celebrate! Keep up the great work and keep us posted with your progress! :smile:
  • rubygirl614
    rubygirl614 Posts: 1 Member
    I had to go to three separate Thanksgiving dinners (divorced families pose extra challenges!). I made sure to drink a high fiber green smoothie before going to visit each of my families. During meals, I kept my portion sizes in check and didn't have seconds on anything. When it came to the multiple desserts offered, I tried to limit myself to just one. When too difficult to choose, I opted for a half serving of each. Back at home, I made sure to keep up with my exercise routine (brisk walking and bike riding).
  • luckey88
    luckey88 Posts: 13 Member
    I used a smaller plate for myself and stayed hydrated to maintain that full feeling. I gave away all deserts so they would not be around to tempt me. I made it!!!!
  • evinston
    evinston Posts: 31 Member
    Rubygirl614, I like the green smoothie prior to your Thanksgiving stops. That's a good idea for pre-events all year long!
  • pfsharrell
    pfsharrell Posts: 2 Member
    I've lost 3 lbs since 11/16 by staying under my calorie limit most days and walking 10,000 plus steps daily.
  • madifehling
    madifehling Posts: 71 Member
    I had to go to three separate Thanksgiving dinners (divorced families pose extra challenges!). I made sure to drink a high fiber green smoothie before going to visit each of my families. During meals, I kept my portion sizes in check and didn't have seconds on anything. When it came to the multiple desserts offered, I tried to limit myself to just one. When too difficult to choose, I opted for a half serving of each. Back at home, I made sure to keep up with my exercise routine (brisk walking and bike riding).

    VERY impressive Rubygirl! Those are excellent strategies, thank you for sharing! Great idea to drink a green smoothie before you go, this can also be done before going out to eat with friends or going to any type of holiday party. That way, you won't be starving when you get there and can better control what, and how much, you eat. Great plan! And love the way you handled dessert- and you were still able to enjoy once a year treats! Keep up the great work! :smiley:
  • madifehling
    madifehling Posts: 71 Member
    luckey88 wrote: »
    I used a smaller plate for myself and stayed hydrated to maintain that full feeling. I gave away all deserts so they would not be around to tempt me. I made it!!!!

    YES!! You did make it, way to go Lucky88! Great strategies to set yourself up for success- using smaller plates, drinking lots of water, and not being tempted by desserts. Very smart!
  • ukwildcat28405
    ukwildcat28405 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm actually having a harder time than everyone else it seems. Had to travel 1000 miles for Thanksgiving, cooked the meal, and now have two family Christmas dinners to fix. I've gained a couple of lbs., but hope to get back to walking every day and selecting smaller portions for myself also. Work has been stressful and I'm finding it really hard to get motivated to exercise.....
  • huntersmom825
    huntersmom825 Posts: 1 Member
    I feel great! Survived Thanksgiving! Weighed in this morning and had lost another pound so very excited. I started my most recent journey Oct 1. Lifestyle change because my husband has heart failure and we need to do this for him to live! I have lost a total of 21 lbs since starting my journey. I am super excited. I have a total of 59 to goal so it will take a while but I will get there. I love this challenge and this group because it helps me stay focused in what is the hardest time of year to do this! Thanks everyone for all the support and best wishes to you all!
  • michelledunn72
    michelledunn72 Posts: 3 Member
    Thanksgiving was definitely a challenge, but I was able to maintain. There were so many tempting dishes, but I tried to fill my plate with my favorite vegetables and lean protein and while I didn't skip the dessert table, I did take much smaller portions. I just can't resist my aunts butterscotch pie!!
  • ylyde
    ylyde Posts: 1 Member
    Thanksgiving was also a challenge for me because this year we actually cooked dinner at my house. So, there was leftovers and such. The good thing is that I kept up with my exercise routine. I went to the gym everyday. Thanksgiving Day I did a 5K Turkey run which was fun. I haven't lost anything, but I haven't gained anything either.
  • madifehling
    madifehling Posts: 71 Member
    I'm actually having a harder time than everyone else it seems. Had to travel 1000 miles for Thanksgiving, cooked the meal, and now have two family Christmas dinners to fix. I've gained a couple of lbs., but hope to get back to walking every day and selecting smaller portions for myself also. Work has been stressful and I'm finding it really hard to get motivated to exercise.....

    Thank you for sharing ukwildcat and for being honest! I think sometimes these groups make it hard to share struggles and easy to share successes. Does NOT mean people aren't in the same boat as you-- we ALL go through ups and downs and face different obstacles. It's hard to travel and continue your healthy patterns, and host for others (or attend parties). It's all about small steps and taking it one day at a time. For hosting or attending parties, make sure there is a healthy dish for you to enjoy and maybe a big salad to go with it. Drink lots of water and eat small meals throughout the day. When life is stressful and work seems to be consuming, especially fitting everything in before the holidays, it is important to stay active to relieve that stress. Even if it's just a quick 10-minute walk during a break in your workday, and then another one in the evening, all the steps add up. Take it one day at a time and one step at a time. We are all here for you and cheering you on! You can do it!! :D
  • madifehling
    madifehling Posts: 71 Member
    I feel great! Survived Thanksgiving! Weighed in this morning and had lost another pound so very excited. I started my most recent journey Oct 1. Lifestyle change because my husband has heart failure and we need to do this for him to live! I have lost a total of 21 lbs since starting my journey. I am super excited. I have a total of 59 to goal so it will take a while but I will get there. I love this challenge and this group because it helps me stay focused in what is the hardest time of year to do this! Thanks everyone for all the support and best wishes to you all!

    WOW!! Congratulations Huntersmom that is incredible!! You and you husband have a great motivation to keep each other on track and accountable, and it is wonderful you are doing it together! What strategies have you found helpful so far? Keep up the great work! :)
  • madifehling
    madifehling Posts: 71 Member
    Thanksgiving was definitely a challenge, but I was able to maintain. There were so many tempting dishes, but I tried to fill my plate with my favorite vegetables and lean protein and while I didn't skip the dessert table, I did take much smaller portions. I just can't resist my aunts butterscotch pie!!

    Way to go Michelledunn! That's the key, to not deprive ourselves of the things we love but to enjoy each bite by taking smaller portions. Great job filing up your plate with veggies and lean protein- very impressive when I'm sure there were other tempting items. Keep up the GREAT work!
  • madifehling
    madifehling Posts: 71 Member
    ylyde wrote: »
    Thanksgiving was also a challenge for me because this year we actually cooked dinner at my house. So, there was leftovers and such. The good thing is that I kept up with my exercise routine. I went to the gym everyday. Thanksgiving Day I did a 5K Turkey run which was fun. I haven't lost anything, but I haven't gained anything either.

    And that is the goal!!! Way to go ylyde!! Very impressive that you were able to stick to your physical activity routine and do a 5k- how fun! Keep up the great work and keep us updated with your progress! :smile:
  • luckey88
    luckey88 Posts: 13 Member
    Christmas Day is almost upon is, gift giving is speeding up; I'm faced with people who give baked goods as a gifts- the temptation is hard. I'm so worried, I want to be able get past this time, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :)