Dealing with extra treats sitting around the house for the holidays?
Options
Replies
-
What if you asked your parents if you could portion this food off in special tupperware and label it "GUESTS ONLY - DECEMBER 25TH [26th, etc]", so you could firmly frame it in your mind as "not mine"? So you'd put like, I don't know, 10 cookies in one tupperware. Maybe even write the names of some people who will be there on it, so you'd be thinking, "these are Jane's cookie's, I can't eat them".
Also, I would really bump up the protein and fibre for your meals (where you have the opportunity).Years ago I read an interview with a movie star that said she pours water over her fries after she's had a small portion and that really stuck with me. I'll try to eat a bite or two of a treat and then run water over it in the sink. You definitely can't go back for more once you've ruined it that way.
This is about one of the strangest things I heard. Why not just put the extra fries away for another day?
+1. Seriously.0 -
Log it at the start of the day
If you take more than you allowed for weigh it and log it
You will soon realise the cost benefit with more sating foods and end up with the "well I could eat this but the I won't be able to eat supper and I will be hungry later, is it worth it" question
Going hungry helps me moderate appropriately0 -
Years ago I read an interview with a movie star that said she pours water over her fries after she's had a small portion and that really stuck with me. I'll try to eat a bite or two of a treat and then run water over it in the sink. You definitely can't go back for more once you've ruined it that way.
This is about one of the strangest things I heard. Why not just put the extra fries away for another day?
Because for many of us, the "other day" winds up being today, and this strategy helps us avoid weight gain even though our self control and moderation may not be as advanced as we want it to be. I still throw some items away, but I'm noticing that the number and variety of foods I can moderate properly are actually increasing. Finally, if I've taken a certain portion of the item I want, it's possible I'm satisfied with it and have got all I plan to out of it.0 -
We've adopted the practice of having little to no treats/junk food in the house for pretty much forever because my mom is diabetic. But for the holidays we're hosting a few dinner parties, and my parents thought it necessary to have a bunch of different desert options. We have ice cream, pop, chocolate, cookies, fancy crackers and fancy cheeses, panettone, and Christmas cake. Just sitting around.
At the first dinner party I ate too many chocolate & cookies, then after the party I had some more ice cream and a pop. This is in addition to a full dinner. I find the treats being in the house so distracting, like a buzzing in the back of my mind.
What I'm more nervous about is after the final party we'll still have leftover treats, and no reason to not finish them all off in one go. My dad already got a present with chocolate and I stole the chocolate when I was home alone.
I feel so disgusting that I don't know how to just control myself. No one else seems to experience treats as this overwhelming distraction. Do you have any suggestions?
Make a plan for day, that includes treats. Do not tell yourself you should not be eating any of them, plan to eat e.g. a cookie with breakfast, a chocolate after lunch, a small ice cream serving after dinner. Eat smaller/lighter meals to make up for the calories of the treats.
Increase physical activity.
If you can, collect treats in one room (usually kitchen) and do not spend more time than you need to there.
Increase your liquid intake (including coffee, tea etc) so you will be busy sipping from your cup and not mindlessly eating every treat you see.
Chew some gum.
Get out of the house.
0 -
Years ago I read an interview with a movie star that said she pours water over her fries after she's had a small portion and that really stuck with me. I'll try to eat a bite or two of a treat and then run water over it in the sink. You definitely can't go back for more once you've ruined it that way.
This is about one of the strangest things I heard. Why not just put the extra fries away for another day?
Because for many of us, the "other day" winds up being today, and this strategy helps us avoid weight gain even though our self control and moderation may not be as advanced as we want it to be. I still throw some items away, but I'm noticing that the number and variety of foods I can moderate properly are actually increasing. Finally, if I've taken a certain portion of the item I want, it's possible I'm satisfied with it and have got all I plan to out of it.
I think it's the pouring water over the food that's unusual!0 -
Years ago I read an interview with a movie star that said she pours water over her fries after she's had a small portion and that really stuck with me. I'll try to eat a bite or two of a treat and then run water over it in the sink. You definitely can't go back for more once you've ruined it that way.
This is about one of the strangest things I heard. Why not just put the extra fries away for another day?
Because for many of us, the "other day" winds up being today, and this strategy helps us avoid weight gain even though our self control and moderation may not be as advanced as we want it to be. I still throw some items away, but I'm noticing that the number and variety of foods I can moderate properly are actually increasing. Finally, if I've taken a certain portion of the item I want, it's possible I'm satisfied with it and have got all I plan to out of it.
I think it's the pouring water over the food that's unusual!
I can see why someone would do it. If I'm at a restaurant snd have fries in front of me I'll mindlessly eat them while talking to my dinner companions. It doesn't matter if I'm "full" or not. If I render the fries inedible then it prevents that problem.0 -
Log it all. Leave some calories free for these snacks. If you end up going over the leeway you allowed yourself for snacks, check to see if you are still under your maintenance calories (i.e. still in a deficit). If you are, chalk it up to a day where little to no weight is lost, but also none gained.
If you've gone over maintenance calories, do some cardio to mitigate some of the calories. Yup, that means rather than sitting around feeling dreadful about having stolen some chocolate, stand up and walk on the spot, now.
You won't be able to exercise it all away, but something is better than nothing.
OR you could just say to yourself, this festive time will pass and any gain I have in this week will be lost in the new year. Pass the truffles and mince pies pls.0 -
Make a plan for day, that includes treats. Do not tell yourself you should not be eating any of them, plan to eat e.g. a cookie with breakfast, a chocolate after lunch, a small ice cream serving after dinner. Eat smaller/lighter meals to make up for the calories of the treats.
Increase physical activity.
If you can, collect treats in one room (usually kitchen) and do not spend more time than you need to there.
Increase your liquid intake (including coffee, tea etc) so you will be busy sipping from your cup and not mindlessly eating every treat you see.
Chew some gum.
Get out of the house.
Thank you, I will try this today
As of now the dinner parties are done, so it's all leftovers. I've tried portioning up things that don't need refrigeration into people's stockings, like "this is yours now".0 -
I imagine having to clean up after this event would be an active day.0
-
Years ago I read an interview with a movie star that said she pours water over her fries after she's had a small portion and that really stuck with me. I'll try to eat a bite or two of a treat and then run water over it in the sink. You definitely can't go back for more once you've ruined it that way.
This is about one of the strangest things I heard. Why not just put the extra fries away for another day?
Because for many of us, the "other day" winds up being today, and this strategy helps us avoid weight gain even though our self control and moderation may not be as advanced as we want it to be. I still throw some items away, but I'm noticing that the number and variety of foods I can moderate properly are actually increasing. Finally, if I've taken a certain portion of the item I want, it's possible I'm satisfied with it and have got all I plan to out of it.
I think it's the pouring water over the food that's unusual!
This is where it gets weird(er):
If you're not trashing the food right away, maybe because you tend to clean up dishes well after a meal and put them all in the sink / dish washer or some such
Some trash cans are less gross than others. Imagine a little home office bin with a freshly replaced trash bag... May not be the most effective way to smash this food out of your mind. Total obliteration is what is needed, the item needs to be positively unusable when you're done
Voice #1 in my head: "Oh, how about those left over fries?"
Voice #2: "Yeah, not a chance"0 -
Unfortunately the food isn't mine to destroy or give away, or I would. Thanks though
I would go with that thought. It isn't yours so don't touch it or take it/ steal it. Consider it off limits.
I find I am fine with treats as long as I have none to start with. Once I start on the sugar it s hard to stop so I don't bother with starting.0 -
Very quietly, get rid of one at a time in a trash can somewhere outside. Neighbors' are cool lol0
-
I "mistakenly" spilled dish soap on the leftover brownies. Nobody questioned it after they were all soapy! Haha0
-
I package sweets in small bags and put them in the freezer. I just finished cutting up a Christmas cake and freezing it in smaller sizes. That way when you pull it out it's a managable amount. Things that you can't freeze should be given away as quickly as possible.0
-
I've had a box of assorted chocolates since the 23rd and I still have 6 pieces left. I've also got 72% dark chocolate in my freezer and a box of licorice I got when I went on a cruise, and I've managed not to eat all of them at once!
I ate 6 chocolates today and at least 500 calories worth of Yule Log... I'm still doing OK.0 -
In my opinion you have 2 choices, toss it all in the trash. That is the way my kitchen went this morning. Or portion and freeze everything. Count your treat daily, til they are gone. I wish i could be one of the latter types.0
-
I guess this is another first world problem.
I wonder how many people we can feed with the amount of food being thrown away by people in this thread. 
0 -
ongoingwhy wrote: »I guess this is another first world problem. I wonder how many people we can feed with the amount of food being thrown away by people in this thread.
Kay because other people don't have is no reason to continue damaging your progress to healthy. Most food kitchens and public pantries won't take opened packages. Don't make people feel bad for getting rid of unhealthy things.0 -
ongoingwhy wrote: »I guess this is another first world problem. I wonder how many people we can feed with the amount of food being thrown away by people in this thread.
I'm giving the family one more day and then everything is going in the trash. I'm done with the excess calories. I feel awful today and the scale is way up. No way could it all be water. I'm disgusted with myself. Getting right back to my routine now.
I have zero guilt about throwing food away. My family doesn't need all these empty calories either. We are all moving around like slugs. Enough is enough. They will complain for a couple of days but they know I'm right.
I live in a first world country. All my problems are first world problems.
The people in the shelters don't need my half-eaten, stale, empty calories food. Not only that but it would be illegal for the shelters to take it due to food laws surrounding commercial kitchens.0 -
Amberonamission wrote: »Kay because other people don't have is no reason to continue damaging your progress to healthy. Most food kitchens and public pantries won't take opened packages. Don't make people feel bad for getting rid of unhealthy things.
I am not the one making you feel bad, it's your conscience.susan100df wrote: »I'm giving the family one more day and then everything is going in the trash. I'm done with the excess calories. I feel awful today and the scale is way up. No way could it all be water. I'm disgusted with myself. Getting right back to my routine now.
I have zero guilt about throwing food away. My family doesn't need all these empty calories either. We are all moving around like slugs. Enough is enough. They will complain for a couple of days but they know I'm right.
I live in a first world country. All my problems are first world problems.
The people in the shelters don't need my half-eaten, stale, empty calories food. Not only that but it would be illegal for the shelters to take it due to food laws surrounding commercial kitchens.
Fine, let's say that everyone here had reasons that made it impossible for them to properly get rid of the food without wasting them. However, let me ask you this. Will this happen again next year? Are you going to have new reasons for throwing away food? Why did you buy so much if you weren't going to eat them? Why didn't you refuse the gifts? Is it out of politeness? Do you think that it's polite to throw away gifts? In the end, it's all just excuses and you know it.
I apologise if I have upset some of you, but isn't it ridiculous that no one here seems to be upset about food wasteage? I guess no one ever taught you guys not to waste food when growing up?0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 391 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 922 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions