Who Gained Weight During The Holidays? I Have A Solution!!!

I sure have noticed a lot of threads the last week or so with people concerned about all the weight they gained over Christmas, and wanting to get back on track for the New Year. Never fear, I have a solution - it's called the PP Program.

What is the PP Program you ask? Well it's simple.
Perspective + Patience = PP

Let's start with Perspective. This has two critical components.

First, Perspective about the holidays themselves. In mid-December, there were so many threads about how people were dreading Christmas and what it was going to do to their diet and worrying they were going to undo all their progress. Christmas is supposed to be a joyful time! It comes once a year - and it is filled with so many wonderful things - and one of those wonderful things are food traditions. It is sad how many people are dreading something that should be so enjoyable! After Christmas, I've counted dozens of threads of people regretting their eating/drinking choices during the holidays, talking about throwing out food and never doing this again. Seriously - perspective people!

Now let's talk about the numbers Perspective. Does everyone remember that it takes 3,500 extra calories ABOVE Maintenance in order to gain 1 pound of fat? Did all of you who are lamenting your choices during the holidays log what you ate? Even guesstimating? I did. I ate and drank everything I wanted, and then some, for an entire week (we had a lot of celebrations and a lot of leftovers!). I was over my calorie target every single day - nothing but red for the entire week. OMG, can you imagine seeing all that red? EEEK! Guess what the weekly overage was? 3,657 calories. That's right. With indulging to my heart's content, by logging what I thought I was consuming, I realized that I really didn't go over that much. That's about 1 pound of true fat gain, even if my estimates were way off, I know they weren't off by a factor of 5. Perspective!

What's that you say? You've been weighing yourself and you gained 10 pounds? Who here ate a lot of sodium rich, carbohydrate heavy foods during the holidays. Oh yeah - everyone, right? That's what holiday meals are made of. Guess what - those things cause a big spike in water retention. You know what happens with weight gain from water retention? It goes away in time...

Which brings me to the second P. Patience. Everyone just needs to take a breath and be patient. You didn't put on all your initial weight over night, you didn't lose your weight over night, and you didn't put on 10 lbs in 3 days at Christmas. Things will normalize, you just need to be Patient.

But wait, I'm not done yet! You know how you get rid of water weight? You drink a lot of water (I know, sounds counter intuitive) and guess what you do? You go Pee Pee!!!! And the more you go Pee Pee, the faster you'll lose that water weight and the faster things will return to normal.

So just to recap:

Patience + Perspective = the PP Program. (And in the meantime, if you can go PP, it will help!)


Now, who's ready for New Years!?
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Replies

  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
    I love this. Thanks!!!
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Great post!
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Great post, thank you
  • lucky192
    lucky192 Posts: 19 Member
    Great post
  • Buckeye_Dave
    Buckeye_Dave Posts: 59 Member
    Excellent post, thank you!!
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  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Great post...now if all the people would read it...
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    AND I'm all full of the starchy carbs I don't usually eat as much of so am able to work out like a beast. Yay!
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    You are a good egg, Kruggs
  • snikkins
    snikkins Posts: 1,282 Member
    Woo! The Hubster and I completed our week of Christmas festivities with some serious exercise (a 50k), so I know where a good chunk of the 10lbs came from.

    It is always nice, though, to be reminded of the two Ps! Thanks!
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
    Patience + Perspective = the PP Program. (And in the meantime, if you can go PP, it will help!)

    Good post overall, and lol ^^ ((Yes, I did really laugh out loud at a potty pun...))
  • ivy6154
    ivy6154 Posts: 32 Member
    edited December 2015
    the holidays were my last big hurrah before getting serious about watching it! I actually did better this time then I usually do, but a cookie, is a cookie and I had them here and there! A cookie doesn't hurt, but what is hard is to stop at just one. They tell me that is what slim people do....stop at one :o Seriously?? :#
  • JILLCLI4D
    JILLCLI4D Posts: 18 Member
    Thanks for the explanation. I enjoy reading articles like this. People get the facts, not just the numbers on the scale.
  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
    I love a good PP in the morning. Fun post. :) I will drink alot on NYE but not water. Wish me luck.
  • SkinnyGirlCarrie
    SkinnyGirlCarrie Posts: 259 Member
    best thing I've read all day, thanks!!!
  • Katiedriss1
    Katiedriss1 Posts: 93 Member
    Awesome post
  • jesguinn
    jesguinn Posts: 94 Member
    Great post! In my head I know all of this, but seeing a bigger number on the scale is still painful, that's why I'm staying off of it for a few days!
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    Great advice!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,316 Member
    Excellent.