Christmas is coming

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Spen1973
Spen1973 Posts: 7 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all from the UK!

Well over here it's already getting Christmas mad in the shops with all those temptations on the shelves!
So what's your way of tackling the Christmas food cravings, Christmas dinner, nights out, drinks...the list goes on? I want to fully enjoy Christmas food/drinks but now I've done so well on my fitness and got so into calorie counting that I'm concerned about the holiday ahead?

At the moment my plan is to continue as I am but also up my exercise even more for calorie deficit for days/nights out. I currently stick to 1500c or under
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Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    For Christmas parties I eat lighter during the day then stick to some of the basics plus one treat. For all the other goodies I spread them out and I only eat things I can't find the rest of the year. Freezing treats is a great way to store stuff for later.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Just fit what you want in your calorie goal.
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
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    from thanksgiving to new years is my favorite time of year (my birthday is early december) i kick up my activity and enjoy full force.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    edited November 2016
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    The week leading up to Christmas I take a diet break and don't bother logging. This time period includes a carry-in for my bowling league with lots of food and going to a breakfast buffet on the 26th with my coworkers. Before and after those days, however, I keep to what I do year round...eat in a deficit, work treats in as I can.

    Besides, I already bought Mint M&Ms today so I'm ready.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
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    Christmas eve, Christmas day and boxing day are days off for me. As a family we go all out.

  • Spen1973
    Spen1973 Posts: 7 Member
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    fishshark wrote: »
    from thanksgiving to new years is my favorite time of year (my birthday is early december) i kick up my activity and enjoy full force.

    Definitely best advice!!
  • shellyld2016
    shellyld2016 Posts: 288 Member
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    I can't see undoing all my progress for holiday binging, however I will enjoy some of the treats. I will increase my exercise. I may even do something new for cardio to add variety. Not sure yet, but one option is to switch calories to maintain weight, but I probably will not. Not an option for me, but maybe for someone that just doesn't want to gain.
    I also don't eat everything like I used to. I just have a small amount of my favorite things and skip others that aren't really a huge deal for me.
    I do all the cooking, so I send lots of leftovers home with my kids. They love it, and I leave it.
  • criiisdaw
    criiisdaw Posts: 23 Member
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    ... and the goose is getting fat
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    Today, quite early, was the first of the opportunities I have to eat too much in the months of November and December. I've consumed 895 calories at work today consisting of 200 g turkey light meat, 70 g ham, and 1/2 cup each of sweet potato casserole and spinach casserole. All values are guesses. I think I've done ok.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    I love the holidays and the food that goes with it! I save calories, make sure I exercise and not go too crazy with calorie intake. It's only week or so out of a whole year. Time to have fun!
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
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    I'm gonna try to stick to my current eating plan. My first holiday since getting thin. Maybe in the future I will risk it. Not ready yet.
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,592 Member
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    Christmas Eve till January 2 I do not log and eat whatever

    Try to stay at a deficit until then possibly move up to maintenance if I feel I need to for a day
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    Plan. Prioritize/Moderate. Log.
    It has worked for me the last couple of years.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I consider whether the food is something I can have anytime or if it is something I get rarely. That is my method for prioritizing food intake at the holidays. Decide which foods I really want and eat them, trying to use reasonable portions but keeping in mind that eating in excess a few days a year does not negate the work I did the rest of the year.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    DH and I celebrate both our birthdays, Christmas, New Years and our anniversary all in 3 weeks at year's end. It's a total blowout.

    I do exactly what you say, OP. I up exercise (double cardio on nice days but not more than 2x/wk). I pass on cocktail food and all but the most special holiday treats. I avoid arriving famished at parties so that I can pick and choose what's truly enjoyable. I enjoy the heck out of it and get right back on plan with the new year. My goal is to maintain, and I generally do. The scale is a rollercoaster, though. Much greater scale weight swings than normal. Ironically, in 2015, Thanksgiving day and Christmas day were my lowest scale weights of the year.

    Honestly, I will say the hardest part for me are the weeknight parties. I generally get less food, but it's more alcohol than I normally have, and it adds up. Scheduling exercise around more social events during the week is a challenge, too, but doable.
  • Lovethesnow35
    Lovethesnow35 Posts: 2,070 Member
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    I will try to add more exercise to my routine. I agree to stick to the foods you favor and skip the rest. Don't feel obligated. I like to indulge moderately throughout the day. Every 3 hours I eat something I can't live without. The old days of just stuffing my face at once has gone.
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
    edited November 2016
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    criiisdaw wrote: »
    ... and the goose is getting fat
    Please put a penny in the old mans hat

    I only worry about having to see my family. Food and the holiday itself is grand

    I'm doing a 5k Thanksgiving morning. I don't do anything for my birthday the day of and will likey do a normal run Christmas eve.

    Christmas day? I dunno

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,951 Member
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    It's only early November ... Christmas isn't here yet!
  • VeganRaptor
    VeganRaptor Posts: 164 Member
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    I'm planning on making my own dishes to bring to parties, and my own Christmas cookies :) And brandy soaked cupcakes... yum. Being vegan often means I'm not hugely provided for at Christmas things so I find I don't experience the overeating issue. Bringing my own stuff ensures I do get some sort of food! :)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    fishshark wrote: »
    from thanksgiving to new years is my favorite time of year (my birthday is early december) i kick up my activity and enjoy full force.

    Agreed (Dec 7 birthday here!) but related to that I can't stand this constant pushing of the holiday season earlier and earlier, and I won't even think about Christmas til after Thanksgiving (I'm actually more of a stickler for pushing it later than that--won't decorate until after my birthday, try to treat Advent as a real season and really celebrate Christmas on and right after Christmas--but I understand Thanksgiving being the start of the season socially. Don't get or approve of Halloween being the start of the season or early Nov Christmas stuff.

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