How do you guys cope over the holiday season?

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  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
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    I eat mainly everything minimize breads and just eat way smaller portions than I used to. The point is to feel satisfied not bursting.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Curious what your definition of "junk food" is OP and what kind of parties you'd go to where nothing but that is on the menu? Personally I don't view any foods as "junk" and I believe in working in all foods in moderation.... My Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, while calorie dense and delicious, are hardly what I would call "junk food". Roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green beans, yeast rolls, pies and assorted other delights... none of that is junk food. Why would you pass on those things? As others have said, it's also one day or a handful of days out of the year. Enjoy yourself. Passing up food prepared by a host and going "hungry" just doesn't sound like a pleasant or sustainable attitude.

    Junk food, a selection of deep fried fayre. Cocktail sausages, battered chicken goujons, scotch eggs, sausage rolls. Certainly wasn't any green beans and sweet potatoes, that's why I passed.

    The menu I listed was for the sit down portion of my thanksgiving meal but cocktail foods like you describe or common at holiday parties, American Football Bowl parties, etc. All of that, including the pies and sweets you mentioned in your other response, can be enjoyed in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet. People have given you strategies for how to mitigate the calorie hit or how to have good perspective about the holidays, but if the issue is that you think there's something wrong with eating those types of foods even on rare occasions like the holidays then I'm not sure how to help. Eat before you go I suppose, but I'm more inclined to agree with your spouse and friends, it's the holidays, why not enjoy yourself a little?

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    Last year I took a couple weeks off my deficit as a planned diet break. And stopped logging entirely for four days. Mostly because I actually went to a friend for Christmas so wanted to indulge (I usually do Christmas solo as I have no family).

    I gained maybe 2lbs? New years day I was back to logging and lost that 2lbs in due course. It's no big deal as long as it doesn't turn into stuffing my face for months on end. I also just don't have the appetite I used to, which is a bit frustrating sometimes when I give myself permission to indulge and my efforts end up pitiful!
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    When I'm invited to a holiday cocktail party, I always make sure I don't arrive ravenous and want to eat ALL the things! That way, I can have a bit of this or that, enjoy every bite, and not be tempted to stuff my stomach or my purse. ;)

    I also don't drink, so I'm happy with a glass of soda and no one has ever tried to force food or alcohol on me.

    Not and live.

    Even if it's Christmas. B)
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    dragon_girl26 wrote: »
    VeganRaptor wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Thanksgiving is one day...Christmas is one day...I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and celebrating...they're pretty irrelevant to the whole. You can enjoy yourself and not "go mad" either. I never eat to the point that I'm going to pop...but I enjoy myself...a good plate of food and some good drink. Two days doesn't mess anything up...it's two days...get out of the minutia.

    Yep 2 days, makes no difference. Make it 2 months another story.

    I think the issue is that lots of people end up being invited to endless Christmas/holiday parties!

    Well, that and the endless parade of food that shows up at the office/workplace over the holiday season. Still, if you can limit your celebrations to the main days and pass on the daily barrage of treats and excesses, that's a good start.

    Yep, limit the overeating to a few days. No need to eat a cookie or piece of candy day for the next 2 months every time you pass a copier at work where the treats are staged.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
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    Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve (when my family celebrates) and Christmas Day - I don't track. Three days don't have a huge impact and it's good to relax and enjoy the time with family.

    Parties, cookies, etc. - I track and adjust my day to allow them. When I was losing weight (pregnant now, so not losing), I would allow myself to eat up to maintenance if it was a particularly important party (maybe 2 days over the month). But overall, I was in a deficit for the month.
  • jagodfrey08
    jagodfrey08 Posts: 425 Member
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    Portion control and willpower. Eat the foods you know you can have, continue exercising, and if you want that slice of pie then skip the potatoes, rice, and rolls at dinner. Just don't go overboard, a day you will be fine.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    VeganRaptor wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Thanksgiving is one day...Christmas is one day...I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and celebrating...they're pretty irrelevant to the whole. You can enjoy yourself and not "go mad" either. I never eat to the point that I'm going to pop...but I enjoy myself...a good plate of food and some good drink. Two days doesn't mess anything up...it's two days...get out of the minutia.

    Yep 2 days, makes no difference. Make it 2 months another story.

    I think the issue is that lots of people end up being invited to endless Christmas/holiday parties!

    I agree with this. Atypical food/drink options & disrupted exercise schedule is a double whammy.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    VeganRaptor wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Thanksgiving is one day...Christmas is one day...I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and celebrating...they're pretty irrelevant to the whole. You can enjoy yourself and not "go mad" either. I never eat to the point that I'm going to pop...but I enjoy myself...a good plate of food and some good drink. Two days doesn't mess anything up...it's two days...get out of the minutia.

    Yep 2 days, makes no difference. Make it 2 months another story.

    I think the issue is that lots of people end up being invited to endless Christmas/holiday parties!

    I agree with this. Atypical food/drink options & disrupted exercise schedule is a double whammy.

    I find it easier to exercise more as I am off work for 2 weeks (excluding Christmas day itself of course).
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Curious what your definition of "junk food" is OP and what kind of parties you'd go to where nothing but that is on the menu? Personally I don't view any foods as "junk" and I believe in working in all foods in moderation.... My Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, while calorie dense and delicious, are hardly what I would call "junk food". Roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green beans, yeast rolls, pies and assorted other delights... none of that is junk food. Why would you pass on those things? As others have said, it's also one day or a handful of days out of the year. Enjoy yourself. Passing up food prepared by a host and going "hungry" just doesn't sound like a pleasant or sustainable attitude.

    Junk food, a selection of deep fried fayre. Cocktail sausages, battered chicken goujons, scotch eggs, sausage rolls. Certainly wasn't any green beans and sweet potatoes, that's why I passed.

    OMG...

    ...I'll be at your house this Christmas.

  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    Eat everything in sight, realize that there is really only so much "damage" you can do to your weightloss in the period of a couple of days and then get back to it afterwords.

    You obviously don't know how to "eat" properly ;)

    Although I don't like what you said here, I do like your shoulders.

    So there's that.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
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    Before I eat a treat someone is offering me, I ask myself if it will be worth it: when I'm finished, will I say to myself, "Yeah, that was worth the calories" or "I wish I'd saved the calories for something better". Cheap *kitten* Christmas cookies and store bought treats that are nowhere near as tasty as things I could prepare myself (I'm a pretty good cook) aren't worth it to me. As a consequence, it's not hard for me to say no.

    Another rule is: I'll take a small portion of something and enjoy it, telling myself: if I want more when I'm finished, I can get more. A good percentage of the time I'll find that the original portion was enough for me, and I don't need to go for a second portion to feel satisfied. And if I do go back for more, it's a conscious decision and I don't feel guilty for doing so. But I only go back for more of things that are really, really good.

    There was a Hallowe'en potluck at work -- I made a pan of very good gingerbread with lemon icing. I had one medium sized piece, enjoyed it, and passed on everything else because I knew my gingerbread was better than the other offerings on the table (almost all of it store bought). I decided before hand that whatever was left over, would be left in the kitchen for others; I would NOT take anything home.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    In the past I would eat all the things.. sometimes save more cals for a special meal or move more.. but even if I gain a bit, after the holidays when I get back to routine it usually comes off again. Never had an issue.

    These days however I am usually bulking or pregnant during the holidays so yay :)
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    I tend to load up on my favorite lighter holiday foods (turkey and cranberry or beef tenderloin and horseradish, roast veg, etc) and try not to go totally nuts with the things that I could easily overeat to the point of making my stomach hurt (rolls, cornbread, desserts). I do make sure to eat some of my favorite holiday-only foods.

    If I end the meal/party/day feeling comfortably full and not overstuffed, I consider it a success no matter what I ate. Most years I do my best to log and I'm usually not over by all that much - 1000 cals or so at the outside. It's not that big of a deal for a couple of days.
  • ekim2016
    ekim2016 Posts: 1,199 Member
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    by remembering WHY I am here and sticking to my protocols. Not to let the evil temptation creep in. I allow a few days staying lower under my caloric level before having a huge holiday family dinner... same with birthday cakes etc...
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    I try to limit cookie baking to once a week.
  • mccraee
    mccraee Posts: 199 Member
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    thanksgiving is one day, Christmas eve is two, Christmas day is three, new years eve is four. That is four days, not a season. I eat whatever I want on the holiday. The rest of the time I eat my usual. exercise as usual. sleep as usual. It helps that I'm mostly working, as usual.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited November 2016
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    vingogly wrote: »
    There was a Hallowe'en potluck at work -- I made a pan of very good gingerbread with lemon icing. I had one medium sized piece, enjoyed it, and passed on everything else because I knew my gingerbread was better than the other offerings on the table (almost all of it store bought). I decided before hand that whatever was left over, would be left in the kitchen for others; I would NOT take anything home.

    If I PM you my address will you be my almost Secret Santa? <3
  • Lynzdee18
    Lynzdee18 Posts: 500 Member
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    Just enjoy, but don't sit beside the food table. :o
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    VeganRaptor wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Thanksgiving is one day...Christmas is one day...I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and celebrating...they're pretty irrelevant to the whole. You can enjoy yourself and not "go mad" either. I never eat to the point that I'm going to pop...but I enjoy myself...a good plate of food and some good drink. Two days doesn't mess anything up...it's two days...get out of the minutia.

    Yep 2 days, makes no difference. Make it 2 months another story.

    I think the issue is that lots of people end up being invited to endless Christmas/holiday parties!

    I get invited to a lot of parties all year 'round...I take it a little easier with other meals those days to accommodate...and beyond that, a part of any sorts doesn't mean you have to go bat *kitten* crazy with stuff...

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