Let's talk about your strategy for remaining in maintenance this Christmas?

If I am going to a party, I bring something tasty, yet healthy and low-cal like my rosemary white bean dip ... I tend to graze a lot on fattening things when it is around during the holidays so I will have a little taste of many things and eat lots of salad with protein to keep things in balance calorie-wise.

HappyGrape wrote: »

srecupid wrote: »

It's one day.

It's not for me.

2 work parties, one for our team and one with team I used to work - girls night out
Night out with few friends
Night out with the mums (my sons soccer team)
Extended family event
Out to see the Christmas lights & the new star wars & meal with my son & husband
Close family meal out the day before Christmas
Christmas day
New Years eve meal out

To top it off my friend have 40th birthday

That doesn't include few friends with kids that will most likely drop over and we will have finger food & drinks for them

Or the sweets in the office, and as I work in multinational - there are sweets from all over that people bring

The reality is that it is very busy month for us, and one to be enjoyed but I feel it can be enjoyed better with plan to avoid weight gain.

A couple things...first, you're just trying to maintain right? Not lose? That really shouldn't be much of an issue...I've more or less maintained for going on four years now and my wife and I attend plenty of social gatherings, not just this time of year, but year around...actually, we have way more going on all summer than we ever do for the holidays in terms of social gatherings and parties. Weight loss would be tricky, but really maintenance should be fairly easy.

Secondly, not every single event needs to be a free for all with the food and booze...pick your spots. It's possible to socialize and enjoy yourself without eating all the foodz.

Third, I don't log and haven't in years...but when I have an overindulgence, I tend to just naturally go lighter the next day. Also, if I know I'm going to my buddy's house and we're going to be eating and drinking, I just make it a point to go a little lighter with breakfast and/or lunch...it's a pretty normal thing to do.

As the sweet in the office go, I can't help there...none of that appeals to me an never really has...I can have a cookie and easily move on with my day...and just as easily bypass the cookie altogether...that stuff just doesn't do it for me. If someone brought in a tray of Italian cured meats and cheese, that might be a different story.

I haven't counted, but like amusedmonkey, it's multiple food events every week starting last week through the new year. 6 this week (my birthday was last weekend.) going to a very special bday dinner w DH tonight. it's going ok CICO-wise. My guide for myself is similar to amusedmonkey's. Especially regarding eating only the stuff that's really special. I drink appreciably more than she does but don't have dessert at every event. And I double my mileage one day a week and add light cardio on my rest day (rather than fasting) to offset the alcohol increase. My trade offs, I guess.

One daughter commented about overdoing it on the freezer. Basically, if it's worth saving and we won't eat it in a day or two, I've been freezing it. But we still have an enormous qty of sweets out in the kitchen we won't eat before they go stale. I resist letting stuff go bad but I also respect the point that eating excess stuff you don't need is the same as wasting it.

first i put out poliwag, load up amnesia till it's 4 times effective, then BAM hypnosis, all the time their special attack has become useless against me,

Other than turkey, there won't be much difference from any other day. I guess I'll just try to keep doing what I've been doing: Set to lose .5 all week, then maintain on the weekend.

We have a ton of "feasts" to attend. Work functions, two family gatherings, we always attend a "friend Christmas" with our closest because they are like family and are our only close "family", and then New Year's Eve. Add that to the fact that I love to cook and bake and I could be so screwed!! I stay on track +/- 250cal/day during the week and usually do 20/4 intermittent fasting on the weekends and special days. I still get all the treats and all the nutrition I just have a time limit. Works for me!

ETA: I always drink water. Alcohol happens maybe once a month with a glass or two of wine. But December has eggnog so there is that.

I've been eating in a deficit the last few days, walking more, and will do the same after Christmas. Christmas Eve & Day will be eating all the things.

Machka9 wrote: »

Also in Australia ...

I get extra days off around Christmas ... I've yet to hear how many but there will be the Monday and Tuesday of the following week at least and an extra day the next weekend as well.

I use those days off to get out on my bicycle, to do walks to the beach, and to do a bit more weight lifting than usual.

And ... I usually lose a kg or two over the Christmas season.


As for food, unlike in Canada, no one (suppliers, customers, etc.) has huge platters of chocolates and goodies delivered. Coworkers don't set out boxes of chocolates and things. And so far the social club is having a Christmas dinner, but I've opted not to go this year because I didn't enjoy the last two years and this one didn't bode well either. I'm not much of a meat eater, so when the location is at a place called the Sizzling Grill or something ... um, no thanks. There will likely be an in-office tea, but I usually go for the fresh fruit ... because, after all, it is summer and there's lots of fresh fruit!

Coming from Canada, the apathy toward Christmas here has been a bit of an adjustment.

Oh they do where I work - so do lots of the patients and associated services people who lease rooms on our premises.

Staff room is full of chocolates and biscuits and nuts and chips ....

But of course nobody has to eat them.

I usually have one chocolate a day at work and bring a couple more home to eat later (or not, if I cant fit them in)

One thing I think helps in Australia compared to northern hemisphere countries is that Xmas is in summer here - it is still easy to go outside and walk dog, go for a jog, swim etc than it is in snow covered countries.
and of course the daylight hours are long, being near summer solstice.

and much of our Xmas food is not over calorie heavy either - we do prawns , cold meats, salads, fruit platters - delicious and often luxury items we dont buy regularly - like prawns, cherries, glazed ham - but not hard to fit into your day without going too far over - and even fitting in some sweet treats as well.