How do you guys cope over the holiday season?
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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.
I missed this post before.
Honestly, this is a large part of why I always bring something to potlucks at work. Many of my co-workers can't cook worth a damn*, and few of the ones who do have similar tastes to mine. This way, I can get small tastes of others' food (and discretely not eat it if I don't like it) and a more normal sized helping of mine.
Now I just need to shift more to making entrees/sides and less to desserts.
* One year a co-worker was so excited to bring his mother's recipe for '*kitten* on a shingle' as a giant casserole. He had never cooked before. He was in his late twenties. No joke.0 -
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.
I missed this post before.
Honestly, this is a large part of why I always bring something to potlucks at work. Many of my co-workers can't cook worth a damn*, and few of the ones who do have similar tastes to mine. This way, I can get small tastes of others' food (and discretely not eat it if I don't like it) and a more normal sized helping of mine.
Now I just need to shift more to making entrees/sides and less to desserts.
* One year a co-worker was so excited to bring his mother's recipe for '*kitten* on a shingle' as a giant casserole. He had never cooked before. He was in his late twenties. No joke.
Ah, flashbacks to my dad's stories about the joys of 'SOS' day on the ship back when he was in the Navy. LOL0 -
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.
This was something I decided when I started with MFP.
I am going to eat only foods I like ... I am not wasting my calories on foods that I don't like or which are just "meh".
So I can look over a morning tea table at work and think ... meh, meh, meh, oh that might be nice, meh, meh, yuck, meh ... and next thing I know I've got a plate of fruit (which I love!) and the one piece of cake that actually looks good.
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I am planning to eat like I do now. This is my first holiday in maintenance. I'm just not ready to venture out. I can't relate to the outside pressure issue. I don't give in to what others want. I do what I feel is best. If you want to eat then do so, but if you don't want to then don't. You must do what you feel is right.
Best of luck!0 -
My plan is to eat a little of anything I want on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. I'll have a taste of whatever I want but I refuse to gorge myself like I have in years past. Really - I would eat until the SKIN on my belly hurt, not just the inside. I haven't seen my family in about 3 months, so they will be shocked at Thanksgiving when they see my weight loss. I immediately expect the "Don't lose too much weight, you look better chubby" and the "Here- take a pie home. One pie won't hurt" comments to start and last the full day. Most of them are overweight, diabetic, and generally unhealthy and they think any female under 175 lbs is anorexic.2
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I cope with enjoying the poop out of it. In reality, there's only a couple days over the 30 day span that are any different in "foods available"- and 10-20% consumption of "overage" and "splurge" doesn't make much of a dent in 80% consistency. Keep those fun holiday foods in calorie, enjoy a couple days of revelry and keep on keepin' on in this great thing we call livin'.4
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Plan so things fit my goals. Eat at maintenance for a day. Cook so I know what is in stuff.
Prioritize/moderate. I don't have to eat everything in sight. I can eat what I want most. I don't have to go back for seconds.
Move around some.
Log everything as best I can and move on with my life whatever the final total.
Chew mint gum if I don't want to nibble.
Worked for me the last 2 years.
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I don't "celebrate" the holidays by overeating or drinking more than I normally do. So, no problem for me during the holidays because I treat them the same as any other day.0
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I don't "celebrate" the holidays by overeating or drinking more than I normally do. So, no problem for me during the holidays because I treat them the same as any other day.
Well, I do. It's a lot of celebrating which means eating more stuff I did not make myself than normal and, honestly, more alcohol. TBH, celebrating joyfully and enjoying people I don't see often is a higher priority goal for me than maintaining, but maintaining is definitely a goal. Here's what has worked for me in years past:
1) don't arrive hungry at cocktail parties. Eat before going. Admire how the hors d'oeuvres look. They usually look better than they taste. If they're truly extraordinary I have a taste.
2) bank calories for dinner parties/special meals.
3) balance extra wine with extra cardio. 1 glass =2 miles. I walk 4mi on my rest day and add 4mi to my normal cardio one day during the week, and I limit that to one day. That gives me a little extra to work with.
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I cope by believing in Santa4
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I dont have a family so holidays dont effect me XD But id just try and portion the foods i ate fairly and enjoy. Nom!0
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I cooked a turkey dinner last night and invited family. Did it last month, too. They love it,. Great protein, sweet potatoes, broccoli, green beans, rolls, and a little gravy. I let the kids mow down on stuffing. Turkey is a great leftover and having it more often takes the "emotional charge" out of it. P.S. Freezing a bunch of turkeys in November helps this plan! I also make sugar free pumpkin custard frquently. Why wait and make foods you like scarce? We'll have 2 more turkey dinners this month. It's just food.
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oliverneedsyou wrote: »
You' re right. I seldom if ever eat cookies any more. Same for cakes or any other baked goods.
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WinoGelato wrote: »
The obvious problem associating "fun" with overeating and excessive drinking during the holidays can be measured on your waist and scale afterward.
I have no problem having "fun" during the holidays w/o doing either. I just take pleasure in doing other things during the holidays that will not negatively affect all the effort that I have put into my weight loss, muscle development and fitness.
That's my choice. If you and others want to binge during the holidays, that's yours. To each his/her own.2 -
WinoGelato wrote: »
The obvious problem associating "fun" with overeating and excessive drinking during the holidays can be measured on your waist and scale afterward.
I have no problem having "fun" during the holidays w/o doing either. I just take pleasure in doing other things during the holidays that will not negatively affect all the effort that I have put into my weight loss, muscle development and fitness.
That's my choice. If you and others want to binge during the holidays, that's yours. To each his/her own.
It's not a matter of binging. I don't struggle with BED and I would never liken the way I eat at the holidays (to indulge a bit more in calorie dense foods than I normally do) as a binge because that's offensive to those who do suffer from BED.
It's about not living in extremes. Knowing that you can enjoy foods you love, in moderation, even in a bit of excess for that day or few days, and not derail long term progress and all the efforts put into weight loss, muscle development and fitness. About knowing that yes, the holidays are about more than just food but they are about traditions and family, and for many people, those traditions have some roots in food and cooking. Baking and decorating cookies with my mom are some of my fondest holiday memories, and I love sharing the recipes and the memories with my own children.
The holidays can be stressful enough for people without feeling like they HAVE to give up all these delicious holiday treats that are a core part of the season.
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Well guys, an update. If I was gonna *kitten* up Christmas Day was gonna be the day to do it and well I didn't. Christmas dinner in the UK is all about the biggest dinner of the year, turkey, roast potatoes, little sausages in bacon, stuffing, mashed potatoes, roast ham, gravy, cranberry sauce the list could go on.
Well I wasn't even interested, I have turkey 2-3 times per week anyway usually in the form of them turkey fillets, potatoes I don't eat anymore really and the same with pork, so in the end Christmas dinner consisted of a slice of turkey and some veg and because i eat this regularly I never even finished it as was bored. Total calories 200-300, I've protein bars with more calories.
The rest is plain sailing, the house is coming down with chocolate and treats but because I've said no for so long I've no longer an interest.1 -
dave_in_ni wrote: »Well guys, an update. If I was gonna *kitten* up Christmas Day was gonna be the day to do it and well I didn't. Christmas dinner in the UK is all about the biggest dinner of the year, turkey, roast potatoes, little sausages in bacon, stuffing, mashed potatoes, roast ham, gravy, cranberry sauce the list could go on.
Well I wasn't even interested, I have turkey 2-3 times per week anyway usually in the form of them turkey fillets, potatoes I don't eat anymore really and the same with pork, so in the end Christmas dinner consisted of a slice of turkey and some veg and because i eat this regularly I never even finished it as was bored. Total calories 200-300, I've protein bars with more calories.
The rest is plain sailing, the house is coming down with chocolate and treats but because I've said no for so long I've no longer an interest.
No offense but that just doesn't sound enjoyable. Being so restrictive and saying no to foods I enjoy for so long that they don't interest me anymore would make me sad. It's important, in my opinion, to not live in extremes. Making food the focal point of celebrations and indulging in such a way that it sets off binges or has lasting impact in the form of not being able to moderate is not good either. But being at a celebration with loved ones and finding zero pleasure in the foods doesn't sound like a healthy mindset either.4 -
I toss out the rulebook for Christmas eve and Christmas day and eat whatever the hell I want and then go back to normal on the 26th.
This year I hit 2,400 cal on Christmas day, more than I've eaten in a single day in about two and a half years. It was a bit overrated. Got that temptation/experience out of my system and don't really feel like doing it again anytime soon.
I feel like people worry too much about the few days/events around Christmas. A short period of indulgence is nothing. What's really insidious aren't holidays but the little creeping everyday habits like "oh boy, I should buy two donuts after work today, I've had a *kitten* day and I need the pick me up" that happens every other day of the year.1
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