What is YOUR Holiday eating strategy?
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anewell28
Posts: 79 Member
With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and winter celebrations coming up, what is your strategy when it comes to holiday eating?
Have you used a strategy before and been happy with it after?
Trying something new this year?
Do you log everything still or neglect logging at all?
I'm very interested in these answers because I haven't figured out my plan yet!
Have you used a strategy before and been happy with it after?
Trying something new this year?
Do you log everything still or neglect logging at all?
I'm very interested in these answers because I haven't figured out my plan yet!
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Replies
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Halloween is a non-issue. I'll snag some candy but it'll fit into my calories. I won't log Thanksgiving day or Christmas day. I'll eat too much and be slightly miserable but won't feel deprived of holiday cheer. Maybe a few other days eating closer to maintenance, depending on family get togethers, but I'll log those.17
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I tend to eat around maintenance when on holiday, still log as best I can but don't worry too much if I forgot something or went a little over.
I find I tend to still be very active even when I am away on holiday or visiting family/friends but I do eat a lot more carbs/sodium and drink more alcohol, so the majority of the extra weight I gain on holiday is water weight and comes back off within the first week back.
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I don't log on vacations, Thanksgiving or Christmas. I eat what I want and get back on track the next day.19
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With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and winter celebrations coming up, what is your strategy when it comes to holiday eating?
Have you used a strategy before and been happy with it after?
Trying something new this year?
Do you log everything still or neglect logging at all?
I'm very interested in these answers because I haven't figured out my plan yet!
i don't celebrate halloween or thanksgiving, so they don't count.
i will probably not log on Christmas day and boxing day, and possibly new years eve. other than that i log (and exercise) as normal.
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I am back after losing a lot of weight on MFP from 2012 through 2013 (I gained back 1/2 of the weight I lost). What worked for me before (and I hope will work this time) is try a little of everything, log it, and continue on. My issue is maintenance, it is harder than losing the weight for me.7
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I'll try and eat maintenance; maybe get the family to join me for a walk before dinner so I can get some extra calories in1
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I am consistent at being inconsistent. I feel guilty if I do not log, and like a pig if I do. So my strategy is to log even if I splurge, by logging I am holding myself accountable, and it will be my inspiration to work out the next day!!!
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Good question, hadn't thought about that yet. There are certain dishes/delicacies that I only eat around Christmas, and I will still have those. You can pry the Béarnaise sauce from my cold, dead hands, thankyouverymuch. I will log, but not worry too much since it is an unusual event.
My real downfall around this time of year is always chocolate, cookies and sweets though. It will be good to be aware of that this time. A handful of chocolates is a lot of cals... Many friends bake cookies (I do too) and they are delicious, but just having one is also an option... Stuff like that can really add up and I definitely think I should log all of it, just to be aware of how much 'just a little nibble' will add up in the end. I will not freak out over it, but will be extremely aware. Will probably also make a conscious choice to only eat good quality chocolates (lots of it is just crap that you eat because it has a decorative Christmas bow around it).
Thanks for posing this question and making me think of my strategy beforehand. :-)5 -
I've admitted defeat, and at 47 I'm living by my mom's adage: "It’s not what you eat between Christmas and New Years, it’s what you eat between New Year’s and Christmas".
I don't celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving.
I do log my intake, because I plan my meals and don't delete the plan as I eat.39 -
On top of those occasions I also have 5 birthdays in my family including mine between now and New Year's. This is my first year calorie counting and I'm still a little ways from my goal. I keep going back and forth about how to handle the food. For me, it's not so much the crazy eating on a few days; it's the constant availability of sweet treats which has always been my weakness.
I think I'd be happy with maintaining for the next couple of months. If I lose a little that would be great, but I won't be disappointed if I don't. I will log what I eat except on TG and my birthday. Christmas isn't a big eating day for us. It's pretty normal.
For my birthday I've already told everyone all I want is the best apple pie in all of Athens, GA. I have no idea where it's going to come from, but I plan to eat every bit of it, so I'll probably go over on those days. I can almost taste it now.2 -
kommodevaran wrote: »I've admitted defeat, and at 47 I'm living by my mom's adage: "It’s not what you eat between Christmas and New Years, it’s what you eat between New Year’s and Christmas".
I don't celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving.
I do log my intake, because I plan my meals and don't delete the plan as I eat.
I love this!3 -
Thanksgiving day and Christmas day are two days I do not worry about tracking calories. I go to a couple of Christmas parties, these are usually lunches or at night and only one meal. I don't worry about thateither.
All of this falls inline with how to be flexible when social events and holiday arise. Its just a few days.
I don't do a whole lot of celebrating for Halloween, I eat some candy sure, I log it.2 -
Thanksgiving: eat at maintenance (it’s one meal, and with three people there isn’t a ton of food to go around)
Christmas: I take a diet break the week going into it and get back to logging in the 26th.
The other days: I stick to my goals5 -
1. No sugary drinks, only water or tea 2. Limit my desserts- One small slice of cheesecake OR One small slice of Cannoli cake, 3 Anisette Cookies (OR Almond Paste cookies), 2 mini Cannolis OR 2 Pusties, and 3 Pizzelles (can you tell I'm Italian? LOL) NO ICE CREAM, NO OTHER DESSERTS 3. NO CORN
I get mad headaches when I have too much sugar, so that's why I'm doing it like this. Plus, I'm sick of corn. F**k corn.6 -
I'm trying a different way this year. The past year was awful, stress, mourning, too much to handle at once and I allowed myself to regain 12lbs. I do not want to use the excuse of celebration and festivities to add to that number. I also have an injury inhibiting my usual level of fitness. I will eat at a deficit, doesn't matter the food choices, if it's something dense in calories and I get just a taste or one spoonful etc, so be it.1
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Very interesting post, this will be my first year logging and the troublesome areas will probably be;
- Halloween: Not too fussed about this as I don't get trick or treaters where I live. STRATEGY: stay away from the multipack sweets & chocolate in stores
- Halloween Party: This is most likely going to be drinking which I would general log - STRATEGY: Focus on hoarding calories throughout the week, log everything (including alcohol...if I remember drinking it )
- Amsterdam visit (December 9th/10th) wanting to try new things and indulge a little but make conscious choices STRATEGY: no logging
- Christmas Eve/Christmas Day/Boxing Day: I haven't got my plans sorted just yet so this may change STRATEGY: no logging, conscious choices, smaller plate.
Then it'll be just getting back into it asap. I have some time off work between Christmas and new year so I might go to the Gym a couple days.
Who else is dreading the new wave of resolution gymmers...
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Halloween is a non-issue here. I don't really have a strategy for the holidays other than to enjoy the time with family and friends. I imagine I'll put on a few lbs like I do every year and then I'll lose them in January like I do every year. I will eat sensibly and enjoy every bite.5
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Since many of us tend to gain a few pounds, every year, during the holidays -- and never lose it -- I've been going the other way. I've decided not to make the holidays about what I'm going to eat, but about friends and relatives. I'm usually the one doing the decorating, cooking and clean-up for my family, so it's sort of a "work" time for me anyway. It's not as though I get to sit on the sofa and nibble treats all day, while my mom cooks anymore. So I stick to my No Sugar diet and I can weigh in on New Years with a sigh of relief and no regrets.10
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With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and winter celebrations coming up, what is your strategy when it comes to holiday eating?
Have you used a strategy before and been happy with it after?
Trying something new this year?
Do you log everything still or neglect logging at all?
I'm very interested in these answers because I haven't figured out my plan yet!
Have a maintenance calorie day.
Eat reasonable portions. Put more vegetables on your plate.
Plan- prioritize and prelog. A lot of holiday menus have the same foods every year so you can anticipate at least some of what you will eat. Pick what is most important to you rather than eating everything.
Look at the whole day and weekly calories instead of just one meal. Eat lighter the other meals that day or the days before or after.
I don't use my calories for drinks very much as I don't find that as satisfying as eating more food. Try having more lower calorie or no calorie drinks.
Stay active. Get involved in something other than eating or drinking all day. Be the person at an event who helps set up, takes pictures, goes for a walk, starts a game, runs a 5k, plays with the kids or dog, helps clean up.
Cook the holiday feast yourself so you control what you will be eating. Don't buy or cook enough food for 30 people when there will only be 5 people. Send leftover food home with people, freeze it right away or toss it.
If dining at someone else's home bring lower calorie dishes or snacks to share. Don't take lots of leftover food home with you.
I have logged Thanksgiving a couple of years now and came in under 2,000 calories. I ate what I wanted and was pretty full. It was over my calorie goal but I didn't gain massive amounts of weight becaiuse it was not every day. Realistically you might maintain or gain a couple of pounds if you really indulge. Don't stress about it. Going well over my calorie goal a few days out of the year is less important than what I do every day. Get back to normal ASAP.7 -
Halloween isn't big here, and we don't have thanksgiving. Christmas is usually small, and being in Australia (and the summer heat), eating light but delicious food is easy. Lots of seafood, plus turkey and salads. Dessert is my biggest splurge! I usually skip breakfast, and we have late lunch that ends up being dinner too...3
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