Thanksgiving in the US

So what are your strategies for managing your calorie intake (or calorie burn) on Thanksgiving?

Do you treat Thanksgiving differently than any other day?
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Replies

  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    Its one meal out of the 365 days of the year. Typically I will practice IF that day, but I eat what I want because there is no way I would be able to eat enough to gain a true pound of fat and I enjoy the delicious food that will be had. I enjoy the company I'm with because you never know if this will be the last time you get together. I get back on track the next day and avoid the scale for a few days. No stressing or guilt.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I will eat a low calorie breakfast like an apple or vegetables while cooking everything. The rest of the day I will take reasonable portions, no seconds. I will drink water or unsweetened tea. I will stay active. I do log on holidays but don't worry if everything is exact. I will be eating close to maintenance calories or slightly above based on past Thanksgivings I have logged. I will eat pie for breakfast on Friday morning but otherwise eat and exercise pretty normally the rest of the week. I will weigh myself on Sunday morning following Thanksgiving as usual and not freak out. My experience the past 4 Thanksgivings of logging that doing this plan does not lead to any significant weight change for me.
    as I posted in another recent Thanksgiving thread. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707586/thanksgiving#latest
  • J_NY_Z
    J_NY_Z Posts: 2,540 Member
    I just eat little portions of everything.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    eat small portions and plan to be at maintenance not at a deficit for a few days
  • dhiammarath
    dhiammarath Posts: 834 Member
    I am eating ALL THE THINGZ. Same for Christmas day and my birthday. Then back to weighing and logging on the other 362 days of the year.

    ^^^ This! Though I throw in my anniversary in my list too. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Birthday, Anniversary day... I eat whatever I want without worry. CAUSE I'MMA HAVE ME SOME YUMMIES.
  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 697 Member
    None, I will pig out.
  • tharpel
    tharpel Posts: 3 Member
    My family and I are running a 5k turkey trot in the morning so we can eat without the guilt. I am looking forward to eating ALL the foods and having some wine, it is a holiday after all!
  • AmyC2288
    AmyC2288 Posts: 386 Member
    I am eating ALL THE THINGZ. Same for Christmas day and my birthday. Then back to weighing and logging on the other 362 days of the year.

    ^^^ This! Though I throw in my anniversary in my list too. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Birthday, Anniversary day... I eat whatever I want without worry. CAUSE I'MMA HAVE ME SOME YUMMIES.

    ^ This!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    edited November 2018
    I eat as much as I want, it's one day. (well actually I'm sure it'll be a few days with all the leftovers lol)
  • teacherspet1
    teacherspet1 Posts: 142 Member
    We don't have Thanksgiving here in the UK......It's Christmas day that's the problem for us....BUT..........I Wish all my fellow MFPers a Very Happy Thanksgiving! 😀👍👭💕
  • Heidijens123
    Heidijens123 Posts: 289 Member
    My gym has a turkey burn class that morning so I will burn quite a few calories before I eat but other wise I just plan on eating whatever I feel like. ( hello second slice of chocolate pie.)
  • StargazerB
    StargazerB Posts: 425 Member
    I eat what I want (within reason) on holidays and close family birthdays.
  • rldeclercq4
    rldeclercq4 Posts: 269 Member
    edited November 2018
    I was sharing with my wife how I’m nervous about having two big tgiving meals this weekend (my family on thurs and hers on fri) because I’ve been working hard at losing about the last 6-8 weeks and I’m having success and don’t wanna fall back Into old habits. I will probably go on a long run each Thursday and Friday mornings and have a light breakfast and then feel comfortable to eat what I want and finish with one dessert option. The things that crush me are the appetizers like cheese and crackers and chips, and then multiple dessert options and beer... gonna take some major discipline but I’m ready for the challenge
  • jeffrey_ad
    jeffrey_ad Posts: 789 Member
    This is my first Thanksgiving on MFP. I’m going log as accurately as possible and not worry about going over since it is only one day. I’ll be curious to see total calories and weight effects over the next week.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,534 Member
    This is going to be my 12th Thanksgiving maintaining my 100lb loss. I’m not currently keeping a food diary. But I did for over 5 years. Thanksgiving is the one day I’ve always taken off from tracking. I’ve gone over and over the numbers, and I just don’t see how it helps me to turn my whole week inside out just to cover one day.

    That doesn’t give me license to stuff myself. I try to make the best choices I can, lots of veggies, lots of turkey breast. But I’m having pumpkin pie, whipped cream and all. A big piece.

    Then just do the rest of the week like normal.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Portion control and eating only the things I truly want. I know I would make myself sick if I ate a lot of everything. I no longer enjoy that overstuffed feeling.
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
    Enjoy yourself and get back to your routine tomorrow. Life happy, enjoy who you’re with.
  • rileyskye1
    rileyskye1 Posts: 38 Member
    I ate smaller portions and only had one plate...than went back again later for dinner with same small portions and those were my meals for the day. My family had "dinner" at 12 so getting up at 10 i just didnt feel like breakfast.
    Looking at the scale today and how i feel and im still on track but still had good food and company 😄
  • erjones11
    erjones11 Posts: 422 Member
    I measured my good and ate within my maintenance goal. I was very satisfied and did not miss out on anything I wanted. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, broccoli cauliflower gratin and pie. Had left over watching a movie late in the evening and still stayed within goal.

    Enjoyed the day and the meal with my family.
  • callmecarina
    callmecarina Posts: 145 Member
    My strategy is forgiveness. I haven’t logged for yesterday, nor today. Tomorrow will be better and Sunday I’ll get back to it. I will forgive and forget and move on. If I stress about every single thing I eat, I get overwhelmed and I stress eat and I fall harder than before.

    Forgiveness is key. 😌
  • vggb
    vggb Posts: 132 Member
    My weakness was pie. The main meal, eh, but dessert! And each night until it's gone. So the pie is now gone and I went from 149 Thanksgiving morning to 152 this morning. I am ok with that, I guess you can say I planned it, I know my weakness. The loss of those extra pounds will be coming, so no stress about it and yes, personal forgiveness.
  • aimjolie
    aimjolie Posts: 60 Member
    I eat whatever I want on Thanksgiving. I will also eat whatever I want on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and on my birthday. If I have to watch every mouthful on those 4 days, I will feel so deprived and before I know my diet plans will be out the window. I enjoyed every mouthful of everything, especially the desserts. Friday I got up and went right back to watching and logging everything. I found out that it felt good to go back to eating healthy and logging. I keep telling myself, you can do this. It’s not easy and it takes effort but it so worth it when you can go into a store and see something really nice and it fits!