Holiday eating tips?

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denisek3
denisek3 Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've only started trying to seriously track my calories in the last few months. I'm attending two holiday parties this weekend, including a cookie party - any tips on making smart food choices at these events and tracking calories when you eat at parties and restaurants would be appreciated!

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  • happytree923
    happytree923 Posts: 463 Member
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    What I've been doing at holiday events is prioritizing eating. You already know what your favorite holiday treats are so have those and ignore the rest! Remember that this is (probably) not your last opportunity to eat a sugar cookie so you don't need to eat everything available. I don't bother logging, with homemade stuff you're basically making random guesses with almost no information. Too much trouble for a very short time of the year.
  • Ralphone
    Ralphone Posts: 1,836 Member
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    Get an extra workout in if possible.
  • FireOpalCO
    FireOpalCO Posts: 641 Member
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    I do put in my best guesses on food so I have a tracking (and put a note in the notes field). I also try to nibble and fill up on the healthy stuff first. So when we had the holiday meal at work last month, I grabbed the raw veggies, salad, and fruit first and sat down with a half empty plate. Then after I ate and "went back for seconds" that was the first time I was snagging turkey, mashed potatoes, etc. I ended up getting smaller portions because I wasn't dishing things out while super hungry.

  • jean133mjg
    jean133mjg Posts: 133 Member
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    I decide ahead of time about how many calories I want to eat that night, then look at everything, choose what I REALLY want and limit that to a reasonable portion, while making an educated guess as to the calorie count. I put alot of veggies and fruits on my plate to fill it up along with what I wanted. After I've eaten, I put a stick of sugar free gum into my mouth and chew on that. It helps me but everyone is different. I never go really hungry either. A salad ahead of time may help. Just remember that whatever you do, it's only an event, not a whole day, week or month of eating this way that makes a difference. Good luck.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    Do your best. There are times when you have to guess at the calories. Keep track of what you eat and find the best possible match when you log. There may not be any lower calorie options at the cookie party so the "smart" choice is to only eat cookies you think are worth the calories.

    If the restaurant has a menu online try and do some research so if you decide to indulge you can do it according to a plan.

    Keep in mind that if you feel deprived because you sat in the corner eating carrots sticks you brought from home it may do more damage to your efforts than allowing yourself to eat. Of course, if there are many of these events on your calendar you may have to get creative.

    It is also important during these times to know what your maintenance calories (calories you can eat without gaining or losing weight) are. This will help you plan. Remember you don't have to lose weight every single day you have to lose weight most days.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    Cookie party? Yeesh! I think my approach would be to get a bunch of exercise, and then see if a friend would be interested in splitting cookies with me, so I could try more kinds without having to eat a bunch of cookies. Set calories to maintenance for the day, maybe look up some comparable foods ahead of time and log them so you have an idea of what you want to eat.

    I didn't even know there was such a thing as a cookie party, I'm a diabetic and that sounds like a personal nightmare!
  • denisek3
    denisek3 Posts: 11 Member
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    The cookie party is a years long tradition with these good friends. I'm prediabetic - they do usually have things like cheese and crackers to eat, but I'm lactose intolerant too! I'm concluding eating some veggies beforehand, sipping on seltzer water, and eating one or two of my favorites is a good idea.
  • denisek3
    denisek3 Posts: 11 Member
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    Ralphone wrote: »
    Get an extra workout in if possible.

    You're right, I really should exercise more. I'm making excuses for myself, but I find it hard to be motivated in the winter when there's less light and it's cold. I enjoy biking and need to learn to put on more clothes and just go.

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