Thanksgiving Plan?

erjones11
erjones11 Posts: 422 Member
in Motivation and Support
What’s your meal / day plan for Thanksgiving? Are you going to log and keep to your calorie goals? Are you just going to take it as a day to eat whatever you want and not log? Will your plan or lack thereof carry in to the weekend? No judgement from me, just putting it out there.

There are so many things I enjoy eating on Thanksgiving and we are having a traditional meal. I am responsible for deep frying the turkey, which I in my family I am famous / notorious for.

Past holidays and special meal days I have been able to log the things I enjoy and keep to my goal. I am in maintenance and have had a 200 calorie deficit for the last few days coming in to Thanksgiving, part of my plan. This I way I know I have enough calorie head room be able to fit in turkey, stuffing, gravy and some green bean casserole. All of which are my favorites. Oh yes and whatever delicious dessert is offered!

I will still weigh my portions and log what I eat. I plan to have about 2,600 calories available and knowing me will be fully satisfied coming in less. I am not planning on any exercise calories for Thanksgiving as it is my lifting day and I will not likely do much if any cardio.

What’s your plan?

Replies

  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,284 MFP Moderator
    My plan is to relax, enjoy the day but not go overboard... And not to let it spill over into the weekend (much). And for exercise, hubby and I are doing a turkey trot in the morning before we head back home and cook. :)
  • BrettWithPKU
    BrettWithPKU Posts: 575 Member
    edited November 2019
    My daily routine is 2000 calories plus exercise. I don't plan to deviate on Thanksgiving. 400-calorie breakfast leaves me with 1600 calories the rest of the day--most of which will come from the 'big meal'.

    Full disclosure: I'm 240 lb, so my routine drops me by 2 pounds/week. I understand it's not that easy for everyone.
  • ellie117
    ellie117 Posts: 293 Member
    I'm going to log as best as I can, but it's so hard to stay accurate since everything is homemade by family members. I'm going to do my best to limit my portion sizes so I can have a little bit of everything without going overboard.
  • jessalittlemore
    jessalittlemore Posts: 65 Member
    edited November 2019
    I'm a proponent of structured cheat days. I give myself 2-3 days (I say 3, but sometimes I'm just over "bad foods" by 2 and ready to get back on the horse) a month at the same time every month, and I personally feel like they keep me on track more than they hinder me. I can't eat as much as I used to after sticking with my calorie deficit for a year, so I don't indulge in binging. Usually I focus those days on one meal or treat I've been craving over the month, and it never lives up to expectations, which lessens the cravings for it significantly. :lol:

    So my plan this Thanksgiving is to eat without guilt. I've been under my calorie goal most days this week and intend to get right back to it after the holiday, so I see no reason not to indulge in a once-a-year tradition.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    I won't eat much, if anything before a 10K in the morning (There's one annually in Cincinnati that benefits the local food bank). Per tradition, we'll stop at Waffle House on the way home for a late breakfast. Then over to my in-laws for dinner. Sticking to two meals and the 10k makes calories much more navigable. Everything will be logged to the best of my ability, prioritizing protein but saving room for pumpkin pie and the appropriate amount of whipped cream. On days I exercise I shoot for about 2100 calories which should be appropriate for me to lose 1 lb/week.
  • pjwrt
    pjwrt Posts: 166 Member
    Sunny, but cold here. I'll clean the gutters, stare at fallen leaves, and stay on the 2100 calorie mark without using my over-exercising-for-treats. Ham, potatoes, veggies are adequate.

    This holiday isn't a family tradition here; hasn't been since 2001 because of the travel delays. We do the summer vacation for family reunions; much more relaxing and warm.
  • erjones11
    erjones11 Posts: 422 Member
    ellie117 wrote: »
    I'm going to log as best as I can, but it's so hard to stay accurate since everything is homemade by family members. I'm going to do my best to limit my portion sizes so I can have a little bit of everything without going overboard.

    That's so true, you never know how those family recipes are prepared and what goes in them. I stopped asking and do the best I can.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    I'm merging 2 of my high calorie days into Thanksgiving...I may or may not track...just depending on how much I eat/drink...we are actually having a late dinner this year, so I will not eat anything before dinner, but will probably have some drinks...all in all I have about 2600 calories set aside, and if I go easy on the sweets and booze, it's unlikely I could eat more than that in a day anyway.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    I eat what I want, just not to illness anymore. I watch my portions and don't waste my calories on things I'm "meh" about.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,538 Member
    Pumpkin pie. It puts me over my number but it’s just how it is. It’s one day.

    Worked on this every time it came around for about 3-4 years before I realized that going over my number one day didn’t matter to the scale.

    The rest of it is just pass the turkey and the veggies. Kinda like every other day.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    edited November 2019
    Eat what I want... worry about it friday... lol Though, I am tracking today, just to keep myself honest.
  • Shortgirlrunning
    Shortgirlrunning Posts: 1,020 Member
    I’m not planning on tracking at all. I’ll be mindful of my choices but I’m just going to enjoy the holiday.
  • shunggie
    shunggie Posts: 1,036 Member
    I will log as best I can but as many have said it's 1 day. I will try to get in a walk but it's supposed to rain with a high of 37. I will have good stuff like roasted veggies and turkey but I will also have a roll, broccoli casserole, dressing, and gravy. I will have pumpkin pie with cool whip and possibly a mincemeat bar. My goal is to stay under 2,000 (my normal is 1600) and closer to 1800. But if someone brings something new and delicious I will go over and not beat myself up.

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  • vggb
    vggb Posts: 132 Member
    Anymore desserts are the best thing about Thanksgiving for me. I cook a simple turkey dinner without all the lavish sides. But omg the pie! That's the kicker for me but I will have pie, apple crisp actually, my favorite.
  • Spencerport
    Spencerport Posts: 270 Member
    I'll get up and go to the gym and throw down a monster workout. Then I'll let the Fat Man off the Chain and eat like the 300lb Fat Man I once was.
  • dechowj
    dechowj Posts: 148 Member
    I'm going to avoid the overload of appetizers by hiding in the living room away from the food doing arts and crafts with the 2-5 year olds. (I'm bringing lots of art supplies to avoid the boredom melt downs anyway.)

    I know that some of the options at our thanksgiving dinner are a bit healthier than others (like the roasted veggie quinoa salad and asparagus with almonds and cranberries). So I am going to eat a plate of the healthier options first and if I have any room left I'll have a little spoonful of the other items. And I'm going to have fresh fruit and seltzer in my wine glass instead of the usual caramel apple sangria.

    For dessert I'll eat one small slice of the things I really love and not even bother with the "just ok" or "I wonder how that tastes" stuff.

    I'm also going to bring my own reasonably sized Tupperware container for my take home left overs. Because I know if I leave it to my mother-in-law to pack for me I'll be eating the same huge meal 4 days in a row.

    I'm just going to try to walk more for the next week and not count how bad my calories are on Thanksgiving. I want to enjoy family time and not stress too much about how bad I'm eating for one day.
  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 2,024 Member
    edited November 2019
    Will discretely take a photo of what I eat and estimate. I am allowing myself to splurge a little since it is Thanksgiving and my birthday in the same weekend. It will be the 1st I have so called cheated. Staying at my sisters for 4 days and she is excellent cook! Main thing is enjoy food and family and am not worried about going over. AT ALL ....on Monday, it's business as usual.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Our Thanksgiving was last month (Canada), I had two family dinners. My plan was to get food in me. A very fussy and hungry newborn came first, plus my other two kids. It was just so busy and stressed...I ate maybe one plate plus a few desserts but honestly I eat more on a normal day.
  • erjones11
    erjones11 Posts: 422 Member
    nighthawk584 wrote: »
    Will discretely take a photo of what I eat and estimate. I am allowing myself to splurge a little since it is Thanksgiving and my birthday in the same weekend. It will be the 1st I have so called cheated. Staying at my sisters for 4 days and she is excellent cook! Main thing is enjoy food and family and am not worried about going over. AT ALL ....on Monday, it's business as usual.

    I like the photo idea, seem obvious now but never though of it. Good for lots of dining out and social type situations.
  • erjones11
    erjones11 Posts: 422 Member
    RelCanonical wrote: »
    I eat what I want, just not to illness anymore. I watch my portions and don't waste my calories on things I'm "meh" about.

    I had not stuffed my self to discomfort in a long time. But I did it the other day. I was not able to work in a meal all day, just a bunch of running around so I had a H U G E spaghetti dinner. I was within my calorie goal but I ate most of them in this one meal. This was painful and made me just feel ill. Years ago I used to do this to myself all the time, almost like it was normal. I good reminder!!!
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,142 Member
    I know I'll be over, I'm at 1230 before exercise calories but plan on working out in the morning. We usually go for walks after dinner but my brother broke his foot so it may not happen. I'll probably try to log. I talked my mom into making pumpkin cheesecake and my nephew is making brownies so I'm definitely having dessert. Aside of suberage I'm not too concerned about the actual dinner.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    erjones11 wrote: »
    RelCanonical wrote: »
    I eat what I want, just not to illness anymore. I watch my portions and don't waste my calories on things I'm "meh" about.

    I had not stuffed my self to discomfort in a long time. But I did it the other day. I was not able to work in a meal all day, just a bunch of running around so I had a H U G E spaghetti dinner. I was within my calorie goal but I ate most of them in this one meal. This was painful and made me just feel ill. Years ago I used to do this to myself all the time, almost like it was normal. I good reminder!!!

    Yeah, I haven't done it in so long and I'll forget how awful it feels to way overeat unless I consciously remind myself of it.

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