How did you make it through Christmas without gaining ?

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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    In my home, Christmas isn't a massive feast like Thanksgiving...and even if it were, it's just one meal. Traditionally in my home, Christmas dinner is a rib roast, mushroom risotto, and green bean almondine. Usually some apple pie for desert. Breakfast is usually a cranberry lemon cake with an orange glaze and we all have a slice while presents are being opened with our coffee. There is no lunch, but we put out a charcuterie board when guests arrive. It is a bit more indulgent than a regular day, but it's just a day and not really a big deal. Christmas Eve is pretty low key with traditional NM Posole which is filling, but not particularly high in calories.

    Throughout the holiday season, my diet is not much different than normal...I might indulge in a few more cookies here and there than normal, but that's about it and I don't have much of a sweet tooth so it's nothing crazy. I enjoy making and decorating them with the kids more than I like eating them.

    I don't really gain weight with "Christmas"...I usually put on some weight from October through December which is primarily due to a decrease in overall activity and training more so than a particular holiday or meal. Training typically resumes right after the new year for spring cycling events and that weight fall/winter weight falls right off. It's a pattern and I'm pretty comfortable with the cycle of things.
  • s1im62
    s1im62 Posts: 29,241 Member
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    Ate the holiday meals, but kept the portions small enough to meet my daily calorie goal. Basically I did the same as I do every other day.
  • howardeaston
    howardeaston Posts: 1 Member
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    Drinking just one glass of cider and generally eating no more than normal, I did pig out on Xmas pudding with rum sauce - I look forward to that more than any other xmas food. Weight? Who cares - its Xmas. :-)
    But I am now on a diet having gained 4kg over the last year
  • LenGray
    LenGray Posts: 842 Member
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    I made things easier on myself lol

    Instead of the big spread of calorie-heavy foods, I made a tried-and true favorite (vegan pasta bake with a spinach and candied walnut salad+ homemade pumpkin pie for dessert) and added some extra activity into my day with walking the dogs, wandering around while talking on the phone, and doing some early morning yoga. To keep up the holiday vibe, I did make up a plate of apple slices, sliced veg, and a variety of chips+dip, but they were all pretty low-calorie and I shared it with everyone else instead of eating it by myself.
  • tvm1970
    tvm1970 Posts: 162 Member
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    A wise person once told me that it's what you eat and/or gain between New Year and Christmas that matters not what you eat and/or gain between Christmas and New Year.

    This year I had my regular breakfast, stayed away from the treat foods we had a work (I was rostered on duty Christmas and Boxing Day), had an everyday lunch and a nice dinner. When I finally had Christmas with my family on the 29th I ate all the seasonal foods but in smaller portions filling the rest of my plate with non starchy vegetables and salad.

    I am pretty sure I've gained - likely from the additional sodium - but I'm not weighing until tomorrow to give my body that chance to process it.
  • sargemarcori
    sargemarcori Posts: 301 Member
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    I have been learning PORTIONS in a not-difficult way. In my efforts to eat home-cooked more often, I bought a bunch of glass containers for leftovers and lunches instead of just using whatever (old cottage cheese buckets, lunch meat snap-ons, et cetera.) I know the size of each container, and I've been learning how much is a reasonable portion of most things. (Half or less of the portions I ate for years!) So for lunch and then for leftover dinners, and then for meal prep breakfasts, I have been eating sort-of enforced normal portions.

    enter the holidays, and I actually knew how much was a reasonable amount to put on my plate AND since I'd been eating that for a while, I didn't feel deprived. Being mindful of that--and yes, having half again for seconds if i wanted them instead of a whole 2nd portion, and not worrying too much--I went for maintenance, and I lost a pound by Christmas Eve. That's the hard part of the holiday for me, because I work at a school and there are a LOT of sweets in those last few weeks before the break.

    Have I lost or maintained over the actual holiday? We'll see tomorrow, but I'm not worried. I'm learning how to LIVE here. If I flubbed it, I will simply learn to do better.
  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,092 Member
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    I ate at maintenance calories. Planned diet break for 2 weeks. Happy days. No gain no loss
  • BufSabres
    BufSabres Posts: 112 Member
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    Ack! I didn't! I let up on exercise and calorie logging for the past week and paid the price with some extra pounds back on. Back on track today.
  • sbelletti
    sbelletti Posts: 213 Member
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    I ate under my calories for a few days prior, then pre-logged my holiday calories and stopped eating when I hit my target. If I know in advance what I am allowed to eat, it's a lot easier than guessing and getting a bad surprise when logging afterwards.
  • makinlifehappen
    makinlifehappen Posts: 110 Member
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    I just moved my long fast to the two days after christmas eve and christmas. Let everyone go wild, then got back to normal myself.
  • kenziestabes
    kenziestabes Posts: 338 Member
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    Planned for maintenance, actually lost 2.5 pounds. Ended up losing in a very very social way, since I am a social person. My dad goes on 4 mile walks every morning. It was an opportunity to bond with him. My mom likes to try sweets but can't handle much. We split small portion desserts. I used the smaller dessert plates as my dinner plates and loaded on protein (Cajun style turkey) while sampling the carb heavy sides. Ate a little bit of everything and complimented the various cooks. At social meals, I made a point to play games and socialize in the living room, not the kitchen. Ate like I normally do outside of social meals. Gave my puppy lots of attention with playing and walks. Had fun and didn't sweat it. Didn't really care if I came out of it a pound heavier.

    Overall, food centric social gatherings can be a pitfall. I decided to try to reframe Christmas dinner from being foo-centric to activity centric, which seemed to help keep me out of the kitchen and snacking.
  • Scott58nos
    Scott58nos Posts: 8 Member
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    I did terrible! But I started back on my plan and I'm throwing in the towel. I know I can loose the weight and today has been a great start.
  • killergazecode
    killergazecode Posts: 2 Member
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    I actually had no money so I ate very little and the rest of the day I spent it sleeping 😂
  • Christy_1988
    Christy_1988 Posts: 3 Member
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    Though it was hard, I tried maximum to avoid junkfoods and focusing on having protein rich homely food.
  • chrish1992
    chrish1992 Posts: 1 Member
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    Luckily my girlfriend supports my weight loss and it being just us i got to prepare lighter foods then typical holiday fair. we ate a lot of turkey instead of honey ham and alot of sugar free low calorie alternative deserts. i came out of the holidays weighing the same as i did going in but at least i got to feel like i didn't miss out of enjoying sweets with her

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