Dreading Thanksgiving Dinner?

I love making Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's dinners.

We're having 14 people over. Ham, Turkey, Stuffing, and a ton of sides, desserts, etc. I'll be up at 4am. Cooking. Love the smells. Having the girls over. Their friends. Old friends. New friends.

Yep, calorie count can soar, but I don't care. I'll be sitting in the backyard by 4pm. Thanksgiving pants on. Firepit going. With the men, while the women plan their strategy for Black Friday inside. Cigar in one hand. Bourbon in the other. Happy as hell. Talking about the women and already planning what to do with the leftovers in my mind.

Being a "Biggest Loser" fan, I stumbled upon NBC's "Holiday Primer" which features an excellent slide show for getting through Thanksgiving Day. Now that I am "armed" with information, I am more relaxed about next Thursday. The hardest part will be the exercise: my gym will be closed; however, I am going to improvise, even if it snows. Bottom Line: Be proactive by choosing wisely and acting wisely. Take the upper hand. It's just another day.

I wish you could click on the link shown below to get to the website - you'll have to copy and paste into your search box:

www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/photos/holiday-prime


Knowledge is power; Sharing is caring . . .

I'm dreading having to dress up nice and not be able to wear my (as Mike puts it) Thanksgiving pants to dinner this year! (going to my brothers in-laws with the whole family) I'm going to eat myself into a food coma, and pray the button on my pants stays put.

I totally get where you are coming from. Regardless of the math, I feel the same way = I don't want to spend a week or more working off one meal. That is what happens to me, for whatever reason (glad everyone doesn't have that trouble). And further, it is not easy for me to go off one day or one meal and then get back on track. I fear one meal can lead me off the path. We all know our limits. I know mine.

So, I've given this a lot of thought. It is important to me to stay within my calorie goal on Thanksgiving. I've come too far and to me, Thanksgiving isn't worth a set back. I have the luxury of not hosting. So it is really only one day for me as I won't have left overs sitting around.

I plan to eat a decent but light breakfast, go for a hike, enjoy Thanksgiving dinner at sissy-in-laws by only eating those things I love, in modest portions, then have dessert for dinner. I am making/contributing a fat free split pea and sweet potato soup, so I can fill up on that and keep everything else in check.

I'm also going to mentally focus on what I want out of the day (that is not food related), for example to visiting, resting, hiking, etc.

If I go over a little, I can always go for a walk after dinner or do a DVD when I get home.

Finally, I'll be at the YMCA at a class at 6:30 AM Friday morning, so I hope to get to bed early and that will help reduce late night snacking.

Good luck! You can do this.

I love making Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's dinners.

We're having 14 people over. Ham, Turkey, Stuffing, and a ton of sides, desserts, etc. I'll be up at 4am. Cooking. Love the smells. Having the girls over. Their friends. Old friends. New friends.

Yep, calorie count can soar, but I don't care. I'll be sitting in the backyard by 4pm. Thanksgiving pants on. Firepit going. With the men, while the women plan their strategy for Black Friday inside. Cigar in one hand. Bourbon in the other. Happy as hell. Talking about the women and already planning what to do with the leftovers in my mind.

Not to get all sappy but this reminds me of what my husband would be doing to a T... if he were here. He is in Iraq right now........

I am dreading it because I only do 1200 calories a day - I am a snacked and this might kill me I am really hopping it wont though

I only eat 1200 a day as well. That is another reason why I am worried.

I am also struggling with the thought of Thanksgiving because I too am eating 1200 calories. My biggest challenge is having multiple dinners with multiple familes. (3 in total) Ugh! Love my family though! I just need to eat small portions and to stop when I'm full. Plus workout in the morning!:happy:

Not dreading it at all. I'm looking forward to it. Thanksgiving comes once a year. Use self control - take smaller portions, but enjoy what's being offered and when the day is done, move on.

One day isn't going to derail all your hard work. Make sure you drink a lot of water. Our bodies tend to retain water when we consume foods it isn't used to having all the time.

If my mom was still alive to cook then I would worry about over eatting............ no I wouldn't I would love to enjoy some of her mega fatting awsome cooking one more time. She started cooking deserts for Thanksgiving a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, and putting them in the freezer. I think she pretty much cooked every thing she knew how to cook on that one day every year. I will never find another pumpkin pie just the way she made them ever again. Let alone those Texas sized made from scratch cinnimmon rolls or Italian cream cake. There is not even anyone that can fry a pan of taters with onions like she could. Ohhh I must stop, I could go on and on. I am not cooking, and the kids are not either, so we will just go out. Pretty much everyone in my family are trying to lose weight right now. Many are on this site. I have a grandbaby (well he is 2 and a half now) I love to watch eat, or help feed. etc... That takes the focus off feeding my own mouth. Since we are going out........... there will be no leftovers, another big plus......I don't eat meat, so turkey is out.......... I won't eat the dressing because it will be made with chicken stock, so that is out........and I would be so so so mad at myself if I let myself gain back the 10 pounds I worked so hard to get off over one day. I plan to be Thankful for losing that 10 pounds and fill a plate with fruit and veggies before I eat anything else, because at this point I really want to live to see another Thanksgiving day.

Not dreading it at all. I am going to make the traditional family favorites and add fresh vegetables and a fresh fruit salad (home made). I will chose the foods that are best for me and may even indulge in a half slice of apple pie (made by me). I do not plan on logging food, but do plan on making good choices and having a good time. I will be doing a lot of walking on Friday while shopping.

As I get older, I have to laugh, (no disrespect) to those who are "dreading the holidays" with regards to weight loss and food! Certainly if you just started a weight loss program a week or two before Thanksgiving, then I'd probably be concerned with a big meal on that day as it can certainly derail your diet. But keep in mind that you can get back on track the next day or the following Monday if you swan dive onto the table... Leftovers are dangerous! Give them away to somebody who doesn't worry about what they eat or better yet somebody who may be needy or would really enjoy this food and normally don't fix for themselves! If you've been on this or any diet for a while and you're sweating the holidays, then there is something else wrong in my opinion! You shouldn't be sweating this day since it does come by every year at this time yet you haven't planned for the challenge. If you keep depriving yourself, you will pay for it, trust me! I hope all enjoy their holidays!