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2006/11/01, 09:45 AM
Surviving the Holidays - How to enjoy the holidays without undue stress about your ‘diet’ or fitness level.
It has been asked on the boards that someone make a post about this subject. I will open the subject and anyone else with good tips can chime in!
Holidays are difficult times for fitness-minded people. They are so tied in to food as an integral part of the holiday. One thing to do with any holiday is to enjoy the company, enjoy the get-together, rather than focusing solely on the food. Being with extended family and friends is a treasure, savor it.
If holidays are unpleasant occasions that cause you to backslide into bad habits (drinking to relieve the pressure, etc) than you need to re-evaluate the importance of those get-togethers and scrap them if necessary. Create your own, new holiday traditions that don’t involve family members who are intolerable or miserable or hostile. It is easier than you think and lifts a huge weight off your shoulders.
As pointed out in another post, if your eating is on track the rest of the year, a slice of pie will not set you back. But you do need to realize that the typical Thanksgiving meal has a full day's worth of calories in it, so wise choices need to be made. You need to allow yourself to enjoy the holiday foods and relax. (this doesn’t apply to challenge competitors, who will get specific treat/cheat days but need to stay pretty strict).
One good tip for any holiday is to get in a really good workout the day of the holiday, so when you do eat more/different than normal it will be a little less impacting.
Let’s start with Thanksgiving - navigating your way around the table at Thanksgiving isn’t that hard - many things are very good for you. (especially if you are the host, then you can make healthier versions of things. I will post a separate holiday meal recipe post in the nutrition section) White meat from the turkey breast, green beans with almonds, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes. Have small servings of what you like, leave the things you don’t really care for (I have found that I used to eat some of everything, whether I really liked it or not, now I leave the things that aren‘t ‘worth‘ the calories to me (creamed pearl onions) and focus on the things I really like ..(stuffing)), and try to focus on the meaning of the holiday - Thankfulness. Enjoy the company, the conversation, the abundance of great things in your life. Try to make that your focus instead of how much food you can get onto your plate. Eat slowly, savor the flavors, drink plenty of water. Moderation is key. After the big meal, try to be the motivating factor to get people to go for a walk or play a game - anything other than just flopping, overfed, onto the couch. If no one is interested, make yourself busy by helping with the clean-up.
If you are hosting, send home any leftovers that you know aren’t on your daily diet with guests. Send away the leftover pies and desserts, etc. You had them for the holiday, now back to your master plan, right?
Christmas/Hanukkah/Yule, whatever holiday you celebrate at mid-winter, it is again invariably tied to certain foods and getting together to eat. Being the host is one easy way to be sure there are items on the menu that you can eat - roast pork loin, roast beef, roast turkey - all good choices for holiday protein. And again, the sides are your choice, make veggies and stuffing, make them healthier. This doesn’t mean losing all of the flavor or fat. Just even cutting half the fat out of a recipe makes it healthier than it would have been. If you are not the host, but it is a potluck, bring something you know is good for you. Again, sample the things you really want to have, leave the things you don’t really care about and take small portions. Savor the flavor, make good conversation and relax. You have ahd a month of good eating and exercising since thanksgiving - you can have that slice of pie. Again, right back on track tomorrow - send the leftovers away if they are things you don’t normally eat.
Organize a sledding party or a winter’s night walk 0 so beautiful when it is snowy… be the motivating factor in getting people moving. Even if it is a board game, it is better than sitting.
New Year’s - not too food focused, but often a night of too much drinking.. Pace yourself with a glass of water in-between drinks. Try a wine-spritzer or a cranberry /vodka or grapefruit/vodka. Or stick with flavored water and enjoy being one of the few people who don’t have a hangover on new Year’s Day and go to the gym and start reaching for those new goals….
I hope this is helpful, as I said I will post some holiday recipes, I have made them and my in-laws were none the wiser and raved about the food. You don’t have to be preachy, you don’t have to feel deprived, but you can make it healthier and more enjoyable, less stressful!
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Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.
Napoleon Hill
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2006/11/01, 10:55 AM
a good game for Thanksgiving is take 9 water bottles & a small pumkin & play pumkin bowling (really great if you have lots of kids - then you spend your time picking up the water bottles & putting back where they belong) but do have extra pumkins & play outside in case one breaks.
Veggies trays are great thing to take with you then if you want to snack there is something that you can grab & not feel bad about getting just watch the dip:big_smile:
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Reddy
All people smile in the same language
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2006/11/12, 08:02 AM
I have to say, I have dieted during the holidays before. Thanksgiving I have always found to be not so difficult. It's Christmas that always seems to get me. The cookies, and the candy! UGH!
I have to say that although I'm new around here. One of the best things to do is focus before you get there. Determine and purpose your heart that you will eat healthier. If you have made up your mind before you get to the meal, you won't feel as "tempted" by the unhealthy items that are there.
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90 lbs. to lose - Yes this changed down 10 lbs!
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2006/11/12, 11:50 AM
I'm always the one cooking the meal for both holidays--don't know how to not do extensive tasting while I cook. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm not that strong.
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2006/11/16, 02:12 PM
Ok, here is a motivator for not eating a lot.
http://walking.about.com/library/cal/blthanksgivingcalories.htm?
:cool:
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2006/11/16, 02:26 PM
"3668 calories. You will need to walk 36.68 miles, 59.16 kilometers, or 73360 steps, assuming you cover one mile in 2,000 steps."
WOW....and that was 1/2 cup servings...and stuff got left out....THAT certainly does put things in perspective....thanks pooh
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2006/11/16, 02:48 PM
I tell people "Just because my pumpkin pie cheesecake is low fat does not mean you should have 2 pieces."
Just because something is healthy like green beans,spinach, sweet potatoes, doesn't mean its ok to have double simply because it's a holiday. Most people don't think about that.
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2006/11/16, 03:38 PM
Yeah, like my lemon cheesecake wasn't on there, or deviled eggs.
Maybe we should start a holiday tradition list. When my wife and I first got married, I went to her mom's for Thanksgiving. I asked her where the deviled eggs were, and she said no one made them because that was her ex-stepdad's responsibility. Now it is mine.
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2006/11/18, 09:54 AM
It is amazing how many calories you can eat at one sitting, isn't it?
There are a lot of foods that we eat because of tradition that we otherwise probably would never eat. Think about that and decide what you really enjoy and what you are eating out of obligation.
A typical Thanksgiving at my parent's house looks like this :
Someone brings a cheese plate and crackers (because there obviously won't be enough to eat at dinner)
Turkey - not bad, stick with the white meat, or at least remove thye skin from the dark meat before you eat it.
Mashed potatoes - Da makes the with butter and milk. I usually pass on these because I have already had them (without the butter and whole milk) at my own brunch meal that I host for my husband's family.
Gravy - Da makes it full fat, so again, I usually pass, I had my fat-reduced gravy earlier
Lima beans with sour cream and bacon dressing. These are the bomb, so i have to have a little. Once a year, right?
pearl onions in rich cream sauce. Yuck. I quit eating these a few years ago when i finally realized that lightening would not strike me down for not-eating every traditional food.
Stuffing - my da makes the best stuffing ever with chestnuts and pears. If he makes this kind, I am on it. If he cheats and makes plain bread stuffing, not worth it. I ate stuffing earlier (I make a great stuffing with fruit and sausage in it)
Mincemeat pie - don't like it, pass
Pumpkin pie - chances are I had a slice earlier, probably pass
SO - that is at my folks' house...at my house I cook -
turkey
stuffing - whole wheat bread, sausage, cranberries, maybe pear, celery, chicken broth, onion...
mashed potatoes, made with broth
gravy - reduced fat
sweet potatoes - either mashed or streusel with nuts and maple syrup
green beans, steamed and topped with olive oil/lemon pepper and maybe almond slices
We usually have a little veggie tray, too with celery, green onions, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green olives, sweet pickles, lowfat or fatfree dip for the veggies
dessert is pumpkin pie,with redi-whip and sometimes I make a cherry pie for my fatehr-in-law, it is his favorite.
Anyhow - just remember - moderation and try to get a workout in before the big meal - I am going to prep the turkey and put it in to bake, then head to the gym.
Maybe inbetwen brunch and dinner I will get a walk in. That is really wishful thinking....:)
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There is more to us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.
Kurt Hahn
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2006/11/18, 02:44 PM
I totally forgot the cranberries!! 2 kinds at my parents' house, only jellied at my house :):)
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There is more to us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.
Kurt Hahn
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2006/11/22, 05:20 PM
I just drink lots of water and lots of coffee lol! I also try to go for walks, play a little golf, horeshoes or something like that. Anything for me that keeps me from cursing the kitchen on a regular basis is good. I also try to work hard in the weight room in the days leading up to the holiday so much so that I am sore. The soreness is a constant reminder of my goals and helps me stay focused. Good Luck.
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Your body will react to what your mind sees. Make sure your mind focuses on the target you want to reach.
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2006/11/23, 12:54 AM
LOL! :laugh:
No offense raiderfan, but I think you meant cruising the kitchen.
I often curse the kitchen, but that's a whole nother thread.
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90 lbs. to lose - Yes this changed down 10 lbs!
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