Have you already decided you will gain fat this holiday season?

[RottenWillow]

This is the time of year everyone talks about weight gain as if it's inevitable.

It's the holidays I am going to get fat.
I'll deal with it in January.

I think we all realize though on some level we don't have to gain fat this time of year. No one is forcing us to consume more calories than we expend, right? We are choosing to eat more, and maybe exercise a bit less.

Maybe we could choose a different path this year though.

It's not easy to pass on all those damn cookies and pies and rich food, but it's possible. And I'll bet making a plan right now about how to approach the "fat season" could make handling it easier.


Here's a few strategies I use during this season:

1)Look at myself nekkid everyday. Winter its so easy to hid in your clothing and not confront what may be happening underneath there. Every morning, check it out. Front and back. There is it. If there's a little extra bulge today, it'll be a heck of a lot easier to rectify than several big bulges in January. Taking a good long look at yourself in the altogether is how you hold yourself responsible.

2)If I know I'll feel obligated to eat more at friends' or relatives' houses, I'll exercise more. How do you pass up food w/o hurting Aunt Edna's feelings? (who BTW is 5'3" and weighs 230lbs) She wouldn't understand. Or maybe it's peer pressure. Everybody else is doing it! Ok I'll have a piece of pumpkin pie. (with 30g of sugar in one little damn slice)



I think we need to brainstorm! I have a few ideas, but I know you ladies can come up with some good ones too. Add some stuff to this ladies. Let's plan now.

 

[musclemom]

Well, the most obvious is stick to your diet otherwise and factor the holiday meals in as your cheat days. We have Thanksgiving, a month later Christmas, most people have at least one or two parties in between there, then one week after Christmas is New Years. If you stay with your diet and exercise plan otherwise you should be reasonably guilt free. It's having Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, then the following Monday someone brings cookies or pie into work and you have some of that, then it's drinks one weekend with friends ... see where I'm going? That stuff adds up.

Bearing that in mind, if you're really worried about slipping, something that is very easy to do, socially acceptable and cuts enormous amounts of calories is not drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a HUGE diet buster. I keep this factoid as a little reminder in my diet journal:

"It has been proven by a study from the New England Journal of Medicine that alcohol slows down the body's metabolism. It states that a person on a 1250 calorie diet, who has ingested 250 calories from alcohol could have reduced their metabolic process by as much as 36%. This indicates your body is handling calories almost forty percent less effectively."

Bear in mind, this slow down effect continues for several hours after the alcohol is metabolized.

So a decision you could make is that whenever you're going to a function where you know you're going to be facing temptation (or family pressure) is stick to drinking water. Declare yourself the designated driver if someone is trying to hand you that glass of mulled wine or eggnog. Not only does alcohol slow your metabolism, it reduces inhibitions and before you know it you're saying yes to that second serving of yule log cake.

Another idea, if you REALLY want to drink, then eat like someone who is allergic to wheat, i.e., if it has bread/flour/breadcrumbs, etc., in it, avoid it. Which generally cuts out cookies, gravy, stuffing, pie and cake, etc. It's not impossible, I've been doing it for years since I am intolerant to wheat. Tell folks you're trying Atkins if they nag you.

If you're doing the meal at your house, you have a huge amount of control over the food prep. Substitute beautifully cooked and presented foods with a strong emphasis on veggies and lean proteins, for high fat traditional treats. Sweet potatoes/yams come to mind right off. Instead of a baked dish loaded with butter, sugar and marshmallows, make mashed sweet potatoes, hold the sugar (bake the potatoes in their skin ahead of time and allow them to cool to peel, which concentrates the potatoe's natural sweetness), reduce the volume of butter, punch up the flavor with spices and butter substitute granules, use low fat milk and top them with chopped roasted pecans. Do a baked apple dish instead of apple pie, make a casserole with little to no sugar, add raisins and/or cranberries, top with nuts and bakable sugar substitute. Make your gravy with pan drippings and cornstarch instead of butter and flour. Start the meal with a veggie based soup, like home-made baked squash, and believe me, nobody will notice they eat less. Oh, and don't forget to have a simple way to send home leftovers with the guests and get that stuff out of your house. There are a ton of sneaky things you can do that no one will notice, but will cut hundreds of calories and make the meal lighter and healthier overall.

My husband had a great suggestion, whenever possible use smaller plates. Amazing the satisfaction a trick of the eye can provide.

If you're going to something like a cocktail party, don't arrive hungry and don't nosh through the night. Get a plate from the beginning, take all the hors d'oeuvres you intend to eat that night and don't take anything else.

Finally, don't keep easy to grab edibles around the house (dishes of nuts and candy). If you put them out for guests clean them up and put them away afterwards.

Yes, I confess I've thought about this subject way too much in my time *sigh*

 

[PhoenixS]

The actual holiday feasts will be cheat days. If there is any other time I usually just say "no thanks".I am on a good program now and seeing awesome results. I don't care how yummy it is and the time of year, I want to stick to my program.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Hell no I noticed some pics already I was putting on pounds put a quick stop to it diet is pretty much 100% on point I will eat whatever I want on Chrismas Day and New Years Eve but that is it tight the rest of the season I gain weight way to easy if I don`t watch like a hawk.

 

[trex74]

For me, it's pretty much all or nothing. I'm one of those people that can't just have one cookie or whatnot...if i have one, i have many many more. I sure wish i could have just one shortbread *sigh*
I think the sugary treats are like an addiction for me, just one starts the craving...

 

[RottenWillow]

For me, it's pretty much all or nothing. I'm one of those people that can't just have one cookie or whatnot...if i have one, i have many many more. I sure wish i could have just one shortbread *sigh*
I think the sugary treats are like an addiction for me, just one starts the craving...

So, knowing that about yourself, is your plan to say no to everything?

 

[RottenWillow]

The primary thing that will blow my clean diet is fatty sauces and cheeses of all sorts. Knowing that I am pretty much like Trex in that if I eat any I'll go crazy with it, my other meals on those "feast" days will be ultra strict. (very lean proteins and raw green veggies only) This in addition to a bit of extra cardio.

 

[trex74]

So, knowing that about yourself, is your plan to say no to everything?

Well, seeing as i'm already bargaining with myself it's for the best that i be strict and just eat mucho lean protein and greens too.
I am not a cheese person, or a sauce lover, or a mashed potato fan, i don't like pies or pastries or cake. so i'm ok for that. what gets me is shortbread, it's what i crave the most at the holidays. butter and sugar..i could literally eat a big tin by myself.