cjohnson728

I was pushing through the grocery store today and noticed the bags of Halloween candy everywhere .

It started me thinking...I would love to hear everyone's tips and tricks for getting through the holidays...Halloween, Thanksgiving...from now till the end of the year, the opportunities to fall off the wagon come thick and fast.

I thought it might be a good idea to throw a thread up for suggestions, frustrations, and accountability, so post away!

efduncan

I have to have some of the candy and at least 2 outrageous meals during the season. I don't mind working out extra or trying to cut out a few calories before and after but...IT'S GOING HAPPEN!
We all go off track sometimes. we just need to plan on getting back on them the next day.
Happy weekend all.

noelminneci

For Halloween, wait until the day of and then buy the candy you like the LEAST! If any leftover, throw it away. Read labels and figure out how long it will take you to work that off, then decide if it is "worth it." If you're going to eat candy, get yourself some GOOD candy, don't waste calories on junk.

almeeker

I think this year I'm going with duct tape over the lips, a mask over the eyes and a clothes pin over the nose, yep that should just about do it. Oh and maybe a pair of handcuffs.

Quite frankly I have no idea how I'm going to get through all of it with my figure intact. I've been thinking about buying a really awesome party dress in a size too small, then I'll have to behave or go naked to the company Christmas party. The hardest part for me is that I'm better than average in the kitchen and have made a tradition out of the "cookie tin". We make them for everybody, and I don't think a box of homemade soap or candles will get quite the same reception... Recently the kids have taken up jewelry making, so maybe we'll go that direction.

dan-anderson

I have no plans of staying "on track" on Christmas or Thanksgiving (or my birthday).

I should get 3 days a year without rules. But I don't "cheat" otherwise.

For Halloween, Almond Joy's were always my favorite anyway - and I can make a mean coconut oil "almond joy" that I can easily fit into my plan.

nru1286

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and here are my musings:

Halloween:

I don't need candy. I really don't. And I'm just going to keep telling myself that. I don't think it's going to be too hard; I've been almost a month without it anyway. Instead, I'll reach for a Skinny Cow...my guilty pleasure.

Thanksgiving:

White meat turkey, no skin
whole wheat stuffing baked outside the turkey, preferably with craisins, rosemary, and water chestnuts. It's delicious!
Mashed potatoes for us are made with skim milk and no butter. No problem for me there
Asparagus
String Beans (possibly)
No gravy (no big deal)
Dessert: fat-free pumpkin mousse. I think you can find the recipe at Very Best Baking - NESTLE - Welcome under Libby's Pumpkin Recipes.

Christmas:

A bit harder, I will admit. I am the baker in the family, so I will need a bit more willpower to get through this. I will still make my regular cookies, but I found a recipe for biscotti in a weight watchers cookbook that looks delicious, and is only 50 some calories for one cookie. I'm pretty good at not tasting what I make, or as I'm making it. That's what I have family and friends for! Though, I may allow myself to have a chocolate chip cookie if I get to a Christmas goal of -30. I doubt it, though.

So, in summation, i think willpower is the key. My doctor put it in perspective for me, though; I used to smoke, and I quit smoking 2 years ago without a glance back. He told me if I can do that, then I have to have some willpower, and I can absolutely get through this. :-)

cjohnson728

nru1286, if it's not too long, could you share the biscotti recipe? I did some last year and it was amazing (in fact, it probably played a role in my January decision to start FitDay!) and I would love to do a lighter recipe this year. If it's too long to post, if you could just let me know the name of the cookbook, I'll hunt it down.

I hear you and almeeker loud and clear...there are a lot of cookies that I am the only one in the family who has the patience and equipment, in some cases, to do them, so...maybe bake 'em and get 'em out the door.

As a last resort, I have had my 13-year-old hide things and that works really well. Although at Thanksgiving we travel to the House of Schizophrenic Food (my sister's on WW and healthy, and my mom is a junk food junkie and they live together), so there really is no alternative other than self-control that week.

colliegirl24

We buy the full sized candy bars at Costco for Halloween. (we live in an older neighborhood, not as many trick or treaters) I'm less likely to eat them the way I do the fun size, where 1 turns into 2 then 3 then 4...
Anything left over goes to my boys in college.

almeeker

cj, I'm soooo with you on the food confusion. I feel for my MIL, she has 3 children, one's a vegan, one's a diabetic and one has high cholesterol. Which would be bad enough except that when you add in her in-law children and grand children she also has to deal with a carnivore, a couple of carboholics, a myriad of fussy/picky issues and life threatening food allergies. Maybe I'll take a veggie tray and some pickles to keep me on track. On a positive note, she doesn't over-do the quantity of food she prepares, so once the "family dinner" is over we're not all eating and eating until it's gone. My own mother would cook the house if she could get it in the oven, my poor dad ends up living on leftovers between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

mtlgirl

Cassie, this is a great idea for a thread!

I have noticed a pattern for myself. When I go to a dinner party or a restaurant, if I plan what I will allow myself to indulge in ahead of time, fit in an extra workout before I go and then stick to the plan I am fine. I will be back in the swing of things the very next morning BUT if I go into the festivities without a plan I am screwed. Also if the diversion lasts more than ONE day, it is much much harder for me to get back on track the very next morning.

My tactic this holiday season will be to plan ahead as much as possible or at least set down some ground rules I can follow like:

1. I can indulge in a bigger meal but no bread and no nibbly things before the meal, unless there's a raw veggie platter on the appetizer table. Avoiding all the extra calories around the meal helps me a lot. During the meal, stocking my plate up with vegetables is also a good tactic.

2. Other than a glass of wine or two, no other beverages. No soda, no egg nog, no cocktails. I will not drink my calories.

3. I can have one dessert so I choose carefully. Will it be my aunt's shortbread? Or my sister's pumpkin pie? I get only one but I savor every bite.

4. I am kind and forgiving to myself. Beating myself up about holiday treats is totally counter-productive. I have to celebrate all of my successes and go into the event with a calm and confident approach.

5. I have to know what I am wearing ahead of time. I know this may sound trivial but if I have to make a single wardrobe decision, on the day of the celebration, I might set myself up for a fashion crisis. If I have to try on a bunch of things and hate how I look in something, I won't go into the festivities feeling calm and confident. I might be feeling insecure and that will definitely lead to drowning my sorrows in food.

Those are my 5 golden rules for Christmas and Thanksgiving. As for Halloween, I buy mini candy bars for the kids and if there are any leftovers I give them away that night. I don't keep them in the house. I personally don't find Halloween that difficult.

Thanks to Everyone for all the tips! This really is a smart thread. Just knowing you all are here is reassuring and boosts my own confidence this holiday season.