[boaterswife]

...are you ready? How are you going to make it through the day that tends to focus on eating?

Here's my plan: So far this week (my week begins directly after my Saturday morning weigh-in) I've treated this like any other week. I've used my elliptical every day, and eaten as I normally would, tracking all the points. I've not used any flex points, but that's typical for me. I tend to have plenty to eat on my 26 points without using them, occasionally I use just 2 or 3. There is a WW meeting on Wednesday morning that I go to when I'm off work, and I will go tomorrow. The leader is a lot of fun and very inspirational! I thought that extra boost the day before turkey day would be beneficial! Lastly, I plan to eat smart on Thursday! At Saturday's meeting we went through what all the points are for the normal feast items, and calculated how many points our individual plates would most likely contain. I think this is doable! I'm hoping to hold on to this determination and make it through Thanksgiving using no more than 5-10 flex points. I also intend to go to my normally scheduled meeting on Saturday morning, AND WEIGH IN!

I hope all of you are thinking of a plan, and best of luck to you!

[BluePapillon]

I'm definitely going to my meeting this Saturday morning. I need to stay accountable to myself for anything that I put in my mouth - I think I will do okay with Thanksgiving. I'm not sweating it

[freeda]

I think I'm pretty lucky when it comes to holidays like this, because some things I can't eat because of my IBS, and other things (like turkey) I just don't like.

The desserts will be difficult, but I should have enough flex's to go around. The real thing that will get me is the traveling and eating on the road. I'm bringing 100 cal packs to snack on the road, and some bananas.

[Katiecat]

Hi...I haven't posted with this group before, but I've been on 3FC for quite a while, and I am on WW Anyway, I posted this on another thread, but thought it might be appropriate for this one, too...

Our WW leader does a little game every year with his groups right before Thanksgiving. He hands out paper plates, and tells everyone to write down everything they ate last Thanksgiving. He goes through each part of the meal: how many handfuls of mixed nuts did you nibble? How many glasses of wine or mixed drinks? How much spinach dip? Cheese and crackers? And that's just appetizers. How many helpings of turkey? Stuffing (1/2 C is one serving, so how many servings did you have)? Gravy, mashed potatoes, rolls, butter, green bean casserole...then pie, fruit salad, whipped cream...and this doesn't even count the turkey sandwiches and stuff people nosh on later at night.

So THEN...he goes through and gives points for each and every item on the list.
1/2 C stuffing -- 4 points
1/4 C spinach dip (regular, not low fat, and not counting bread to dip) -- 5 points
1 oz mixed nuts (about one small handful) -- 4 points
1 slice pumpkin pie (1/8 of the pie) -- 8 points
1 slice pecan pie (1/8 of the pie) -- 8-16 points
1 Tbsp butter -- 3 points
1/2 C mashed potatoes -- 2 points
4 oz turkey breast -- 3 points (and did I really have only 4 oz?)

When people added up their totals, there were shocked gasps all around the room. Lots of the new members that weren't on WW last year had totals well over 100 points, some close to 200. Even most of the hard core diligent members had totals over 40 or 50. At my weight, I'm supposed to eat 30 points per day. And these point totals are for one meal -- not breakfast, or late night nibbling.

So...survival strategies:

1. Lighten up any recipe that you can. For example, I have to make the green bean casserole for Tim. But I use 98% fat free mushroom soup, no milk (I thin the sauce with liquid from the green beans when I drain them), and I only use 2/3 cup of the dreaded french fried onions (1/3 C in the casserole, and 1/3 sprinkled on top), instead of 1 1/3 cup that the recipe calls for. I use lowfat sour cream and nonfat yogurt in my dip recipe, and have veggies for dipping (carrot, celery, red pepper strips, broccoli, mushrooms) instead of chips, bread, or crackers. I use fat free evaporated milk in my pumpkin pie and you can't tell the difference at all.

2. Figure out what you really want to eat. Some things are special, and maybe you only get them once a year: pumpkin pie, stuffing, cranberry sauce, your sister's wonderful fruit salad. Those are the things you look forward to the most, so you should have them and enjoy them. But lots of things are not really all that important or special. You can have mashed potatoes, potato chips, mixed nuts, dinner rolls, etc any time of the year. Do I really need butter on the rolls I do have? Or butter on potatoes, if I'm having gravy, too? Forget the things you don't care that much about. I don't really care all that much about pie crust (I know lots of people love it, though!) But since it's no big deal for me, I usually pour some of the pumpkin pie filling (there's always too much for the pie shell anyway) into a oven proof dish, and bake it as a pumpkin custard for me. Why eat the crust, and all those calories and fat if I don't care about it?

3. If you are having the holiday meal at your house, pack up and refrigerate leftovers right away for each family to take home -- especially the fattening stuff. You can save the nice lean turkey breast for yourself!

So, I know I will go over my 30 point total this Thanksgiving, but it will not be ridiculous and out of control.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday with your family and friends,