My own plan is to hit the eating plan and exercise hard between holiday meals, and to eat in moderation at those meals/parties but really nothing is off limits.
The issue for me is differentiating between holiday meals and the holiday SEASON. Meals and parties are self-contained, the season just goes on and on and on.
My main issue during the holiday season is the junk food in the break room at work. Candy, baked goods, you name it. Work is stressful and I tend to have a natural slump in the afternoon and at that point just setting sight on those foods is enough for me to give in. Instant stress relief. Wish it wasn't so, but it is a real struggle for me.
Planning makes a huge difference for me. Bringing my own meals and snacks and avoiding the breakroom seems like a smart option for me.
Since I cook the Thanksgiving meal, I could lighten it, but then my family would hate me. I've learned that you simply can't mess with my children's holiday traditions or menus. I will add a green salad and some unadulterated veggies, but otherwise we will have the usual culprits. I always send 99% of the leftovers home with others, so that helps.
I’ve *got* to jump in here because this has been a real light bulb thread for me.
What caught my attention was the convergence of two themes: planning and visualizing. Or, do put it another way, doing and thinking.
Up to this point, they’ve been totally different concepts in my mind. When I’ve been in my “planning” phase, I have concentrated on preparation and logistics: I make endless shopping lists and stock every cupboard in sight; I cook and freeze clean food; I make sure I have water and snacks at the ready, whether it be in the car, at my desk or at home. In other words, I do, do, do. But now I’m realizing that it’s just as important – maybe more important -- to think, think, think.
Several of you alluded to this. Karen said, “In other words, no matter HOW you slice it, or WHO says it - whether it be Meg, myself, Rosemary Green, Dr. Phil, or 'prochaska,norcross, diclemente', it comes down to the same practice - PLANNING AHEAD and HAVING A STRATEGY IN PLACE.”
And then Jan said, “The difference to me this time is mentally practicing the plan rather than merely making the plan. It’s one thing for me to say 'I am only going to take a small piece of pie this year' to actively picturing this in my mind and practicing it several times.”
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh.
LIGHT BULB FLASH.
I can be the queen bee of busy, but if I haven’t figured out how I’m going to cope with various situations, it’s pretty useless.
In other words, it’s sort of like life on the V-8 plan. Remember those commercials in which somebody inhales a calorie-laden piece of junk, then smacks his/her forehead and proclaims, “I could have had a V-8!”
That’s me. I never think of the V-8 or the alternative strategy until it’s too late. So, I went looking for advice on visualizing and found a great couple of paragraphs in one of my favorite books: In Pursuit of Excellence by Terry Orlick, who works with athletes and others.
Here’s what he says:
“Real world simulation prepares you to overcome all kinds of potential distractions. Think of the kinds of things that happen or might happen in the big meets or key games or on important missions. Introduce them into your practice setting. Some things that cannot be replicated in practice can be simulated through mental imagery, so at least you have worked through an effective response in your mind.
“Introduce the expected. Enter the gym arena, warm up, and play your game or run through your events just as you would in competition. Bring in judges, officials, cameras and, where possible, athletes to compete with. Run through your event, program or game in uniform, in the rain, in the sun, in the heat, in the cold, when tired, when fresh, after eating, after missing a meal, in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening. Practice overcoming difficult offenses and defenses, false starts, someone passing you on the inside late in the run, coming off the bench or coming on strong toward the final three-quarters of the race or game, even though have slipped behind. Introduce the sound of applause or PA announcements just when you are beginning an approach or are halfway through a routine. Warm up on your own and run through your events on your own, without your coach being there.
“Have your coach, close friends or other athletes introduce some expected ‘unexpected’ changes that you must adapt to. For example, the coach can tell you that you have an hour to warm up, only to start the competition in 15 minutes instead; she can change the lineup, offense, defense, or order of events at the last minute; she can bring in judges, unfair officials, important evaluators, cameras, lights, and so on. You can practice being calm, focused and in control under all these simulated conditions.”
To which I would say:
“Introduce the expected. Enter the kitchen, cook your food and run through your meal as you do every day. Then, take your mealtime (but not your home-cooked food) on the road. Strategize as you eat in restaurants, at fast-food joints, at your mother’s/father’s/aunt’s/girlfriend/s house, in the rain, in the sun, in the heat, in the cold, when tired, when fresh, when starving, after missing a meal, in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening. Practice overcoming difficult offenses and defenses (you really *must* try this dessert), false starts (I’m not in the mood to have egg whites for breakfast; I’ll have a muffin), or bouncing back after a slip. Introduce the sound of applause for every pound lost and then the sniping of the envious. Warm up on your own and make the best possible choices you can when you can't be sure what's in a given dish and you don't know when you'll have an opportunity eat something clean.
“Introduce some expected ‘unexpected’ changes that you must adapt to. For example, prepare to go to a dinner party at which you’re expecting a full meal only to discover a buffet of appetizers; mentally prepare for long dull meetings and circling sugar sharks; visualize late-afternoon slumps, office parties, hormonal swings, big fights, little fights, all kinds of stress, and sheer screaming boredom. You can practice being calm, focused and in control under all these simulated conditions.”
I’m beginning training today. In my next life, I’m going to be a multi-million-dollar quarterback!
The problem with visualizing, is that sometimes I start drooling
Actually, the technique works really well. I've gotten through quite a few social gatherings where the offerings really weren't worth the calories, or I knew that I wanted to stop at ONE glass of wine by mentally walking through the process and the possible scenarios.
Visualize, plan, plan for plan B, visualize plan B and C!
I had the same light-bulb moment when I read that idea too. Today I have been picturing various holiday events, and visualizing my actions at them. I have not been focusing too much on the actual food however, LOL, because of the drooling problem Mel mentioned. I have been concentrating more on my actions, how I want and intend to be, wearing nice clothes, being poised and in command of my eating, sitting, walking, and eating less. Putting my partially eaten plate down and walking away. Tasting food bits rather than consuming lots of it. Sipping limited good wine. Being at the party to socialize rather than to eat. Interacting with people, laughing and talking, not being first or waiting in the food line trying to figure out how to get more than my share, or feeling sad because someone got a bigger piece of pie than me. Making it a joyous holiday event rather than just another meal. Caring more about the people than the food.
I really like your visual Jan, but I especially like this line....Caring more about the people than the food. I WILL use that one during the Holidays....
Something I like to do is to wear something on the snuggish side so that I have no choice but to eat lightly because if I bloat it will show!
Thanks Ilene. I also like to wear something snuggish (but not tight) to gatherings. It reminds me that I dont want to eat too much. You know, even though I enjoy holiday parties very much, I had never specifically thought about valuing the people more than the food before. Of course I did, but the food was very important too. I now want it to be less so.
I really liked the visual party planning so much, today I decided to visualize daily eating/living as well. I pictured myself in my own home waiting for physical hunger before eating, preparing vegetables and lean meals, etc, and slowly melting away.
I know it's only a coincidence, but the scale gave me a 2 pound loss today. Of course it owed me, LOL.
Something I like to do is to wear something on the snuggish side so that I have no choice but to eat lightly because if I bloat it will show!
That, too
Also I forgot about my secret weapon - my mom will be at the table. After 35 years (since I was a chubby 7 year old) it's ingrained in her to keep tabs on what is on my plate and what/how much goes into my piehole (thought that would be a suitable term for T-Giving!). Even at the age of 63 and after battling both breast and cervical cancer, I'm proud to say that my Mom is still a gorgeous woman (obviously Dad thinks so too; they'll be celebrating their 44th wedding anniversary in March!) with the figure and energy of a woman half her age. But I digress... as usual.
For the season itself - the 'killer eating fest' between Halloween and New Year's - I don't bake, or at least not very often (I did promise Jim at least one cranberry loaf this year though, so I gotta deliver on that...). If by chance I'm asked to bring a baked good (or should we call them, baked bads? ), like today - I'll just pop over to the bakery and purchase whatever. We have a LOT of very, VERY good bakeries here in the Bay Area - much better than anything I can create (Emeril I ain't!). If I'm REALLY lucky, I can find something suitable that has coconut or white chocolate, neither of which I care for.
It's 6:30 here in Cali now and I'll be heading to the gym in a few minutes - part of my traditional Turkey day is to get in an optimal workout. Later in the morning, I'm planning on saddling up Dakota and hacking for awhile - it's a GORGEOUS day here in the Bay Area, too nice to just sit around and watch the Macy's parade on TV, I'm sure you'll agree!
Have a wonderful day, everyone...whether you're in the States giving thanks or elsewhere in the world - ENJOY YOUR DAY.
Just did 50 minutes of cardio and had my oatmeal and whey, just like normal. Fortunately my mother in law is doing the cooking and she cooks reasonably healthy fare. I plan on having just turkey and veggies for the main meal, but we are bringing some yummy handmade pies from whole foods and I do plan on at least tasting the apple crunch pie. (I'm not a big pie person in general, but this looks GOOD).
Hi all, I hope you all enjoyed your holiday. It was absolutely gorgeous here today in coastal so. california too. Sunny and warm, but not hot. We even ate our feast outside this afternoon. Very comfortable.
Thanksgiving went very well today, but not totally as planned. I spent part of the morning cooking my dish, then at about noon went to my friends' home. I had only had breakfast and a snack and had intended to eat a small amount before I left, but forgot. Oh well. We ate about 2pm and I was ready.
I wore a very nice outfit, not snug, but new (to me anyway). I thought I looked very good. What I decided was important for me was to be aware of my body in my clothes, and this outfit did that. I wore a long, flowing pair of pants made of light rayon and I felt them on my legs as I moved. I felt very graceful and aware of my movements in a good way. I was carrying myself as I had visualized.
I was much more aware of the people present and talking and joking etc with them. Although I was helping in the kitchen (we all were in there), I was aware that the food was not as important as it used to be to me. And it was good food too. It was the people and the holiday that mattered today. You can cook a turkey and the fixings any day.
At the meal, which was casually outdoors, we all ate and drank in moderation. I put relatively small but adequate amounts of my favorites on my plate with only token gravy, and ate them. (dark meat turkey, potato, veggie stuffing, and one tiny slice sweet potato to taste, and green salad) Others (the 3 men) had served themselves about twice as much. My anorexic friend served herself less than me, but what would you expect. I ate mine slowly and with great relish. I had seconds on the green salad with avocados but no seconds on anything else. 2 of the men had ample seconds.
Then came dessert. I had envisioned asking for a piece to take home for later. But out of the blue a very thin arm reached over my left shoulder and unexpectedly placed a 2 inch piece of homemade pumpkin pie right in front of me. It really surprised me. No one even had asked if I wanted any. I said to myself, 'oh well', put some good vanilla icecream on top of it, and enjoyed the heck out of it. I guess this was the 'something unexpected' that happened. It could have been worse. I would have eaten it at home later anyway.
In general I am very satisfied with how Thanksgiving went. Good weather, good people, with good food and drink. And there will be no more food today. I also didnt eat to fullness but rather to satisfaction. And no bread or butter or appetizers were served. I ate more than a diet day, but probably not enough to have gained from it, or if so, not very much. Though who knows what that unscrupulous piece of lying metal will say in the morning. It imagines things sometimes.
Hopefully the rest of this eating season will go the same way.
I did well - slice of turkey, dollop of sweet potatoes and a pile of peas (I love peas!). We had four pies and I took a tiny piece of each (totalling one normal slice) because I had to try them all. Quite yummy!!
), like today - I'll just pop over to the bakery and purchase whatever. We have a LOT of very, VERY good bakeries here in the Bay Area - much better than anything I can create (Emeril I ain't!). If I'm REALLY lucky, I can find something suitable that has coconut or white chocolate, neither of which I care for.
