Did you splurge if you were on Phase II? I'm not worried about Halloween, but Thanksgiving is a worry because we go out to eat at a relative's place. I'm on Phase II and will still be on it when we have Thanksgiving. I've been debating eating Phase threeish for just that day but I'm worried about setting off a whole year's worth of unrestricted eating, lol.

I personally eat P2, but I usually have the luxury of helping to prepare the food. It could certainly be more tricky going to someone elses house. I went through my first set of holidays, both Thanksgiving and Christmas, both on plan. I was a bit nervous going into those holidays because the year before I had been doing really well...down to my lowest weight to date, and I started on a roll which lasted from Thanksgiving until the first week of May when I was disgusted enough to really decide to make a change.

I suppose you've been to this relative's house before, so you are able to have an idea ahead of time what will be on the table. I think desserts are the hardest. Could you bring something?

Great idea, thinking and planning ahead!

Thanks Debbie. I can have 10-15 grapes for dessert, avoid the stuffing and such. I'll eat the Turkey, drink water or milk (!%) and have my grapes and call it a day.

Oh NOOO! How am I going to skip the dressing with the turkey??? Panicked!

Lol wesley! Turkey is good plain, there'll be other Thanksgivings!

Here is a similar thread: Making This Work in Real Life

During my losing year I stayed on plan through the holidays. At that point the weight was really coming off and I was so pumped I didn't want to do anything to jeopardize my success. My DW is diabetic and we are vegetarian so I brought an entree we could eat (eggplant lasagna) and my Mom had plenty of vegetable sides that everyone could enjoy. I had Greek yogurt and fruit if I wanted dessert but by then I wasn't used to force feeding myself huge meals anymore so I didn't even want anything after dinner. I love big meals but I no longer like that overfull feeling that used to be part of "special" meals.

My maintenance isn't much different from the Phase 1.5-2 I followed to lose so not much has changed. My one indulgence at Christmas is one each of my Mom's homemade cookies. I think that was 4 cookies over a 2 day period last year. I decided long ago not to waste my calories on store bought or pre-made junk so I only eat those she makes from scratch. I plan with my Mom so that everything else in our meals has alternatives that everyone can eat.

I have been lucky because my family has made some healthy changes to their diet over the years. I never lecture, I just plan and bring things I love. My success, both weight loss and improved health, and the yummy food choices I have, changed the way my family eats a little. This year my Mom is asking everyone what their favorite cookie is and she will just make a couple of varieties. My Mom has lost about 30 lbs in the last couple of years, and DW is a regular exerciser and has lost weight too. My Dad will eat what my Mom prepares Over the last three years most of the food on the table has morphed to healthier variations - whole grains, less fat, less or no sugar. There is still lots of food ( we are Italian, we could feed several other families with our leftovers!) and it all tastes great, but most of it is healthier and no one is aiming for grossly overstuffed. I also make sure i have an exercise plan, either walking or a hotel with a fitness room.

I guess deep inside I'm still a spoiled child.
The holidays only come once a year!

I ate what I wanted on Thanksgiving day and Christmas day. I was strictly on plan during the weeks leading up to the holidays, though. I was so pleased with the weight I'd lost, and I'd been faithful through all the holiday parties, so I really didn't feel like overeating on Thanksgiving or Christmas day. I sure enjoyed knowing I could have "just a little taste" of things I'd been avoiding, though. I said "No thanks" to lots of things but I didn't feel like I was missing out on the holiday treats. And to tell you the truth, a lot of things I'd been looking forward to really didn't tempt me. Eating well had already started to change my tastes.

I plan to do the same this holiday season.

Thank you all for your responses. It's been very informative! I plan on sticking to Phase II on Turkey day because I have just started my journey and I want to see how much I'll lose in 3mths with no "cheats".

Great thread! Last year I did not restart SB until after the holidays. I have no idea yet what I will do this year. I really, really would like to stay on track but, oh the food those days!

Fortunately (unfortunately?), I prepare the vast majority of the foods for Thanksgiving. I guess it's a good thing because I can pick things that are on-plan and still tasty. I do a lot of vegetable sides (roasted root vegetables, brussels sprouts, etc.), I made a cornbread dressing last year that I avoided, but stuffed some delicata squash halves with a wild rice/brown rice mixture that I could enjoy. We had turkey and roast beef, of which I chose one. My mother-in-law was none to happy that I ditched the rolls/bread entirely, but i did because i'm a non-conformist like that for dessert, my sister-in-law brought some pies, but I made a low sugar, flourless apple crisp made with olive oil and a pumpkin cheesecakey thing (both from Kalyn's Kitchen) and they were really delicious.

My biggest thing on Thanksgiving is portion control. I have to force myself to have it even on regular days.

Good point about portion control Zeff!

I am SB'ing this recipe for Thanksgiving this year: http://noblepig.com/2008/10/10/stop-right-there.aspx

Noble Pig is my favorite and her recipes are quite simple to convert.

Heidi-Healthy eating has changed my tastes too. YAY.

I have given myself a few "free" days through the holidays, and in my house those start in October for Kids birthdays. We get two in October, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. That is it. It helps that we are eating away those days, so no tempting leftovers!

The good thing is that it seems that the whole house has had a change in taste buds. Last night was the eldest daughters birthday dinner, and it was good! Filet Mignon, roasted asparagus and salad. Totally on plan YAY. For dessert however she wanted Peanut Butter cheesecake. So I made it, and we all had what would have been a "normal" size slice two months ago. UGH. we all decided that we could have done with half a slice easily, and while it was good, it would have been better a month ago! There is half a cheesecake still in the fridge (eldest daughter and her boyfriend are not on plan) and it is not in the LEAST bit tempting! So because of that change, I think the holidays will be fairly easy.

I wasn't on SouthBeach last year, so I can't say what I did. But, for this year, I'm going to be very moderate with it. We're doing Thanksgiving at my mom's house, and I'm helping to cook everything. So I'll have turkey, green bean casserole, and cauliflower au gratin. Honestly, mashed potatoes were my favorite part of thanksgiving for a LOOOOOONG time (especially the 10+ year I was a vegetarian!) but this year they don't even sound that appealing, as long as I have my backup. I love hawaiian rolls, but will skip them. Might find a recipe for some homemade whole wheat rolls, or just go without. Admittedly, I will have dessert- half a slice of apple pie and half a slice of pumpkin. Only if it's make from fresh apples, not canned. Otherwise, I'll stick with my pumpkin. But- my rule is I get one day. One day to "relax" a little, not a week worth of bad-for-me leftovers.

Xmas will be harder- we're at my in laws in WA, and will be for several days. (eek! loss of control over all available foods!) but my MIL is pretty awesome and understanding. I'll probably cook up some cauliflower au gratin then too, and make sure theres another veggie side. Have that with the meat and I'm set.

Halloween isn't even an issue for me. I liek candy, but it makes me feel pretty sick almost immediately if I have anything more than one fun size.

I'm so happy to see this thread as I'm already preparing for the holidays.
I host one Thanksgiving for my fam & my MIL does dh's side.

MIL's meal won't be hard because, sadly, she cooks everything to death & no one eats much. Of course, that usually mean we all gob on the (jarred) gravy & eat rolls but this year I'm going to volunteer to bring a few extra veg based side dishes.

Dessert. Oh man. I'm thinking of making that sf pumpkin mousse (with the sf vanilla pudding & fat free evap milk) since there is no crust to worry about and then I'm stumped. If anyone has dessert ideas (or links) I'd love to see them!