I started eating better on 11/10/06; with the holiday aproaching what do you do to keep from over eating? I am cooking so I am trying to make as much or the food low fat and sugar as I can but it is still a ton of food. I plan to send left over pies, cookies, cake etc. out of my house. Luckily it is my dad's birthday so I can send the sweets home with him and tell him I only got them for him. I am doing so well with my diet I really don't want to blow it. Especially since I an nearing the weight that I usually do. I have yoyoed between 190 and 180. when I get to 180 I seem to lose control. I am at 182 now so I really want to get past it. Any advise for the holiday?

The holidays are tough. The year I was actively losing weight, I allowed myself the actual holiday meals - Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner. These are really once a year treats, so I ate my mom's cooking (sweet potato casserole with the pecan/brown sugar/butter/coconut topping mmm) and had a slice of pie for dessert.

I did not let either holiday turn into a week of holiday eating (I used to spend Christmas in an eggnog coma). Except for those meals, I stayed on plan. It was tough, but I was extremely committed and motivated AND I had the holiday meals to look forward to. I just told myself in advance that I WAS going to stick to it and I was NOT going to eat anything I didn't want to eat.

Just take that one day off, at the end of it chuck all non-"diet" food away or send it home with people. The day after, do the same as you did the day before thanksgiving.

HoliDAYS not holiMONTHS (love that btw!)

You might want to try and get a nice walk in on thanksgiving day.

Personally I wouldn't sweat it too much over one day, but if you think you can't do a day off without going bonkers then just limit it to the dinner. Have a healthy breakfast, then take your thanksgiving meal and only have one plateful, fill it with plenty of boiled/steamed veggies and lean turkey, have a few of the trimmings that you love, then have a small slice of pie and be satisfied.

I'm planning to have a healthy Christmas this year by filling up with plenty of veggies plenty of turkey and the minimum amount of crispy roast veg!

I agree, thanksgiving is tough on a diet, my suggestion is similar to the others on here, realize that one day won't totally throw you off, and just decide to have one plate of food, not 2nds and 3rds, and fill it up mostly with the healthier stuff first and just smaller amounts of the fatty/sugary stuff. good luck, to ALL OF US!!!

...Keep Busy!

Focus on all the non-food parts of the holidays. Trees, decorations, church, crackers, gifts (homemade for extra distraction AND the feelgood factor), winter walks.....

Go back to basics. Write a list of your beliefs/guidelines foodwise and read through them every morning. n the toughest moments, a quick prayer can help. (I'm not being sarcastic..it really can!)

My all family is on diferent diets so is not that hard, just my 2 brothers eat normally, but my mom will make food for every one of us. The dificulties will be on decemeber 25 when i get together with the big family, that day i plan to eat normally, is just a lunch and i will give my candy bag (yes i still get one) to my younger cousins. Hope everyone has a nice and healty holydays