[time2lose]

I guess this just applies to the Americans on the forum.

Have you planned for Thanksgiving and the days surrounding it? I have found that I do so much better when I have a plan.

I am giving myself extra calories and carbs on Thanksgiving day but will pay close attention to the days surrounding it. While losing weight is important to me, finding a way of eating that I can live with forever is more important. I am going to allow myself one roll with butter, a serving of a casserole my mother makes, and a piece of my grandson's birthday cake. I was going to allow myself one serving of mashed potatoes until I learned that we are having instant potatoes which are not worth the calories or carbs.

What is your plan? Post it here now and after the holiday, let us know if you followed it.

[skinnyki]

My pkan for Thanksgiving is to lower my cal intake up to and after Thanksgiving ti allot for a heavy calorie intake.. that way im still within my weekly calorie intake and will still be able to lose something this week and enjoy my favorite foods. That is the plan I will repost on weigh in day to let u know if it works.

[time2lose]

skinnyki, sounds like a great plan to me!

[LaurieDawn]

I am going to Thanksgiving at the bf's parent's house (about a two-hour drive), so am wanting to have them think I eat like a "normal" person. So I will definitely eat some things that I wouldn't normally eat. But I will also eat slowly and enjoy every. single. bite. I will have mashed potatoes. With gravy. And I will eat pie. And if there are two kinds of pie I am dying to eat, I will have small slices of both. But I will also be firmly on plan today and tomorrow, then on Friday. And I will be with the bf all day Thursday, and it's easy to slip into wanting to eat "normally" when I am with him. But I will not worry about what he thinks of my menu choices. I will have on-plan foods that I bring with me, and if we end up eating out for either breakfast or dinner, I will be okay with ordering the "weird foods" at the restaurant that are on-plan for me.

Great thread, Cheryl.

[IanG]

I will be eating my usual salad. Wife has sanctioned it. She and the rest of the family will be eating a traditional meal.

All is good.

[SMSDREAMER2007]

My boyfriends family is coming in for saturday since they all have their spouses families to visit on thursday. I will be home alone since my thanksgiving will be moved until saturday. His family are all big health nuts really so it won't be THAT hard to stay on plan. Ill probably have a little bit of everything but mainly focus on the meats at the table. I can live without mashed potatos but I LOVE candied yams and turkey...Ill have a SMAALLLL portion of stuffing and none of the rolls (They wont be gluten free). Other than that Ill probably have some of the cheesecake but I can forgo pumpkin pie. Im just weird like that. I don't think it will be that hard and if it is? Oops just have some and move on.

[Trazey34]

I've lived thru Thanksgiving in October ha ha!

My plan for the past few years, same with Christmas, is to pick the thing I love the most about the food (for me it's the turkey dinner!!!) and absolutely enjoy every single solitary bite of the bad-for-me-but-don't-care meal!

I do not give myself permission to have a week long free for all LOL I can pass up a so-so cookie knowing I have my mom's STUFFING to look forward to!

I've never been one to replace every ingredient in a traditional food with something fake to make it less calories -- I LOVE THE REAL THING, so I have myself a generous heaping plateful and savour every mouthful!!

I'm so jealous of you guys having turkey today

I heard the best line in a sitcom -- "This is a holiday about food -- we should all be wearing velour track suits and diapers" I died laughing!!

[pamatga]

This was the first Thanksgiving EVER that I did not buy nor have pumpkin pie for dessert. Instead, like others here, I enjoyed every bite of the moist juicy turkey and pre-measured portions of mashed potatoes and gravy and lots and lots of vegetables. I felt empowered. I did not feel deprived at all. I did not bother to make or buy stuffing or cranberry sauce, two of my favorites, because this time next year I want to be in maintenance. A greater goal made it all worth it.

I hope you all enjoyed your company and the day. I felt at peace.




Pam

[time2lose]

I did change my plan a little. The mashed potatoes were instant so I decided to change that item for congealed salad. I am pleased with the way I ate yesterday.

Now the most important part - staying exactly on plan today. That may be hard with all the leftovers around here but it is key to staying in control.

[AllyG47]

My plan was to pig out on Thanksgiving and I stuck to the plan pretty well. I ate two heaping plates of food and even had a second serving of apple pie. So yummy! Thanksgiving only comes once a year so I might as well enjoy it. However, it's only one day and not a whole week. I've gone right back to eating like normal today. The Thanksgiving Day weight gain should be gone by the end of next week. The real challenge will be to avoid the Christmas goodies at least until Christmas Eve. My mom loves to bake cookies and candies and it's hard to resist when the house smells so good.

[activeadventurer]

I had a very pleasant Thanksgiving. We went out to eat. I am very pleased that I insisted on a restaurant where you order from the menu (no all you can eat buffets). I ate very modestly, a little of this and a little of that and thoroughly enjoyed it!

[raebeaR]

I joined friends for Thanksgiving exactly for the reason that I wouldn't have leftovers around to tempt me. I had one plate of everything I wanted with more emphasis on the lean turkey and vegetables and less emphasis on the mashed potatoes/gravy/stuffing components. I had one small slice of pumpkin pie with a little bit of Lite Cool Whip. Enjoyed the wine we had with the meal. And that was that. It was the only meal I ate that day and I was fine with that... back on my regular calorie-counting plan yesterday and today.

[time2lose]

I struggled a little on Friday. There is too many sweets here but I don't control this house. I ate 2 cookies yesterday. Not terrible but more than I should have. Today I am resolving to not eat any sweets. Losing control is a huge fear of mine.

[LaurieDawn]

I was exactly on plan Thanksgiving (the "Thanksgiving plan," anyway), and was excited to get back to eating normally yesterday. But then, my ex-MIL was in town, and offered to take me out to eat at a steakhouse. I went, and I did okay, but I felt really out-of-sorts today. Even though I purposely planned to not have tempting off-plan food in my house, my daughter brought home a huge pan of brownies from work. And not good brownies. And I wanted them all. I ate a little bit, but felt so terrified of spinning out of control that I avoided my house. I asked her if I could give most of them away, and she agreed. Then, I went and had an extended work-out. I feel a little bit better, but still not great.

Deep breath. One day at a time. I went into my office and am getting a little work done. I need to remember that one off-plan meal does have a tendency to spin me out of control. Doesn't mean I shouldn't do it. And if I get back into control, I won't regret it in the slightest. But I have to white knuckle today and tomorrow until I get back into the safety of my workday routine. And I know how to do this! I have strategies. I just have to remember that I am in "will eat anything sweet that is within 10 feet of me" mode and plan accordingly.

Also, off topic, I purchased some "Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride" herbal tea. 0 calories, of course. The ingredients are: milk thistle, roasted barley, orange peel, natural sugar cookie flavor with other natural flavors, and vanilla bean. How weird does this seem? Just brewed some and waiting for it to cool down so I can taste it. =)

Edited to add: The herbal tea was amazing. So surprised. But thrilled to find it. =)