[Phoenix301]

Making Christmas candies is a tradition at my house. My mother and I made a second batch of peanut butter fudge last night because my family ate the first batch in something like a weeks time, and I know I had a large part in eating it. We've made a ton of other things too, like buckeyes, peppermint patties, berry patties, and something made from crackers, caramel and chocolate on top, rum balls, and more goodies are on the way..

They almost all have the same base.. SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR! and BUTTER! I've never helped make the fudge until last night, and nutritionally, it's diabolical.. 4 cups of sugar, 2 sticks of butter, a can of sweetened condensed milk, a cup of peanut butter and around a cup of marshmallow cream. Buckeyes aren't any better.. 2 cups of peanut butter, something like 5 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 1/5 sticks of butter, not to mention the chocolate you dip it in. Now obviously one person isn't eating all this but, it's certainly not good for you!!! But I can't stop eating it, and I can't get away from it.. I live here and I really do enjoy making them and the family time. Ahhhg why do I do this to myself? Does anyone else have this sort of tradition? How do you keep yourself from snitching, or otherwise having too much? Lord knows I can't have just one bite..

[nationalparker]

There is no trick - if you can't stop at one, you can't start with that one...which stinks when it's something YUMMY. But if you CAN enjoy ONE treat every other day or so, maybe enjoy it early in the day and then that's IT ... you don't have it tempting you all day and wondering when you're going to have it - I'm struggling with this with the biscotti I made ... it's a bit healthier but not much...
Good luck - a tough challenge!

[Krizstyling]

Have to agree with National. There is no trick. You either don't eat or you do.

My mother and I are making our chocolate/peanut butter candy this week and I can't wait! This time, we are using regular almond chocolate bark but we are using light peanut butter and i can't believe it's not butter...I won't be eating any but she wants to try it out to see how it tastes. =)

I have a goal and I do NOT want to be part of the statistic of those people who gain 5-15 pounds during this season. It is MUCH harder to get off the second time around. I just keep reminding myself of that and keep it moving!

If you'd like some healthier dessert options to make, try this site: http://www.skinnytaste.com/search/la...sert%20Recipes - There's everything from fudge balls, skinny red velvet cupcakes, all diff kinds of cakes and pies...and all with 50% + less fat/calories than regularly! She even posts skinny rice krispie treats!

The key is choosing one or two and making those and not going overboard if you are going to have one or two. When you eat the things you and your mom are making, they basically equal one whole meal!! Trust me, I know, my mom loves making those. I wouldn't dare eat one in fear of putting on weight. AT THIS POINT. Maybe once I reach my goal. But the only thing you can do now is pick yourself up and start anew tomorrow!

We all fall off sometimes, just hop back on! You can do this!!

We are also going to try and make the zucchini cake and fudgy snow balls. They look YUMMY and they have the caloric intake as well as weight watchers points.

ps. I went to school at OU for a year before transferring and MMMMMMMM @ Buckeyes!!! I can't even imagine!!!

[annieoh]

I have to chime in and agree: if you can't stop with one, don't have that one.

One thing we do here to help us stop after one is immediately put everything into "serving size" baggies. So we have a bowl of cookies in the kitchen, each snack baggie containing the two cookies that are our daily allotment. When we've had our two, we're done ... and if we decide to have more, we have to go pull a baggie, with a new date on it, and eat that knowing that we've now eaten tomorrow's cookies too. Sad day!

It really does cut down on snacking.

[LiannaKole]

Actually, my family does something like this every year. They make the most delicious cookies, fudge, and treats! Usually I pig out - not this year! I only had a little of one healthy cookie (the only non-sugar, just oats and nuts and honey cookie in the joint) and the rest of the day salads that people had brought (yummy!).

I knew I couldn't just have one or two - I'd go overboard when I got too busy or tired. Sometimes I just have to say no to everything. People tend not to understand that, but then you're not doing it for them.

But one thing I might do that I've done with candy or something in the past is plan on a treat one day that week. I'll estimate or calculate the calorie count in like 1-2 cookies, set them aside for my treat day, and incorporate them into my food plan for that day.

Good luck!

[audri8301]

annieoh - That's actually a really good idea. For some reason when things are portioned out in individual servings it seems so much easier to just have one.

If annieoh's idea doesn't work for you I think I would have to say go with what the others have said, don't have any.

[Phoenix301]

All I have to say to the most of you is.. ouch. I'm not going to lie, that really wasn't what I was wanting to hear. I do appreciate that you all are willing to give some tough love, it was just a little overwhelming is all. I mean, you have to realize that while it may be SIMPLE as 'don't eat any', that doesn't mean it's EASY to do. Look at weight loss in it's entirety..It's pretty simple isn't it? Eat less and healthier, work out leads to losing weight. But it's certainly not easy. I really like annieoh's idea, and I have been trying to implement this into what I am doing. I am trying to think of this stuff as a dessert rather than candy, and limit myself. When I eat candy like it's well..candy.. I go crazy and just eat and eat it, but if I have some sweets to finish a meal I'm not likely to just eat it. I'm already feeling satisfied and a little bit just sort of tops off the meal rather than being part of a snack or something. It's not like I don't want to have a little.. We don't make these things any other time of the year.., it's just the controlling it part. I personally feel like to deny myself anything at all is setting myself up to fail. It's trying to be perfect, aka, inhuman. I mean come on, it's a tradition. We've done this since I was like 12 years old. I'm practically expected to at least taste the things I am making.