[PatLib]

So, I am doing Paleo for my diet right now. But this question doesn't really have do with what diet you are doing so much what do you do when you go home for the holidays.

No one will be on a diet and I do think it is unfair that I would force everyone to be on a diet. I know a lot of people say just don't worry about but not worrying about it for two weeks is a long time!

My parents would be pretty supportive of me getting my own groceries while I stay with them and letting me eat what I want except for Christmas Day (which I totally intended to be my cheat day anyways).

I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for going away for the holidays and not having a lot of control over your food.

I think getting your own groceries and maybe cooking two side dishes would help but any other suggestions?

[Palestrina]

First, I think you're wrong that you'll be the only one "on a diet." Everybody there will be following some type of diet whether it's pigging out, eating non stop one day and then fasting the next, or loading up on veggies and meat and saving room for dessert, these are all normal diets. I would strongly urge you not to think of yourself as on a diet either because this type of thinking makes you alienate yourself from everyone else when in fact everyone is in the same boat, worrying about extra calories and being swayed by the same delectables as you.

The real dangers of the holidays do not come just on Christmas Day or on Thanksgiving Day. It's also about the leftovers like pie and stuffing and an accumulation of social gatherings where food and drink are bountiful. I avoid Starbucks like the plague all year long but I can't help myself when Gingerbread lattes come around.

What I find works for me during the holidays is compensating behavior. So if I have a latte in the morning I will avoid all carbs for the rest of the day. If I eat too much on thanksgiving I'll make sure to eat extremely lightly the next day, usually just salad and no carbs. It helps me to even things out and to regain some control, it can't be a free for all. You might see other people pigging out on Christmas Day but believe me, the next day they're going easy.

[PatLib]

I guess I was hoping for tips on how to deal with everything that comes with going home for Christmas. And the compensating thing doesn't work when I go home because I get that latte and then go over to my sister's and there is pie. It better for me just restrict.

I mean my friends want to go out for dinner or drinks at least every other day!

Like do people look at menus before they go out? Do they insist on going to certain restaurants? What kind of cocktails can bartenders make to be lower in calories or follow Paleo?

I know I can do a Google search but I was hoping for some personal experiences!

[Inkrid]

Paleo is great in that you CAN eat with the rest of your family! Just eat the meat and veggies and say "no thank you" to the bread, rice and pasta. Tell the fam. and friends "I'm losing weight and what I'm doing seems to be working" if they ask why.

Check out Marc's Daily Apple on Google.

Restaurants ~ order a salad and have the dressing on the side. Or order a couple appetizers (calamari/shrimp). Even on Paleo I would have a drink. Go online to see which drinks are "paleo friendly" LOL.

I would lose 15 lbs. on it, 30 if I was really strict.

Good Luck!

[Inkrid]

Oh, if the fam. is having pasta, just have the salad. When I was on Paleo: Eggs for breakfast, salad for lunch, nuts for a snack, and meat and veggies for dinner. It's not what extras you eat, it's more what you take out! Just buy extra eggs and spinach ~ for the whole family!

[Palestrina]

Sorry my post was not helpful to you. Compensating for me is a way of restricting. If I eat a lot one day then I eat less the next day. That's kind of what normal weight people do anyway.

If you need to restrict then there's only one way to do that, and that's to restrict. There's no secrets or strategies, just know that with paleo there are certain things off limits so when ordering out ask for substitutions on the carbs. Broccoli instead of french fries. Burgers without buns. No dessert. Have one piece of dark chocolate instead.

People often make the mistake of announcing their diet. I wouldn't do that. Unless you call attention to yourself by announcing it nobody will even notice unless you're really fussy and you'll be able to get away with it without pressure to eat.

Have you thought about asking your friends to do something other than eat? Can you suggest that you go bowling instead, see a movie, go for a hike, take a walk through the museum? There are plenty of activities you can do that don't require food to be the central activity. I remember clearly one day when my friend who had been on an diet finally said to me "do we have to go out and eat again? Let's do something fun!" and it kind of woke me up and made me realize that all I ever do is go out for food. Now I make sure to do other things too.

I keep plenty of quotes handy when trying to encourage myself or others and the one that seems most fitting here is this one. "If you want it, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse"

[pluckypear]

I already see many helpful tips here but I will add what has helped me and I hope will help me this year.

I decide what foods do I really enjoy and want that I don't usually have and what do I eat or drink just because. I want turkey because I rarely have it. Potatos I can have anytime so I skip them and opt for pumpkin pie. I even make a wonderful crustless pumpkin pie and will bring it. Even DH prefers it I pie with crust. I see booze as meh and again I can have it anytime so I have sparkling water with lemon and opt for coffee with cream and a a gingerbread cookie. I only have gingerbread at Xmas.

I also will track my food and WI.

I will bring healthy alternatives to dinners like salads and my crustless pumpkin pie. And I refuse to bring home leftovers or I send mine home with others.

[sacha]

My best advice as someone in maintenance for quite some time now, is to take charge without taking charge.

That means hosting holidays (where you control what is made and what is not - meaning you can subtly cook appropriate foods for yourself and make sides for others - a turkey, your Paleo brussel sprouts, sweet potato mash that is savoury, not sweet).

When going to other homes, bring one or more dishes as a 'gift' - there are ways to adapt typical holiday desserts to your meal plan. Dessert? Paleo? Coconut coconut coconut!!!

Insist on locations where menus are available in advance and choose your items beforehand - write them down before you go to avoid changing your mind. Ask for modifications.

Rum and diet Pepsi all the way !

[Munchy]

Everyone is right on - eat what you can, and skip what you can't. The veggies plus meat is usually the best bet, and is available during most family meals. Also, many restaurants will swap the carb side for double vegetables at no cost.

This Link gives some good guidelines on alcohol choices.

One big tip I have to remember is do not wait...for the big meal. Do some healthy snacking before hand. Don't go cold or if you can help it hungry into the big meal.

And then 'pig out' on turkey breast. Totally paleo! And if you have some sides you normally wouldn't that is OK. But not hitting the big holiday meals hungry I think would be a huge help. Drink water beforehand also.

[scarletmeshell]

When we have plans to go out to dinner I always check out the mene and plan what I will eat.

[Wannabehealthy]

PatLib, you have done very well with your weight loss, and I can understand how you don't want to go off plan for the holidays. One thing you have to be careful about is when people realize you're dieting, they tell you that it's not going to hurt to splurge this one time. You are better to just say you don't care for any, or just "No thank you" when they offer you something. And stick to it. You can get through this visit home with meat and veggies. If you friends want to go out, try ordering an appetizer rather than a meal. Boneless wings would be a good choice. They're made with chicken breast. Good luck to you.

[PatLib]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

My thing about not going off diet is this. So I cheat at breakfast because my mom makes these over-the-top breakfasts, then we have to go out to lunch and then we have big family dinners. The problem I start the day cheating and it snowballs. So I sort of decided that I am not going to cheat except on Thanksgiving Day.

And I personally feel great about my decision, the first time ever! I think I will be okay at home, I personally enjoy annoying my family by being contrary so that will be easy!

But I was mostly worried about going out, I already looked at the menus at our favorite restaurants and think I will be okay and I can have wine on my diet!

[nationalparker]

I bring my own cereal for breakfast (or buy it there) ... but i bag up each serving and eat that for my own good start with fruit each day, and then I'm not as tempted when I'm visiting family on the "regular" days, not Christmas morning, though.

Our family sits around the dining room table and talks and reminisces for quite a while after a meal, and there is an abundance of desserts set out. I always enjoy a cup of hot tea while we're sitting there. I do, however, enjoy something small some evenings if I've stayed close to on track ...

Maybe you could offer to cook a few of the meals so you're in control of the ingredients. I'm not familiar with Paleo, so some of this might be off-base.

Sounds like working for your plan in advance is going to really help you out! Good luck and stay focused at what you want ... and what you want the scale to say on Jan. 5 or so!!

[newleaf123]

I go and visit my parents for a couple of weeks in the summer, and they have gotten used to my routine. The day after I arrive, I go to the supermarket and stock up on lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. I make a couple of side salads "to share" for the week -- things like tabouleh or a couscous salad -- and always pull these out to the table to include with the family meals. I also make a large green salad to go with dinner, again to "share."

I make my own breakfast every day -- like the poster above me, I portion out my cereal and bring it down. For me, it's hot cereal, and I weigh it out at home and make it in the microwave there.

And at least once I week, I am tasked with making the entire dinner for the family.

While my parents may have raised eyebrows about this a few years ago, I think they've gotten used to it and enjoy the influx of all the wonderful homemade food.