I'm going home from college in a few days and already worried about how it will impact my weight loss... having survived famines in China, my grandma is always trying to feed me (even when I was at my heaviest, she reasoned that I just "needed to exercise more").

Especially since we're "featherweights" and only have a few pounds left, it's hard to point out the health benefits of not indulging in holiday cookery without offending! Auggghhh this is so frustrating... how are you all coping? I don't know what I'll do. If my parents ask me to eat dessert once I'll be able to say no... but if they ask me to eat dessert twice I'll probably just eat it.

tiny tiny bites of this and that throughout the day.

avoiding large meals.

calories add up quickly.

I say, "Oh, this is all so delicious, and I would love to eat more, but honestly, I'm stuffed." And then I smile and keep repeating variations of that excuse over and over again, if necessary.

You can do it! I'm going to have the exact same problem when I go home. My family loves to criticize at times and tell me how much better I would look if I lost weight...and yet they also LOVE to eat, and think I should, too. Which I do. That's probably how I gained the 50lb excess in the first place. lol.

BUT, the thing to remember is that you are doing this for yourself, and this is one thing in which you are totally and completely in control. Be polite, but firm, and don't let the people that love you most throw you off track! You are SO close to your goal weight, and you know it will be worth that lost portion of dessert!

Have a happy holiday! <3 I believe in you!

Ok, I'm no featherweight, but I would like to say something anyway. I would make something up and say that too much food/fat/sugar/salt (whatever you wanna say) gives you a headache/stomachache/heartburn/whatever. Somehow, if people think you will be in physical pain, they tend to back off quicker. They might say "a little won't hurt," to which I would reply, "actually, I must be very sensitive, because all it takes for me is a little and I'm miserable."

Family/friends tend to underestimate how painful it is for us if we over indulge. If we want to, we will eat, but we don't need that added pressure. If they think it's for weight loss, they think one day won't make a difference, but if they think you'll be in actual pain/misery, then maybe they'll lay off. Just a thought.

If I want dessert, I just eat less "real" food. But it does get hard to just say no to all the yumminess of holiday food. Especially when you have to go to 3 or 4 different place... Urrgghhhhh. Talk about getting over stuffed. Just take it easy, relax, and remember. When your body says you're full. Listen. Good luck!

One of my pet peeves is people who don't take "no" for an answer. It is maddening.

But, it doesn't make me cave. I'm stubborn enough that I can keep saying no - forever, if necessary.

Give it a try. It actually can be fun.

No, thank you. No, thank you. No, thank you.

I also believe that no explanation is necessary. (They aren't going to like your explanation, no matter what you say. Why argue?)

Instead of refusing something, I'll just take some on my plate (if someone is serving), eat however much of it I want, and then "save" the rest for "later." Which either means I put it in a tupperware and eat it for lunch the next day, or I trash it. Sounds really wasteful, but better than gaining weight, right??

That way, you're not refusing anything, no one's offended or upset, and everyone's happy! By the time the meal is nearing its end, nobody really notices what's going on with your plate, anyway, cuz everyone's busy groaning over stuffed tummies and/or eyeing what's for dessert... that's what I've discovered in my house, anyway.

By the way, don't be afraid, nobody can force you to eat anything. YOU control what you eat, period. Never forget that and you will be fine.

Good luck! I'll need it, too.

Here are my tactics:
- I try to keep my exercise routine going as much as possible, even when I'm out of town. That helps keep the calorie burn going.
- I choose one or two special meals during the holiday week to eat the fattening stuff and even then, try to keep the portions modest. Then I try to stay strictly on plan with the other meals and, if any explanation is needed, just say I'm saving up for XYZ meal. It limits the damage. And, I still get to have some of the treats, heck, I want some, it's Christmas!
- If you are at a "buffet" event, it's very easy to avoid eating. You can say you've already eaten or will eat later. At sit-down dinners, it's harder to be inconspicuous. But if you just take a little of what you want and eat very slowly, most times, people don't notice how much you actually eat.

Don't panic too much. Even if you go overboard a little, it doesn't set you back as much as you might think. You have to eat 3500 calories EXTRA calories to gain a pound. Just don't overeat every single day you are home. I'm on my 3rd Christmas in maintenance now and although I may have a bounce up on the scale (due to extra food volume and carbs), it usually comes right back off after a few days back in the normal routine.

My mantra is: It's about the people (and relationships), not the food.

luckymommy already posted my strategy. If they still want you to eat something after you tell them that it makes you sick or in pain, or otherwise "not well" ... there are all sorts of comebacks.

Thanks for all the suggestions, ladies! I'm definitely feeling a lot better about this now, and can muster genuine excitement to see my family again (NOT about my mother's cooking, no, no, no! ) I am counting on 3FC to keep me on track, though... betting I'm not the only one.