HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who care s that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a bu ffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Have a great Holiday Season!!

Thank you SO MUCH Karen for posting this!
This is getting printed and being put in my journal AND by Christmas binder!

See ya Lighter!
Kim

Well, this has been a busy thread since yesterday. Hahahaha, Jess and Karen. Loved the rules and eating tips. Must email them to the DILs.

Bobbi, you had some "real" good advice there. Your wicker furniture sounds charming. I was thinking about getting some wicker storage units for the basement but haven't found anything suitable (aka cheap) yet.

Welcome Carol. You seem to have fit in already. That's the way to go, girl. I love cooking and baking too. I haven't stopped and I do lick my fingers more than I should.

Zoe, I know what you mean about not wanting to "deck the hall" like other years. DH just took the tree out of the box and I'm happy with it just sitting there all scrunched up and undecorated. Oh my, I must at least get the tree decorated.

Hi Glynne. I remember the calorie laden tables, desks, and counters at work Christmas time. Everyone wants to outshine, outcook and outbake everyone else. I know I have been guilty of restocking the goodies at work a time or two. Just do your best.

Rosey, my computer is acting up now, too. It keeps freezing up. Have to get DSs to have a look at it over the holidays when they drop in. Glad yours is working now.

Lynn, if you're on the road to perdition you'll have lots of Golden Girl company with you. We've all done that--regained and felt guilty. Snap out of it girl--it's not the end of the world. There's always tomorrow or the day after that. Don't you dare stop posting because that's actually the real enemy. I hate posting when I'm not doing well but it really keeps me from sliding off the track altogether; just coming on and reading and posting. Eat moderately and start again in January if you must but don't stop posting. DO YOU HEAR ME? WE NEED YOU.

Freda, I'm using my own beets to pickle the eggs. I'm just waiting for the eggs to age a little so they'll be easier to peel once they're boiled. I'll save one for you when they're done.

Institches, I keep getting you and Freda mixed up. It's that "winner" sign you both have under your avatars. Hahaha. Hope you're having a good Thursday, too.

PrairieChick, ditto on your post to everyone. Well said. Hope that bronchitis clears up soon but it can be persistent. Just make sure you're really well again before you do heavy exercising. I know when I get bronchitis it really wipes me out.

OK, confession time. I had a potato chip melt down last night. Ate about 1/2 a large bag. What's with that??? I got on my bike after my stomach could take it and biked for another hour trying to counteract the effects of the chips. DH had bought 3 bags of chips while I was away and there was one bag left in the cupboard which was perfectly fine until I ate a few at MIL's place last night. Then I came home like Attila the Hun and attacked the bag with furey. Will I never learn? My stomach told me I'd done wrong, ugh. This morning I still felt a bit funny in the tummy so I ate a large honey crisp apple (108 calories) for breakfast and called it a meal. I also got on my bike first thing this morning for an hour. I might hit the bike again this evening if I have any energy left.

Anyway, gotta go. The naked Christmas tree is calling for attention.

And before I sign off I gotta tell you all that I'm in the process of sewing my own grocery bags. Got one done and looks nice. Had about 3 or 4 meters of black crimpoline(sp?) like material sitting in a cupboard for years (remember that stuff?). It's a polyester mix and it makes one tough shopping bag. They are very simple. Just a piece of material folded in half length way and sewed up the sides. I hemmed the tops and attached handles made from the same material at the same time. I can throw them in the washer and keep them clean which I can't do with most of the bags they're selling at the grocery stores.

OK, I'm really gone now.

Good Morning Girls.......Well, it'll be afternoon by the time I finish this. It's 11:58now.
Welcome Carol, where're you from? Nice to have another golden girls around for support and advice.
I've got my 1000 steps in already on the stepper, I noticed I can get it done and over with in less time if I complete it all in the morning before I get too tired. The mystery novels I read while exercising helps too.
I have Christmas gifts to wrap so I best get at them. Karen, too funny! Hi everyone, will take the time to chat more tomorrow.
Have a good day!

Wow, no time for personals, but I will be back...lots of great stuff to reply to...have to get a shower and ready for work,....needed to let Lynn know, we are here for you, and if "we" only visit when we're good, it would be very lonely here. You know what needs to be done, just recommit to only 1-min, or 1-meal, or 1-day, break it down as small as you need it to be, and go from there. I know the next two weeks are going to be a struggle for me as well, I just, know if I tell myself "NO" I will just over do it when I'm alone, I was always a horder, never let anyone see me eat too much in front of them, I can remember after starting Nutri-Systems, I ate a whole batch of russian tea cakes, kids never got a one, of course DD knew I make them, but where did they go??? I give myself permission to indugle in a few, select treats. One little trick that works for me is I try to think about it first, sounds simple and corny, but for me it works, why do I want.....I can't just mindless eat anymore, I have to be conscience of everything, do you write everything you eat down?? That also works for me, I tend to eat less of the naughty stuff if I know I have to have a record of it staring back at me.. Stay strong, and don't leave, you know you would miss us, and I certainly know we would miss you

wow, need that shower...see you later gaters

Weeeeellllllllllll….I’m loving all the encouragement to stop counting calories (or portions or anything else!) since the holidays are upon us, but I’m afraid if I did that I’d be right back where I started in no time flat. In my vast reservoir (nearly half a century! Omigawd!) of experience with dieting and losing and gaining and losing, etc, it’s WAY easier to gain – and you can do it a lot more quickly – than it is to lose, and I’m just tired of starting over. Don’t get me wrong – I AM going to juggle my high calorie day so that it falls on Christmas next week instead of Sunday, but if I found myself starting over again after the first of the year, I’d be sooooooo discouraged and frustrated . My next big hurdle is learning to like – or just tolerate – exercising regularly. I do okay for short spurts – a few months at a time, but then I just don’t feel like it anymore and gradually stop altogether. I am hoping to soon follow in the footsteps of our intrepid exercise crew…Bobbi, Isabella, Freda, Lynn…..but, um…ah…I’m not quite ready. Which is why I don’t dare overeat – because I know I’m not burning calories the way I would if I exercised. I just hope our supermarkets here in the northeast keep on getting good seedless grapes the way they have been for the past six weeks or more, because they have been my salvation. Whenever I start feeling a munchie attack coming on, I grab 10 or 12 grapes out of the fridge and eat them like candy. I don’t know what I’ll do if I can’t get them at any point.
Lynn, Jess/Donna may be right about your gaining muscle – I didn’t think of it, but of course with your daily exercise routine, you must be losing fat and building muscle, which is heavier. Maybe instead of weighing, you should get out the measuring tape…
Karen, we’re headed for a Christmas party this Sunday evening. I’ll be sure to avoid the fruitcake! (And the carrot sticks!)
Hi Carol! Welcome to the Golden Girls! Your advice is good….stressing out over all of this just makes matters worse. Now if I could just get that last Christmas gift bought for the relative who has everything….groan.
Institches, I think I’m getting you confused sometimes with Freda, too, and for the exact same reason as Isabella. And speaking of Isabella…I’m still working on the dessert. It might end up being my version of apple crisp. Just saying that – apple crisp – makes my mouth water. I think it’s very probably my all-time favorite dessert! With a nice scoop of low fat vanilla ice cream….oh, my! (What was it I was saying about better not stop counting calories? Did I say that? Tsk! )
Have a good day, y’all,

Z

Good Morning Bobbi,
Nice to meet you and some of the others who have welcomed me today.
I live in Lancaster, CA. It's desert here and when the shuttle comes down and can't land in Florida, it lands about 28 miles east at Edwards Air Force Base. So you can get a clue that we have no mountains, beaches, or greenery within a 2 hour radius of our town.

We have mountains south and north and the tops get snow, but we get nadda. Rain for this year is still less than 1 inch. I have a dear friend in Louisiana that wants to ship me some of her rain and wondered how much it would cost sending Priority mail?

I thought the 50+ group would be a good group for me. Kinda a been there.....done that age..... and let's get on with life. Turned 60 in March, Yikes, I'm about ready to have another BD! SS I'm just around the corner. No slowing us down, too many things to do. Got to focus on healthy eating habits and trying to get in more exercise.

What stepper do you enjoy Bobbi? I looked at a couple on Amazon but thought they just went up and down like climbing stairs? Does it put any stress on the knees? I'd love to get in my 10,000 a day but if it's cold outside.....I make excuses.....and don't go... I hate being cold! Wondered how it works? Do you feel you get a good work out from it? I have the plastic step that we used in Jazzercise many years ago, but after a while, my knees start hurting. Never could use the elliptical at the gym, even that was to much.

Anyone else have a stepper and like it? Would like to do some research on the most favored ones. Thanks everyone. Appreciate any info.

I'm enjoying being on 3FC and hoping this will keep me focused so I can reach my goal and maintain. Just be more healthy in the years ahead.

Got to get to my hobby of painting. Working on ornaments today. Christmas is coming. Yikes!! I have 5 more to do for the grand kids. No stress!! Just have to lock myself in my room and start the Christmas CD's.

Every one have a wonderful day.
Carol

See ya lighter!

Zoe, I'd be very happy to have an apple crisp dessert named after me. I love apple crisp, too.

Hi PrairieChick,
Hope you're feeling better tonight!!

At least your "burner" is still working!......Had to say my burner is working but it's just not the right one.

On my way for another Crackin meal of wild Salmon. Husband doesn't care for fish, oops, Sorry DH,
Carol

Not really a secret, it's Sue. Hope that clears up the confusion, sorry!!

Hi, Sue... and thanks!!

WHY does it take so long for the posts to post?????????????????

Hi, Sue... and thanks!!

Good Morning all,

Still running around trying desperateally to finish everthing before Christmas. What ever gets left just gets left I guess. I've got way more than enough any way, but i'm always thinking, Just one more thing.

Lynn, We always feel like giving up from time to time. But we all know what that gets us. I was at goal and thought I was fine last year. I wasn't. I need the group. And don't forget all the gain you've made. We all just do the best we can, when we can.

Carol, Welcome!! So good to meet you. We're all in here trying to work it out. It's never too late to get health. And if not now, when? The "trick" to exercise is finding something you actually like, or at least don't mind, doing. You said you like line dancing. I'm not sure where you live, but look around. So many exercise classes around. I am just a walker. Put my book tape in and start walking. I love to read and if I get started in a good book I don't want to stop listening to it.

Bobbi, I have to old fahioned stepper but i'm going to goin that challenge as soon as the Dr. says it's ok. I can't wait.

Z, I love grapes too and they have been so good this year! Getting a little expensive now. I like to freeze them and they last so long! Exercise has to become a habbit. And it has to be something you can stick too. Carol likes to line dance. I walk. some of the members go to the gym. What do you like to do? Make it work for you. The "up" side of exercise is the muscle you get and how toned you look, and how much stronger. You get addicted girl!

Sue, You are so right. None of us are perfect, and it's one day, one decision at a time. Not everthing is "special". Choose what is and enjoy it. Small portions. Sounds simple, huh? We all know it's not, but it's doable. Think thin and healthy and fit!! And it you take that first bite and it's not truly worth it, you do know you don't have to eat the rest, right?

Isabella, I'm with you. My stomach just won't take all that junk any more. If I over do and eat something that i know I shouldn't, it let me know. How did we get past that before? Did it just give up on letting us know? I love the honeycrisp apples too. They have spoiled me for other apples. They taste like what an apple should. I'll be sad when they are gone. I look forward to my pickled egg, just send it any time, thanks! And I may make some myself this year. Alas, it will be from beets that I buy, I don't have homemade ones. Good idea with the grocery bags too. I try to always use mine. One little thing at a time.

Make it a good day,

Freda