Okay ladies...I need me some food Psychology. For me, the holidays are firmly emeshed in the foods that go with them. It is a huge comfort thing. I know that I need to change that and I want to have a plan in place so that I can be pro-active about it this year and not de-rail.

For some reason, Thanksgiving does not worry me in the least. It's the week between Christmas and New Years that I am really worried about. My daughter is coming home from college and a big part of me wants to just go off plan for that week and enjoy having her home, let us all enjoy home cooked comfort food. But the bigger part of me recognizes that is what got me into my situation in the first place.

Why do those memories run so deep for me and when will it get easier for me to deal with these bigger occassions? Does it get easier, or am I fooling myself? I really would love some advise from those who have experienced this for themselves.

I'll be going on my second year of holidays! Last year was a breeze, I just kept reminding myself why I was doing what I was doing. I ate what I wanted, but the key... PORTION CONTROL! Instead of three spoons of yummy goodness, I gave myself one. I saw it as an all you can "taste" buffet. I survived. This year, totally different b/c now I am 8 months pregnant, and I want to eat everything in sight. I plan on following the same plan I used last year. So far, my pregnancy weight gain has been great, so I'm hoping I can get through all the cravings, and people telling me, forcing me, and offering me yummy goodness food.

Mom's home cooking?? Good grief, I'm in trouble too!

Although I am not actively losing anymore, I am maintaining on SB & have been for the last couple years. This is what I do, but may not work for everyone. I try to stay on plan as best I can, except for the actual holiday, such as Christmas, and then try to eat reasonable well. The rest of the time I do allow myself a taste of stuff, especially the things that are traditional, like our annual cookie baking day, etc. I also try to bring something healthy for the group, like a veggie platter with hummus or a healthy soup for a family get together. Also, if I do mess up and eat off plan, the important thing is not to let it snowball and turn into days of eating. I try to get right back on plan & you know, I always feel better when I do.

why not make healthier versions of your holiday foods? you don't even have to tell anyone. they might not taste the difference.

For me, it is about letting go of those old comfort foods and finding comfort in new things -- new recipes, the feeling of being healthy, etc.

I start testing recipes right about now for the holiday season. I don't even think about making my old favorites, but I look for new ways to have those same flavors in healthier foods. My MIL makes a sweet potato crunch that is good, but really bad. I roasted butternut squash with cinnamon and got that same homey smell and flavor. It's just about changing your mindset and that will come with time

Good luck!

Arctic Stamp Queen, I started SBD in October of last year. I was worried about the holidays because I always fix my family's favorites and I love those off plan foods as much as they do. Everyone travels to stay at my home, and I want their visit to be perfect!

I figured I could either feel deprived or I could plan my cheats/treats. I probably wouldn't lose weight if I ate off plan but at least if my treats were planned I might be able to get through without gaining. I decided to eat reasonable sized portions of whatever I wanted on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. I also decided to allow myself a 'taste' of anything I didn't think I could live without while my family was staying with us. I figured I could go back on phase 1 after everyone went home, and get back on track that way.

But guess what? I ended up eating very little that wasn't OP. I loved how good I was feeling, I liked watching the scale move downward and I liked the compliments I was getting. It turns out those things make me happier than eating scalloped potatoes, chocolate chip cookies or zucchini bread.

I really think it's all a mind game. If you focus on what you 'can't eat' it's hard to enjoy all the healthy, satisfying things you can eat. If you focus on all the great vegetables and things you can eat, and focus on how good you feel when you eat well and how good you're looking because you've been staying on plan, the off plan foods just don't look that good anymore.

I agree with a lot of what you guys are saying and I am listening and pondering.

I find myself thinking of the rituals. Like making my grandma's bon bon cookies. Looking at her recipe card I inherited and thinking fondly of the time we would make them when I would go see her. Of her Zuchinni bread, how she would make 2 loaves, one for me and one for the rest of our family.

Those memories are so firmly engrained in my holiday memories...it really makes me sad not to feel that connection with her if I choose not to do that this Christmas...it feels silly to even say it, but I feel that loss deeply as I think about it. She died making my loaf of zuchinni bread as I was flying down to see her at Christmas time, I have such strong memories when I pull out the recipe card and see her handwriting it makes me well up and makes me feel so close to her. And that is why I am trying to come up with a plan, whether it be to NOT partake, or to plan a DAY or period of time of partaking...does that make sense? I don't want to plan to fail by failing to plan.

On a positive note, I have found that when I eat a tidge of something I "know" I am not supposed to have that I just feel sick and realize that it was not worth it, so I do not binge...that my friends is HUGE progress for me. I am learning a lot, I really am.

Unfortunately for me I get a lot of "hurt feelings" and wondering why I don't eat like the rest of them- which makes them feel a little odd. My husband's family is older so they like things the way they like it.

So this year I'm going to eat well, and take a spoon of things to keep up appearances. It makes life smoother.

I think we fall into the same patterns for the familiarity but I didn't realize how much peer/family pressure there is involved in holiday rituals. By now they are used to me dieting but I still get a lot of, "Oh, it's a holiday, indulge!" and "You only can get this once a year- are you sure? We cooked all day!" That sort of thing, bless their hearts

I have found that I feel WAY better if I help make dinner- and keep myself busy- and seeing what goes into a lot of stuff that I cannot have helps. With this diet being so amazingly easy for me, I think this year I will be fine- I hope!