Does anyone else get really frustrated by Holidays? Today's Mother's Day (ps - happy day to all you Moms!), so of course, there's a brunch. Then in two weeks, I have my brother's college graduation, then the following week, Memorial Day, then Father's Day, the 4th of July, etc, etc, etc..

How do you guys stay good during these events?? ALL THAT FOOD just looking at me, whispering "eeeaaaaatttt mmmeeee," and I have such a hard time with self control as it is. I feel like there's always something pulling me off track. Do you have any tips or strategies that you use?

I'm trying so hard to have a great start to my weight loss, but it keeps getting pushed back and I know I can't live like that, just postponing my start. I have to learn to cope.

I'm desperate.

There are numerous strategies you can use depending on what fits. I like to remind myself that I am choosing not to eat certain foods this year, but there will be another opportunity next year- once the weight is off and I can have the occasional treat.
The list of events you have listed is extensive, but each of them is a one day thing- or maybe even just a few hours. The time in between counts too. Some people can bank calories and others will have a small indulgence and work it off the next few days.
If weight loss is going to stick long term, we all have to figure out how to manage special events and meals. I guess it will just be part of life.

I just do the best that I can. My program is moderately low carb, emphasize fresh veggies, moderately low calorie, emphasize healthy fats and portion control. I don't consider myself to be on a diet - I have adopted lifestyle changes that (hopefully) will last a lifetime.

Tonight we will be going out to dinner with my parents and kids. I will make the best choices that I can and enjoy the meal. I am eating sparingly today to save some calories and carbs. I love my mom's potato salad and at the memorial day picnic, I will have a small serving instead of the monster sizes that I used to eat.

So, if I am on a "healthy lifestyle plan" that includes special meals and special occasions - that's what healthy people do. I don't have to "start" or "Go off" my plan.

Actually, no matter what plan you choose, you have identified about 2 weeks in between each event. If you are on plan for those days, you will still lose weight and get healthier before July 4

I mean this to be supportive, you will get there! Good luck!

I think you'll get a lot of good, different responses for this thread. People have all kinds of different tactics for this, so hopefully something will work for you.

For me, it has to be a complete change of mindset. Because you're exactly right in your post when you say "I feel like there's always something pulling me off track." If you allow it to (by not having an established, sustainable, workable plan) there WILL always be something to pull you off track. In 21st century American, there is always an event/holiday/celebration with food as the centerpiece.

My plan for me is to eat within my calories at all times, unless I've made a thoughtful, considered decision IN ADVANCE to eat over my calories for a particular event. I have to decide (in advance!) whether something is worth it, and what my eating plan for that event will be.

The details have been refined over my weight loss journey. Fewer events are worth it now than at the beginning, and I rarely eat decadent desserts anymore because my reaction to sugar - increased cravings and an inability to stop - make it a poor choice.

There are healthy/on plan foods available at almost every celebration I've been to. Again, I think about this and plan in advance (seeing a trend? ). What will be plate look like? Should I eat a healthy, filling snack before I go? What no calorie beverage will I drink? How can I make the event not about food?

These are just some of my thoughts and tips, and what's worked for me. I think a plan is vitally important to making that lifestyle change that we're all trying to make for permanent change.

You might want to try having some protein before you go to these events. Doing so might help you stave off some of the cravings and make the event more manageable. Otherwise, for something like the 4th of July, try to stay away from the food table. I was at a dinner party last night with lots of delicious food and desserts. My best strategy was plunking myself down on the couch with a glass of water on the other side of the room. I couldn't see or smell the food, so there wasn't any real problem.

Like JenMusic said, everyone has their own strategy. You might also want to talk to your doctor about the possibility of an appetite suppressant. I've only just been prescribed one, and only used it once, so can't speak to them on the whole, but you can get ones that are of the 3-4 hour duration kind, which would be good for when you know you have an event coming up that might test your will power.

Good luck! And know that you can always post here when you're in need of immediate support and encouragement. We're all behind you.

buffet table: fill plate up with salad and put small portions of your favourites. no going back. only 1 plate. Make sure you are the last in the family to get your food, don't start eating until everyone else has started. No alcohol, no pop, sparkling water only.

family affairs: bring a healthy dish so you know that there is at least one thing on plan for you. Only one plate, no seconds. No alcohol, no pop, water only

restaurants: look at the menu before hand and go in with a plan about what you will eat.

practice saying over and over 'no thank you. The food you made was so delicious but i am stuffed!'. Repeat as necessary till food pushers give up. And remember that in a lot of cultures it is common to offer 3-4x before assuming the answer is really NO.

Those are my strategies. Good luck!

OMG its so hard. April was terrible! One weekend was my cousin's bday, then the next weekend i went on vation. Weekend after that was my 25th birthday...and then it was Easter! It's really hard lol. My family loves cookouts and we have one for every holiday and birthday. I try to buy turkey dogs and ground turkey to make burgers lol. It's very tempting to stray away from your diet lol.

The age old question, how does anyone have an interesting life AND get/stay slim and trim? I have not been able to find this elusive balance, if I ever do I'm going to sell my secrets for a million billion bucks and get rich.

In my case I try to plan ahead. If I know I'm going to go to a BBQ or something on Saturday afternoon, I'll make a point to eat lightly beforehand and exercise on Saturday morning. My general rule is that on weekends/special events, there are no rules, and to eat sensibly and lightly during the week because usually there are few distractions M-F. Sometimes lifting the burden of strictness makes it LESS tempting to overdo it at weekends and events.

That said I'm up 10 lbs from Christmas, so maybe I'm not someone to listen to!

I look at it the same way as JenMusic, I love her post! For me, it's about picking and choosing. I know I will not lose weight if I decide to indulge "just this once" every time the opportunity presents. Christmas Day, one smaller plate of the deliciousness is worth it to me. Memorial Day cookout, I can bring a turkey burger like MzJuicy. We took my mom for ice cream at my favorite place on Saturday night -- a small dish was worth it and did not derail me. Yesterday at work they had a dessert buffet for Mother's Day. Well, I had ice cream last night so I'm just not going to eat a brownie, cupcake, cookie (or 5) at work (and didn't).

It can be a minefield out there, but it's really about choosing and planning ahead. You can do it!

For me, plain and simple, I cannot show up to these free-for-all-food events hungry. So like Ferum said above, an appetite suppressent will work, or as I do --- I eat a TON of veggies before I go. And sometimes I'll even bring my own snack/dessert. On top of that, I will restrict calorie intake more than usual because there is no doubt I will be munching on things when I am there. It's crazy. And I always wonder if this is what "been thin all my life" peope do!

I'm wondering how I'm going to handle this too, with all the eventfulness coming up.

I went to 2 cookouts this weekend. The first was in the evening, and I didn't do great, but not terrible either. I had a higher calorie day, but it was still below maintenance. I brought some healthier options, ate a lot of salad and veggies. And even so I didn't do great. I think I should have left sooner than I did, because I eventually got tired, and then I started snacking on the chips which I'd managed to avoid earlier.

Yesterday was a cookout again, and my day turned out a little better, but only because I more or less only ate at the cookout. I slept late, had some ice coffee in the morning and was busy until cookout time in the early afternoon. Again I brought some healthier options and this time more or less managed to stick to them. But if I'd had the meal I ate in the evening, after eating a regular day's worth of food, my calories would have been high again.

I wanted to add, though, that I'm OK if these events slow me down a bit, as long as they don't derail me completely. I've planned (hoped?) to lose a pound a week. So far I'm ahead of schedule. I know that there will probably be some bumps in the road ahead of me, but for now, I'm willing to sacrifice some speed if I can still get to my goal in the long run.

All of this has been helpful.. I'm feeling a little less desperate! Yesterday wasn't so horrible but I was not perfect, and these tips could have been really helpful then.

I have two bbqs next weekend, so I'm going to be putting all of this to the test. I think I'm definitely more prepared for the future.. thanks!!

Hobbes ty for starting this post! Ive had some sort of occasion every weekend for a month with no end in sight. Very helpful advice here.

Jonesie - Can I just say, you are SUPER cute! I love your signature pics!

Hobbes11 - Glad you have some helpful ideas. Now, the hard part (for me, at least!) is to get in the practice of using them. But the good news is, the more you use them, the easier it will be to stay in the habit.

Jonesie - Need to echo Jen here, you are looking so good!!

As for the OP question, it is so true that we will always be faced with some temptation. For me I am a calorie counter, so I tend to save calories (a lot of calories) for special events. Generally though I am so used to eating smaller amounts that I tend to eat very little at the party since it's mostly higher calorie food and I am in the mindset that it's just not worth it, and then my calories are low for the day and I end up having a snack when I get home. Oh well that's been my strategy so far anyways!