I know there are threads about this topic on the "general" forum, but my question is targeted toward longterm maintainers, i.e., those of you who have a couple of Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays under your belt. What strategies do you use so that you don't gain?

Do you just let yourself eat whatever you want on those two days? Do you eat a few treats in moderation throughout the season?

I pretty much eat whatever I want to eat, but I have found , after being at goal awhile I just don't eat nearly as much as I used to. I just can't seem to eat a huge plate of potatoes and gravy, stuffing and two kinds of pie. I am satisfied with much less, but still like all the holiday goodies. I do get right back on track as soon as I can, though.

My mother knows me and my habits by now and she won't push anything on me that she knows I don't want, or that I'll regret later. I eat the way I always do. Lots of turkey. Fairly plain veggies on the side. No dessert, no dinner rolls, just a dab of stuffing. This was always a fairly straight-laced meal in my family, and we always took our green beans and sweet potatoes straight up, no gook involved. I have it much easier than many.

I never could understand sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top. Who ever dreamed up such an abomination ?

LOL Bargoo, I <3 marshmallow topped sweet potatoes. And candied yams. There are very few foods that don't taste better with sugar IMO. But I have a massive sweet tooth as I'm sure you know from my other posts!

To the OP: On the holiday itself, I always eat whatever I want. One day can't do that much damage. I don't recall who it was, but some wise maintainer on here said, "It's holi-DAYS, not holi-MONTHS."

Aside from that though, for me usually there is a combination of days when I am working and time when I'm actually on vacation (typically visiting my family on the other side of the country). My general plan is that I eat whatever junk I want while I am on vacation, but if I'm not on vacation I eat the same way I do the rest of the year. Now, my typical "on-plan" week does involve a cheat meal, so I can still work in holiday parties and such. While I am on vacation I make sure to get lots of exercise, and when I get back I work at losing the vacation weight if there is any. I find that even when I'm "allowing" myself to eat a lot of junk, I don't really *want* all that much and I find myself craving healthy food.

This year I'm taking a slightly different approach in that I decided to lose a few pounds before the holidays, so that after I gain the inevitable couple pounds I won't be over my red line. We'll see how it works out.

I am very concerned about having to cook this week.

My part of the meal includes preparing these items:

Sweet Potatoes
Dressing
Green Beans
Carrot Cake
Pumpkin Pie

So, the easy ones will be the green beans and potatoes. I am worried I will be nibbing on the other stuff though. Any suggestions Peeps?

Keep in mind it is not correct to serve carrot cake with a slice or two missing, same with pumpkin pie, it should be intact , no slices already gone

We don't have family gatherings to go to, so we are doing what we have done in previous years--going out to a restaurant. This year it's going to be an excellent vegetarian restaurant that we tried last year and really liked how they did the dinner. Everything is vegetarian, even the "turkey," but unlike a lot of vegetarian substitutes, the foods they use are top of the line and very good.

I will eat what they bring me, unless I get too full. That includes: butternut squash-coconut soup, salad greens with pumpkin seeds and goat cheese, the "turkey," the fresh sage, rosemary, and mushroom gravy, the fig and walnut stuffing, the sweet potato souffle, and the broccoli-wild rice gratin. I will also eat the pumpkin-maple pecan pie and drink coffee with it. If I get full, I won't take the rest home--I may donate it to my dinner companions, who don't have issues with weight. Or just leave it! Dinner is early, and then later we'll watch the football. Some 50% less fat popcorn may be made and eaten, if desired.

And then, the next day, I don't have to face pounds of potatoes, gravy, dressing, etc. It works for me. I plan a normal, quiet day at home on Friday. You would never get me near a mall on that day--not at any hour, for any price.

Jay

LOL--Great point! Now if I can just convince myself not to nibble on the cream cheese frosting or eat spoonfuls of raw pumpkin pie in route to the feast!

Boy does that menu sound scrumptious! I was drooling while reading your post.

Thanks to the others who replied, and keep 'em coming to those who haven't. It's good to see "evidence" of maintainers who have made it through the holidays without letting that lapse do them in.

I usually keep a rule of 1 plate, with at least 1/3 of the plate salad, plus one dessert. I have whatever I want, but honestly, my stomach won't hold more than that anyway, so eating more would just make me miserable and uncomfortable. And I, for many years, have gone for a brisk walk or jog on both Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings, so I do get some fitness in.

Tip I learned from WW, and have successfully applied, especially in the presence of food pushers: if there's a salad plate, put it on the dinner plate and pile it high with the green salad that everyone else will ignore. Use the remaining border of the dinner plate for small portions of other yummies; if you want rules, they can't touch each other. Voila, you have a massively loaded plate.

Or ... Invoke food sensitivities, such as "xxxx has not been agreeing with me lately, and makes me really xxxx when I eat too much.". There's no way to come back on that - if they try, pull a hurt look and say, "do you really want me to spend the night in the bathroom?"

It works, and no guilt or deprivation!

I only have almost 2 years of maintaining under my belt as you say but these are the things I do:

• My piece of advice it to focus on spending time with the people you love (or fake it if you have too), not the food. Food is secondary to people. Holidays are about spending time with family and friends, not food. That said, DH and I always host Thanksgiving for his extended family.

• I continue my regular exercise routine though the holidays. I need it to stay sane and I feel better.

• I send home half-eaten pies and side dishes with the guests that brought them.

• I will invite my DD and her husband for leftovers on Friday. Like Jay, I'm not a fan of Black-Friday shopping, unless it's online with my coffee.

• I try to get right back on track.

• I will keep holiday baking to a minimum, making only my family's favorites--regular sugar cookies and Mocha Cakes.

I will eat small portions of everything.
I will also exercise tomorrow (probably Bikram Yoga which burns about 1000 calories).
I will get right back on track afterwards and I eat little to no leftovers.

I too, love to eat the raw dough hehe!


I LOVE the "not touch". Can't believe I never thought about that!