I searched and read through the thanksgiving recipe thread, but I was unable to find how the veterans plan out Thanksgiving day. We normally eat at 4 or 5 and I know I'll be eating the meat and veggies, but I'd also like some more sides (like fauxtatoes and an IP biscuit, maybe) and dessert. Do you just add a couple packets to the day or try to eat sparsely for breakfast and lunch so you can fill up at dinner? I'm really good at sticking to the plan but it being Thanksgiving and all, I really want to eat! I just can't figure out the best way to plan my day!

I am interested too. My coach mentioned possibly taking a cheat day that day. Not sure how I feel about that....or if that's the case, maybe I should take a cheat week. My 20yr anniversary, Thanksgiving work luncheon, happy hour with friends and turkey day all fall within 9 days of each other.

Where do you draw the line, KWIM?

Personally, I wouldn't take a cheat anything. This is the first time in my life I'm not trying to cheat my way out of a diet but the results are too good and it's too expensive to take even a day off. It depends on where your priorities lie. If those things don't bother you, live it up! I'd only do it though if you get right back on the wagon after. I'd be hard pressed to get back between Thanksgiving and Christmas, TBH. All or nothing here. That's why I'm unable to plan the day!

DH and I are going to Ruth's Chris' Steakhouse for TG. Planning to have salmon and broccoli done as per my specs, salad (w/oil & vinegar or WF if I can remember to bring it), and as a treat, one singular beautifully yummy glass of good quality red wine.

The way I figure it, Thanksgiving happens every year. So for this year, I can skip the turkey and all the non-OP trimmings. The wine is my only planned exception .

The prospect of sticking it out over the holidays so that I start the new year at goal rather than at a "starting weight" is really exciting!

This will be my first IP Thanksgiving but this is what I think I will do...have a normal IP breakfast and for lunch have my IP packet and big salad with 1 cup veggies or less. That will leave some extra room for Thanksgiving which we eat at 3:00 or 4:00 where I will make cauliflower "mashed potatoes", green beans, and another salad, along with Turkey. I'll skip dessert or try to have an IP dessert from the recipe thread.

Taffeta darling - I agree! Like every diet prior to IP, I could justify a cheat day for nearly any reason. I am not that big a fan of Thanksgiving dinner to cheat. Turkey is an approved protein so I just need some tasty approved veggies. Although I may miss that glass of wine. It is one sacrificed thanksgiving. There will be more that I can (reasonably) indulge in the future.

This actually sounds like a doable plan. I may just eat lettuce all day if I'm too hungry. I know that this is probably the only thanksgiving I'll need to sacrifice and I'm totally okay with it, but it's thanksgiving! The only holiday centered on food! At least I'll be able to eat a whole 8 oz of smoked turkey...omnomnom I make a mean Brussels sprout dish that everyone looks forward to, I'll just make sure I don't eat many restricted veggies that week. Not too hard. I don't think this will be as bad as I was fearing.

Speaking of which, does anyone have an IP approved gravy recipe? If it's been posted before I'm really sorry. I have a toddler who steals my phone when I get on it and wants to watch colors if I'm on my computer so I get limited time!

Remember, if we "cheat" on P1, the only person we're cheating is ourselves.
I had to learn to be true to myself on P1

There are NUMEROUS Thanksgiving threads. Here are a few. Most of the questions were answered previously.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...nksgiving.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...n-recipes.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...ving-menu.html

Cheating is not an option for me and I am not even tempted to so do.... I will eat a normal IP day that day, but my afternoon packet will be saved for dessert since we eat around 3pm. I will make my faux chocolate ice cream to eat while everyone has dessert.

It's a slippery slope to blow it that close to Christmas which is my more challenging holiday since I bake a lot and cook a lot of Italian specialties. I am going to need double time will power for that so thanksgiving should be a breeze!

Focus on family and friends and the people your visiting with. Make it about people not food....oh and fill that wine glass with seltzer and lemon! That way you don't feel left out... If you prefer red wine, add a squirt of mio! Make it work!

Yeah, I'm not sure how I'll handle Thanksgiving this year. I know I'll have a glass of wine or two.

As for footage . . . my family always cooks a huge spread. So I will probably have Turkey Breast pieces and veggies . . . .skip the carb loaded items.

I haven't told any of them that I'm doing this . . .my mom has been out of town so she's not seen me . . . hoping for a WOW moment. I know that she will fully support me.

The last time I went on a diet (WW), I managed to make it through the holidays and continued to lose. I know if I did it before, I can do it again.

My coach did say that they don't typically encourage 'Cheat' days in P1, but sometimes it can actually boost your weight loss, which is what happened with me over the past two weekends. I didn't stay 100% OP, but had good WIs.

I will be going out of town to visit my good friend who told me about IP. We are having Thanksgiving dinner at her mom's house who also did IP. I have let them know that I will still be in Phase 1 and I'm sure they will be able to work with me since they have both been there. Not planning on having any wine or off plan treats. I've done an entire vacation without cheating, I can do this too. I'm too close to goal to blow it now. I only have 10 lbs to go to get to my ultimate goal.

Yaaaaay, Catlady! You got the 'tude!!! Way to go... heading for 'maintainers' reeeaaal quick!

Thanks Liana! I am so looking forward to joining all of you in the "maintainers" threads, not to mention getting to eat "real" food again.

It would AWESOME if we all weighed in at the first of the year at a huge loss instead of a gain. I've never been able to do that but this year I have a game plan! I'm going to make Rainbow's Pumpkin Pie Spice Cheesecake Nibbles with Apple Cinnamon crust for dessert. I was keto last year and I brought my own pumpkin cheesecakes and whipped cream so I know I can withstand the pie. It was more the withholding packets until the end of the night that I was worried about! My mom is keto this year too (like IP but with more fat) so we will be doing this together.

I think, after reading everyone's replies and the threads Lisa posted, my menu will look like this:

B: Coffee and RTD Vanilla shake (maybe with some pumpkin pie spice or torani SF syrup...mmmm)
L: RTD Shake with HUGE salad w/ WF dressing and 1 c or so veggies
S: Lettuce, lettuce, and more lettuce w/ WF dressing
D: 8oz Turkey, brussels sprouts, caulimash, IP gravy (in one of the links above)
D(essert): Rainbow's Pumpkin Pie Spice Cheesecake Nibbles with Apple Cinnamon crust

I have never been a huge drinker and have always been on some form of antidepressants or medicine that don't allow me to drink so forgoing wine is not an issue.

Thanks everyone for helping me organize myself!