As we all know, the season of overindulgence and eating season has already begun. It starts with halloween and the days leading up to halloween, then comes Thanksgiving and then comes Christmas time and various holidays surrounding the end of the year. There will be candy, there will be treats, there will be parties, there will be more food than anyone could possibly eat and we are exposed to it all.

I also believe that our bodies have a tendency to want to store food for winter so we have that to fight as well a lot of heavier foods seemed to be served during the colder days of winter than in the fresh fruit and veggie months of summer.

How do we fight this?

My suggestion is moderation. You may not want to feel deprived so you may indulge and you may even overindulge but just because that happens, don't let it stop you in your weight loss efforts. No one says you can't have a treat here and there but choose your treats wisely and enjoy your treats. Perhaps have a lighter breakfast and/or lunch if you plan on going to a dinner party where you know there will be lots of food you like. Make room for exercise in your busy schedule as best you can. This holiday season doesn't have to be a disaster for you and your scale.

For me, I am not having any halloween candy. Sure I get to work today and there is candy everywhere but I know there will be plenty of indulgences within the next couple months, I can pass on some cheap halloween candy.

For thanksgiving, I'm not sure what we will do. My wedding is a few days before thanksgiving and we will be getting back in time from our mini honeymoon for thanksgiving dinner but I don't expect it'll be anything too extravagant this year. The indulgences I have to worry about are during the honeymoon where we will be eating at some good restaurants but we will also be getting in a lot of walking.

For christmas, I won't be exposed to my Mom's baking this year so I expect I'll be free from too many christmas treats. I'm sure there will be plenty of holiday parties with lots of food though so I have to be prepared for those.

For new years, I don't drink often and DF doesn't drink often so I don't think we'll have any issues with too many calories from alcoholic drinks. I'm sure there may be a holiday party which we may go to but it may just be calm and quiet as another new year comes to pass.

For the new year, I plan to boogie, boogie and boogie some more so I can get down to the 220s and maybe below next year.

This time of year sure makes me glad I don't like sweets and baked goods anymore. Not even tempted!

The only holiday foods I really like are turkey, stuffing, gravy, and sweet potatoes (as long as they're not candied). So I'll probably have some of that stuff.

I'm not having any Halloween candy at all, that is my big goal for today and I'm keeping out of my son's candy that he gets tonight. I believe in moderation but for some people it just doesn't work. It is nice to think that I could have a couple of this or that but it doesn't usually stop at just 1 or 2. If I could limit myself like that I wouldn't be fat in the first place. I think it is a matter of how you think about the food. Like am I going to feel better or my life is going to be more wonderful because I had some candy today or in the next few weeks had sugar cookies, gingerbread men and eggnog? No. I can go to family get togethers or other holiday events and have a good time without stuffing myself. It is about having fun and socializing not necessarily about the food. I think that is the attitude I have to have for myself. I know it is nice to get out there and try foods you haven't had before but for myself thinking I can go to a party and be moderate in having high fat snackage, that is just plain fooling myself. Best not to even bother having 1 of anything to begin with because I know it won't stop there. That's just for me, maybe others have more willpower but I recognize where I have the potential to go wrong and I'm not even going to head down that road.

I think it's an excellent idea to have a plan now so that when these holidays come around, we'll already be in the positive "I'm going to do this right" frame of mind. Last year I started this weight loss effort the week of Thanksgiving and I lost weight over Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's Day, so I am going to do the same thing I did then and hopefully this year will be no different. I didn't completely abstain from all the things I love, but I made allowances with exercise and eating lighter in my other meals and it worked. My office at work is completely away from the hub of the other offices in my department, so I don't see the candy and treats that the others do so that definitely helps. That doesn't mean that I can't walk up there and get some if it calls my name. So, I just try to think of other things to get my mind off of them, or go for a walk or whatever it takes to stay focused. It's not worth the pain afterwards of having to relose the weight already lost and the guilt feelings that accompany that.

Keep focused and we can all get this done!!

DNR

I'm not having any candy today either. As for Thanksgiving and Christmas I try to keep it to the day of the holiday. We do have one big meal in between the two, when we have our best friends over. So three days out of the holiday season does not mess me up too bad. It will be easier this year because I am in an office with only one other guy. So no big food days or baked treats in the office.

I'm avoiding the candy today as well. I bought stuff I don't like so no problems there. Thanksgiving, for me, is already done (I'm in Canada). So, there's just Christmas! OH, and my birthday....better tell my Mom no chocolate cake this year! I'm finding it easier and easier to pass stuff up...or if I want it, I fit it into my plan. It's just the way it is.

It's great how this gets a little bit easier as time goes on...not to say that there isn't still temptations, but I deal with those by having treats in moderation. There's no need to feel I'm "never" going to have something again...that was always my path to failure before. Now, sure I can have it, as long as I plan for it.

I try to avoid the sweets all together because my will power stinks right now. I do try to keep the rest in moderation. The one thing I have found that works for in my case Grandma who no matter how many times I tell her I am trying to lose weight always tries to stuff food down me. I will make some chocolate cookies, brownies whatever (because I do NOT like chocolate) and take them with, then when Grandma tries to give me desert I tell her I ate alot when I was making what I brought and the thought of any more sweets just turns my stomach. It's cheesy but it works. She usually will package up something for me to take home for later, then I throw it away when I get home. That way I don't have to eat it yet I don't hurt her feelings.

Getting a little side tracked here but it is also something I have to put up with alot over the holidays. My Mom (who I moved in with me several years back) she will always make comments like "Are you trying to lose weight again you know it never works" or "You lost 20 lbs, to bad you still have over a hundered to go". Luckily I travel 5 days a week with my job or we would kill each other for sure.

What does everyone else do when confronted with someone who just doesn't understand that you are trying to lose weight and is always trying to shove food at you. Or for that matter the ones that never gives support.

Well I did not do so good on the candy. I was going to avoid it all together but once I had that first piece that was all she wrote. Ate healthy the rest of the day though. Today is a new day and I will be right back at it. Never give up.

One thing that is very important is that somedays we will have a bad day, some days will be good days. I think it is more important to make sure there are more good days than bad.

I eat dark chocolate quite often and last night I had two pieces of dark chocolate for around ~100 calories.

Val - For a lot of people, food means hospitality so it is hard to turn down food especially when it is more than a special occassion. I think in my family it is opposite, most of my family seems to despise being overweight so they tend to not push food at you. My grandma would even be the one to tell people that they shouldn't eat too much because she has always been weight conscience herself.

As for unsupportive people, you will run into that but one thing I have learned is to not tell people about trying to lose weight. When they see me, they will know but otherwise I don't say "no, I'm watching what I eat". I just eat in my own way and I can say no to food although for big family occassions, I tend to do a little of everything rather than a lot of everything.

Last yr. at the holidays, I stuck to my weight loss plan for the general food and only allowed myself 1 piece of dessert at each holiday meal. I exercised double on the holidays and didn't gain any. I maintained the same, but at least it wasn't a gain. I plan to do the same this yr.
I do have a sister that tries to push food on me. She will say "you're already at goal, so what's it gonna hurt". I can hear it already. But, I will do what I know has worked for me.

The last candy I had was one bite of a candy bar in July. I was tempted over the past two weeks when around alll the candy at the stores, but didn't buy any.

Living with someone that doesn't like sweets and junk food has helped because it's not around and there's no excuse for me to buy it. I can't tell myself I'm buying it for him and then take it home and end up eating it all like I did in the past. I would lie to myself and say it was for my son and husband and then would be the one to eat all or most of it.

I left the husband and my boyfriend only eats healthy food. hehehe

I always liked stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy during the holidays. I used to eat three full plates on Thanksgiving and then again on Christmas. I would also sample every dessert. Last year I had one plate of food and there was a lot of plate visible and NO dessert! I am 700 miles from anyone that would invite me over for unhealthy food this year, so I think I will probably be eating vegetarian stir fry.