does anyone have to get through more than just christmas eve, christmas day and new years eve and day? im starting to freak bc i just found out that in addition to that we are having an additional xmas celeb. possibly two.

help!

Hey Andrea!

I have several Christmas's....

The 18th we celebrate with my mom's side of the family at her dad's house. This includes lots of cousins and such. That is 2 hours away one direction. The 24th is at my mom and dad's house with my dad's side, my gramma's and unlces and my siblings. The 25th we have breakfast at my inlaws, then all of my mother in law's side go to her parent's house for lunch. The 26th we have one on my husband's birth mom's side down state. It's 3-4 hours each way so we will inevitabley not only eat at the gathering but also on the road. There is also my husband's company Chirstmas party and new year's eve at my in laws where I usually make stromboli and they have shrimp and pizza and such.

So that is 5 family gatherings, each with a large meal. Plus lots of traveling where we eat on the raod and are limited to fast food. Then the party and New Year's Eve. This is normal for us. I've been wondering how we can afford to buy for the 35 people on our list let alone how to handle all the food. There is bound to be stress which triggers me to eat. Traveling with two small kids and my husband just puts me ove rthe edge and makes me twitchy.

Right now my plan is to avoid the fast food and take a snack if it fits in the car. Also, I usually know what they have at each one (except down state and at the company party) so I can pretty much figure out my points. Also, I will take a dessert to each so I will be able to choose one low in points. So far that's my plan. We'll see how it works out. By the time I get that far I just may eat my way through the holiday (ok not a great attitude I know). But I didn't have much luck at Thanksgiving and I didn't even get to eat the darn dinner!

hi misty!((((( ))))
thanks so much i feel lots better now! saame herre we have family spread out so its def gonna be at least 2 possibly 3 plus a bday party for grama on 1-4.

im getting nervous bc my only plan was to try to manage w /o deprivation(im not any good at saying no to anything i love) for me it all starts w a trip dn south 12-9(that is if i can still go) im startin to feel like why the heck bother trying(not the right tude i know&i was ok til today and now im like omg bc i placed a 5 lb limit on the days from tg to grampys bday.
good luck!!

Oh I hear you! Family christmases, my staff christmas, my DH's staff christmas, church friends Christmas, New Year's, and to top it all off, my b-day is on the 28th...right smack in the middle of it all! Not to mention that I am a teacher, so I usually get all kinds of chocolate from my students (well, that's better than 100's of apple mugs and key chains that say "#1 teacher" like so many other teachers get! )

I plan to take small servings and not go for seconds, and to choose salads when eating out...I don't know how else I will survive!

hi allie.. ty for sharing! its nice to know im not alone

I like the no seconds plan!

Andrea, maybe just choose the things you love the very most. Like me I like stuff like stuffing, but I would rather trade stuffing for an extra roll or on new year's I can forgo the pizza for stromboli. Allow yourself those things you really love. I have been thinking about this alot. I am thinking maybe I will take a large salad with me. I don't have to travel so far that that is not possible. That way I have a filling low point option. Maybe other's will appreciate it as well.

I may even allow myself one "go ahead and eat what I want" days. I know I will have a gian, but hey it's the holiday. As long as I don't turn it into a two week long haze of cookies, fudge and turkey. I was thinking if I allow myself to splurge on New Years Eve then maybe I can get myself through the rest of the celebrations by saying if I stay on track I get a free ticket coming soon. Not sure on that just my current thought.

thanks misty.

yea i def. am not sayin no to my favs. as for xmas day, im making lf wheat lasagna and lf tortellini salad and will just have a taste of everything else. thats how i plan to get through each day i ned to but im afraid bc theres so many of them now.

Yes it is hard to get through many events in a row. People shove food in your face trying to get you to indugle, lovingly of course LOL. Or they are offended when you don't eat a ton thinking you don't like it. We have a couple in one day and one the night before those two. People often don't realize that you just came from a large meal, or just had one the day before.

So I think perhaps WW tool of mental rehearsing may be in order. Practice telling people that we don't want to over indulge, and that we found the food to be fabulous but that we are so full we couldn't eat another bite. I try not to tell people I am trying to lose weight so I am watching my points. Not sure why. My husband's Aunt is always telling me to eat more I am getting too thin, this is a 120 pound woman saying this to me the 200 pound woman...FAMILY sheesh! Got to love them.

Our leader said the average person gains about 17 pounds through the holidays. So I figure if I gain anything less I am doing ok. You have to figure with traveling you may not be able to drink as much as normal, also the foods are higher in sodium than you may normally eat. Water retention is bound to occur. Perhaps putting a number limit on how much you can gain is too much pressure. Just do your best, and it will come off in it's own time.

Oh gee, let's see...

December 2 - DH's workplace party
December 21 - annual Christmas lunch with boss, his legal buddies and their assistants (last year was a 5 course meal at an amazing Italian restaurant, tons of wine and port with cheese afterwards )

Christmas Eve open house - I'm the hostess so I can control what what is being served

Christmas day - dinner with parents (mum's trifle)
Boxing Day - eat leftovers with friends
27th - visit DH relatives (3 different stops - wine, snacks, cookies, chocolate, and then a dinner with his Aunt)
January 6 - friend's Birthday

New Year's Eve - not sure what we are doing yet - probably a house party
(last year we hit 3 different parties )

My only saving grace will be to try to eat as healthy as I can in between those events, try to stay away from the candy/chocolate/desserts/booze and to keep exercising.

lol misty dont i know it!

it is very tough and ya know what? you might be right about the pressure....thanks. i just kinda wanna come out below goal.... oh crud i just looked at the calendar.... im not safe til jan 9! OMG!!!