Hi all

I've been thinking about the upcoming holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) and just wondered what other people are doing about baking (if you usually bake for people and like to bake anyway).

This year, I plan to still make things because I enjoy it, but either bring them to parties and other holiday events or bring them into work and not keep any around.

I will probably try some new healthy recipes to satisfy my own cravings (ie healthier pumpkin bread, etc.) and very occasionally a regular cookie or piece of pie, but very reasonable servings that fit into my plan.

Just wondered what everyone else is planning to do...

I would love to hear good ideas!

I love to bake, but since losing the weight and becoming healthier, I very rarely want to "spend calories" on treats like cookies or most any baked good anymore. I have just lost my drive to bake, because I always end up eating more of them than planned, or I feel insanely guilty handing them off to other people, when I know they are that great for them...

but it is probably for the best, because I was baking something EVERY DAY at the height of my weight problem.

Recently my mom's been checking out this place called chocolatecoveredkatie.com, and it's a blog for healthy deserts. My mom has made some of the things on here and they turned out all right.

I love to bake too. I think I'll give a lot of it away, and indulge on the actual holiDAY, but not let it turn into many days/weeks/months like I have in the past. I don't plan on making anything healthy though, LOL.

I love baking and have continued to do so even while losing weight. I keep a little for myself and give the rest to my co-workers, and I don't feel guilty about it at all. Lots of slim, healthy people enjoy cookies!

I've seen her stuff on pinterest! Good to hear of someone who has actually tried it...pinterest can be hit or miss with that...

I actually made caramel apples today with my kids for the family. M and M's and peanuts etc. I had been craving one all week...which is strange because I NEVER craved this item in the past. Even in the Fall. Anyway, during clean up I licked the spoon and my heart started racing so fast ( sugar from the caramel?I don't know, its never happened before and I eat a small bit of dark chocolate daily.) My craving instantly left and I did not end up eating the actual apple. I saved my self the 700 caleries I had in reserve.

Point is, a little is not gonna hurt. If you can handle it in moderation. A little may rid you of pesky cravings that may derail your progress.

I plan to do exactly that, as I said I am a big fan of very occasionally letting yourself have something, but the rest of the time figuring out ways to avoid craving things in the first place.

My heart races and I get sick when I eat much sugar anymore...funny because I used to live on sugar! Feels like a bad hangover and heart palpitations. I can have maybe a small cookie or a couple bites of a candy bar, any more than that and I get very sick. Wonder what that's about?? Same thing happens if I eat refined carbs like white pasta or bread.

I'm not much of a baker, since I've never cared for bread-y or cake-y type foods, and so I don't have to worry about that specifically during the holidays (thank goodness food preferences sometimes!). But I do have one great healthy recipe I make, which is bean pie!

It honestly and truly tastes just like sweet potato pie or pumpkin pie, using the same spices, but it's made with beans! You can use any kind of beans, usually navy is recommended, but I do kidney and others as well. It's not exactly low calorie, or super healthy if you decide to make it with lots of sugar and cream, but it's definitely a higher protein pie and very delicious!

I do one or a combination of several things. I either take it to work, this includes left over halloween candy, take baked goodies to the fire station down the street, make care packages for friends and family deployed in the military, care packages for nursing homes/elderly.

All of these groups of people (excluding co-workers, that's just convenient) are extremely appreciative and I like to show my kids it's just as important to give as it is to get. One stone, two birds.

I think I'm leaning toward no baking. I baked lemon squares, marble cheesecake and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies this past weekend for out-of-town guests and ended up eating way more of the stuff than I should have. (What can I say, I love my own baking.) The results showed up on my scale this morning, so I plan to avoid the temptation by putting a moratorium on baking.

F.

I took my kids to the apple orchard this weekend and we picked 30 lbs. of apples. Of course this lead to apple pies. Fortunately for me baked goods aren't really a big weakness for me. I can have just a little bit without overdoing it.

I hate baking but my roommate and my boyfriend love it and do it often.

Seriously why would I make a pan of brownies if not to eat half of it in a day? Way too much.

Yesterday I had 2 kinds of cake and apple pie. This time of year is a good test of willpower.

Mind readers! I was just thinking this morning a baking thread would be valuable! Feel better already knowing so many others like to bake, too.

Have had a pattern for several years of losing a few pounds over summer & regaining in winter. Guess why. But this year after many months of successful calorie reduction & 25 lb loss had some 'baking occasions' last week & cooked up a storm and realized I do miss it! So NOT baking during the holidays is not an option.

However, this year, I'm changing my definition of holidays - in the past they started with the first Halloween candy in the stores, continued through Valentine's Day - heck, to be honest, through Mother's Day!!! But this year I'm narrowing "holidays" from months to just a few days!!!!!! (Wish me luck.)