Holiday Dieting?

[julifish]

Is anyone else trying to lose weight even though it's holiday (=eat like a maniac) time?

My sister is getting married in March. She's stick, so are all the other bride's maids but not me. I'm trying to not stick out a like a sore thumb. So I"m doing the low carb thing. It's going really slow. Just curious who else out there is trying to take off some weight with all the trays of holiday food being passed around.

[NeverendingJen]

me too. I'm actually feeling pretty good about it. I've limited myself to no desserts or sweets if I skip the gym, making sure I go first thing in the mornings to the gym, and trying to fix healthier versions of our favorite holiday meals (i.e. adding cauliflower into our mashed potatoes, making baked sweet potato gratin rather than marshmallow sweet potatoes, etc)

[julifish]

Feel free to share any skinny recipes you have! I'm doing pretty cooking for myself and my husband (the kids are just eating what we eat with whole grain carbs and fruit added in for them). I'm worried about Thanksgiving at my mom's because while she means well, I don't think she'll realize how much I won't be able to eat and how little a serving can be with some of these "low carb" recipes.

[pewtertm]

I've lost 40-something pounds this year and still want to lose a few more...so I definitely don't want to splurge. Thankfully we don't do huge holiday meals. One thing I'd say to really watch is liquids...so many of the holiday drinks are sooooo high in calories.

When we do the family thing at my grandma's, everyone brings side dishes to contribute, so I always make sure to bring things that will work with a healthy diet. We usually bring a veggie tray, fruit salad, and sometimes whole grain rolls.

[NeverendingJen]

I admit, on the actual thanksgiving, christmas, and our holiday party days, I don't watch as much what I eat. I just focus more on portion sizes- trying to keep the amounts small and eat reasonably. I'm not on low carb, just on healthy eating without banning any foods.

[marnel]

I am def eating turkey that my mom's making but that's probably it no ham, mash&gravy, yams w/marshmallows, mac.salad. I'm making ceviche, spinach, walnuts and arugula salad, green beans or asparaus mixed w/garlic and squash. My family is gonna be like what but I'm doing this for me. I'll also be working out the day after just to stay on track b/c 5 days away you get LAZY :|

[Summer_Mom3]

I recently lost 80 pounds doing the Paleo diet. Last year I had just had a baby so I had to watch all my food and portions. This year I will splurge a little on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day only. Good Luck it is hard when the food holidays roll around!

[SeattleSheri]

I'm a firm believer in portion control. I never restrict myself from eating foods, I just limit the quantity. It's hard though!

[adi&co.]

I've been trying to get all my baby weight off. i've got lots to go to get to pre baby #1 weight. it's not going so well since halloween, haha! I'm stepping it up though so i can sneak some sweets here and there. i'm trying to keep the rest of my eating clean, chug water and then keep active all day long. i try not to sit for longer than 10 minutes without getting up to do something

[Tracyfish]

Maybe just take these with you. Just kidding...the holidays are my hardest time.

[Txcorey]

I'm also working on losing weight. I joined weight watchers Sunday to try to get serious about it. I need to lose 10-15 lbs and I've just gotten lazy with what I eat. Nothing like WW to help me figure out just how bad some of the things I eat are.

[YepBrook]

I am maintaining my current weight after being on weight watchers. It's all about portion size, and filling up on good stuff like fruits and vegetables. I never restricted myself from the yummy stuff, if I did it never would have worked!!! After being a 12/14 jeansI just bought size 8's on Saturday!!! You can do it, Juli!!

[Penny Springmann]

Yay, Brook!!!!

I'm making it my goal to make sure I watch what I eat so I DON'T add anymore weight.

[lovely1m]

I am. Lucky for me, since I work holidays and I am a vegetarian, it's not as a big of a deal for me, big family meals rarely have anything I can eat even when I am there.

[Summer_Mom3]

Originally Posted by YepBrook

I am maintaining my current weight after being on weight watchers. It's all about portion size, and filling up on good stuff like fruits and vegetables. I never restricted myself from the yummy stuff, if I did it never would have worked!!! After being a 12/14 jeansI just bought size 8's on Saturday!!! You can do it, Juli!!

I just got back into size 8's too! From 208 after having my second daughter to 135!!! Took about 10 months. (I'm 5' 7" so 135 is perfect for me!) It feels so amazing to have a 2 year old and 1 year old and feel this great!!! Keep up the good work ladies!! It is possible!!

[lorryfach]

I started an ultra low-carb diet last year at the end of November. It was actually my husband's idea to do the diet, and he said he would start after the holidays, but I'm a "why wait" kinda girl when I've got my mind on something. So, yup, that meant no potatoes, no porridge, no fruit, no gingerbread, no chocolate, no Christmas beer, no bread. And a Danish Christmas lunch without bread, I'll admit, is really, really weird. But I did it. And it was still delicious, and it was still fun, and now a year later I've lost 35 lbs. I'm not as strict as I was in the beginning, so now this year I'll be able to partake in a bit more. But it's still like, eat one cookie and savor the heck out of it, while everyone else mindlessly stuffs a dozen cookies into their faces and they don't even realize what they're eating, yk? So I feel like I'm getting the better end of the deal.

[julifish]

Brook - how awesome!!! Size 8!!! Wow. I'm shooting for being able to shop in the regular section of the store and not the Plus size section first. Then I"ll go further down to a goal weight.

Congrats to all of you that have gotten to a goal weight and stayed there - I know it can't be easy!

I just talked to my mom about Thanksgiving dinner and she's been really helpful so that takes a lot of worry out of it for me.

[neenee]

My suggestion, because it is VERY hard to be good at Thanksgiving especially if you are going to Mom's house like my family is because they cook all of the really bad stuff and make way too many dishes. So, I am going with major portion control.
The typical stuff we eat is Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole, Stuffing, Rolls, Turkey, Ham, Cranberry Sauce, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy and my Mom is making 5 desserts!
I was raised with very unhealthy eating habits. I am going to also bring fruits and veggies that I can eat. I know I won't offend my Mom because she knows that I have eaten very healthy quite awhile now.
So, depending on your situation and options. Bring things you eat in your regular diet that you can substitute for the things being served OR keep your portions very small.

[jk703]

Portion control. Movement. No eating after 7:30pm. I lost weight a couple of years ago... recently some crept back on, so I'm back to watching diligently. I drink lots of water, try not to snack, and eat bigger earlier.

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.

You don't need calories to sleep.

Good Luck Juli!

[eranslow]

I'm trying to lose too Juli. Having trouble with the snacking and eating veggies. It's too cold to eat cold veggies! But yeah - trying to make small changes everyday. Drink LOTS of water and move. Good luck!!