Fitness and the holidays....

[vitauta]

with thanksgiving less than two weeks off, and coming on fast, i'm beginning to freak a little bit about a plan for eating for the holidays, between thanksgiving and new year's. ideally, i would like to enjoy most of my favorite holiday foods and specialties without seriously derailing my fitness and health goals of the past several months.

i would like to strike a happy medium between gluttony and downright deprivation for this holiday season's indulgences but am unsure how to proceed. how are those of you who are fitness-conscious planning to go about it? must it involve more exercising or gym time? does anyone have a method that has worked for them over a stretch of time like this before? sure would appreciate any suggestions you might have for me--this year i'm serious, for real....

 

[luvs]

keep to reasonable portions of dishes.

 

[Dawgluver]

I keep up my walking. If it's too cold, then the recumbent bike/rowing machine. I try to keep my exercise routine, and not pig out too much....

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I just read in Real Simple magazine, that the majority of people only gain 0.8 pounds in those weeks from Thanksgiving to New Year's. That's 5 extra minutes of exercise over what you normally do. Embrace the holidays, enjoy yourself and take your new knowledge of diet and exercise with you. Eat the pie, just eat half of what you used to. By now, you are already eating smaller portions, stick to it. Just do not deny yourself something you really love or you could cause a train wreck that is hard to recover from.

Good Luck, Vit. I have great confidence in you!

 

[vitauta]

thanks for the vote of confidence, pf. i'm gonna give it my best, but i'm afraid i've always been way better with second helpings than with portion control....

 

[PrincessFiona60]

thanks for the vote of confidence, pf. i'm gonna give it my best, but i'm afraid i've always been way better with second helpings than with portion control....

Eat the first servings. Set up the second helping, cover it and put it in the fridge. If you are still hungry 20 minutes later, allow your self half of what you have squirreled away. I truly think you will find that you can't eat as much as you used to.

Makes Thanksgiving leftovers last a bit longer!

 

[luvs]

if nothing else, drink a few beverages- seltzer, skim milk,- half hour before dinner. dried fruits (not candied), & plain, unprocessed nuts put a damper on hunger, too.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Here's my plan:

• Small dinner plate
• Vegetables must cover 3/4 of plate real estate
• No piling on
• No seconds
• Eat slowly and drink lots of water

Actually, it's the same plan I've been following for the last three months. I'm not going to change what I've been doing because it's been working thus far.

As far as exercise, I've been trying to do 30 minutes a day of something, even if it's just walking.

 

[GotGarlic]

Research has shown that having a cup of broth-based soup or salad before a meal can reduce calories eaten at that meal by up to 20 percent. So having a light starter can help.

 

[vitauta]

i certainly appreciate all the help i've been getting from my dc friends with regard to wanting to stay fit during the upcoming major holidays. i will be putting some of your good ideas to use myself for the next few months. thank you all for sharing your suggestions with me.

steve, i was hoping you might "weigh in" here after reading your post in today's dinner thread. congrats to you for your impressive loss of 35 lbs.--way to go!
i like your idea of going heavy with the veggies, and will be incorporating that idea in my own meals. to an extent, i have already increased my veggie ratio with good results. and it allows me to have larger portions of food, too. which i like.

and gg, your suggestion about prefacing meals with broth or salad also appeals to me, and makes me actually feel like i am getting to eat more, not less, in that way.

this year i am determined to enjoy the holiday feasts and treats without going overboard. too often, anyway. i want to maintain the weight loss i have achieved since august. i'm not a natural dieter, so i really need to get this right the first time. good luck to us all with our holiday festivities--we foodies don't necessarily have to be fatties, after all....

 

[sparrowgrass]

I have lost (and not found!!!!) about 70 pounds in the last 2 years.

Here is my plan for the holidays--check out what is on the table before you start filling your plate. Pick one or two indulgences. Take small portions.

MOST IMPORTANTLY--Savor those choices. Small bites, be fully conscious of the flavors and textures. Enjoy them, and DO NOT REGRET THEM.

Keep up with your exercise, add a little if you can.

It really does feel better to leave the table without stuffing yourself like the turkey!!

 

[Snip 13]

Here's what I do...

I walk whenever I need to go somewhere close by. It's started out being everything under 10 miles now I walk about 40 miles a day.

When I drive I park in the furthest parking bay I can find.
I always choose the stairs over the lifts in malls.
I drink at least 8 glasses of water each day or green tea, cayenne tea and oolong tea when it's cold.
I eat slowly, always have.
I use smaller plates than most people, makes you think you are eating more.
I snack on raw fruit and veg while I cook. By the time dinner is ready I can only manage small portions.
When I eat away from home I always dish more veggies than meat or starch.
I order salad, veggies or baked potato as a side when eating out.
I steam veg, grill instead of frying when it comes to meats.
I use loads of fresh herbs to add flavour to food.
I use mainly wholegrain starches.
I choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate.
I buy cocoa intead of instant hot chocolate mixes.
I drink vodka with soda and fruit juice instead of wine and beer or creamy drinks.
When we drink socially I drink a glass of water after each drink then I drink less.
I never deprive myself if I'm in the mood for something nice, I just have a smaller portion instead of over doing it when I ignore my craving for too long.
Geepers, I need to think about this. Most of these are second nature to me.
I've always enjoyed healthy food more.
The best rule to stick to when cooking your own meals is using fresh ingredients over processed and instant meals.

On weekends and holidays I also go for a walk with the kids before meals. We pick flowers, chat and catch up. It's fun and it's good exercise.

 

[Kylie1969]

That is very good Snip

We too buy dark chocolate, not milk. I take stairs instead of lifts also

I only have one glass of wine now when we have celebrations, just healthier that way

I drink lots of water too

 

[chopper]

I have lost (and not found!!!!) about 70 pounds in the last 2 years.

Here is my plan for the holidays--check out what is on the table before you start filling your plate. Pick one or two indulgences. Take small portions.

MOST IMPORTANTLY--Savor those choices. Small bites, be fully conscious of the flavors and textures. Enjoy them, and DO NOT REGRET THEM.

Keep up with your exercise, add a little if you can.

It really does feel better to leave the table without stuffing yourself like the turkey!!

I was going to say that I found it, but I didn't find that much. Just a few pounds. Someone else must have found the rest.

I just read the other day that if you snack using your non-dominant hand it will slow you down enough so you eat less. I must try that when at holiday parties.

 

[Chef Maloney]

I was going to say that I found it, but I didn't find that much. Just a few pounds. Someone else must have found the rest.

I just read the other day that if you snack using your non-dominant hand it will slow you down enough so you eat less. I must try that when at holiday parties.

Good idea, but if I used my non-dominant hand to feed myself most of the food would end up in my nose. Which ironically is right where my father used to threaten to put it if we didn't eat it. haha

I agree with the others that you should eat more veges and take a bit less of the more fattening tempting items.
Start with salad & veges.
Don't deprive yourself of enjoying your meal.
Exercise a bit more when possible.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone :>)

 

[bakechef]

I was going to say that I found it, but I didn't find that much. Just a few pounds. Someone else must have found the rest.

I just read the other day that if you snack using your non-dominant hand it will slow you down enough so you eat less. I must try that when at holiday parties.

The only thing that I'm ambidextrous at is eating, the only way to slow me down is require me to use my feet, but I bet I could get good at it fairly quickly....

 

[chopper]

The only thing that I'm ambidextrous at is eating, the only way to slow me down is require me to use my feet, but I bet I could get good at it fairly quickly....

Now there's an idea.......