What do you plan on doing for Thanksgiving?

What do you plan on doing for Thanksgiving in terms or eating?? Are you going to consume the same amount of calories or are you going to allow yourself to have a cheat day and eat whatever you want? I'm trying to lose at least 6 pounds by Christmas and I'm thinking that i should just eat like a normal day instead of having a huge Thanksgiving meal since my family makes SOOOOO much food that I'd consume a gigantic amount of calories....what are you going to do and what do you think I should do??

*I consume about 1200 calories on a daily basis

hi samantha - I try to stick to about 1200 calories a day too, but when it comes to (1) Thanksgiving and (2) Christmas, I don't stick to my 1200 calories!  Those are holidays!  But then again, I don't go all out and just engorge myself either.  I try to eat normal portions, don't stuff myself, drink lots of water.   My family tries to stick to lower calorie/fat free stuff like cool whip and margarines, etc.  

good luck!

Just eat until you're satisfied that you ate enough. Don't worry about the calories. At the same time, don't ram more food down your throat than your stomach can handle just because it's there.

 

 I'm planning eating less the day before and the day after, and then on thanksgiving I'll just be reasonable about what I eat.  I'll have a little of everything, but not a lot of anything.  I'm going to try and make the day not about food, but about seeing my family again for the first time in three months!  Also, make sure you don't go overboard with the left overs.  I'm using all my will to have one piece of pumpkin pie, and only one. 

 

Good luck, and remember it's okay to indulge, just don't go crazy with it!

 

EDIT:  Adding pumpkin pie recipe

 I love pumpkin pie, but the one that my dad makes cannot be good for me, especially the crust, it has lard in it.  So, I've been looking for healthier alternatives and I found a crustless one for only 152 calories a slice!!!

http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/dessert/r/c rustlesspumppi.htm

I am going to make sure I wear form fitting clothes and eat a good breakfast. Also keep my kettle going for green tea and a pack of gum. Sparkling water is good for making me feel full but it also bloats me out. Just be reasonable. It's food. That is it.

I actually think that I have a really good plan for Thanksgiving that not only doesn't go over my daily number of calories, but also keeps it healthy. First of all:

1) I work out. Go for a run or a swim, so that it's not a sluggish day and I burn some caloriesoff.

2) I don't eat lunch. I know that this isn't good, but my family eats our THanksgiving dinner at like 5:30, much much earlier than we normally eat dinner. It seems silly to eat my normal lunch at 1 when I'm going to be having a feast just 4/5 hours later.

3) No butter, gravy, dark meat like the legs and thighs of the turkey, or stuffing. I make my own mashed potatoes since my family doesn't eat as healthily - I mash up 1 or 2 baked potatoes and mix in Promise fat free margarine for a little flavor. Thus - no butter or sour cream = healthy. I then eat white breast meet, my mom's salad, and vegetables (broccoli, corn, peas, carrots, etc.).

4) I do indulge in dessert (Pumpkin Pie), but I don't eat the crush, just the filling. This makes it a lot less fattening, and it also eliminates about 100-200 calories. Enjoy!

I was thinking about this today actually.  I'm really worried because I'm afraid my boyfriend's family is going to expect me to come to their Thanksgiving dinner after eating with my own family!  I don't know what to do!  My plan is to definitely exercise that morning, eat a light breakfast, and then exercise immense portion control at the meal(s).  All I need is a little taste of everything.  The first couple of bites are the best part, anyway.  Then, I'll just have one piece of pumpkin pie.  It's my favorite part, so I'll allow myself one small piece.  But the name of the game is, PORTION CONTROL!  I don't want to deprive myself of the delicious things my mom cooks.  I am just coming out of a year of deprivation and labeling foods as "good" and "bad"... I'm really trying to get out of that mindset and have a healthier relationship with food.  So this holiday is a challenge for me in more ways than one!

EDIT: Oh, and I've decided that if worse comes to worst, and I go over my calories, I'll just cut the difference from my daily calories for the next day--it shouldn't be very much, and since I'm maintaining anyway, I have a fairly high BMR.

i agree with caitling. eat less the days before and after, and on the actual day just have your favorite things that you really want but have a little. a little of everything! i know its hard to just have a little; but if you actually stop to think about it, you really wont be hungry anymore and will see that you dont need a bunch of extra food just to have it. who said thanksgiving was about stuffing yourself crazy? even though people do that, thats not what thanksgiving is about. try to stick to your 1200 calories, but do indulge. just use portion control! oh and; make sure you work out!

i am worried about this holiday myself though; because im the type of person to eat anything and everything thats in front of me. i should really take my own advice as well haha.  

It won't be hard this year.  My aunt is hell bent on cooking dinner her way, which means every kind of shortcut you can think of.  We're having turkey breast and her candied sweet potatoes, made from canned (yuck) are awful, so I'm not eating them.  She'll insist on stovetop (double yuck) stuffing, so I won't be eating that.  We will, however have the usual tossed salad, and my brother and I are bringing some vegetable sides, asparagus and baby carrots, so I'll be able to put a meal together.  I don't have a problem skipping the bread or the dessert (probably Mrs Smith's pumpkin pie), and I don't drink anything but water.

No problem!

She's 90, so we think it's best to just let her have her way. 

I'm not too worried about Thanksgiving.  I'm worried about the days before and after.  We are driving to California from Utah to visit my inlaws.  I have to pack a cooler full of yogurts, lunch meat, vegetables, etc. so we don't eat at in-and-out burger.  I know they will want to take us out for killer mexican food one night.  Thanksgiving will at least give me the option of having a nice piece of white meat with a nice salad and vegetables.  My stomach won't hold as much so I'm not too worried about eating 2 huge plates of food as in years past.  I will allow myself lots of wine and a nice piece of pie.  I'm also going to go on a couple of nice walks on the ranch and possibly ride horses or help with some work around there to burn some calories.

actually I'm in pre-thanksgiving planning right now....watching what I eat VERY carefully, more so than usual I mean, especially with eating out, so when I go over on thanksgiving (which I will) thats fine....I'm actually looking forward to cooking with my mother...not so much the eating...we will have TONS of food, but thats ok, its just one day...I think we have 8 or so different things to make...yay cooking!  Oh and eating a little of everything and not restricting myself...that causes me to eat whatever I wanted in quadruple quantities later on..especially that grape salad *droool*

 

Itll be about the same with Christmas 

You guys are good! 

I plan on eating whatever I want and already have psyched myself up for going over my calories.  I'm not really too worried about that either.  I never really ate two full plates of food, it's the high calorie food that I am anticipating being the culprit. 

The pigs in blanket, the cheese & sausage plate, and the stuffing will be my downfall.   I already know it.  I eat these things twice a year...Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I am going to eat them and if I want more than 2 chuncks of cheese or 2 pigs in blanket I'm going to eat it.  That said, I will still go nuts on the veggie plate that I'll be putting out as an appetizer too.  I love me a good veggie plate! 

I'm not a huge dessert person so I'm not anticipating too much trouble there.  I can't stand pumpkin pie or sweet potato casserole. 

I'm having two Thanksgiving meals.  Lunch with my fiance's family, where I never eat due to my shyness, and a party at my uncle's later in the evening.  You'll find me in the lviing room, parked in front of the jumbo TV, hockey game on, and maybe, just maaaaaaybe, a slice of pumpkin roll.  Otherwise, I'm eating at home.

Claire - I think thats such a sweet way to look at it with your aunt and I had that reaction as an adult the first time I'd encounter canned yams too. 

Vlad, I dont blame you for not missing a tradition especially if its that uncommon for you!

Ive a thanksgiving goal weight plan that is doing well.  I dont plan to eat differently on Thanksgiving.  This is peculiar to me for two reasons.
1)  On thanksgiving day, will I feel the need to make an exception since I DONT cook and its like an opportunity situation.?
2)  Will I be so happy with hitting my Thanksgiving goal weight that I wont wont to backtrack at all?

Im betting on number two.  I plan on number two.  I had this plan with my Birthday in August but made the exception once at the restuarant to eat non diet meal.  Im betting on staying the course this time though. 

For Thanksgiving, I will be making a scrumptious Yellowfin Tuna Poke (Hawaiian-style sashimi salad with raw tuna, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted garlic, ponzu sauce and lemon juice.)  I like to use 8 ounces of fresh tuna (240 calories), so that is a little more lean protein than I usually eat for dinner.  I will probably also have some oven-rooasted rosemary-parmesan red potatoes, and some lemon-garlic grilled asparagus. For dessert, I will make my yummy pumpkin crunch -- which is very diet-friendly.

And my goal is to come up with a pretty tasty low-calorie, diet-friendly egg nog before then! (I will post the recipe in my journal!)

If all goes as planned, I may go over my daily calories by about 250 ... but that is within my acceptable range.

=^..^= MOLLY 

Honestly if I don't stick to how I am eating right now then my calorie intake could be anywhere from 1200 calories to like 3000!! I swear. I've eaten more than 3000 calories before. I would have a pint of icecream (800 calories), cake (250 calories), mcdonalds twice a day (800 calories each), candy bars (200 calories each), etc. I've done that numerous times.  --See, I'm an emotional eater and if I see any type of food that is appealing to me I will eat it and most likely won't be able to stop. But, I just recently became a vegetarian (exactly 1 week ago) and for about 2 weeks I haven't binged which is a long time for me since I would usually binge every 3 days :( But, I suppose what I am going to do is eat how I normally do the days before and days after and while my dad makes the food I'll go running and do some strength training after dinner. I don't know how much I will consume but I'm going to do my best to not go overboard. I'm going to drink lots of water, I'll have a salad, and since this will be my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian I'm going to need to find a few things that are vegetarian suitable that is rich is taste but low in calories and I'll give myself a little treat but I'll eat slowly that way I consume more. Thanks for the advice and replys everyone!!

 

**I hope you all have a good Thanksgiving and hopefully we all keep the promises we have made to ourselves!!

I'm worried about this too, but I'm going to use a smaller plate so I don't load up too much in the buffet line.  My biggest problem is all the snacking that happens before dinner, so I'll be chewing a loooot of gum, or I'll have some celery sticks handy.  I have to make it through 2 dinners that day - wish me luck!

good luck erinspepito!! I don't think I could handle snacking on celery sticks personally but I'll definitely be chewing lots of gum. I'm trying to let go just a little bit and relax. I would like for thanksgiving and christmas to be two days out of the year where I don't obsess about food and my weight. I want to just moderatly treat myself and enjoy the food.--I hope I don't go overboard :/

Easy. Choose the healthier options, portion control, eat slowly, and SAVOR the food! :)

Another strategy we all might want to try is talking.  Join in the conversation, catch up with family members you haven't seen in awhile, tell about recent developments in your life.  Heck, it's Thanksgiving--name a few things you're thankful for.  Talk about your favorite old family memories.  I know it sounds corny, but it'll keep your mouth busy and your focus on something besides food.  That way, you'll be more content with a smaller portion, and you'll be enjoying the occasion rather than obsessing about what's on (or off) your plate.  Also, it will take the focus off of you "dieting"--if you're engaged in conversation, people may be less likely to notice if you skip a certain fattening dish, or otherwise alter your meal in some way.  This is just something that works for me.

Not sure but have tentatively been thinking I'll make the traditonal stuff, but with a vegetarian twist and lowfat. I did that on the 4th of July and it worked out great.

If I was going to someone's house, I would make sure I took reasonable portions so my plate looked full. Eat slowly and enjoy the food, would not have second helpings, and might leave a bit on the plate (not enough to be rude) just enough to say, hey, I've had enough! If there's some premeal eating I would stick with the raw veggies (which almost all hosts and hostesses provide). I would definitely enjoy a piece of pumpkin pie for dessert, leaving the last bit of crust behind. I hate the pie crust!!