Holiday Survival!

Today’s weight watcher lesson was based around informing us about point values for so many of our favorite Thanksgiving foods. I was astonished by the calories and points that were in what seemed to me like teeny tiny portions. Sooo depressing! Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday not only because of the family gets together but also because of the F-O-O-D! Not once have I really held back on Thanksgiving because I tell myself well Thanksgiving is special. Splurge for one day and then jump back on the band wagon the next day.

Last year, exactly this time of the year I was in the same predicament. I had lost a few (very hard earned) pounds. I faced the upcoming holidays and had the knowledge and power to tackle it with success. I told myself, I WILL do this. I told myself I WILL beat the holidays, I told myself I WAS strong enough to combat my problems…. but somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas I lost site and now facing the same fear of failure.

I know it isn’t good going into the holidays with part of my mind is telling me, “why skimp on thanksgiving when you are probably going to end up failing in the end like you always do?” Part of me is scared to death because I know how much I want to loose weight, and how great I have been doing and I fear the power food can have over me. I love food. I love to cook food. And yes somewhere inside of me I think “food is love”.

My big issue with the holiday’s is getting out of routine. I can do great on my day to day life. I make my breakfast and lunch at work. I have my schedule of when I work out. I have lots of friends that are fit and active and are also trying to battle weight loss as well. But when the holidays come, it means travel. It means not having the same options for food as normal and eating at irregular times. It means holiday parties. It’s very cold outside and if I am out of town my gym is not an option. I have food pressures from family, customers, co workers, friends, ect and also the comfort of food has always been there for me in times of the “stressful” holidays.

So how am I going to push past this this year? Yes I am motivated now but how do I keep myself motivated? Anyways, I found someone else in weight watcher’s that is dealing with a very similar struggle as well. I felt like sharing her story and her tips for sticking with it. I hope you enjoy and like I keep telling my self…. YOU CAN DO IT! Food is just fuel for the body. YOU are in control! Good luck!

Holiday Survival: One Woman's Story
Article By: Amanda Genge www.weightwatchers.com

Thanksgiving should be a heartwarming day (or long weekend) full of family, food and festivity. But throw a colossal turkey, several kinds of stuffing and a boatload of desserts into the mix, and those of us trying to make healthy choices have a recipe for a nutritional nightmare on our hands.

If you're anything like me, you start looking forward to Thanksgiving — or at least the food that will be served — weeks in advance. Come early November, I'm already dreaming of the sausage stuffing, marsala mushrooms and fluffy mashed potatoes that make up my family's traditional feast (To be honest, I could take or leave the turkey). I start to think about which "healthy" dishes I can bring to seem virtuous, all the while knowing I'll ignore my steamed herbed broccoli and load my plate with anything doused in butter or cream, or preferably both.

Even if I've been "good" in the weeks leading up to the holiday, my restraint goes out the window when I sit down to dinner. I try to plan my week around the meal, eating light fare the rest of the time to save up for a marathon holiday eating session where I let myself indulge in whatever I want. I'm sure I must end up eating a whole week's worth of POINTS® values that day. I can easily devour at least two servings of every side dish, plus a generous sampling of every one of the dozen desserts trumped out before my dad and uncle even have a chance to fight over the turkey carcass.

The (skinny) voice of reason
Of course, while I'm sinking my teeth into a second slice of pie, my skinny sister — who honestly can not comprehend how people can overeat ("Why don't you just stop when you're full?") — is shooting disapproving glances across the table. She doesn't say it out loud, but I can see her eyes asking, "Do you really need to be eating that?" I know her concern is genuine — after all, she knows I'm miserable being the Fatty McFattypants of the family, and only wants to see me lose weight so I can be more comfortable in my own skin — but come on! It's Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for all the delicious food, a spread that would make a pilgrim blush! Just this once, let a fat girl enjoy her second helpings without guilt.

Coping without calories
This year, I'm aiming to limit my intake of all things creamy, but if I get carried away with second helpings, I'll be okay with that, too. I usually don't gain weight Thanksgiving week as long as I only really pig out on Thanksgiving Day itself. This approach fits nicely within my "don't lose, don't gain" strategy for the season.
If you're like me and truly enjoy rich food but tend to overindulge or if you're prone to drown your sorrows in pumpkin pie, Colleen Gengler, family relations educator at the University of Minnesota Extension, has a few survival Thanksgiving survival tips:

1. Let comments roll off your back
If you're tired or stressed, you're more likely to feel insulted by even innocent comments about the food, your hair, what's on your plate or anything else. If someone says something that makes you flinch, "don't take the bait; try to change the subject quickly," says Gengler.

2. Don't make food the focus
"Let the meal bring you together, but don't dwell on it the whole time," suggests Gengler. If the banter at the table shifts from praise for the delicious food to the stuffing's caloric count or who's eating the most mashed potatoes, gently change the subject. "Initiate conversations about your guests' lives and interests to take their mind off the food," she says.

3. Stick to a schedule
Maintaining your normal routine of meals, snacks and sleep will help keep you (and your kids) on an even keel. And tempting though it may be, don't starve yourself before the holiday meal; you'll probably feel shaky and on edge and you're more likely to overeat. Have a healthy breakfast, like scrambled egg whites with low-fat cheese on whole-wheat toast, to tide you over.

4. Don't try to do it all yourself
If you're hosting the meal, take your guests up on their offers of food and drink to save yourself some time. "Make them feel they're making a special contribution by asking them what they'd like to bring, if they offer to help," suggests Gengler. "If they don't have ideas, you can suggest healthy options like fresh fruit, sparkling cider or a tossed salad with a light dressing."

5. Carve out some "me" time
Yes, you've heard it a million times before. But let's be honest — who actually takes that relaxing bath or goes for a massage? Especially around the holidays when every second is spent cooking, shopping or telling a second cousin where the spare bath towels are. The trick is to sneak in a few moments of peace and quiet (or better yet, some exercise) whenever you can. Even if that means taking long bathroom break just to finish that book you've been reading. Or making up an excuse to run an errand so you can speed-walk an extra lap around the mall.