Plans for the Holiday Meal

 I have a video planned for my youtube channel where I talk about how to navigate a holiday meal.   Thanksgiving to be specific.  (It should be live right now if you want to go to my channel and check it out.)  It gives all sorts of tips for navigating this weight loss land mine.  I have some great tips in there, if I do say so myself.  Furthermore, they are tips that I have personally used, so I know that they can work!   But what is my plan for the holiday meal this year?

I am going with version of a plan that I used a few years back.    In 2018 I decided that I was going to challenge myself to staying on track for the holiday meal.  I set up four rules.

1. Exercise

2. No bites licks or tastes while cooking (all food must be eaten off a plate..at the table)

3.  One plate/serving

4.  Picture of plate of food

IT worked for me, however the picture of my food was kinda awkward because I wanted to enjoy my family and not be pulling out my phone to take pictures of my plate.  But I did it.   So this year is going to be more of the same...with the exception of the picture.   I don't need a picture!

1. Exercise

2. No bites licks or tastes while cooking (all food must be eaten off a plate and at the table)

3.  One plate/serving....second helpings are not to be eaten!

Will I manage it?  I don't know.  But I DO know that I have to go into the holiday with a plan!  I am on a downward trend.  I have been in control of my eating and I want it to remain that way!  I do NOT want the holiday to derail me or even delay me in my progress!  

I have successfully navigated holidays before, I can do it again!   

What are YOU doing to get through the holiday?  If you don't have a plan....I challenge you to make one!!!!

Weekly weigh in

What a week!  I hope and trust that everyone had a fabulous holiday week!  It was a crazy one for me.  I took some time off work but I feel like I was running the whole time we were off work!   NUTS I tell ya!   It was a good one though…lots of love, laughter and…..FOOD!  

Oh yes, the holidays bring food and since this is a weight loss site, I have to be honest about it all!   So let’s get to it!

Over the weekend I feel like I did really well.  We stayed busy and I never really overate.  We hit up some stores to complete our errands and just to stay busy and active.  Yup, that included an antique shop where we roamed….and I tried on some more hats.  What is it with me and hats at antique shops?

On Sunday we went to Harpers Ferry to walk around.  Ok ok ok…we also went to see the remnants of the carnage that was a train derailment on a large bridge.  We had a lot of fun.  For the first time in years I have really WANTED to pull out my camera and just play around with angles and textures and d

On Monday I went up to my mom’s house and helped her get the house and some food ready for Christmas…which she was hosting.  We of course went out to eat….the choice was Mexican!  

And I took care of my brothers cat while he was out of town. (I did that on Christmas day also!)

I may have gotten into the cookies that day!  Ohh and of course the Mexican food didn’t help!  I tried to right the wrong and prepared a really healthy/light/nutritious meal for that evening to counter balance it though.  My weight was holding steady!  AHHH what a relief….but was the relief short lived?

On Christmas Eve I stayed at home and spent a lot of time in the kitchen getting stuff ready for our Christmas eve at home.  (I also did a few small things for Christmas day.)   I was planning on taking pictures and filming stuff…but that just didn’t happen!  I didn’t even get a picture of us opening our gifts that night! OOPS!

Christmas day started early for me.  I was in the kitchen mixing up bread down bright and early!  I didn’t stop there…I prepped a few dishes for the Christmas meal and by 9Am we were heading up to my mom’s house where we continued to prep for the holiday meal.  

We had a great time with family and yes…the food!  It was a nice day….again, no pictures!  I had my camera with me, but I didn’t have the time to pull it out and take a single solitary picture!

My calories were a bit high.  For most days I was up around 1700-2000 calories.   This doesn’t sound so horrible, but for me that range puts me at a maintain or gain.  It is hit or miss when I eat at that calorie range…..so I was not sure where I was going to be for my official weigh in on Friday.  But here we go….

So a gain of 1.8 pounds.  Not exactly what I wanted!   But I’m ok with it.  It was a holiday and I was still keeping it under control for the most part.  I bet there are people that stepped on the scales and saw MUCH higher gains….I have in the past years.  FURTHERMORE….my goal for the month of December was to maintain my weight.   Guess what?  At the beginning of the month I was 240.4 and on Friday I was 240.2. That is BETTER than a maintain.  I LOST!    Ok, I can’t celebrate yet…..we have to wait until I do an unofficial weigh in on New Year’s day to celebrate and count it as a LOSS for the month of December!

So now that the holiday is over, it is time to really get to work on this weight!  2020 is going to be my year!  I’m going to lose this weight once and for all!  I am going to better my fitness levels!  I am going to rock out this healthy living thing!