Avoiding holiday "grazing"

So the holidays are approaching and I'm starting to fear the days that will be entirely based around food. There are so many holiday traditions like cookie baking and big dinners with family friends and potlucks etc, that some days are entirely devoted to cooking. I love it and dont wanna give it up! But a ll day in the kitchen, lots of spoons to lick, lots of things to graze on...scary. Normally when I'm not hungry but tempted by food I leave the house,take a walk, meet a friend for coffee. But thats not really an option when you have 8 things to check on and your mother and your sister singing christmas songs in your kitchen lol. Any tips? Can I go for a walk and not seem like a scrooge?

Wed. Dec 6, 8:24pm

Just a few ideas I have for your situation:

*How about taking a walk WITH your relatives instead of alone? Maybe ask your mom or sister to go with you for 15 minutes or so. Or maybe a big/small group could go, depending on how receptive they are. They might enjoy the one-on-one time, too. Try asking a different person each time, so you spend time with everyone.
*If possible, maybe try eating before you go, and when you do eat, have a game plan. Maybe fill half your plate w/veggies, then the rest w/a little bit of each other item. Whatever works for you, but you'll be grateful if you don't have to think about it much when decision-making.
*Maybe you could suggest some healthy alternatives or healthy modifications to the traditional foods. Maybe you could suggest a raw veggie tray, or recommend skim milk instead of whole for the mashed potatoes.
*Try not to succumb to the family pressure of stuffing yourself silly. And if anyone asks you about it, have a standard reply, such as your tummy hates you if you overstuff it, but thanks for asking, or something like that.

These are just a start. I'm sure other members will have more ideas for you!

Thursday, December 07, 2006, 9:55 AM

I think you could take a walk, but you might find yourself out walking so much that you'll miss it all anyway! YMMV, but here are a couple more suggestions for you:

I find that if I have ANYTHING with sugar in it, I'm doomed. It takes more will power for me to try to have small amounts than it does to just not have any of it.

Try to introduce some non-food oriented traditions. Making some time of Christmas ornaments or decorations, perhaps (I would include ginger bread houses in that since I'm not tempted to eat them, but that may not be true for you).

Have something that seems festive available to drink so that you don't feel deprived.

Let us know how you do and what works for you!

Thursday, December 07, 2006, 3:02 PM

why not suggest that your mom & sister go caroling with you for an hour? then they would not be singing in the kitchen w/o you, and you could still go for a walk.

Thursday, December 07, 2006, 3:17 PM

Cut up some vegetables and eat them while baking.
Chew gum.

Thursday, December 07, 2006, 4:51 PM

I don't know if your family would be into this - but I went to a friends families thanksgiving and they had a 1000 piece puzzle. This year I've bought a 500 piece puzzle for my family to try at Christmas - we've never done something like that before, but I think they'll give it a go, and it helps to introduce another non-food focus.

Some great suggestions in here by the way. Good going guys.

Monday, December 11, 2006, 12:31 AM

I read about this somewhere - it's a way to enjoy yourself without bingeing. Have whatever you want to have, just have one. Like if you have one cookie, then that's it, no more cookies. Then later if you have one brownie, fine, but no more brownies. Same thing with servings at buffets/dinners. You can have one serving of anything, but no seconds. That way you can have a good time and not feel like you're "dieting" but you save yourself tons of calories because you won't lose track of however much of each thing you eat, and eventually you'll run out of things to have!

Monday, December 11, 2006, 1:20 AM

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