Hey everyone,
I read an article recently suggesting some ideas on how to minimize the damage that so many folk seem to do to their well-intentioned dietary and fitness plans during holidays.
There was a line in there about having a plan and knowing ahead of time what challenges you might face, i.e. TONS of foods, desserts, travel, etc. and putting up with family/friends who want you to eat everything in sight and pass out in a gluttonous coma.
My family does this to me!!! My mother and mother-in-law constantly telling me to "c'mon heatwave, go back and fill up your plate, there's plenty more to eat..." or someting to that effect. If I'm not passed out on the floor with my belt loosened, they wonder what's wrong and if I even liked the food or not. I tell them I am full and they'll say, "but, don't you want to try my (fill in name of dish or dessert).....?"
--Do any of you all ever face this?
--If so, how do you deflect it or downplay it so you don't sabotage yourself?
--Do you all do any pre-workout leading up to a holiday, knowing that you need to rev up your metabolism?
--Or, do you resign yourself over to the inevitable and just make up for it at a later time?
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12-06-2011, 06:43 AM #1
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Holiday Season, Family, Food, and Fitness
Last edited by heatwave13; 12-06-2011 at 06:49 AM.
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12-06-2011, 09:56 AM #2
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What do you mean by "pre-workout"? I continue my regular training right up until Xmas.
I think if you are really working towards a weight loss goal, instead of looking at the holidays as a potential for one long binge, remember that you don't have to allow that kind of thinking. For me, its usually just Xmas Eve that is the big family get together. That's one meal. One meal that I can eat a bit of everything and have fun and yet not go too far overboard. No need to STUFF yourself with the highest fat/carb combo possible, after all. But if you do, ENJOY and use those cals for a maximal pull effort the next day."A champion is someone who gets up even when he can't" ---Jack Dempsey
I eat for living, not just lifting.
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12-06-2011, 10:07 AM #3
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Well, the article coined the phrase to indicate that, if you anticipate eating big, then you could do a heavy/intense workout, perhaps the day prior.
As for me personally, I usually keep it all in balance. I eat whatever I want on special occasions, then the next day, just go back to my "disciplined" way of eating. When I saw that article (which I've lost now), I just wondered what others perspectives are on this, especially those on here who tend to eat clean and may have relatives/friends that don't really understand our lifestyle. I know that in my family, I'm the only one who really trains/worksout regularly or has any kind of consistency. I'm viewed as the odd-ball....RAW PRs--no suit, no belt, no wraps, no spotters
Squat- 1075 lbs
Deadlift- 1250 lbs
Bench- 795 lbs
Power Clean- 665 lbs.
Barbell Curl-405 lbs.
225 Bench Press for reps-56 reps
40 yard dash-4.13 seconds (electronic official time)
vertical leap-55 inches
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12-06-2011, 11:06 AM #4
You're never under any obligation to eat or drink anything that you don't want to. No furthur explanation is necessary to anyone.
Problem solved.No brain, no gain.
"The fitness and nutrition world is a breeding ground for obsessive-compulsive behavior. The irony is that many of the things people worry about have no impact on results either way, and therefore aren't worth an ounce of concern."--Alan Aragon
Where the mind goes, the body follows.
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12-06-2011, 11:11 AM #5
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Yup, just make the best choices possible in order to keep your diet in line. A little bit of this and that is fine for almost anyone. I think my worst days are going to be Xmas eve, Xmas and New Years Eve. You can also workout a little harder and longer to offset any excess food intake.
RobIn space, nobody can smell Uranus....
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12-06-2011, 12:05 PM #6
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12-06-2011, 01:02 PM #7
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12-06-2011, 02:50 PM #8
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12-06-2011, 03:09 PM #9
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12-06-2011, 04:08 PM #10
just be picky choosy...for instance if your mom still makes your very favorite cookies and you only get these once a year..then indulge just dont go overboard and make yourself sick..just cause every dinner looks like a buffet does not mean you gotta eat everything on it....look it all over, make your choices..say yes on some meat, veggies and then just pick a little bit of this and that..whenever possible...dont sit at the table where all the food is...I like to wander away from it and sit in the living room or even at the kiddie table..
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12-06-2011, 07:19 PM #11
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12-06-2011, 07:52 PM #12
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12-06-2011, 07:54 PM #13
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12-06-2011, 07:58 PM #14
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12-07-2011, 06:01 AM #15
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It feels like a weight watcher 's meeting in here. Bodybuilding != weight watchers. If you're training correctly to build muscle then you *need* to eat to support it. I look forward to the holidays because it'll make reaching my caloric requirements easier, I just make sure I stay away from sugar and alcohol, but that's my normal anyway.
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12-07-2011, 06:05 AM #16
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Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve are considered cheat days for me and I plan to take full advantage of all the amazing food every year. Plan is usually to fill up on whatever protein source is available and then attack anything else that catches my eye. Usually works great, except for this last Thanksgiving the in-laws ran out of turkey so I ended up eating more junk than I cared for.
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12-07-2011, 07:35 AM #17
Well, I for one do not have the iron will 100% of the day. I'm doing better with the psychology of it but I will admit as people bring more and more goodies to work and leave them on the community table, I do face temptation. So, I plan to indulge a bit here and there, and just lift MORE and HEAVIER or run more miles.
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12-07-2011, 07:11 PM #18
For me I make it about enjoying the people I am with and the spirit of the holiday (celebrating the birth of baby Jesus) and not about the food. So I keep up on my workouts and pay attention to what I eat. I also have this plan if I am going to eat it I am going to work it off. So far the damage has only been 2 peices of peanut brittle and 1 peice of fudge. And with how hard I train I have easly worked that off. I don't usually do cheat meals so that takes care of that.
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12-08-2011, 08:58 AM #19
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12-08-2011, 09:59 AM #20
The "Its Christmas... eat what you want" attitude is fine if you only attend one or two parties during the holidays season. But if you have several parties and get togethers, and don't control yourself it WILL catch up with you. Happened to me last year, and I certainly did not believe I was going overboard with my eating. I am not making that mistake again this year.
I posted this in my journal last week. I was headed to a Christmas party and had already hit my macros for the day. It was not worth it to me to go over, so I had to muster up some willpower. I am pretty sure this is what I looked like vvvv
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12-08-2011, 10:40 AM #21
The holidays are just me, my wife, my son, and my dog. Don't go to parties, not a big drinker. Nice spread on Christmas Eve, nice meal on Christmas Day (usually a ham, maybe a prime rib as well). My wife will usually bake cookies, we'll graze on those for a few days.
Bottom line...I enjoy the holidays. I don't go crazy, but I enjoy myself. I don't know, maybe some people quit training or cut back during this period. Personally, I don't. If anything, I kick up the intensity, especially while my son is out of school. Nothing I love more than busting my backside through an extended training session and then coming home and chowing down.
LOVE this time of year!Last edited by snoack; 12-08-2011 at 11:22 AM.
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12-08-2011, 11:09 AM #22
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Christmas and Thanksgiving are 2 days out of the year. Nobody ever got out of shape eating poorly 2 days a year. If you are worried about what you are eating on either of these days then you probably have an eating disorder and should get counseling. None of you appear to be 3 weeks out from the nationals so get a grip.
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12-08-2011, 11:12 AM #23
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I had to sit my mother in-law down and have a discussion with pushing food and snacks on me and my family. When I first changed my eating habits she would also pick on me for not eating enough, but praise me for the weight loss and being healthier. I just told her this is how I eat now, and if you like the results, why do you give me a hard time for it? After 18 months, she has finally gotten the hint, and doesn't try to push stuff on me anymore.
If I know I'm going to a big party in the evening, I will eat less early in the day, so I have some slack in how many calories I can have. Also, snacking and low cal stuff like veggies and having low-cal drinks while at the party helps. I'll also only eat small portions of the bad stuff, as the portion sizes are usually out of control. I find indulging a little, but not going overboard makes it easier to be good.
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12-08-2011, 12:15 PM #24
Just gotta have the b@lls to say no. I've had lots of people say no to me before, when I offer them something. I'm not offended.
Make up a creative lie, for people who won't stop. "My doctor says X is bad for people who have YYYYYY, when you get to be my age"
Fill up with healthy stuff 1st.
If you are visiting, why not bring a veggie or fruit plate along with you?I'm going to take the Sc0liosis curve out of my back and eliminate my nerve pain
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12-08-2011, 12:43 PM #25
Maybe there's something wrong with me...but in 47 plus years, and almost every Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season that I can remember having been spent with various family members (immediate, friends, girl friends, in-laws, etc...) I don't remember anybody ever forcing food or snacks on me or insisting that I eat something that I didn't want.
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12-08-2011, 12:57 PM #26
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12-08-2011, 01:10 PM #27
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12-08-2011, 08:45 PM #28
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