What is your plan for holiday eating?

[Whatsername]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

While my mind and soul might go on holiday, my body doesn't.

Ohhh I like that! I am definitely going to keep that little saying in mind over the holidays.

Jane

[meow]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

I do what Sheila does. I make sure I walk every day during Christmas break, no matter what. Christmas Eve it's all family. We are in mourning this year, so it will be small, but I will eat a few family -tradition Christmas goodies in the evening, things that are only around on that night. Then it's back on plan. It has worked for me for years.
Christmas and my birthday, my 2 treat days of the year.

[jcapulet]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

Ohhh I like that! I am definitely going to keep that little saying in mind over the holidays.

Jane

Hi Jane,

It helps me to think of it that way. We're going to SIL's house for Christmas, and I already signed up to make the desserts. Low carb pumpkin cheesecake is my favorite and everyone loved it during Canadian Thanksgiving (in October) including my little nephew.

[dmat28]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

Hi Jane,

It helps me to think of it that way. We're going to SIL's house for Christmas, and I already signed up to make the desserts. Low carb pumpkin cheesecake is my favorite and everyone loved it during Canadian Thanksgiving (in October) including my little nephew.

Can you share your recipe?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

>>The only thing I really must have off plan is a few cookies and and milk.>>

Are you being tied to a chair with your mouth pried open?

[RitaCeleste]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

Maybe! Don't you have anything better to do than pick at me ALL the time? REALLY! I may not have them but I still want them. Perhaps I'll rate having them as far more important than loosing a pound that week, perhaps I won't. That is totally up to me. And it will be my choice as it always is. Being happy matters to me. Sometimes that means having a cookie! Sometimes it means fitting into a nice new pair of pants. Grrr! I've made over 90 pounds of good choices. One bad one won't make me explode.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

Sorry to have responded. I didn't realize I "picked on you ALL the time". I don't "pick on" anyone, really.

>>Not on Atkins at all!!!>>

I guess that sums it up ... I should have paid more attention to your signature.

[RitaCeleste]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

Yes, you should. The siggy is there for a very good reason. You see, many overweight people can't be perfect all the the time. They know this. That's why many refuse to keep trying. That's why so many give up time after time. I don't mind people knowing I am not perfect all of the time and yet I have gotten here at my own slower speed. I do believe the trying will benefit people. Yet in my own personal life, I am surrounded by people afraid to try and fail yet again. If you can't make the leap, a lot of babysteps can work! I know it doesn't work for everyone. Sometimes a cheat today leads to a cheat tomorrow and so on. I admire the kind of dedication it takes to always eat on plan while freely admitting I don't have it and can't get it. I admit it, not to hurt those people that must be stricter, but for the ones who like me don't have it and can't get it either. We still need to keep trying because giving up will get you fatter quicker.

[JulieB]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

JulieB - what are your egg salad/bell pepper boats?

It is something I read on the board & "stored" (in my brain!) for later...egg salad served in little "boats" made out of bell peppers. I've never made it before, but it should be pretty easy.

[jcapulet]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

Can you share your recipe?

Of course You can make it with or without a crust. I just use almond flour mixed with melted butter to form my crust. Works great!

Note: This is not my own recipe, I got one off the web but added 1 Tbs. bourbon because I think it improves the taste. Also, I just used 2 foil pie crust pans and it made 2 pumpkin cheesecakes. If you use the 9 inch springfrom pan it should yield 1 cheesecake.

Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake

Two 8-oz. packages cream cheese (at room temperature)
3/4 cup Splenda (granular or liquid equivalent)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 cups of canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1.5 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. bourbon whiskey (optional)
1-2 Tbs. sugar-free maple syrup OR Da Vinci Pumpkin Pie flavored syrup

Set oven to 300 degrees with the oven rack in the middle.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. (Or, make the almond crust and press it into the pan) Set aside.

Beat the cream cheese, Splenda and vanilla in a large bowl of an electric mixer until smooth. With mixer on medium speed, add the pumpkin and sour cream and mix thoroughly.

Add eggs one at a time, and beat between each addition.

Add spices, salt & bourbon (if using); mix to blend.

Immediately pour batter into the crust/pan. Bake for 1 hour plus 10 minutes, or until a knife placed in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and place on a cake rack to cool. Brush the top of the cheesecake(s) with the sugar free maple syrup (or the da Vinci syrup). Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing the ring from the pan.

Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

[Georgiana]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

many overweight people can't be perfect all the the time. They know this.

Many people have a faulty idea of what they can and can't do. It doesn't apply only to weight loss.

Let's say I have an exam in two days. It's a tough one and I've been told by students who took the course last year that no one ever got a good grade in it. What should I do? Study and do as good as possible? Or think, "well, I can't have A+ in all my courses. And everyone says this exam is impossibly difficult, so obviously it won't be ME who does good in it! So... screw it! I'll sit here watching Series 3 of Desperate Housewives."

The former scenario means I am planning my success. The latter means that I am planning my failure.

Planning to cheat instead of planning to "stay on track" is similar. No one is forcing me to study. And I might pass even without being "perfect". It's the attitude -- "I know I'll fail... that's fate... I can't do anything about it" -- that is wrong.

Don't you have anything better to do than pick at me ALL the time?

You've been at ADBB for some time now. Do you honestly expect to say you "must" cheat without anyone commenting on it?!

I do believe the trying will benefit people.

This is not what started this discussion.

Planning a cheat, which is what you are doing, is not "trying". It's planning to fail!

[Browneyedmelly]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

Irish, I hope you read what I am about to say...even if I get no response... but your posts are always so inspiring to me... they are awesome and beautifully written....I have gained 6 pounds and I can't seem to lose it... but I stay steady every day by going on that monster the treadmill...and I have to say, eating properly as well..otherwise I would have gained back everything I worked so hard to achieve....These boards are super fantastic....I slipped up one day on Thanksgiving, as it was my birthday and went back on track the next day.. and have been struggling ever since... so really take the time to think about not cheating... it really isn't worth it...

[d33na]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

Well I gues being in Perth in Australia which is very damn hot we eat a little differently...my menu won't be very different to most years....we have cold baked free range chicken...was have beautiful ham on the bone from a German deli that cures all their own meats without yukky stuff...we have many salads...and cheesecake...this year I'm trialing (tonite) a nut crust...even if I dont eat it it's a yummy idea...with whipped cream mixed with raspberries...

I dont like the idea of heavy food on a hot day...light foods..all tasty...makes for a relaxing and tension free day....thats what I like

[dmat28]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

Of course You can make it with or without a crust. I just use almond flour mixed with melted butter to form my crust. Works great!

Note: This is not my own recipe, I got one off the web but added 1 Tbs. bourbon because I think it improves the taste. Also, I just used 2 foil pie crust pans and it made 2 pumpkin cheesecakes. If you use the 9 inch springfrom pan it should yield 1 cheesecake.

Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake

Two 8-oz. packages cream cheese (at room temperature)
3/4 cup Splenda (granular or liquid equivalent)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 cups of canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1.5 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. bourbon whiskey (optional)
1-2 Tbs. sugar-free maple syrup OR Da Vinci Pumpkin Pie flavored syrup

Set oven to 300 degrees with the oven rack in the middle.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. (Or, make the almond crust and press it into the pan) Set aside.

Beat the cream cheese, Splenda and vanilla in a large bowl of an electric mixer until smooth. With mixer on medium speed, add the pumpkin and sour cream and mix thoroughly.

Add eggs one at a time, and beat between each addition.

Add spices, salt & bourbon (if using); mix to blend.

Immediately pour batter into the crust/pan. Bake for 1 hour plus 10 minutes, or until a knife placed in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and place on a cake rack to cool. Brush the top of the cheesecake(s) with the sugar free maple syrup (or the da Vinci syrup). Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing the ring from the pan.

Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Thanks Lisa, can't wait to try it!
Dorothy

[Aways2Go]

Re: What is your plan for holiday eating?

Not to be argumentative, but in Rita's defense, if I thought I could never even consider having a couple of cookies or a piece of wedding cake again in my lifetime or else I was just planning to fail then I would have quit low carbing long before now. Sometimes you make choices that while less than ideal in some ways, are also some of what makes life worth living. Especially for someone that close to goal moving into the "how do I eat for the rest of my life" phase, it seems like making a plan for one small bit of a holiday treat without totally going off plan otherwise is not a bad thing.

Some people can occasionally have some special item without totally going off the wagon. Some can't. If she feels like she can plan to have a couple of cookies and a glass of milk without going insane and eating up everything else in the house, that seems a fairly reasonable choice to me from someone who has been low carbing long enough she likely knows what she can handle and what she can't and who is planning one small "cheat" around that.


Better that than no plan at all, I would think. Are there really a lot of folks around who are planning to NEVER have any kind of "cheat" food again? Ever? Even after losing nearly 100 pounds and being almost at goal?

Personally, I have no plan as of yet. That might lead to failure a lot quicker than Rita's approach. I best be concocting one by next week. I will likely not plan a cheat myself... but I am also nowhere near my goal weight yet, either.