How do you not gain weight at Christmas?

[malificent7]

It has taken me a year to loose 2 stone...im not tiny bit much happier at about 10 stone 8. Last Christmas i put on half a stone and it took me 6 months to shift.
This Christmas i just want to maintain as much as possible. But i can feel the temptation all around. I love mince pies, chocolate, cheese etc and I don't want to feel deprived. How can i have fun without it piling it on?
I posted here for traffic than weight loss so any tips, recipes etc are most gratefully received.

Look into intuitive eating - I went to a talk on this earlier in the month and it was really good! She spoke all about Christmas food and intuitive eating/guilt etc. Will see if I can find it on YouTube

Don't go mad! So, for example, have one mince pie if you are hungry, but don't sit around eating them mindlessly.

Make a plan to spread out your treats over the festive period so you're not eating too much in one go.

Don't feel you have to use everything up - you don't have to eat those last remaining chocolates that you don't really like, or the cheese you've had enough of. Anything you've bought is a 'sunk cost' so there's no bonus to it going on your waistline rather than being thrown away.

Following as I'm feeling great after a pretty big weight loss this year but can already feel the lbs notching up just by looking at all the lovely food all around!

I increase my step count by 5000 per day (so I aim for 15,000 steps instead of 10,000 steps). Getting out of the house takes me away from the temptation to snack endlessly. It’s also good for my mental health, which in turn stops me using food as a treat to improve my mood.

When there’s “treat” food about, I’ll eat those instead of meals, rather than in addition. Eg, I might eat a mince pie and some cheese and biscuits instead of an evening meal. Not the healthiest but it’s only short term. Oh and don’t have too much treat food in the house so the temptation isn’t there. I usually find by the time xmas is over I’m craving healthier food!

Don't have it in the house. Seriously. We have to really limit whats there to.avoid mindless munching. Eat it when out if offered, by all means but not at home. Also social.stuff involves meeting for a walk before anything involving food. And a walk on Xmas day - just half an hour tound the block, but keeping moving is key. Oh, and track everything you eat and kerp weighing yourself weekly.

Have a bit of what you fancy but don't go crazy.

Knowing how hard it was to loose last time might put you off overindulging.

I also get on really well with intermittent fasting, specifically 16-8. There's only so much food you can eat in 8 hours and I honestly don't feel like I'm missing out... delay not deny!

It's all the boozing that does it for me!

I look at the calender and plan in days over Xmas when I'm going to have an 'on plan' day as such and not drink and stick to my diet. I'm off for two weeks so hopefully at least a few of the days will be just family days with nothing planned so that will work for me without impacting on the fun. I will try to have a run when I can too.

I expect I will gain a few lbs over Xmas though. It's the season to celebrate and enjoy feasting with your family and friends, so it's about getting a balance for me.

Honestly, I know it’s not what people want to hear, but I just don’t buy or eat the food. It’s just not worth it for me. I’ve worked hard to lose a stone this last few months (I lost 4 stone a few years ago and put a stone on in lockdown) and a mince pie or crappy Quality Street just doesn’t justify the calories.

Should say 3st down, another 2 to go really.

I'm going away on holiday this year. To somewhere that doesn't do Xmas so that'll help!

I normally eat whatever I want on Christmas Day- the trick is not to let Christmas turn into the whole of December.

Step up the exercise! Which is easier when not working. 5k every day is around minus 2100 calories a week

Work out your TDEE.
<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=tdeecalculator.net/&ved=2ahUKEwjQloPjw9v0AhVtknIEHeq1AVAQFnoECAUQAQ&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw33Nxms49nRJ50s3fpxmhC1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=tdeecalculator.net/&ved=2ahUKEwjQloPjw9v0AhVtknIEHeq1AVAQFnoECAUQAQ&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw33Nxms49nRJ50s3fpxmhC1

Then calorie count. Work out what is a priority. Mine is fancy cheese, crisps with hummus and Baileys. I've switched my full English on Christmas morning with eggs Benedict. I have free reign when it comes to Lindor orange/mint chocolate and then reduce on the 27th-30th, Then from the 3rd. I've yo-yo's for two years and want it to stop. I really struggled in the heat last summer and remind myself of that.

@SSOYS

I normally eat whatever I want on Christmas Day- the trick is not to let Christmas turn into the whole of December.

This is so true - don't buy the extra snaking stuff.

I have the hosting guilt that someone will think they've had a shit Christmas because we didn't provide mince pies/dates/Christmas cake/cheesy footballs etc so end up buying all this stuff that no-one eats as they are too full.

@SSOYS

I normally eat whatever I want on Christmas Day- the trick is not to let Christmas turn into the whole of December.

This! One day of eating salad won't make me thin, so one day of fun food won't make me fat!

I agree of not letting "it's Christmas!" turn into six weeks of party food.

I find that I don't feel deprived after the fact! Feeling like I've come out the other side without giving in to food pressure feels amazing and empowering, and definitely worth the small feeling of "deprivation" I got when I fancied a snack but ate veggies instead.

Plan some days when you will do exercise - a walk, a run, an online class, whatever - plan to do it in the evening so you have a reason not to over indulge that day. Might help if it's something really fun - I do online dance classes which are super energetic but also make me smile.

About 3 years ago I realised I hadn't lost the weight from the Christmas before. I adopted a Moderation In All Things mindset.
I didn't buy a cheese board instead I bought the smallest piece of blue and skinniest wedge of brie I could find. No butter(sob). Bought no chocolate, knowing I/dd would be gifted some. 2 piece frozen dessert and smallest pot of cream. Dinner was usually served on Victorian style platters, not now. Small bag of unsalted nuts instead of tubs. Smaller size Pringles. And so on.
Not in anyway do I feel Grinch or joyless or hard done by.
I have lost 21 lbs in 18 months and it is staying off. Very motivating!

I count calories and some days in December those calories are entirely snacky.

'the trick is not to let Christmas turn into the whole of December.'

Absolutely right

Also, do mindful buying as well as mindful eating. If you love mince pies, then buy them, but don't feel you have to get them just because they're festive. Buy a box or two of nice chocolates that you really love, rather than a huge tin of random chocs. Meal plan - go all out on Christmas Day by all means but have some lighter, healthier meals over the festive period too. Keep at it with exercise as much as possible. Remind yourself that if you take it relatively easy over Christmas, you will still feel like you can do a bit of indulging in January, and won't feel the need to restrict yourself harshly

@SSOYS

I normally eat whatever I want on Christmas Day- the trick is not to let Christmas turn into the whole of December.

Absolutely this.

A day of eating loads of mince pies won't make a difference but if you do it everyday until after New Year then it will.

If you can't resist the temptation, either wait and shop on Christmas Eve or lock all the snacks in the boot or the car

‘Christmas eating’ starts and stops at a definite date for me - 23rd-27th Dec.

I’ve had a couple of mince pies in December so far and I’m not ‘dieting’, but it’s only that window of time that I allow myself a bit of gluttony. If I eat like a greedy pig for more than about 5 days, I WILL gain weight and I know it. So I’m just realistic about it with myself.

I do gain weight. I just lose it afterwards.

I do a combination of all of the above, limit what comes in. Only have treat food in the house if having guests. Replace meals with treats if I want them and count 28th Dec as the last day of Christmas.
I don't immediately go back dieting on the 29th but stop eating treat foods go back to healthy meals and on the 2nd January go back to dieting properly.
This has all become a lot easier now I drink less. Good luck

Have a little of what you want but keep it to mealtimes rather than all day snacking. Get a bit of exercise, watch the booze, watch the portions, but remember that weight loss is for life and your weight is going to fluctuate and depriving yourself of the things you like forever will make you miserable and is ultimately unsustainable.

I read on method is to allow three bites of anything you fancy, then quit.