Those who are slim - How do you stay slim over Xmas?

[sarahso]

I've lost a good amount of weight this year, im not quite at my target yet and I'm DESPERATE not to pile a load back on next month. I have 2 x work Xmas dos, DH's work's Xmas do, friends night out, Christmas dinner, Boxing Day dinner.. probably more.

Does anyone have some tips to help gain less!?

Nope....enjoy it.

Splurge and deal with the "cut" in January.

I would say just go with the flow and enjoy it. I too have lost a couple of stone this year and don't want to pile it back on over Christmas. We are staying at a hotel to visit family just after Christmas so all meals will be outside of what I would usually have but I hope not to go too off the rails. I will deal with it in January and just enjoy myself. My plan is just to have meals and not to binge mindlessly on chocolate in between meals, but I can't swear that'll be how it will work out. I am planning to not buy in all the chocolate and other junk I would usually buy in advance

I maintain by counting calories over a week rather than a daily amount all year round and loosely follow 16:8.
Over any period where I know my calories may increase I'm extra strict leading up to it and try to stick to my weekly calorie count during the time. I'll also do longer fasts 18-20 hours. So before Christmas day I will eat below 1000 calories (im petite so maintenance is lower) for a few days before and over the week it will even out.
I also naturally eat less since I've lost weight, ask myself if I really want it, skip a meal more often and generally consciously ask myself if it's worth it.
Then after I'll make sure I'm a little stricter if needed with both calorie counting and fasting.

Thanks for the replies.

I also plan not to fill the cupboards with crisps, biscuits, chocolates and cheese and crackers. The plan is to eat as normal and if people buy us chocolates, we can eat those, but otherwise it's just Xmas day/Boxing Day and any meals out that we allow ourselves to have a little more.
I've also decided to stay away from the alcohol as much as possible!

I honestly always just eat to my hunger, and I continue my usual exercise because I enjoy it. Yeah I may be 2/3 lb heavier come Jan 1st but that’s not genuine weight it’s just water weight from eating differently, you will not gain huge amounts of actual weight from a few days off plan.

Like my work do for example is on a Friday, I’ll have been just on my normal eating that week, normal exercising, it doesn’t matter what or how much I eat at that do I’m not putting any actual weight on. It’s one night. You have to eat roughly 3500 EXTRA calories to gain 1lb of fat, the odd day really doesn’t make a huge difference, the problem comes whereby people just let everything go for all of December because they have a few days or nights planned so sack it all off for the sake of those nights. If you just continue normal eating and exercising throughout then on those days or nights you can simply enjoy eating or drinking whatever you want knowing that actually there’s no real harm done.

I enjoy my nights out, Christmas day and boxing day but other than that tend to eat healthy and carry on going to the gym. I am not a big fan of new year which helps.

I give away any excessive amounts of chocolate that I'm gifted, or else I will just eat all of it. My skin gets so bad over Christmas due to eating so many treats.

I don't calorie count or anything, just try to eat relatively healthy meals normally, and walk as much as possible.

I think genetics probably also play a large part in my weight. Never been overweight but I do have a lot of excess padding 😄

Be selective when eating out. Choose the tomato based sauce rather than double cream. Share a pudding or forgo.

ultimately it’s just a few meals and I’m sure you can still enjoy yourself without being greedy.

I always count calories to maintain my weight anyway after a previous large loss - but I give myself extra daily amounts over Christmas and sort of "schedule" a few days where I don't count at all. Then lose the few extra pounds in January/February. I know others will say "just enjoy it" but I prefer being a little careful rather than going all out - going crazy with eating just doesn't make me feel good. I usually am a lot more careful in the run up too (so for example right now I'm being more careful with calories).

Sort of following really.

I try and keep away from mindless beige buffet grazing and enjoy the actual proper meals out. Also we don't (any more) tend to buy big boxes of sweets at Christmas or lots of cheeses or mince pies.

I'll have a mince pie or a bit of cake at someone's house but it's not there for me to mindlessly graze on at home.

This sounds like a good approach.

I have worked so hard to lose one stone since spring and I’ve been known in the past to put on a stone after a month of over eating and under exercising So I’m not prepared to let it all go back on for the sake of “enjoying” the festive period.

I’ll probably have a big meal on Christmas Day and New Years Day and that’s it. I won’t be drinking alchohol or buying an excessive amount of sweets and biscuits etc and on the days I’m eating a lot in the evening I’ll have a smaller breakfast and skip lunch.

Also if I’m going out or even in the house I’ll dance! Such a good fun way to keep moving and burn calories. get your steps up!

I think the key is to not go oh it's Christmas fuck it" and then basically gorge the whole of December. Try to stick to your activity schedule for as long as you can in the run up to Christmas, enjoy your Christmas work dos and Christmas itself, but try to make smarter choices at other times and don't see it as an excuse to gorge for days on end. Enjoy the treats, but try to keep some good habits in where you can.

But I personally don't restrict on the events itself, if I'm eating out I want the meal I want and won't pick it due to calories!

I would fill up your Christmas lunch with vegetables and go lighter on the less healthy trimmings so you get a big meal but limit the damage. Weather dependent, I would then suggest an afternoon walk on Christmas Day after lunch because it’s a lovely thing to do but also gets the steps in! Other than that enjoy your cheese or chocolate or whatever your treats are on Christmas Day. It’s one day only!

in the build up, I would skip breakfast and not eat anything till 1ish so you’re effectively doing 16:8 - or if you can bear it, do 5:2 for a couple of weeks as the fast days really mean the cheat days do less damage.

Honestly, I just eat and exercise the same as usual. I don't like being overfull and I don't feel good if I eat lots of crap, so I don't do it. If I've had a big meal, I naturally won't eat much the rest of the day.

Dont ear shed loads of crap! Enjoy the meals and a few treats but don't over-eat for the entire month of December!

By eating as I usually do, which is eating, in my mind normal sized portion dinners, and lunches. I have no interest in things like mince pies, chocolates, and crisps. I do not drink, so that is not a problem. I just treat the season as I do any other, and my eating habits are much the same.

I just eat within my normal window. I do intermittent fasting. Seems to work!

Don’t make the whole season about over eating. Enjoy the few nights out and meal but remain on plan on a regular Tuesday if you get what I mean!

Also, if you can, try to stick to one course, at most two courses.

I put on nearly a stone one Christmas soon after I'd lost lots of weight 😬 I went to my first Xmas party early December and then seemed to open the floodgates to all my old habits until the New Year! Accept the odd meal or party might be excessive and probably more alcohol consumed generally, but otherwise keep the rest in check and add in one or 2 lighter days a week try and keep up the exercise. You might gain the odd pound that's easily remedied in a couple of weeks.

When I was slim I did it by losing ten ounce in November, knowing I would put it back on in December. Now I am not slim, I will be doing it with Mounjaro!

Alternate alcoholic drinks with water, or a weak spritzer, so you still feel you're having a drink, but not getting all the calories.
For Christmas lunch have a tiny bit of everything, but don't pile your plate high and gorge.
Same with puddings/ cake etc.
Easier to do at home/ with family than out in restaurants though.
Balance it out with other meals. If you've gorged at lunchtime, skip tea or just have something really light/small.
Take every opportunity to keep the exercise going -suggest an afternoon walk rather than chocs and cake in front of the telly.

I just eat normal amounts. There is only so much I can fit in my stomach so I can't physically eat extra food. I do eat whatever I want on Xmas Eve, Xmas Day and Boxing Day with no thought to whether I'm making good choices. But three days of eating the 'wrong' things doesn't make me gain loads of weight. It does make me feel lethargic but that's ok over Xmas. I only have two days off exercise because I teach exercise classes and don't want to use lots of annual leave just to loaf about at home for a week.

It's carbs for me. I avoid them / just roast potatoes on Christmas Day- other days they get left on the plate.

I don't make a Christmas cake because it takes me six months to lose the weight