xx

If I want to be careful at a party, I usually cook something I can eat as a meal, like a bean salad, and put it on the table as one of the side dishes for everyone to share. Hope that they put out a platter of fresh vegetables you can eat without dip, and some non-sugar-covered nuts. Ignore the rest of the food, unless it looks incredibly delicious, in which case you should take a tiny helping and work it off later. :)

Well, if it's just one meal at a time you can take one plateful, talk a lot, and eat slowly. Or you could take small portions and multiple seconds. Either way could help disguise eating a smaller quantity. Then cut out a little from each of the other meals that day.

If you're staying over for a day or more it's a bit different. Take a walk or run in the morning. Drink plenty of water, and coffee if you like it. Maybe take a walk after lunch/dinner, to help keep your HR up through the day.

You don't have to be an ass about it to avoid being pressured into eating too much or too badly.

Unfortunately these will be a lot more intimate affairs. My dad and I, My mom and stepdad and I, etc.Same advice applies. I've never had problems bringing food to my mom and stepdad, and eating only small selections of what they've served. Could be that your family dynamics are different, but my dietary needs have been respected as long as I've shown that I'm enjoying myself at the event, no matter how small. The couple of times I've mistakenly been obsessing about the food, and noticeably been eating nothing while others have full plates, those are the times when they've given me a hard time.

At thanksgiving I marveled that they had put butter in the peas. Seriously butter in peas...who does that?

Clearly, you are not from the South. :lol:

There is hardly a pea or bean served in our house that is not either cooked with pork (smoked ham hock, bacon, etc.) or seasoned with butter. :drool:

Seriously, as long as you keep your portion sizes in control, it is hard to imagine a few less than ideal meals wreaking havoc on your progress. My advice is to eat slowly, leave some on your plate and enjoy the company.

I wish I could find the piece, Marty Gallagher wrote about an IFBB pro who used to pack food in tupperware for the family holidays - wound up in a wheelchair or on a dialysis machine, never won the Olympia. Point being that keep it all in perspective. One holiday dinner, no matter HOW INSANELY FATTENING, is going to destroy your progress. However, there are only so many holiday dinners you will have with loved ones in your life. If your relatives have spent time preparing a meal for you, on a holiday of some meaning, and you chew on a chicken breast because you want a six-pack, I would say that is being a jerk. Lighten up, help with preparing the meals, eat sensible portions, but above all stop obsessing about food, calories, fat, whatever, and ENJOY the time you have with your loved ones. :nod:

I agree, enjoy yourself. Christmas only comes once a year and you never know what will happen tomorrow or the day after. Eating healthy should not be about denying yourself the small joys in life. Reality is, you are not an IFBB pro and you are not prepping for a crucial competition. You are a regular person like the rest of us, just trying to live a healthy life and with healthy goals. Exercise portion control if you like, but sit down and enjoy the holiday with your family while they are around. The reason most people fail over the holidays is that they do not know how to get back on track after its all over, not because they indulged during a dinner or two.

If you want to stick to your guns, do so. If you don't want to be a jerk about it, do so as secretively as possible. Maintaining control through the holidays does wonders for self control.

I water fasted for one full day ~ during thanksgiving with my extended family for several hours. No one saw me eat, but when they asked, I'd just say "I can't eat another bite!" and they'd leave it alone. I made it through, no one the wiser, and I was quite proud of myself for it. So, later on, when battling mountains of fresh cookies I can say to myself "I maintained control through a thanksgiving feast, and I can maintain it now. No sweat."

Stick to your guns! And build em!

Food builds guns.

I water fasted for one full day ~ during thanksgiving with my extended family for several hours. No one saw me eat, but when they asked, I'd just say "I can't eat another bite!" and they'd leave it alone. I made it through, no one the wiser, and I was quite proud of myself for it.


Well, depends on family tradition...in my family holiday meals are done around a table (or tables), pass the bowls around, wear a collared shirt, no jeans or sweats (not having to wear a tie was the last "relaxation" of the rules). You can't not eat and not have anyone notice...depends on what your family tradition is, how important it is to the family members that are hosting the dinner, whether they will be hurt, and how important it is to you as an individual to eat x calories or x/y/z macro ratios on every single day of your life.

Also, real control is not living in isolation eating your own special foods; real control and discipline is knowing how to function in a world where occasionally you are a guest, people cook for you, learn how to be courteous and complimentary and use food selection and portion control.

Besides, big holiday meal and pie will add at least 10 pounds to your squat!! Hit the gym day after Christmas and see!

I did put a gallon of water on the Thanksgiving table and drank the entire thing along with my meal. That left no room for dessert. :)