Christmas! Avoid over-indulgence with good planning...

[Pineapple27]

Actually, Christmas calories are really important! Don't undo all of your good work in two weeks over Christmas!

It's all in the planning..... here are a few tips that may help you manage over the festive period....

Christmas is just one day! Don't start feating two weeks beforehand and finished with the New Year! Avoid stock piling all those festive but calorific treats - mince pies, big tins of sweets. Having them in the cupboard is bound to lead to temptation - and can you really resist them?

Try to moderate the alcohol intake - have a glass of water every other drink, which will also help to hydrate you and make you feel fuller. Check out the calories in your favourite tipple... and remain mindful... telegraph.co.uk/food-and-dr... It's really important to stay hydrated, especially if you are indoors with the heating on - drink water - half a pint every hour at least!

Try and get in some exercise - walking, swimming or just 30 minutes of stretches each day will make you feel more positive and determined and remind you of what you are trying to achieve! Do it first thing - before breakfast!

Ask for your chips / potatoes to be changed for salad (restaurants are obliging - they want your custom!)

Maybe try sticking to just 2 meals a day - late breakfast/brunch and dinner.

Don't snack in the evenings! You can more or less double your calorie consumption by snacking on crisps, nuts, chocolate....... (one mince pie is around 230 - 300 calories!)

Why not freeze things uneaten treats such as mince pies, slices of cake - that way you don't end up eating them all before they are past their best - and perhaps you can stretch out your stash until Easter?

Take with you a photo of yourself in which you consider yourself to look HUGE and stick it somewhere in the kitchen where you'll see it each and every day.... a reminder about why you are on this journey.

Each day remind yourself of the weight you've lost so far, and what an effort you've had to put in to achieve it. You don't want to undo all that hard work, so enjoy Christmas but try thinking of "damage limitation"!

[RobLandsdown91]

This is great advice, Pineapple

Christmas is a challenging time, for many, in many ways - food being such a central one of those

[Honey10 1lb]

Thank you Pineapple, great advice as always. Will be trying hard to be sensible.

[Hidden]

Perfect, I was just wondering what other people are planning to do. How about on the big day? I am just not going to go mad. Don’t make anything majorly bad. Mainly loads of veg. When I was doing diet analysis I remember gravy is a big calorie part. 🍗🥕🥔🥦🍽

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'm gonna eat whatever I choose on that one day but no seconds and only one dessert.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Me too

[IndigoBlue61]

Great advice Pineapple27 😊

it’s a difficult time of year, and temptation is everywhere and it starts earlier and earlier!! My advice echoes yours, don’t start Christmas eating until Christmas. 😊

[Hidden]

Good advice!! Thank you.

[Ceals]

Great advice Pineapple27 thank you.

[Pulmonaria68]

Yes christmas is only one day. Why do people buy so much food and then eat too much or throw it away. I will give any gifts of food to a food bank, chocolate being my downfall.

[Pineapple27 in reply to Pulmonaria68]

That’s a great plan Pulmonaria68 ! Others will benefit then as well as you 🙂

[xvanillaskyx 4lbs Restart Jan 2025]

Fab post pineapple thank you for sharing! I am definitely going to take your advice with regard to the water consumption, I think this is a great idea! I’m hoping I can keep the food under control (although I have decided to relax some what on Christmas Day) but another awesome tip here is perhaps having just the two meals. I think I will do this 👍 thank you 🙏☺️

[Fran182716]

It is difficult when you're surrounded by all that stuff - I don't buy any of it before Christmas week, but there is so much at work! Alcohols not an issue for me as I rarely drink, I'll enjoy my glass of wine with Christmas dinner then that'll be it. I've never been able to eat large quantities so it won't be a huge dinner. It's the picking and grazing of small size but high calorie "treats" and then being too full for a healthy meal that's always been my downfall, my mum would have called it "spoiling your dinner"!

From this week I'm going to make sure I pack something healthy but also delicious for lunch so I'm looking forward to it to avoid temptation. I think pre planning is the key, just have to kick myself into gear to do the planning!

[Pineapple27 in reply to Fran182716]

I think planning is key - both mentally and physically! And sometimes even then the best laid plans don't always work!

[Pineapple27]

There are going to be just three of us on Christmas day itself (me, husband and daughter back from University for the holidays). I have purposefully ordered the small joints of meat that come ready to cook in the oven - usually they feed 4 people. In my opinion a lot of the "Christmas" joints are over priced for what they are. The meat I am buying will be stuck into the freezer and we will take it out the day before we plan to eat it. That way, if there are any invitations to unplanned events, we won't have food in the fridge waiting to be consumed!

The other thing I did last year and plan to repeat this year is to buy a supply of ready-rolled shortcrust and flaky pastry, sausage meat and ready-made mincemeat in a jar. I make up a just a few sausage rolls and mince pies if we are planning to have people around or if we want some. Again, little waste and it meals what we are eating if freshly made and often still warm (so much nicer if you're going to enjoy something calorific!

I never go for the pigs in blankets, husband and daughter aren't bothered by stuffing (so I'll not bother either). Dessert - Christmas pudding - we have two from previous years that weren't eaten! So unsure if we'll eat one of them this year. I buy small cartons of long life ready-made custard and also small cartons of cream alternative - which I prefer to dairy cream. Both of these are to hand if we need something to accompany a dessert.

I bought a treacle tart a few weeks back and cut it into 6 portions. We enjoyed one slice each on a Sunday and I have frozen the remaining portions.

I'm not sure how I'd cope without my freezer!

[Fizzylizzy13]

I'm just thankful I can't get stollen in Delhi

[Pineapple27 in reply to Fizzylizzy13]

Ohhhh... I had a bit of a run in last Monday with some stollen bites! I ate 6 of them at 111 calories each! 666 calories on stollen!!!

[Hidden]

Could you please tell everyone I know that "Christmas calories count" and "Christmas is just one day" and not the whole of December?? I know they're trying to be kind and give me permission to 'enjoy' myself, but I just want to stay on track and not regret Christmas! your tips are very helpful.

[Pineapple27 in reply to Hidden]

Haa haa, I know what you mean! I think a lot of it is about then the person "feeding" you has permission to treat themselves / over indulge too!