Has anyone noticed many people have not returned to the forum after Thanksgiving? How do you plan to get through the coming holiday?

I have cancelled any and all celebrations.

No I hadn't noticed that, but I'm not surprised. It's hard!! For me it's hardest when I'm "blindsided" by food, such as a well-meaning friend giving me a food gift. Or going over to someone's house and not expecting them to offer food, but since it's the holidays, they do. If I KNOW there's going to be party food, I have a better chance of getting my defenses up and sticking to plan. If I really think about it ahead of time, then it's no different than eating with friends who aren't on any kind of diet.

This is my second holiday season as a low carber and I have already been to quite a few parties this holiday season and have several more coming up. I make sure that I am not starving when I go to parties, in case there is nothing I can eat (and there almost always is something low carb). Aside from that, I focus on enjoying the people and socializing, rather than on eating. I like to dance and I feel more comfortable dancing since I lost weight (I don't get out of breath after a few minutes), so if there is music that makes for a fun evening without eating!

I have noticed a few missing souls but the majority are still lc'ing as best they can. It is not so tough for me when I consider LC treats as substitutes. I have a box of Russell Stover SF chocolates all ready for my party on the 22nd. Amazing how good those are.

And at the parties I have attended all were bring a dish kinda things. I always took stuff I could eat. Broccoli and cauliflower with a lc dip, celery with cheddar topping. One lady made this huge mexican cassarole with meat, seasonings, sour cream, avacado, black olives. Mmmm. Not bad for a diet.

One of my dearest friends (a girlfriend from 1966 who still thinks I am better than Brad Pitt...but she is nearsighted) is making me 2 of the "treat" recipes from this board for my Xmas present. One is a choclate swirl cheese cake and I forget what the other one is. So it will be a surprise.

It is easy to screw up. I have. I will. But I also will never forget what it was like to be unable to walk. To be unable to breathe or sleep or participate in anything regular people do. So...I can celebrate with my LC treats hjappily. Screw up on occasion. Pick myself back up and continue on what I KNOW to be the best thing for my health and my life.

I can't force anyone else to do anything. I have a hard enough time taking care of me. But I also see many, many people continuing to provide me examples of how it "can" be done.

The one thing I do know about all of us...every single one...is that we are all worth whatever it takes to improve our quality of life. When we screw up by having something "off program"...which many of us do now and then...we just pick ourselves up and start doing the "right" thing as soon as we can. To have a bad food day is not a bad thing unless those days happen too often. No reason to quit low carbing...just a good reason to recommit to your own health.

Thank you Mister E for that post! There is a lot of talk on this board about this being a way of life, not a diet. If it is truly going to be a way of life for us, and if we are going to keep this weight off once we lose it, we need to be able to celebrate holidays without abandoning the habits that have led to our increased health and decreased weight!

At work I deep fried a couple of turkey breast for us, there are only 4 plus a couple of customers that showed up.

I wiil no doubt spend the holidays alone where it quiet and peaceful. I am not much of a party person, especailly when I have to limit the alcohol, not that I am a big drinker but sometimes you adapt to your surroundings and that ain't good.

I have some SF chocolate and some hard candy but mostly a lot of assorted nuts.

It will be easy to get through it as long as I can keep the nuts and such under control.

dave

our holiday parties started last week and will continue through Jan with all the football bowl game parties too. After winging it last yr I'm very well planned this yr and have already checked menus and know where I need to show up with food and where I will be able to eat but will still take my cooler just in case. I've learned to plan the party foods into my menu for the day so i won't have any scale surprizes. Now if I could just figure out how to schedule the exercise part of my WOL into the parties too. LOL

We went to one already, a bring-a-dish affair. We just made some LC hotwings and had those, celery, ranch dressing & nuts.

But I do have to say, December has been my slowest weight loss yet on Atkins. I've probably had too much to eat, but at least I am not gaining. I feel thinner now, as if my body is adjusting to the previously lost weight, but it's not showing on the scale.

I certainly think LC chocolate, nuts and meat based snacks can get us through it. I did cheat a bit at Thanksgiving, but I don't intend to on Christmas. This time next year, I intend to be in maintenance, so we'll see about it then.

It is an extreamly busy time - last min. shopping, parties, kids --- I know I do not always have time to check in. I agree Mr. E if you fall off - pick yourself up and start again. I found lots of good ideas here for getting through the holidays - being only 2 months on the WOE - it was a bit frightening and expecially because I have such a slow weight loss I do not want to 'fall off'. Monday I am off to buy some NS chocolates -- and as I am cooking most foods will be legal.
I am trying the chocolate swirl cheesecake too -- it will take the place of apple pie and lemon merange (sigh!) - both traditional favorites at this time of the year in our home.

I have definitely noticed a lot less mail in my inbox telling me of new posts. Holiday season is a really hard thing for a lot of us. We get all caught up in the rush and the activity. Everything is eat, eat, drink, drink. My saving grace has been moving 900 miles away from my family and friends. I dont think I could have come as far as I have in that same environment. I really admire all of you who are strong and say no when well intended loved ones offer you things not acceptable in your new WOL.

I have been reading a lot of posts about people with "planned cheats" for the holidays. I think that most of us plan our cheat out very carefully and methodically but what we dont plan is how we are going to reign it all in and come back to LC.

I just want to encourage anyone who is "ghosting" to come back and post. Its hard to get back on the wagon but my oh my the rewards far outweigh the difficulty.

I plan on taking LC items to the get togethers that we have. We are doing Christmas at my Daughters house and I am going to take my Mock Twice Baked Potato casserole and some LC Cheesecakes and pies. So I will have legal things to eat.

My plan is just mantaining my weight while still enjoying the foods I am making as x-mas gifts for my office :P
I am not a great cook and no one replyed to my post in the kitchen forums on how to make them lower in carbs so its stained glass candy and waybread that will keep me from loosing this week lol
I think I will have no problems going back to low carb. I didn't after moving ( a week of no frig made eating at home a little difficult) over thanksgiving I think I can handle this. Anyways Today we are having our yule celibrations, good food and I will have whatever I want for the day, then opening gifts and then doing the whole drive around looking at lights thing tonight before I have to go in to work

Crysania,

I love driving around looking at lights!
I've expirimented with a couple of my Christmas recipes to see if I could make them low carb. I also found that some of my favorites are already low carb. (cheese balls)
My candies came out pretty good except they had a bit of that bitter chocolate taste.

Have a great day!!

I'm going to get through this holiday season the same way I got through last year's - ON PLAN!! This is a WOL for me and there are always going to be celebrations, holidays, vacations, etc. I do not use these things as a license to cheat. How is ruining my health going to enhance ANY celebration?

I know some people feel that they can cheat every now and then and then get back on the wagon but, I'm telling you, that is a DANGEROUS attitude to have. It's that attitude that led me back to smoking after being quit for 25 months. When you are an addict, it is easy to convince yourself that it's 'just this once' or only 'now and then' but, before you know it, you are back in your addiction full swing. It's playing with fire and just not worth the risk for me but, I wish everyone who chooses to take that route luck in getting back on track.

Oh and btw - I have already had one party and been to another party this year and I've done fine staying on plan. I ate before I went to the party at someone else's house (good thing too b/c there was almost nothing LC there) and made LC foods/snacks at my party (which went over much better than the carby stuff I put out). You CAN do it if it is a priority in your life.