The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Karen]

Does anyone have any advice for getting through Thanksgiving? I will have lots of family in, lots of cooking to do, etc.......I am doing fine now, just would like to be a bit ahead of the temptation thing..... I need a plan.

[SusannaRosannaDanna]

My own plan involves choosing food items that are on the plan--a salad and my mother's roasted turkey, most likely.
It helps that I don't have much of a sweet tooth, and that I've been on MF for a few months--it makes it second nature.
When I first started, I wasn't brave enough to eat. Even ON PLAN! I couldn't trust myself to STOP, so I just avoided social eating situations as much as possible.

I would advise that you do what YOU feel like you can do while staying true to your goals.
Good luck!

Susanna

[Simmshe]

Hi Karen,

Did you read this thread?: http://www.makemethinner.com/forum/diet-1683.html People talk about how to deal with the holidays and eating. Also, check out this holiday survival guide that Medifast created (if you haven't read this yet): http://www.makemethinner.com/holidaysurvival.pdf.

As for personal advice, I agree with Susanna in that you should do what you feel like you can without losing control and staying true to your goals. Like Susanna, I've been doing this for a while now, so I could prepare a 10-course meal (thankfully, I don't have to do this though!), and feel confident that I wouldn't indulge--just too much to lose by going off plan and not worth it for me (I did this once and won't be going down that road again). I'm already celebrating Thanksgiving--I'm so thankful that I was able to get back on my plan after falling off in early October and have strengthened my resolve even more than it was before; that I am effectively breaking my food compulsion/emotional eating habit; and have reached a weight that I haven't been at since I was 15 years old (I'm 31 now)--so eating turkey and stuffing, macaroni and cheese, and sweet potato pie with whipped cream (my favorites) pale in comparison to the joy I'm experiencing right now . I'm not sure where I'm going for Thanksgiving dinner, if I do go to a relative's house, but I can say that this is the first Thanksgiving Day--ever--that I haven't been waiting with bated breath for it to arrive so I could house hop, eating myself into a near coma at each person's home that I visit and bringing several plates of food home. I didn't even used to think about the celebration, really--all I would see was visions of my favorite foods.

I was reading the table of contents from the book "Success in a Shaker Jar" (I haven't bought this book yet though) and there's a chapter that discusses holidays and dealing with going off plan. Maybe someone on the forum who has read the book has some insights about what Linda Spangle says about this

Whatever you decide, remember that one of the best ways, in my opinion, to thwart temptation is by having a plan--even if that plan involves you planning to eat a small portion of certain foods only. Whatever your plan is, commit to it.

Congrats on your great start--wishing you the best!

Sheryl

[Nancy]

See my posting under A Message From your Hosts:
http://www.makemethinner.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1739

[Karen]

Thanks all, I just know me. If I leave it to chance, I will be BLTing all day. Next to being hungry, I hate feeling deprived. So, here's my plan. I am going to cook very simple ie: turkey, salad, soup, veges, and will make deserts I don't like. I am going to spend more time making the table beautiful. At meal time, during the soup course, I will have my MF chicken and wild rice which I like. (It will be even better served in china bowls), The salad course will be easy, just a small 1 cup or so of tossed salad. (I don't use any dressing). For the main course, I will have my 4-5 oz (i still weigh it out) turkey and 1 cup of green beans or brocolli. Dessert will be served later, about the time I need to eat a chockalate pudding served in a crystal goblet......... I think I can do this, and not feel like I have been left out of the good stuff, cause I really think this stuff is pretty good!

[Nancy]

Karen,

You will be successful because you have planned your day in advance.

Your meal sounds perfect!

Remember you may also have three stalks of celery, 2 dill pickles, diet Ginger Ale is sparkly and good in a crystal goblet and have a small dollop of Fat Free Cool Whip on your puddin'.