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The "Holiday" struggle is real

missyinacage

missyinacage

Member
Well, I hopped on the scale yesterday, expecting the same number that has been there for months now and BAM! I up FOUR pounds. Which is 3lbs higher than the high that I allow myself. So .. not good. I'm finding between the holiday bustle and my mom being in the hospital, I am out grabbing food instead of being home making food. And apparently, my good "out" choices are not good at all. I haven't even started baking yet!! And it takes a stronger woman than I not to eat a chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven.

I was much more aware yesterday of what and when I was eating, so I'm hopeful I can get ahold of it before it becomes 5lbs or 10! But I am wondering if any of you have any tips or tricks you use during the holidays or other especially hectic times when you don't have time or cannot be home to prepare your own meals. What is your go-to meal when you have to grab on the go?
 
I’m finding myself struggling right now too but under a lot of outside stress, so I have to decide what to prioritize at this moment. I’ve decided that having a 70% successful eating day is better than nothing because I know that the stress will subside, and I’ll get back on track.
 
Missy, this was my attitude before surgery, but it usually worked pretty well for me. I would relax a bit during the holidays, let myself enjoy them with the family, without going completely crazy. As soon as the holidays passed, I would would go right back on whatever diet I was on at the time. Like I said, that was before I had surgery, but it took a lot of stress off. Sometimes it is just the stress that makes you want to eat. If you stop worrying about it so much, you might not want to eat so much. Hugs.
 
I am in the same boat Missy. It really is hard this time of year and I imagine that much harder for you with your mom in the hospital. Have they scheduled her surgery yet?

As for grab and go meals, I have been buying those single serve ready made salads lately. They come with a fork so I've eaten them at times in the car. Or a ready made protein shake that you can drink while driving works for me.
 
On the go meals. At Texas Roadhouse I get 6 0z sirloin steak, veggie, and salad. The salad is automatically to go. The steak and veggies I cut in half. Put the other half in to go container. I get three meals out of one restaurant meal.

Burgers, at Hardee’s aka Carl jr I will get low carb burger and sometimes I add cheese, it comes in lettuce wrap. No fries. At Burger King I get low carb bacon cheese burger, no bun. To make it into a sandwich at home I use skinny buns from Aldi’s but only half of one bun, the I cut burger in half and bun in half. I make it into half a burger. Again no fries.

I am a true fan of breakfast meals at Denny’s or IHOP the I will get 2x2x2. Eggs, meat pancakes. Pancakes are to go automatically. Eat eggs and meat while hot. Saves pancakes for next day as a meal.

Dairy Queen has new meal with rotisserie chicken bites. They have one called snack, no dessert offered with this. I eat three pieces of chicken and save the others for a second meal. I try to avoid the fries or share them with husband and limit myself to ten at the most, even that is close to too much. No ice cream.

I miss McDonald’s kids six piece meal of chicken nuggets but knows the breading is a no no. Why do all the chicken places insist on breading?

Last option Oscar Meyer P3 snacks and pure protein 20 gram protein bars that I take with me depending how long I am going to be away from home.
 
Thanks for the tips. I used to be pretty good about taking to go meals with me. I've just been off the last 10 days or so and cannot even believe how fast the pounds started packing on. I'm going to have to make sure to take some water bottles and snacks/lunches with me. I will be using some time tomorrow to get some lunches/snacks packed and ready to grab and go.
 
It doesn’t help that that 6 weeks ago was candy (Halloween) holiday. And 3 weeks ago was over-indulging (Thanksgiving) holiday. And that was only leading up to the most stressful holiday (gift/holiday shopping) and family gatherings, work/office gatherings (over indulging on food/cookies/candies) it is non stop temptation.
 
It is non-stop. And then you find out LIFE is non-stop lol I am just trying to get ahold of it before it becomes a big problem. I'm finding it's too easy to just grab an unhealthy snack, rather than sit down and eat a healthy one. Why, oh why, are chips so much easier to eat on the go than cottage cheese? :rolleyes:

I've worked 18 months to get here but it feels like 50 years of bad habits are almost muscle memory. If I'm not actively thinking about it, I'll just grab whatever I used to grab and its's gone before I really even notice. And so, I have to remind myself constantly. And I hate that I still consider certain foods a "treat" and think I have somehow earned them. It's really not a healthy way to think of food.

I do great for months on end and then get derailed. I'll get back on track. It's just frightening how quickly it can go bad, mentally and physically. Now I have to re-lose weight I've already lost and work to get myself back into the zone. And remind myself I have to take the 20 minutes a day I need to make a healthy snack and lunch to go, regardless of how much else there is to do.
 
Yes, it certainly does. And it seems every decade makes it a slower coming off. But this morning I took the time to make my overnight oats for breakfast the next few days, prepped my fruit, made some protein pudding and portioned it into ready to go snack containers. Hopefully, this will keep me away from grabbing garbage food. It turns out I am truly a fail to plan, plan to fail type of person. My weekly meal planning spreadsheet should have been my first clue lmao
 
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