DON'T DO IT! - JP Fitness Forums

Jean-Paul · 12-22-2007, 07:01 PM

If you have a cruel spouse who loves to bake for every friend and family member during the holidays (like I do), it is SOOO easy to slip little bites of cookie dough, or eat a little cookie here and a cookie there.

Just don't do it! This is like the opposite of the Nike tag line. It may be the holidays, but you won't regret not having eaten them if you can get through them without giving in.

I know it's tempting. Go eat something healthy to fill you up so you won't smell all that yummy baking while you're ravenous.

I plan to splurge on Christmas Day a little, and I did on Thanksgiving, but other than that, I have really stuck to my plan. You can do it too. Just decide to, then stick to your guns.

It's hard enough staying on a diet, but if you can do it will all the temptation surrounding you then you are really destined to succeed!

Cynic · 12-22-2007, 07:19 PM

JP, aren't you using this time of the year as a bulking cycle?

JoshDunn · 12-22-2007, 07:54 PM

Its only one bite. One bite won't make you fat. Think about how good it'll taste.

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Charles Staley · 12-22-2007, 08:24 PM

Great advice. It's a fine balance between giving yourself a bit of a splurge w/o completely losing control. For me, I try to "draw a line in the sand" prior to the holiday in question— i.e., define my boundaries BEFOREhand, and then enjoy whatever I've pre-allowed myself to indulge in. I find that I can eat more or less whatever I want on the day itself, as long as I don't start in the day before and continue for 1-2 days past the holiday.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

If you have a cruel spouse who loves to bake for every friend and family member during the holidays (like I do), it is SOOO easy to slip little bites of cookie dough, or eat a little cookie here and a cookie there.

Just don't do it! This is like the opposite of the Nike tag line. It may be the holidays, but you won't regret not having eaten them if you can get through them without giving in.

I know it's tempting. Go eat something healthy to fill you up so you won't smell all that yummy baking while you're ravenous.

I plan to splurge on Christmas Day a little, and I did on Thanksgiving, but other than that, I have really stuck to my plan. You can do it too. Just decide to, then stick to your guns.

It's hard enough staying on a diet, but if you can do it will all the temptation surrounding you then you are really destined to succeed!

EricLikesLifting · 12-22-2007, 08:29 PM

Thats kind of like what I do. I plan on just putting a few cookies or whatever splurge I want to indulge on onto a plate and once the plate is empty it's back to the healthy stuff. Its tough when the entire family is trying to get you to cheat too, but at least I know you guys are out there fighting the same battle!

kfisherx · 12-22-2007, 09:03 PM

I can't do that sort of thing. For me it has to be a complete DON'T do it sort of thing. I can do this pretty easily by reminding myself how crappy I feel after I "cheat". Almost without fail I feel miserable (physically) for at least a few hours. How is that a reward?

Jean-Paul · 12-23-2007, 12:41 AM

My problem is that I really do enjoy those foods. I can't just stay away forever.

I'm like Charles though... I don't stray for the most part, but I will plan to let loose a little on Christmas, and just set my limits ahead of time. The most important thing is getting right back on the next day and not letting one day turn into a week long binge.

karky · 12-23-2007, 05:15 AM

This is why I always bulk through christmas

Kevin T. · 12-23-2007, 10:39 AM

I was so proud of myself that day when I spent all afternoon baking cookies and other finger goods for a party and didn't take a single lick of any batter. I'm the man...but then I ate a lot of junk food for the rest of the week

I'm not the man anymore...until next time when I am the man again...

Lost Dog · 12-23-2007, 02:34 PM

I find it so hard to allow myself "just one." That one makes me crave two, three, four, etc. the rest of the day.

I've found that the best way to stop this is to have the treat before some sort of boundary. Just before the gym, a run, biking, etc. Near bedtime. Before a work meeting. Before housecleaning.

It has to be something that either forms a major change of direction for me (gym) or provides enough of a distraction for a long enough period of time (meeting or housecleaning).

The gym works because I don't want to blow my workout investment.

Anything like reading, computer time, watching a movie or dvd, "normal" work, etc. just isn't enough to stop me.

Mark57 · 12-23-2007, 03:11 PM

So far my wife has made fudge, peanut butter fudge, sugar cookies, oatmeal cookies, mini pecan tarts, "honey sand balls" and fruitcake.

I've sampled all of it, unfortunately.

Alcoholiday · 12-23-2007, 04:09 PM

i find the best thing for me, is to eat as much of the stuff around the holidays as i can. That way when the holidays are over, i don't have more cravings until the next one.

Cynic · 12-23-2007, 05:02 PM

You know, on 12/15 JP posted his "Hit my goal this morning" thread.

Now, it's "Don't Do It."

Does anyone besides me see an issue with timing here? Ten days before Christmas, between two feasting holidays and before a big drinking holiday...

So JP, you like mental anguish, do ya?

Jean-Paul · 12-25-2007, 03:31 PM

Ya got me!

Actually, I allowed myself to eat carbs on T-day and on C-day, but not the day before or after. It was hell all month long, but it will get a lot easier once the holidays are over.

That being said, I am really enjoying my carbs today!

SpacecityPaula · 12-25-2007, 05:04 PM

Would you like to send that note to my 84 year old grama who sent me six dozen of her gingersnaps even though I asked her not to??

I love my grandmother, but this did not help me at all.

Barrett · 01-02-2008, 05:37 PM

The way I think of it is eating right 90 % of the time but the other 10 % is for cheat meals and holidays. It keeps me sain and I actually found that I dont really crave those foods. Justs a little tip.

BamaDave · 01-03-2008, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpacecityPaula

Would you like to send that note to my 84 year old grama who sent me six dozen of her gingersnaps even though I asked her not to??

I love my grandmother, but this did not help me at all.

That's when you bring it all to work!

I think during the holidays you can always substitute calorie control in place of trying to eliminate junky stuff altogether. If you eat some cookies or other crap, just cut back elsewhere. Life is too short to stress out over some holiday treats. The other thing to do is avoid letting all hell break loose from Thanksgiving through New Year's. Just because you eat crap on a few days out of that span is not a license to put off healthy habits until "after the holidays."

GG300 · 01-03-2008, 11:40 AM

I have bagged up over 12# of cheese and sausage and two full grocery bags of various cookies and snacks that I recieved in gift baskets for the holidays. I will be hauling it all to a local homeless shelter with a ton of stuff that I have cleaned out of my closet. I do this every year to get rid of the excess without wasting it or adding it to my waist. It also helps out a bunch of people who enjoy it much more than I.