Healthy Habits 11/23

shedev

I had a fairly good week. I'm down a couple more lbs. Had a great week for portion control. I might be able to make this a habit. I'll be taking Thanksgiving off as a day of healthy eating. How do you all plan to approach the holiday? How do you gals from other countries approach your eating holidays?

11 years ago

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11 replies

Latest reply was from citygirldc

Carla

Veteran

4 treadmill runs, and 2 swims. Missed the bike workout due to big clean up job at home (after 2 weeks the painters are finished! Yay!). Hands-and-knees washing the hardwoods with Murphy's oil soap was a good enough workout!

Shedev, weekends and holidays are actually times for better nutrition, and more outdoor/exercise activities because there is more time! Time to take a walk or go for a run, and time to prepare good food. We usually do a good sit-down breakfast with some protein, carbs, and fruit - a celebratory meal on it's own. This is usually followed by an activity, preferably out of doors. Then, instead of a late lunch, we have a coffee or tea break and eat a treat (dessert) like a (piece of pie, coffee cake, cheese cake, pastry treat) since we are a family of sweet lovers. Turkey, a beautiful pork roast, leg of lamb, or prime rib is the main protein with squash or mashed potatoes. Sometimes just a sliced baguette. I usually offer a lot of veg. At dinner. Either 2 cooked selections or
a big salad. Wine with dinner.

Since 'desert' was already had for 'tea' I don't go all out for a big desert after dinner. I might put out a plate of assorted cookies, chocolate and nuts, and folks can help themselves. DH and I sometimes have a night cap.

Two meals, and dessert is often less food than what I might eat during a regular work day with breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee breaks, and snacks!

I will sometimes follow a day or couple of days or rich food, with a soup dinner (Turkey and rice after Thanksgiving) and folks seem to like that.

11 years ago

Sal

Veteran

A good week for exercise with three gym workouts and two walks, and lots of gardening and outdoor activities.

Eating okay in the most part! We had a dinner with friends last night and I had a few glasses of wine on the deck alongside cheese and crackers.....

Thanksgiving is not a NZ holiday but we have others revolving around food. This time of year is busy with summer/end of school year celebrations alongside Christmas celebrations. I am not one to especially overeat on one single day but can find there are a lot of drinks/nibbles/sweets etc eaten in the lead up to holidays. I try to increase vege components, try to offer fruit, and try to exercise as much as I can. Being summer it is easier to do so on all fronts as there are plenty of summer berries, asparagus, and the weather is warm with lots of daylight hours. However I think we are all a bit jaded and tired so energy levels are low!

11 years ago

shedev

Veteran

Run Carla, my average workday selections are pretty healthy. I eat a lot of salads because it only takes me a few minutes to throw one together. I don't eat dessert on a regular basis. I do eat dessert on holidays. on an average day, I eat more fruits as snacks because I want the nutrition. The foods I eat on holidays tend to be more decadent than my regular fare. I don't think that one day matters too much, but when you add in leftovers and holiday parties, this begins the season of the eating for a lot of us.

Kiwigal, the season of eating, reduced daylight and polar vortex, can really reek havoc on the healthy lifestyle.

11 years ago

Elly

Veteran

I got a run in today, which felt very good. I also stood on a ladder for 5 hours yesterday (up and down, up and down) vacuuming at work. Then today I unloaded a half-ton worth of 40 pound bags of pellets for the SOs stove. We are eating healthy today and pretty healthy tommorow.

I work most of the week and then head to visit my grandfather and grandma. I enjoy spending time with them and although I love turkey dinner we usually do really well with food there. I will have to watch out on friday, because there is an 80th birthday party planned for my grandfather, and I'm not sure what the food will be like. I'm trying to sneak in another turkey dinner on Sunday, which would be great.

Substituting caffeine and sugar for fruit and veggies and sleep because of work stress continues to be my biggest challenge, that and sneaking in workouts in an environment that is now frigidly cold and dark and mostly without access to a gym.

11 years ago

Alassë

Veteran

Surprisingly, my weight's back to normal. I want to try varying my workout routine a bit - I think I've taken it easy long enough.

Holidays: the best trick I know is to dislike most of the food. Then you take seconds of just a few items, which makes it feel like a feast yet includes portion control.

11 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

Exercise back on track.

Food diary good until mid-afternoon, when I stop keeping track and start eating snacks.

Alas, I like most holiday food. Sugar, fat and salt and extra helpings of white flour--how can anyone resist? I could be reasonably prudent at home, but at holiday time I spend lots of time with relatives who love to cook and to eat. I am trying very hard not to give in to everything this year because I don't want to do the January diet again.

11 years ago

Marley

Veteran

I completed my 6 -Week "Game-Changer" Challenge and had my fitness assessment last week. I was shocked at how well I had done - simply by changing my eating habits and adding a day or two of exercise each week.
I lost 7 lbs (an unexpected and unintended result), 15+ inches (9.5 inches around my waist and hips,) reduced my BF % by 1.9 % and Body-Mass Index by 2.5. Most importantly I connected with some people who have the same fitness goals as me, and we have committed to continuing the challenge through the end of the year. Now I've got some work-out buddies that I'm accountable to and who celebrate each other's successes and build each other back up when we mess up! (which does happen at times!)

11 years ago

Sal

Veteran

Wow Marley that is awesome! That is very positive. Do you mind me asking what you changed in your eating habits?

I am very strong and reliable with respect to my exercising but only average with my eating.

Wow it sounds like it has been a good week for all of us, well done!

11 years ago

shedev

Veteran

Elly, I think you hit the nail on the head, one indulgent day isn't so bad but they add up this time of year.

Alasse, the only problem is that I'd hate to make a bunch of food I don't like.

Ms Maven, it is wise to try to practice moderation this time of year.

Marley, very well done. It's awesome that you are continuing with the challenge. I'm also interested in how you changed your eating habits.

Kiwigal. I agree 100%. Great job this week everyone.

11 years ago

Alassë

Veteran

Oh, I'm not the one hosting. The strategy only works when being invited elsewhere for the big meal.

11 years ago

citygirldc

(website)

Veteran

I ran the Philadelphis half marathon on the 23d and finished at a decent time. Stayed on exercise track the rest of the week until Thanksgiving weekend where I enjoyed myself on great food and drink. It's time to get back on track and managed a 7 mile run yesterday.

11 years ago

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