RE: Upcoming Holidays/new approach

[Guest guest]

On a more positive note, I'd love to try to answer the original question

that was posted....how do we plan to STAY on program for the holidays,

including Thanksgiving?

I've learned to " manage " my holidays over the past 17 months on program by

doing two things: 1) saving up points (including 35 flex points!) for the

special day so that I am indeed " on program " and 2) modifying favorite

recipes so that I can enjoy those traditional foods while staying within my

points. Last Thanksgiving I sat down well before the day and got out my

recipes. I changed every one of them by getting rid of added butter, oils,

etc. I made the WW version of pumpkin pie, which my family didn't even

realize I had changed! I made the mashed potatoes with FatFree half and

half and Molly McButter. I bought fat-free turkey gravy. I modified the

good ol' favorite green-beans-casserole so that it became only 3 points per

serving. I made fat-free, sugar-free jello.

It CAN be done! There are so many ways to modify your favorite recipes to

make them points-friendly. I encourage you to put your creativity to work

and figure out how you can enjoy Thanksgiving while staying on program too.

Last Thanksgiving, over that week I actually LOST 2 pounds. It CAN be done.

Bette

278/169/160??

[Guest guest]

That's great Bette ! I do the same thing and the feeling at the end of the day

feels a million times better than the feeling you have when you blow it and have

to start ovee the next day !

It would be great if everyone would share their favorite Thanksgiving recipes.

Thanks,

Ginny

260 -180.5 -129

Goal for 2004 380 Pages

Completed 502

RE: Upcoming Holidays/new approach

On a more positive note, I'd love to try to answer the original question

that was posted....how do we plan to STAY on program for the holidays,

including Thanksgiving?

I've learned to " manage " my holidays over the past 17 months on program by

doing two things: 1) saving up points (including 35 flex points!) for the

special day so that I am indeed " on program " and 2) modifying favorite

recipes so that I can enjoy those traditional foods while staying within my

points. Last Thanksgiving I sat down well before the day and got out my

recipes. I changed every one of them by getting rid of added butter, oils,

etc. I made the WW version of pumpkin pie, which my family didn't even

realize I had changed! I made the mashed potatoes with FatFree half and

half and Molly McButter. I bought fat-free turkey gravy. I modified the

good ol' favorite green-beans-casserole so that it became only 3 points per

serving. I made fat-free, sugar-free jello.

It CAN be done! There are so many ways to modify your favorite recipes to

make them points-friendly. I encourage you to put your creativity to work

and figure out how you can enjoy Thanksgiving while staying on program too.

Last Thanksgiving, over that week I actually LOST 2 pounds. It CAN be done.

Bette

278/169/160??

[Guest guest]

My own favorites for Thanksgiving are turkey breast and mashed potatoes!

There are always other things on the table, but these 2 are my favorites. I

usually make the mashed potatoes with FF chicken broth and they turn out

nice and fluffy. Last year, I added some chopped grilled onions to them,

just for something different. We always have sugar free Jello around the

holidays too. Sunshine Salad is a holiday staple... orange SF jello with

drained crushed pineapple and grated carrots. My mother usually makes a

cranberry salad w/ SF jello that takes the place of cranberry jelly.

RE: Upcoming Holidays/new approach

On a more positive note, I'd love to try to answer the original question

that was posted....how do we plan to STAY on program for the holidays,

including Thanksgiving?

I've learned to " manage " my holidays over the past 17 months on program by

doing two things: 1) saving up points (including 35 flex points!) for the

special day so that I am indeed " on program " and 2) modifying favorite

recipes so that I can enjoy those traditional foods while staying within my

points. Last Thanksgiving I sat down well before the day and got out my

recipes. I changed every one of them by getting rid of added butter, oils,

etc. I made the WW version of pumpkin pie, which my family didn't even

realize I had changed! I made the mashed potatoes with FatFree half and

half and Molly McButter. I bought fat-free turkey gravy. I modified the

good ol' favorite green-beans-casserole so that it became only 3 points per

serving. I made fat-free, sugar-free jello.

It CAN be done! There are so many ways to modify your favorite recipes to

make them points-friendly. I encourage you to put your creativity to work

and figure out how you can enjoy Thanksgiving while staying on program too.

Last Thanksgiving, over that week I actually LOST 2 pounds. It CAN be done.

Bette

278/169/160??

[Guest guest]

That being said, I read in a magazine that most people do lose weight

over the holidays. It was very surprising. For those of us that host the

dinners, we usually stay so busy cooking and preparing that we hardly

have time to eat. Me, personally, don't really want the food after

smelling it all day.

Some of us panic over what to eat when we vacation. I almost canceleed

vacation because of it last year. I finally said the heck with it. I

went and ate what everyone else ate. I avoided fries and high fat foods

as much as possible. I ate off program but I walked a LOT and swam and

stayed very active. I didn't count points at all. I skipped the weigh in

when I got back. I weighed the following week and had lost 3.5 pounds. I

did all that worrying for nothing.

Bette Holzer wrote:

> On a more positive note, I'd love to try to answer the original question

> that was posted....how do we plan to STAY on program for the holidays,

> including Thanksgiving?

>

> I've learned to " manage " my holidays over the past 17 months on program by

> doing two things: 1) saving up points (including 35 flex points!) for the

> special day so that I am indeed " on program " and 2) modifying favorite

> recipes so that I can enjoy those traditional foods while staying within my

> points. Last Thanksgiving I sat down well before the day and got out my

> recipes. I changed every one of them by getting rid of added butter, oils,

> etc. I made the WW version of pumpkin pie, which my family didn't even

> realize I had changed! I made the mashed potatoes with FatFree half and

> half and Molly McButter. I bought fat-free turkey gravy. I modified the

> good ol' favorite green-beans-casserole so that it became only 3 points per

> serving. I made fat-free, sugar-free jello.

>

> It CAN be done! There are so many ways to modify your favorite recipes to

> make them points-friendly. I encourage you to put your creativity to work

> and figure out how you can enjoy Thanksgiving while staying on program too.

> Last Thanksgiving, over that week I actually LOST 2 pounds. It CAN be done.

>

> Bette

> 278/169/160??

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Going off program for the holidays is, in my opinion (and we all know

I have one), a cop out. You dont' NEED to go off program. Those who

do, aren't making a lifestyle change.

Look at the people who are successful with long term weight loss. They

are on program (whatever their program is) every single day. Does that

mean they eat lettuce leaves and air for holiday meals? No! It means

they dedicate themselves to being healthy 365 days a year, 366 in a

leap year.

Look at people who aren't successful. They think of weight loss period

as " dieting " . They never really learn to listen to their bodies. They

don't plan. They come onto the WW boards and whine about how they lost

control, and complain about " unexpected gains. " Duh, when you eat the

paint off a house, you're going to gain weight. Oh yeah, you may be

able to get by a few times...seeing a loss even after you've had some

binge days, but that's not going to last for long.

My favorite saying is, " The successful person will do the things that

the unsuccessful person will not. "

So as I go into the holidays, I choose to be the successful person.

The successful person will plan out their menu in advance.

The unsuccessful person shows up on T-day morning and is blindsided by

lots of fatty dishes.

C'mon, we all know what traditional foods will be there...pre-journal!

The successful person brings food with them that is healthy, tastey,

and compatible with the holiday.

The unsuccessful person doesn't bring food with them, then complains

that the family is trying to sabotage them...and wonders why she gains

five pounds.

The successful person modifies recipes.

The unsuccessful person insists that everyone would die if she didn't

drown perfectly good beans in fatty sauce and fried onions.

The successful person finds a way to get in activity points.

The unsuccessful person says, " But it's the holiday and the gym is closed. "

The successful person saves her flexpoints.

The unsuccessful person wastes them the week before on mindless

eating, and then says, " But I don't believe in limiting myself over

the holidays. "

So what are you going to be?

On my website I have posted a bunch of recipes I use for Thanksgiving.

Here is how I handle the holiday, and have for the last two years.

The weekend before Thanksgiving I have a non-family, fun turkey day. I

invite over a few friends and cook up all my favorites in low point

version. I think if I recall correctly, the meal comes to 16 points if

you eat everything and includes:

Turkey cutlets with stuffed apples

Skinny garlic mashed potatoes

Best cranberry relish

Chicken broth gravy

Rosemary cornbread

Turkey stuffing

Green beans with button mushrooms

Popovers

Spiced cranberry apple cider

2 point pumpkin pie

veggie dip

Trust me, you're STUFFED after this.

Oh, plus I have a salad, fresh veggies, and coffee and tea. Actually I

don't do both cornbread and popovers, so that's -2 or -3 depending on

what one you don't use, and if you didn't do the cider or did spiced

sweetened tea instead, that would be -2 more points, so I think that's

where I got 11 points.

Then on Turkey day I pre-journal my entire meal based on what I know

my family will have. I bring a 0 point ranch dip, 2 point pumpkin pie,

and popovers or cornbread. I also bring my own dressing (fat free

italian). I've had my favorites the week before so I pass up the

dressing, sweet potatoes/yams (don't like 'em anyhow), mashed

potatoes, and other high fat stuff. In addition, I make sure I have

the fixin's for my favorite on program dessert, chocolate decadance:

1 serving no pudge brownie, prepared

1/4 cup frozen berries

1/2 tsp chocolate syrup

1 tbs cool whip free

For two points I have an awesome dessert and I know that if I save

those two points (or 4 points and add half a cup of ff ice cream), I

have a delicious dessert waiting for me at home.

I've managed holidays for three years running without going off

program, losing weight each time (or maintaining this last holiday). I

expect I'll do the same. It's all about choices and let me tell you,

slipping into a size 2 skirt on Thanksgiving morning will be all I

need to remind me why I don't go off program on holidays!

[Guest guest]

Good stuff, Tory. I like the successful vs. unsuccessful person

idea. It's very hard for me to truly BELIEVE that I am going to

succeed and become an honest-to-god thin person. But, I will fake

it till I make it. I will act as a self-assured success, especially

this Thanksgiving.

BTW, can you post that 2 point pie recipe? I'd like to take it

along to my Mom's.

Crystal

> Going off program for the holidays is, in my opinion (and we all

know

> I have one), a cop out. You dont' NEED to go off program. Those who

> do, aren't making a lifestyle change.

>

> Look at the people who are successful with long term weight loss.

They

> are on program (whatever their program is) every single day. Does

that

> mean they eat lettuce leaves and air for holiday meals? No! It

means

> they dedicate themselves to being healthy 365 days a year, 366 in a

> leap year.

>

> Look at people who aren't successful. They think of weight loss

period

> as " dieting " . They never really learn to listen to their bodies.

They

> don't plan. They come onto the WW boards and whine about how they

lost

> control, and complain about " unexpected gains. " Duh, when you eat

the

> paint off a house, you're going to gain weight. Oh yeah, you may be

> able to get by a few times...seeing a loss even after you've had

some

> binge days, but that's not going to last for long.

>

> My favorite saying is, " The successful person will do the things

that

> the unsuccessful person will not. "

>

> So as I go into the holidays, I choose to be the successful person.

>

> The successful person will plan out their menu in advance.

> The unsuccessful person shows up on T-day morning and is

blindsided by

> lots of fatty dishes.

>

> C'mon, we all know what traditional foods will be there...pre-

journal!

>

> The successful person brings food with them that is healthy,

tastey,

> and compatible with the holiday.

> The unsuccessful person doesn't bring food with them, then

complains

> that the family is trying to sabotage them...and wonders why she

gains

> five pounds.

>

> The successful person modifies recipes.

> The unsuccessful person insists that everyone would die if she

didn't

> drown perfectly good beans in fatty sauce and fried onions.

>

> The successful person finds a way to get in activity points.

> The unsuccessful person says, " But it's the holiday and the gym is

closed. "

>

> The successful person saves her flexpoints.

> The unsuccessful person wastes them the week before on mindless

> eating, and then says, " But I don't believe in limiting myself over

> the holidays. "

>

> So what are you going to be?

>

> On my website I have posted a bunch of recipes I use for

Thanksgiving.

> Here is how I handle the holiday, and have for the last two years.

>

> The weekend before Thanksgiving I have a non-family, fun turkey

day. I

> invite over a few friends and cook up all my favorites in low point

> version. I think if I recall correctly, the meal comes to 16

points if

> you eat everything and includes:

> Turkey cutlets with stuffed apples

> Skinny garlic mashed potatoes

> Best cranberry relish

> Chicken broth gravy

> Rosemary cornbread

> Turkey stuffing

> Green beans with button mushrooms

> Popovers

> Spiced cranberry apple cider

> 2 point pumpkin pie

> veggie dip

>

> Trust me, you're STUFFED after this.

>

> Oh, plus I have a salad, fresh veggies, and coffee and tea.

Actually I

> don't do both cornbread and popovers, so that's -2 or -3 depending

on

> what one you don't use, and if you didn't do the cider or did

spiced

> sweetened tea instead, that would be -2 more points, so I think

that's

> where I got 11 points.

>

> Then on Turkey day I pre-journal my entire meal based on what I

know

> my family will have. I bring a 0 point ranch dip, 2 point pumpkin

pie,

> and popovers or cornbread. I also bring my own dressing (fat free

> italian). I've had my favorites the week before so I pass up the

> dressing, sweet potatoes/yams (don't like 'em anyhow), mashed

> potatoes, and other high fat stuff. In addition, I make sure I have

> the fixin's for my favorite on program dessert, chocolate

decadance:

>

> 1 serving no pudge brownie, prepared

> 1/4 cup frozen berries

> 1/2 tsp chocolate syrup

> 1 tbs cool whip free

>

> For two points I have an awesome dessert and I know that if I save

> those two points (or 4 points and add half a cup of ff ice cream),

I

> have a delicious dessert waiting for me at home.

>

> I've managed holidays for three years running without going off

> program, losing weight each time (or maintaining this last

holiday). I

> expect I'll do the same. It's all about choices and let me tell

you,

> slipping into a size 2 skirt on Thanksgiving morning will be all I

> need to remind me why I don't go off program on holidays!

[Guest guest]

tory's pumpkin pie

servings | 8

POINTS per serving | 2

course | desserts

Ingredients

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

15 oz cooked pumpkin

1 cup water

1 Ready Crust 25% Less-Fat Graham Cracker Ready pie crust

4 serving fat-free sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix

Instructions

Mix pudding and water together. Bring to full boil over medium heat.

In separate bowl mix together spices and pumpkin. Fold pumpkin into

pudding mixture. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate. Serve with Cool

Whip Free whipped topping.

Special Notes

Add a little nutmeg if you like.

>

>

> Good stuff, Tory. I like the successful vs. unsuccessful person

> idea. It's very hard for me to truly BELIEVE that I am going to

> succeed and become an honest-to-god thin person. But, I will fake

> it till I make it. I will act as a self-assured success, especially

> this Thanksgiving.

>

> BTW, can you post that 2 point pie recipe? I'd like to take it

> along to my Mom's.

>

> Crystal

>

>

> > Going off program for the holidays is, in my opinion (and we all

> know

> > I have one), a cop out. You dont' NEED to go off program. Those who

> > do, aren't making a lifestyle change.

> >

> > Look at the people who are successful with long term weight loss.

> They

> > are on program (whatever their program is) every single day. Does

> that

> > mean they eat lettuce leaves and air for holiday meals? No! It

> means

> > they dedicate themselves to being healthy 365 days a year, 366 in a

> > leap year.

> >

> > Look at people who aren't successful. They think of weight loss

> period

> > as " dieting " . They never really learn to listen to their bodies.

> They

> > don't plan. They come onto the WW boards and whine about how they

> lost

> > control, and complain about " unexpected gains. " Duh, when you eat

> the

> > paint off a house, you're going to gain weight. Oh yeah, you may be

> > able to get by a few times...seeing a loss even after you've had

> some

> > binge days, but that's not going to last for long.

> >

> > My favorite saying is, " The successful person will do the things

> that

> > the unsuccessful person will not. "

> >

> > So as I go into the holidays, I choose to be the successful person.

> >

> > The successful person will plan out their menu in advance.

> > The unsuccessful person shows up on T-day morning and is

> blindsided by

> > lots of fatty dishes.

> >

> > C'mon, we all know what traditional foods will be there...pre-

> journal!

> >

> > The successful person brings food with them that is healthy,

> tastey,

> > and compatible with the holiday.

> > The unsuccessful person doesn't bring food with them, then

> complains

> > that the family is trying to sabotage them...and wonders why she

> gains

> > five pounds.

> >

> > The successful person modifies recipes.

> > The unsuccessful person insists that everyone would die if she

> didn't

> > drown perfectly good beans in fatty sauce and fried onions.

> >

> > The successful person finds a way to get in activity points.

> > The unsuccessful person says, " But it's the holiday and the gym is

> closed. "

> >

> > The successful person saves her flexpoints.

> > The unsuccessful person wastes them the week before on mindless

> > eating, and then says, " But I don't believe in limiting myself over

> > the holidays. "

> >

> > So what are you going to be?

> >

> > On my website I have posted a bunch of recipes I use for

> Thanksgiving.

> > Here is how I handle the holiday, and have for the last two years.

> >

> > The weekend before Thanksgiving I have a non-family, fun turkey

> day. I

> > invite over a few friends and cook up all my favorites in low point

> > version. I think if I recall correctly, the meal comes to 16

> points if

> > you eat everything and includes:

> > Turkey cutlets with stuffed apples

> > Skinny garlic mashed potatoes

> > Best cranberry relish

> > Chicken broth gravy

> > Rosemary cornbread

> > Turkey stuffing

> > Green beans with button mushrooms

> > Popovers

> > Spiced cranberry apple cider

> > 2 point pumpkin pie

> > veggie dip

> >

> > Trust me, you're STUFFED after this.

> >

> > Oh, plus I have a salad, fresh veggies, and coffee and tea.

> Actually I

> > don't do both cornbread and popovers, so that's -2 or -3 depending

> on

> > what one you don't use, and if you didn't do the cider or did

> spiced

> > sweetened tea instead, that would be -2 more points, so I think

> that's

> > where I got 11 points.

> >

> > Then on Turkey day I pre-journal my entire meal based on what I

> know

> > my family will have. I bring a 0 point ranch dip, 2 point pumpkin

> pie,

> > and popovers or cornbread. I also bring my own dressing (fat free

> > italian). I've had my favorites the week before so I pass up the

> > dressing, sweet potatoes/yams (don't like 'em anyhow), mashed

> > potatoes, and other high fat stuff. In addition, I make sure I have

> > the fixin's for my favorite on program dessert, chocolate

> decadance:

> >

> > 1 serving no pudge brownie, prepared

> > 1/4 cup frozen berries

> > 1/2 tsp chocolate syrup

> > 1 tbs cool whip free

> >

> > For two points I have an awesome dessert and I know that if I save

> > those two points (or 4 points and add half a cup of ff ice cream),

> I

> > have a delicious dessert waiting for me at home.

> >

> > I've managed holidays for three years running without going off

> > program, losing weight each time (or maintaining this last

> holiday). I

> > expect I'll do the same. It's all about choices and let me tell

> you,

> > slipping into a size 2 skirt on Thanksgiving morning will be all I

> > need to remind me why I don't go off program on holidays!

>

>

>