Surviving the Eating Season: Enjoy Holiday Food Without Ruining Your Over 50 Overhaul
Halloween candy kicks it off, the McRib is back, and cookie season is right around the corner. The eating season is here, and in this episode of Over 50 Overhaul, Duchess and John talk about enjoying holiday food without undoing all your hard work. Duchess shares how she pre-games Thanksgiving with a high-protein breakfast, lighter appetizers, and smaller plates, while John explains how slowing down and stopping when he’s full changed the way he eats at the holidays. They dig into the “I already ruined the day” excuse, why holiday calories still count, how leftovers stretch the feast into overtime, and how a Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot can set the tone for the whole day. Plus two listener recipes from Matt in the Discord. If you’re dreading the stretch from Halloween to New Year’s, press play — one meal and one step at a time.
In This Episode:
Dark Days Ahead: Shorter days, the time change, and how Duchess keeps winter from bringing her down.
Welcome to Eating Season: Candy, the McRib, Christmas cookies, and a holiday run that ends with New Year’s resolutions.
Six Cookies Only: How John’s daughters keep his holiday portions in check.
The Self-Sabotage Question: John wonders how many times “I already ruined the day” talked him into the drive-through.
Limited Supply: Why a few cookies you only get once a year can taste better than two dozen.
Drinks and Snacks: How a glass of wine turns into “I better eat something.”
Pregame Your Plate: Duchess’s Thanksgiving game plan, from breakfast to lighter appetizers to sending leftovers home with the family.
Slow Down: John’s little-of-everything, stop-when-you’re-full approach, and the case for putting your fork down.
Eating in Overtime: Why taking home too many leftovers stretches the holiday, and why it all still counts.
The Mashed Potato Mutiny: Cream cheese in the mashed potatoes. Genius or crime?
A Thanksgiving to Remember: Volunteering after Hurricane Sandy and a Wawa Gobbler Bowl on the drive home.
Turkey Trot: Starting Thanksgiving with a 5K and still making it home for the parade.
Listener Recipes of the Week: Matt’s high-protein pita pizzas and an apple pie Greek yogurt dessert.
Weigh-In: Duchess bounces back after a week off, and John holds steady.
Moving More: Chair workouts, a runaway kettlebell, and parking the truck 100 steps farther from the door.
Who This Episode Is For:
Anyone over 50 who wants to enjoy Halloween candy, Thanksgiving dinner, and Christmas cookies without derailing their weight loss, especially if holiday gatherings tend to turn into all-day grazing or a week of leftovers.
About Over 50 Overhaul
Over 50 Overhaul is a weekly podcast about health, weight loss, and fitness after 50, hosted by Duchess and John Jamingo. No perfect plans, no gimmicks, just two real people making better choices and sharing what works, one meal and one step at a time.
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Got a question, recipe, or topic idea for the show? Email us at over50overhaul@gmail.com
