I Will Survive....

You knew it was coming. It’s almost Thanksgiving and either:
a) you still haven’t started your fitness and eating program and you’re afraid the holiday eating is going to completely destroy any chance of fitting into your dress for New Years Eve (or jeans or suit or Speedo…), or
b) you’ve been working really hard at the gym and sticking to a smart eating plan and you know the “saboteurs” are lurking everywhere to try and undo all of your efforts!
Well, you’re PROBABLY right. Getting together with family and friends, especially those we haven’t seen for a while, can wreak havoc with our motivation, self esteem, and will power. Couple that with a holiday devoted to eating and it would seem that you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
Well-meaning gyms, magazines, newspapers and TV stations offer ways to “Pre-burn the 5000 calories you’ll consume during Thanksgiving dinner” or “Recipes that eliminate carbs, fats and calories (but let’s be honest; what’s eliminated is “taste”) from Thanksgiving dishes”. While these are well-intentioned ideas, they aren’t realistic for most people. You’ll either feel that you deserve to eat the full 5000 calories you pre-burned, or eat the faux Thanksgiving meal and go home so starved that later and you’ll eat two full bags of potato chips and a gallon of ice cream before you go to bed!
So, what to do? First of all, approach it as you would any other meal, but realize that there will be a bigger variety of foods to choose from and many of the foods will have been prepared with more than high calorie ingredients; there’s also an added cup of guilt included.
"But I made it because I know it's your favorite",
"Just a little bit won't hurt" And so on.
OK… make them happy, but do it on your terms. Fill one plate with tastes of the dishes you love and take your time savoring each one. Wait about an hour and then SHARE a serving of dessert. Gorging yourself is NOT really satisfying in the long run. You’re uncomfortable (no one should have to unzip their pant or loosen a belt after a meal) and you’ve consumed so much food, that you really can’t even differentiate between the flavors.
Then, while everyone snoozes on the couch in a tryptophan coma watching football on TV, get out for a walk, take your cousins bowling, or run the bleachers or steps of a nearby school or building. You’ll be back before the game’s over and you’ll still be able to button your pants.
No matter where you spend your holiday, moderation and balance are the key!!!