Thanksgiving

Oh man! Thanksgiving is coming up. I know, it's not until next week, but that doesn't mean I can't think about it......dream about it........ahh.

There are so many great things about Thanksgiving. Family, friends, memories. And what better way to enjoy these things than bringing them together around a feast of fabulous food.

The feast at my house begins with my entire family sitting down around the table (big table), and everyone says what they are thankful for. This is a great time of reflection on the past year and the great things that people have done for us. Then my grandpa says a prayer, and the kids race to the kitchen and dig in.

There we all are stuffing our faces with the traditional foods like turkey, mashed potates, homemade crescent rolls, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, corn casserole, a veggie tray, and of course pumpkin pie with whippped cream and pecan pie. With all that food, how can I say no. Seriously, I could eat an entire pecan pie plus at least 5 crescent roles on top of everything else. It's times like these that I wish my stomach was a crater.

I could advise you to try eating lowfat pumpkin pie or go without the whipped cream. You could try using less butter in the mashed potatoes. Just skip over the crescent rolls or eat them without all that butter. However, I am a person that tries to not be hypocritical so I won't advise you because there is no way I'm sacrificing the smooth creamy taste of my mashed potatoes. But I can tell you to keep up your workout. Now that doesn't mean you can completely stuff yourself because you know you're going to workout later. Just remember, it's all about staying active whether it's playing with the cousins or power walking with your brother or sister.

Eating wonderful food that you wait for all year shouldn't make you feel guilty or sad after you eat it. Enjoy these times and use your head. Before the big meal, eat light, lots of fruits and vegetables. Don't stop working out hard and try doing a few more reps than normal. When you are eating Thanksgiving dinner, eat in moderation and eat slow so your stomach fills up faster and the food settles. That way, you will eat less. And most importantly, enjoy your food savoring each bite as a special burst of flavor. I know it sounds corny, but you'll get a lot more out of eating and a lot less extra weight afterwards.