Thanksgiving Healthy Tips

Recently I told you how I was starting to strategize for the upcoming holidays. I'm still in a bit of a shock that tomorrow is Thanksgiving so I need to share some more of my strategy with you.

Over the last week there have been too many unhealthy choices making their way into my house.  That's normally something that I control better but with the holidays on the horizon I have been letting things slide.  Sliding is a dangerous activity when it comes to healthy living. The last thing I want to have happen is to slide back into old habits at a stressful and unhealthy time of year.  This is the time to tighten the belt a bit.  As I give in to the chocolates, candy and cookies that have been around my house I scold myself.  It's not a problem to have them in small portions but my portions are rarely small.

Yesterday I realized that I need to control my environment during the holiday season.  There will be plenty of opportunities to indulge in sweets and carbohydrates at the many parties and gatherings over the next two months. I don't need those foods in my house to tempt me each and every day.  I can't control the many environments that I will be visiting over the next couple of months with parties but I can control the one that I live in every day.  I should be eating as healthy as I can at home so I can indulge in the unhealthy when I am out and about in a place with fabulous food.

Breaking news......I interrupt this blog to bring you the latest in the Ramsey house.  Bryan just got home from work.  He called me an hour ago and said he would be home soon and was bringing home dinner.  Here is the box of food that I was greeted with as I opened the door for him just minutes ago.

So what was I just saying?  No more junk food in the house?  I guess I stand corrected.  Bryan is the Director of Youth Ministry at our church and he had leftover food from a bonfire.  He fed the leftovers to the staff today for lunch but I guess he still had more leftovers so the large household of the Ramseys got the food. Don't get me wrong, I love the generosity.  It's expensive to feed this large family.  This just now leaves me with having to watch what I eat and have a plan.  So here is my plan.  I have a large family.  They can eat the food.  My 14-year-old Jason can pound food like you wouldn't believe and he's as skinny as a rail. I need to leave the junk food for him and my other children.  I don't need to eat any of this junk food. I will have plenty of opportunities for eating less than healthy food over the next 2 months.

It will start with tomorrow. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving with my mom and my brothers.  She will cook up a storm.  She will have both healthy and unhealthy choices.  I will remind myself that I don't want to feel like a stuffed animal.  I want to be comfortable.  I will eat some of the unhealthy choices because it wouldn't Thanksgiving without them but I will only eat the ones that really sound good and eat them in small portions.  I'm already looking forward to the Chocolate Pumpkin Torte she told me about so that will be my dessert and I will enjoy it in a small portion.  My mom also told me that she and my brother are cooking several different vegetables.  I will fill my plate with them.  The benefit to Thanksgiving is that there are usually a number of healthy choices if we look for them.  Turkey is a very healthy, low fat food.  I love the white meat.  I can eat lots of filling Weight Watchers Power Foods and small portions of the rest. I look forward to coming home tomorrow evening feeling in control.  I also have another Thanksgiving celebration on Sunday. I need to save some of my calories for that celebration as well.  I don't have to pig out all in one day.

I will not be hanging out in the kitchen unless I am helping with the cooking.  There are always appetizers on the island and table that call to me if I hang around in the kitchen.  I will adjourn to the living room away from the food. I will focus on playing with Sammy, looking at the paper, making my Christmas shopping list and visiting with my family.  Thanksgiving is partially about the food. I would be kidding myself if I said it wasn't but it's not ALL about the food.  There are other activities I can focus on.

I hope you can use some of these ideas. Feel free to post some of your own.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Maybe I'll use his computer and post a blog from my brother's house tomorrow.  That just may help the temptation too.

Remember, the only thing that should be stuffed on Thanksgiving is the turkey!

Corinna

"O come, let us sing tot he Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods." -Psalm 95:1-3