Confession: I hate pumpkin pie. Before you judge, I’m just like everyone else who has an obsession over pumpkin spice flavoring. But of all the things I look forward to at Thanksgiving, the dessert table is simply not my temptation. This is the part where you feel like shoving me down the stairs for not having a sweet tooth. My go-to craving is still carb-related, but it’s going to be the mashed potatoes or anything else consisting of potatoes. The holidays somehow manages to present everyone’s temptation. And before we have a chance to recover from one holiday, we have another and then another. And just like that, we’ve all gained 15 lb.s over the course of a month, with barely a breath. The fact that everyone seems to gain weight over the holidays doesn’t seem to make it feel any better.
So is that it? Do we need to accept our fate with a smile on our face and pie in our bellies? Well, this year, I’m going to try to do things differently. Fret not, I’m not about to suggest the use of tasers. Although, that would definitely help. And, I’m not going to suggest making a tofu turkey, as I believe them to be an abomination against God.
Thanksgiving Pie Plan
Here is my game plan for helping to limit the holiday contributions to my belly:
- Start with a salad. I usually fill my plate with all my favorites and instantly get stuffed. This year, I’m going to start with the salad so I don’t make any hasty plate decisions based on my hangers (who actually eats Thanksgiving lunch at a reasonable hour?).
- Stick to actual serving portions. I’m horrible about the “yes, that could be about 1 cup”, when I fill my entire plate with mashed potatoes and gravy. I’m going to use a visual guide to stay honest.
- Think of the macros. Protein, carbs, fat, sugar, and fiber. Make sure you eat, not only what you want to, but what you need to.
- Space out the seconds. My family inhales food, but take it slowly and then wait 20 minutes before getting your seconds. I think most of us know that it takes that long for you to feel full after your stomach has enough food. This year, I’m not going to pretend I don’t.
- Fight the nap urge. I’ve eaten my turkey and I can feel the crash coming. This year, I’m going to attempt going for a walk after lunch. Realistically, I don’t think an attempt to workout would ever happen, especially with all the gyms closed. But surely a walk is doable…
- Stay active. After that walk, I’m hoping most of my family will have gotten their own nap in, so I can talk them into a board game.
- Sample, don’t splurge. We usually have our desserts in the afternoon, which means my appetite has returned. This year, I’m going to get picky about which desserts I have and I’m only going to have a taste, not a plateful.
- Get help on the leftovers. When it comes time to divvy out the leftovers, I’ll make sure I’m the only one bringing something home. And I will also make sure that the more tempting items aren’t crammed to overflowing. Let’s be real…. I’ll eat it in one sitting.
Well, this is my plan for the holidays this year. Feel free to make it fit your own holiday plan!
