Thanksgiving is right around the corner!

I, like many people, love Thanksgiving Day!  It is one of my favorite holidays because it is a day to celebrate all that we have to be thankful for without a lot of fuss.  I think it's safe to assume that Thanksgiving Day will be an "off track" day of eating for the majority of us.  It should be if you stop and think about it.  These are special times in our lives where memories are created.  This day should be different from how we normally eat on the regular days of our lives.

Although these things make sense.  It also makes sense to keep a few things in mind along the way.  This does not mean we have to eat everything in sight.  This does not mean we have to sample everything on the table.  This does not mean we have to stuff ourselves to the point of feeling sick.  It simply means that we can make great choices and eat foods that we mostly choose to eat only on very special occasions.  Eating off track whether you're in weight loss mode or maintenance is not going to set you back in a major fashion at all.  If you limit your eating "off track" to just one day, you'll simply have a small hiccup in the area of weight loss or maintenance that you can easily correct within a few days.

Here are a few hints or examples of ways to keep it all in check on Thanksgiving Day.

1) Eat your normal healthy breakfast.  This will prevent you from becoming overly hungry.  Try not to "pick" at anything.

2) Hopefully there will be great healthy choices at your Thanksgiving meal so take advantage of choosing these foods first and foremost.  Sample the rich dishes and desserts in a small to moderate fashion.

3) Limit your "off track" eating of the rich foods and desserts to this day only.  Enjoy the other healthy dishes for the next couple of days.  Give the rich desserts and dishes away or simply freeze them if possible.

Now that I have lost all of the weight I had put on for close to two decades, I can easily look back to see how I accumulated all of those extra unwanted pounds.  I am astounded at how easy it has been to keep them off now that I have gained knowledge in the areas of setting up a healthy eating and fitness pattern for life.  Wow, I wish I would have simply taken the time to educate myself properly and make myself a priority back then.  I can't believe at times that I carried that weight for close to two decades when I never had to at any point.  I know I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving in many areas of my life.

I can now look back and realize that I treated most everyday like a holiday feast.  There never had to be a reason for me to eat high fat foods and desserts.  I now reflect on how I used to eat throughout the day on Thanksgiving Day and how I continued to eat 3 or 4 days afterwards in regards to the leftovers.

Therefore, it is not the holiday itself that presents a problem.  It is all the days before and after a special holiday that matter in the long run.

I, for one, cannot wait for Thanksgiving.  My first important goal is remember what the day is all about and for me, that is being thankful to God for all of my family and friends.  I can't wait to see everyone and I want the emphasis to be on that area and creating another beautiful memory in all of our lives.

I will also attempt to choose only the foods I really want to eat and I will eat them in a moderate fashion.  I will enjoy the desserts but I have no plans of eating to the point of feeling like my stomach could burst at any moment.  Those days are over for me and have been for a long time.

I have no intention of feeling guilt over the choices I make for special occasions because I realize this is not the way I eat on the regular days of my life.

That's why I can't wait for Thanksgiving Day!

Have a great day everyone!