Thanksgiving Secret

Can I share a secret?

As Thanksgiving menus are bandied about do you ever experience a bit of "holiday dread?"  If you answered "yes" you are NORMAL.  We can lose the "fun" of Thanksgiving because we dread feeling bloated and lethargic (a familiar visitor on feast days).  To that end, let me share with you a little secret: real treats are the experiences you truly prefer, not necessarily the food that accompanies them.  Celebrating should not include making yourself sick.  Sure Aunt Flossie's blue ribbon pumpkin pie is a highlight, but don't forget to observe your own preferences.  Do you like feeling stuffed or do you prefer to leave the table about 65% full?  Do you feel energized and satisfied with mostly plant fuel and a well-placed daily treat?  Anytime you make yourself feel unwell, you are punishing yourself--not having a treat.  This applies to both what you eat and how much you eat.  If you recognize a pattern of self-inflicted holiday punishment re-assess your interpretation of "treats" and factor in how you truly want to feel.  That is a true celebration.

Tres Hatch is the author of Miracle Pill 10 Truths to Healthy, Thin, & Sexy.