Take the Focus Off the Turkey

Thanksgiving Day doesn’t have to be all about eating — does it?  Would you like to avoid feeling like a beached whale every Thanksgiving?  Or avoid gaining 5-10 pounds, simply because of one eating-focused holiday?  Here’s how:

1)  Think about other things that day besides the Thanksgiving Day meal.  Concentrate on connecting with your family and friends through conversation, or, look at fun websites, get on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn or YouTube.

2)  Take a walk, a hike, ride your bike,or do the treadmill — anything for 20-30 minutes.  You’ll feel great, look good and digest your food better.

3)  Go to a Thanksgiving Day Buffet instead of making dinner at home.  It’s less stressful (no shopping, no cooking, no clean-up), and then you don’t have days and days of leftovers.  I ate at Mimi’s Cafe one Thanksgiving when we moved to another state in the middle of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and became a believer; I realized it was much less expensive than buying food at the grocery store,  plus, their food was delicious — and, we even had enough leftovers for another meal.

4)  Wait to have seconds — make that your next meal instead.

Sonja, Turtle Bay, Oahu, Hawaii

5)  Concentrate on the vegetables that are being served and munch on those instead of the creamy casseroles laden with fat and calories, and the rich desserts.  Your body will thank you.

6)  Bake the turkey.  Don’t fry the turkey in hot oil.  I have had deep-fried turkey (at buffets and potlucks); it was always dry and chewy, not moist, lean, low-fat and delicious like baked.  Why are people doing this to Thanksgiving turkeys?  Deep-frying turkey adds fat and calories; and, if you really want to cut down on fat, pull off the skin (and choose white meat over dark).

7)  Remember, this is not your last meal.  You will get more food later.  It is not necessary to overeat.

8)  Don’t keep eating an item if you don’t really like it.  This sounds obvious, but sometimes people will eat food just because it’s on their plate — and they don’t even really like it!  Your stomach has finite space – be picky! Only eat it if it’s really, really, tasty to you.  Remember, when you have reached full, food doesn’t taste as good anymore anyway.

9)  Take small portions.  There is no reason to stack your plate full of food, just because it’s Thanksgiving Day.  If that is what you’ve always done in the past, remember that you are now “Living the Thin Lifestyle,” and those days are over — thank goodness!

10)  Go to a movie, or shopping, or something to get out of the house. These days, zoos, museums, many other places, are open so you can take advantage of staying active and taking the focus off food.

The best part?

You will wake up after Thanksgiving, still be able to wear all your clothes, and all the food will be a distant memory, and you will remember: “Nothing Tastes as Good as Thin Feels”

Good luck!

Trigger foods are foods you eat that cause you to overeat, or binge, derailing any weight loss or weight maintenance efforts.  What are your trigger foods?  Mine are Little Debbie Nutty Bars, See’s Candies Polar Bear Paws, and puffed cheese balls. These foods are not allowed in my house! 

Trigger, the horse, will help you remember your trigger foods! (Roy Rogers & Dale Evans)

Studies have been done to see what causes these compulsions, these cravings.  Called “psychoactive foods,” or even “opiates,” they are different for everyone.  However, they tend to be either high in sugar, refined flour or fat (i.e., chocolate, fried chicken or chips). 

One thing we know for sure:  Once you start eating a trigger food, you don’t want to stop.  There goes the entire box of chocolate-covered cherries, or the entire bag of Lay’s potato chips, or all of the chocolate cake.

So why Trigger the Horse?  Trigger was a famous movie horse, owned by Roy Rogers,  a western movie star back in the day. I want you to be inspired by Trigger, every time you want to be swayed by one of your favorite trigger foods, and know that trigger foods should be avoided like the plague!  And I always remember things better if I think of something unusual to go along with it.

Seven Ways to Combat Trigger Food Cravings:

1)  Remove trigger foods from your house.

Sonja and mini-horse named Dolly

2)  If your emotions cause you to overeat, learn new ways to deal with your emotions besides eating (visit “Overeaters Anonymous“).

3)  Concentrate on foods you like that don’t cause you to overeat, and make you feel good (see: Only Eat Foods That make Your body Hum).

4)  If possible, learn to enjoy just a bite or two of your trigger foods; then you can still enjoy them from time to time.  However, if they still cause you a problem, it’s simply better not to have them around at all.

5)  Read “No More Bad Foods.”  That being said, if you simply must eat one of your trigger foods, purchase only one or two Polar Bear Paws, for example (not 10, because I will eat all 10). 

6)  If you must eat a trigger food,  remember it won’t be worth it if you end up eating the whole bag of chips, or the entire container of ice cream — you’ll just end of gaining weight, or feeling gross.  Not worth it.  Think of Trigger. 

7)  Use gimmick phrases, like “I’m not allowed to have Nutty Bars.” That’s what people say when a doctor tells them they can’t eat something for their health.  Even though it’s really YOU making up the rules! Whatever works, to keep the trigger foods in their place. 

Paul, the Master Griller

“What’s it like being married to Mrs. Living Thin?” I recently asked my husband, Paul.

Here’s what he said:

1) “We split meals, which is great because it saves on the calories — and the wallet.”

2) “Our leisure time includes a lot of activity, like biking, tennis, skiing, snorkeling and hiking. That way, we’re just having fun, and it doesn’t feel like exercise.

3)  “There’s no complaining if I find a parking spot at the far end of the parking lot because we enjoy the walk.”

4)  “I get to eat lots of fish, and I love fish!”

Q.  What tip do you have for eating out at restaurants?

Paul and Sonja riding bikes in San Diego, California

A)  “Don’t get anything that is deep fried — and share meals.”

Q. How is “Living Thin” different for men than for women, in your opinion?

A) ”Men can wear baggie shorts and extra-large t-shirts, which can easily hide 40 or 50 extra pounds.  But then they need to be sure to turn out the lights in the bedroom!”

Q. Is there anything else you would like to add to the “Living Thin” blog?

A) “I think there should be more sex topics; it would be a great way to lose weight — and have fun!”

See: Grill Mates (Master the Flame, Master the Flavor) for tasty seasoning ideas for the grill.

See: Calorie Counts for all fish