On Thanksgiving Eating
Guess who’s back? Back again? Cranky’s back. Tell a friend. <— Ok I promise that is the last time I will use an Eminem song in a post! Now that’s something you can be thankful for 
So, I was debating on what I should write about today given that tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we’re all feeling anticipation (or fear or dread). Every where I turn there is a guide to healthy eating over the holidays or a list of ways to avoid holiday weight gain. I can’t help but roll my eyes at this point because while I’m feeling excitement about the holidays, everyone else seems to be bemoaning them. Come on guys, let’s give ourselves more credit and actually look forward to tomorrow!
Look — if I have to be the cranky one to say it, so be it. Welcome Cranky:
- Tomorrow is not the apocalypse of healthy eating. Preparing for tomorrow as if it’s some Olympic test of will power, or as if you’ll be the Tantalus of tragic characters, just kind of sets you up to dread the day, no? Defeatist attitudes are kind of like self-fulfilling prophecies if we want to run with this whole Greek motif I’ve got going on.
- Thanksgiving is not “just one day.” Don’t trivialize the occasion. Giving thanks should be a year-round thing, and all the more reason to realize that tomorrow is not a test of your will power, but a celebration of it. Celebrate your choices tomorrow, don’t wallow in them.
- Wave “hello” to the demons — they’re here to stay. I know we seem to think that it’s only on special occasions that those little demons of ours pop their heads in to remind us how truly screwed up we are. Truth is — they’re always there. So, sure, the holidays may make you feel especially crappy if they are triggers or reminders of bad memories. Or maybe, like me, they seem to make it hard not to want to revert to previous, unhealthy, behaviors. I get it. But don’t fool yourself in thinking these triggers are holiday-induced and fleeting. Give yourself more credit – you’ve been dealing with these demons all year long just in a more subconscious manner. Acknowledge the bad thoughts and don’t try to eat or drink them away.
- Holidays are not something to get “through.” Telling yourself, “I just need to get through the holidays, then I’ll be fine” might not be the best attitude. Enjoy the holidays — don’t postpone your happiness. Life is always going to throw you for a loop, there will always be chaos to throw your plans off track — if you plan for chaos, you plan for life and now you can just enjoy the ride.
- It’s all on you. Unless you’ve persuaded your significant other to babysit you and tell you when to drop your fork, it’s probably best to just own up to the fact that what you eat is your decision. Enjoy the sense of empowerment. Come up with a game plan if you need to, but, at the end of the day, it’s all about eating what you want. Notice I said “eating what you want” not “how much you want.” If I were to eat how much I want, I would finish the array of food at my house and then move in a ceremonious processional down the block to taste-test everyone else’s food until I exploded like Blueberry Girl in Willy Wonka. In other words, just limit your portions a bit and try all of the things you want to. As my friend Barb always said, “In hindsight, do you think the women on the Titanic would have said ‘no’ to the chocolate cake?”
I might read this later and slap myself for being so laissez faire about holiday eating, but I think we’re all just responsible adults and should enjoy food and the holidays without demonizing them. We all know that if we want to eat more tomorrow than usual, based on our specific health goals, we just need to balance it out afterward, right? Right!
In other news, I know exactly what I shall be washing down my vegetarian meal with next Thanksgiving:
Yum! Tofurky and gravy soda! Hey, at least it’s vegan!
What’s your plan of action for tomorrow?
<3, The Cranky One
p.s. Even more updates to vegetarian food options for Thanksgiving here.
9 People have left comments on this post
My plan is to enjoy…but not stray so much that I feel guilty or wanna hurl.
That’s not too much to ask is it?
Wow.
Thank you.
This is probably one of the best prep-for-the-holiday posts I’ve read. It is good to remind ourselves that we’ve been dealing with our demons for months now; they didn’t just SHOW UP today…
I’m grateful to the Cranky One!
whoo hoo! AMEN, SISTER!
I plan on enjoying the holidays. I’m doing holiday foods in moderation. Not because I feel I need to deprive myself, just that post wls I’m not as hungry, and all the sugary deserts aren’t as appealing. But I AM having pie, I AM putting whip cream on it and I AM eating mashed potatoes and stuffing with gravy.
And it’s not going to kill me, or set me back horribly.
Like it. It’s not as if thanksgiving is any different than that potluck we had last month or the feast I cooked last weekend or any other day. Some days present themselves with less opportunities to screw up than others, but sheesh, if you can’t set boundaries with yourself and maintain them, or at the very least FORGIVE YOURSELF for screwing up and move on the next day – you’ve got some problems you need to work through.
I remember those times. I still have them occasionally. But the big thing is having a very short memory. I’ve felt a little miffed at myself for an indulgence for a day or 2, but I always LET IT GO.
Whew, ok, sorry to crawl up on the soap box with ya. I hope you have a fantastically fun and cranky-free thanksgiving!
YIKES on that soda!!!
I always plan for holidays & other gatherings. I just eat like I normally do & plan for a treat. I also keep up my exercise thru the holidays & in fact will be in the gym tomorrow morn as usual!
This was a great post. If Thanksgiving were just one day of eats, it’d be one thing, but starting this week and going through the end of the year, there is going to be treats galore, and I find it really hard to say no, especially coming off a restrictive diet program I did late this summer. So this holiday season is going to be a challenge for me, but knowing I’m alone in this, and reading blogs like yours, helps a LOT.
That said, one thing I’m going to focus on tomorrow is controlling my drinking. My boyfriend and his dad can sometimes be booze pushers, and it’s when I have a few in me that the “EFF IT” mentality comes out with the food. I want to eat all my favorite holiday foods without guilt, but I also don’t want to overdo it to the point I feel sick or be too hungover to work out on Friday…so my biggest plan is to watch the wine.
You know, I don’t think I’ll gain a single pound from Thanksgiving. I wasn’t really looking forward to it for reasons other than eating, but since I started preparing turkey legs my hopes rose. Why? Because, you’re right. It shouldn’t be about dreading what might or might not be but, rather, enjoying the time you spend with others – be it with food or not (and, in this sense, with).
I’m not sure about that soda… but I love the tips!
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