November 28, 2010
When I was little, I really wasn’t that big a fan of Thanksgiving. Probably because it couldn’t hold a candle to that other holiday that comes 4 weeks later that just so happens to involve a whole lot of PRESENTS, and while I’m a big fan of mashed potatoes I could really care less about turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. I know, I was a regular Thanksgiving Scrooge. The older I get though, the more I appreciate that Thanksgiving is one of the few times a year that is really sacred for families. I don’t know many people who have entire extended families sharing zip codes anymore, so having that time reserved for family get togethers is more important than ever and I’m pleased that despite the busy, work-work-work culture we live in, most businesses continue to give people the time off to gather together with their loved ones. Of course, we have the added challenge of the emergency room residency schedule that doesn’t always allow for traditional time off! For instance, this year Matt was working 5:30pm-5:30am the entire week of Thanksgiving, with a day off on Saturday and a 24 hour shift on Sunday. Needless to say, when he wasn’t working, he was sleeping. Both of our families have been really awesome about working around our crazy schedule, whether it’s meant celebrating our holidays on days other than the actual holiday-day or making the trip to come see us when we don’t have enough time off to get there.
This year my parents drove down to Charlotte, where we celebrated Thanksgiving at Katie and Dylan’s home. I have to confess that Katie and my mom did pretty much all the cooking, while I took full advantage of a lazy day off and read, napped, walked my doggy around Katie’s cute uptown neighborhood, and chatted with my fam. (Don’t be fooled by that picture of Katie sleeping – that’s after hours of food prep!) I did contribute a pecan pie, so I wasn’t a total culinary mooch. Our meal was delicious, and I was super sad to have to leave my family Thursday night but given that either route home from Charlotte involves passing a mall I decided it was in my best interest not to wait until Friday to make the drive.
On Friday, my hubby slept off another night shift and I used the free day off to get caught up on some housework and projects. Saturday my family came up to Winston, and Matt, Dylan and my Dad spent a chilly day on the golf course while I recruited Mom, Katie and Michael to help me lug Tupperware tubs of Christmas decor out of the attic. Lucky them. After the boys got back, the children embarked on a secret mission to obtain my parent’s Christmas present (not telling) and then we reconvened at Riverburch for a yummy, wine-y, happy family dinner together. It was hard to say good-bye to my fam after what felt like an incredibly short weekend, but I’m thankful to know that they’ll be in just a few weeks for Christmas and that we’ll also get to spend some time with Matt’s family in a few weeks too.
And with that, the holiday season has kicked into high gear! Somehow I think that 4 weeks away other holiday is going to be here before I know it. Happy Thanksgiving, ya’ll!
November 24, 2008
Thanksgiving is…..
A time to reflect on our blessings and enjoy the peace of being with our loved ones?
Maybe I’ve grown a bit cynical, but it seems that today a more accurate description of this holiday would be a time to eat a heckuva lot and then pass out in a food coma in front of a football game.
Thanksgiving is, as we all know, supposed to be about the company we keep and the reflection of the lives we lead. If this is the true meaning of this holiday, depending on your perspective this could be a holiday of celebration or a holiday of frustration! Whether you take a second helping of Aunt Julia’s seven-cheese macaroni because you’re caught up in the warm-n-fuzzies of a family reunited or you secretly shovel down the leftover pie while doing the dishes after your mother-in-law insults your choice of centerpieces, a holiday spent with family sets us up for a prime opportunity for emotional eating.
Not to mention, it’s a holiday that’s pretty much centered on food and temptation to overindulge is great.
The first thing to remember about Thanksgiving is that it is literally one day. Many people become so down on themselves when they get “off track” on Thanksgiving and they throw their arms up in the air and think “Well I blew it today, so I might as well wait til January to get this thing going again.” Excuse me, WHAT? It is one day. Plan for it. Plan to run amok in a calorie laden world if you must. But plan, plan, plan to get right back on track the next day.
Take that leftover turkey and throw it on top of a salad or wrap it in a whole wheat wrap, rather than put it back on top of dressing. Pass the leftovers out so they go out the door rather than stay home with you. Have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand so you can have a volume of food with a low caloric intake. If you’re going to the mall (a chance to walk! Exercise!) on Black Friday, plan ahead. Throw a Cliff bar in your purse or pocket so you don’t have to stop at the food court and get a bottle of water from a drugstore when you feel your energy waning. Google a healthy recipe that uses turkey for dinner the next night. If you get back on track on Friday, Thanksgiving never has a chance to gain momentum as kick off for the Season of Eating.
To survive Thanksgiving Meal itself with minimal damage, choose wisely. You know the drill: light meat over dark meat, pumpkin pie over pecan. Munch on the veggie tray beforehand instead of mindlessly munching the spiced nuts mix. Rather than recreate the wheel, let me just send you to one of my favorite resources: Eat this, Not That. See how you can shave 500 calories off the typical T-gives dinner by making healthy choices.
Thanksgiving is just one day. No one day of eating, no matter how much you consume, has the capacity to undo all the hard work you have done. However, it does have the potential to create a chain of events that lead to relapse if you fail to get back on track as soon as possible. (The goal is Friday, people, not Monday. Not next week. And certainly not January.)
Plan for Thanksgiving and you’ll coast through the holiday without the frightening weigh in on Monday. Now that is something to be thankful about.
Food For Thought: Whether you come from the Portion Control the Pecan Pie camp or the Just White Meat with a Teaspoon of Potatoes troops, the key to a successful Thanksgiving is the comeback plan for the next day. What’s YOUR plan?
Thanksgiving is…..
A time to reflect on our blessings and enjoy the peace of being with our loved ones?
Maybe I’ve grown a bit cynical, but it seems that today a more accurate description of this holiday would be a time to eat a heckuva lot and then pass out in a food coma in front of a football game.
Thanksgiving is, as we all know, supposed to be about the company we keep and the reflection of the lives we lead. If this is the true meaning of this holiday, depending on your perspective this could be a holiday of celebration or a holiday of frustration! Whether you take a second helping of Aunt Julia’s seven-cheese macaroni because you’re caught up in the warm-n-fuzzies of a family reunited or you secretly shovel down the leftover pie while doing the dishes after your mother-in-law insults your choice of centerpieces, a holiday spent with family sets us up for a prime opportunity for emotional eating.
Not to mention, it’s a holiday that’s pretty much centered on food and temptation to overindulge is great.
The first thing to remember about Thanksgiving is that it is literally one day. Many people become so down on themselves when they get “off track” on Thanksgiving and they throw their arms up in the air and think “Well I blew it today, so I might as well wait til January to get this thing going again.” Excuse me, WHAT? It is one day. Plan for it. Plan to run amok in a calorie laden world if you must. But plan, plan, plan to get right back on track the next day.
Take that leftover turkey and throw it on top of a salad or wrap it in a whole wheat wrap, rather than put it back on top of dressing. Pass the leftovers out so they go out the door rather than stay home with you. Have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand so you can have a volume of food with a low caloric intake. If you’re going to the mall (a chance to walk! Exercise!) on Black Friday, plan ahead. Throw a Cliff bar in your purse or pocket so you don’t have to stop at the food court and get a bottle of water from a drugstore when you feel your energy waning. Google a healthy recipe that uses turkey for dinner the next night. If you get back on track on Friday, Thanksgiving never has a chance to gain momentum as kick off for the Season of Eating.
To survive Thanksgiving Meal itself with minimal damage, choose wisely. You know the drill: light meat over dark meat, pumpkin pie over pecan. Munch on the veggie tray beforehand instead of mindlessly munching the spiced nuts mix. Rather than recreate the wheel, let me just send you to one of my favorite resources: Eat this, Not That. See how you can shave 500 calories off the typical T-gives dinner by making healthy choices.
Thanksgiving is just one day. No one day of eating, no matter how much you consume, has the capacity to undo all the hard work you have done. However, it does have the potential to create a chain of events that lead to relapse if you fail to get back on track as soon as possible. (The goal is Friday, people, not Monday. Not next week. And certainly not January.)
Plan for Thanksgiving and you’ll coast through the holiday without the frightening weigh in on Monday. Now that is something to be thankful about.
Food For Thought: Whether you come from the Portion Control the Pecan Pie camp or the Just White Meat with a Teaspoon of Potatoes troops, the key to a successful Thanksgiving is the comeback plan for the next day. What’s YOUR plan? < ?xml:namespace prefix = o />
