Holiday Survival: One Woman's Story

If you're anything like me, you start looking forward to Thanksgiving — or at least the food that will be served — weeks in advance. Come early November, I'm already dreaming of the sausage stuffing, marsala mushrooms, and fluffy mashed potatoes that make up my family's traditional feast. (To be honest, I could take or leave the turkey.) I do think about which "healthy" dishes I can bring to seem virtuous, all the while knowing I'll ignore my steamed herbed broccoli and load my plate with anything doused in butter or cream, or preferably both.

Even if I've been "good" in the weeks leading up to the holiday, my restraint goes out the window when I sit down to dinner. I try to plan my week around the meal, eating light fare the rest of the time to save up for a marathon holiday eating session where I let myself indulge in whatever I want. I'm sure I must end up eating a whole week's worth of PointsPlus® values that day. I can easily devour at least two servings of every side dish, plus a generous sampling of every one of the dozen desserts waiting on the sideboard before my dad and uncle even have a chance to fight over the turkey carcass.

The (skinny) voice of reason
And always, as I sink my teeth into a second slice of pie, my skinny sister — who honestly can not comprehend how people can overeat ("Why don't you just stop when you're full?") — shoots disapproving glances across the table. She doesn't say it out loud, but I can see her eyes asking, "Do you really need to be eating that?" I know her concern is genuine — after all, she knows I'm miserable being the Fatty McFattypants of the family, and only wants to see me lose weight so I can be more comfortable in my own skin — but come on! It's Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for all the delicious food, a spread that would make a pilgrim blush. Just this once, let a fat girl enjoy her second helpings without guilt.

Coping without calories
This year, I'm aiming to limit my intake of all things creamy, but if I get carried away with second helpings, I'll be okay with that, too. I usually don't gain weight Thanksgiving week as long as I only really go crazy on Thanksgiving Day itself. This approach fits nicely within my "don't lose, don't gain" strategy for the season.

If you're like me and truly enjoy rich food but tend to overindulge, or if you're prone to drown your sorrows in pumpkin pie, Colleen Gengler, family relations educator at the University of Minnesota Extension, has a few survival Thanksgiving survival tips:

1. Let comments roll off your back. If you're tired or stressed, you're more likely to feel insulted by even innocent comments about the food, your hair, what's on your plate, or anything else. If someone says something that makes you flinch, "don't take the bait; try to change the subject quickly," says Gengler.

2. Don't make food the focus. "Let the meal bring you together, but don't dwell on it the whole time," suggests Gengler. If the banter at the table shifts from praise for the delicious food to the stuffing's caloric count or who's eating the most mashed potatoes, gently change the subject. "Initiate conversations about guests' lives and interests to take their mind off the food," she says.

3. Stick to a schedule. Maintaining your normal routine of meals, snacks, and sleep will help keep you (and your kids) on an even keel. And tempting though it may be, don't starve yourself before the holiday meal; you'll probably feel shaky and on edge and you're more likely to overeat. Have a healthy breakfast, like scrambled egg whites with low-fat cheese on whole-wheat toast, to tide you over.

4. Don't try to do it all yourself. If you're hosting the meal, take your guests up on their offers of food and drink to save yourself some time. "Make them feel they're making a special contribution by asking them what they'd like to bring, if they offer to help," suggests Gengler. "If they don't have ideas, you can suggest healthy options like fresh fruit, sparkling cider, or a tossed salad with a light dressing."

5. Carve out some "me" time. Yes, you've heard it a million times before. But let's be honest — who actually takes that relaxing bath or goes for a massage? The trick is to sneak in a few moments of peace and quiet (or better yet, some exercise) whenever you can. Even if that means making up an excuse to run an errand so you can speed-walk an extra lap around the mall.