Gobble Gobble

Turkey Day is coming up again which means, for me at least, the kick off of some serious eating. This is the time of year where you throw caution to the wind, eat foods, pastries, and gorge on things that quite frankly, you normally do not. Maybe this is the year that you take control over the cravings and instead control your intake.

So things to keep in mind as you enter the holiday season:

• Take small bites. The more you chew, the more you satisfy the hunger in your brain.
• Pass on the stuffing, eat more of the turkey, salad, fruits, and veggies.
• Smaller Portions. Sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. And when we see food, we have an urge to eat it all, especially when it is on the dinner plate. So take a small amount of food here and there. The end result will be you eat a little less, won't get sick, and won't hate yourself the next morning.
• Do something physical after dinner. It's Thanksgiving, which guarantees you have that one person in the neighborhood who already put up Christmas lights. Now I don't care what religion you are, Christmas lights are enjoyable. So go for a little walk and go see them. Unless of course your house is the one lighting up the street.

Slip Up

So over the past few weeks I have been eating very healthy. I have been trying to increase my intake of non-processed food. It was going great, until this weekend. It isn't an excuse but the holidays are very tough to keep healthy in an Italian family. The anti-pasta, salads, pastas, starches, meats, and desserts make for a long day of eating. 

Now when I am helping to prepare for the meals, I am able to keep some of the dishes more health conscious. In my household we have some more healthy choices available, plus I have been trying to change the dietary habits of my parents and I. Easter Sunday was not at my house, it was at my Nana and Papa's home. My Nana, well the woman loves to cook for her family. She always makes a specific dish for each of her children and grandchildren, needless to say there is a lot of food available. Problem with this is what I used to eat, does not directly correlate with what I have been eating. 

I have been trying to keep a modified version of the Primal and Paleo diets. I consider it a more modern hybrid where I don't disregard all Dairy and Grains, just most. As they say in these diets, the Dairies and Grains don't really leave you full; therefore you will continue to eat more and more. Let me tell you, this is quite accurate, the amount of dairy I took in this weekend met my quota for probably an entire week. Between the mozzarella, swiss, & cheddar cheeses, the whipped potatoes, cheesecake, and Italian dressing, my body is crying for detoxification.

With this minor setback I am currently feeling the aftermath: bloating, lethargic, and an overall feeling of dissatisfaction. Do I feel guilty about my weekend, No. Why should I feel guilty about any of this? I am feeling the results of my actions and quite frankly not enjoying them. Now it is Monday, a new week. Time to get back on track, which is until my next obstacle, Memorial Day Weekend.