Ah - Thanksgiving! The one day a year set aside to express our gratitude. What happens to the other 364 days of gratitude? Oh well - let's concentrate on this one. where our gratitude is expressed once again by overeating. Wait! Not this year, you say? How many years did we say that? How many years have we "broken the diet" on Thanksgiving, or days like it? Not that we need an occasion, but this one just lends itself, as everyoe is overeating, and groaning, and vowing to "start" tomorrow, or after the four day weekend, or after Chanukah, or after, or after.....
But for those of us who REALLY want to stay in some control - here are some guidelines that I've found helpful:

First, timing of meals. Thanksgiving meals are usually served around 3-4 o'clock. I'll never understand this, but oh well. I think it's to give us the opportunity to eat a combo of lunch and dinner. It is crucial for us not to "save everything" for that meal. Eat breakfast at your usual time. Eat something every 3-4 hours (a fruit, a yogurt, a salad) so that you dont arrive to the big meal "starving", with your blood sugar on the floor and then eat everything in sight, too quickly and dont feel anything till you are too stuffed to feel anything.

Pace yourself. Take one plate, one time. Yes, put a lot on the plate and salad on the side and that's it. Seconds and thirds? You'll end up sorry!!

Eat slowly. Let your stomach and your brain be in sync and send the "full" signals to each other. Chew your food. Put the fork down between bites. Talk. Socialize.

Bring something to share if you are going to someone's home. YOU BRING THE SALAD! At least you'll have one thing you wont feel guilty about eating! it doenst matter if no one else eats it (and they may not), but you will have a filler - and you might need it.

Remeber anything that you dont make at home will be made with more oil, salt, fat, and sugar than you would use at home. DO NOT WEIGHT YOURSELF THE NEXT DAY! You dont need to see volume.

If you are on the "cleanup crew", don't pick at the leftovers - you will not be sitting down, and since WE ONLY EAT WHEN SITTING it is not conducive...

Make the Thanksgiving meal just that - a meal! Plan a small meal for when you come home - a day consists of three meals, not two.

If you want dessert - PLAN FOR IT!! Plan for ONE THING ONLY. Select something that is "worth it",PUT IT ON A PLATE, SIT DOWN, CHEW IT, TASTE IT and consider it part of a meal, the end of a meal and NO MORE!!

There's another name for Thanksgiving - it's called Thursday. It is only a day. We can be grateful (and should be)every day of the year. Overeating is exactly the opposite of showing our gratitude to Hashem for all of our blessings...consider another way.

May you be blessed with good health and all good things.
MarciaB