Thanksgiving Self Makeover

Oct 28, 2012

Surely you have seen those before and after Thanksgiving menus where that perfectly reasonable “typical Thanksgiving Day menu” turns out to be 8000+ calories?  I had always had that, “Heck, it’s Thanksgiving.  It’s once a year.  I’m just gonna eat whatever I want”  attitude too.  In fact that “I want it the way that I want it, so leave me alone” thing had always characterized my approach to my own weight management.  And hey, a binge was a binge was a binge, or so I thought.

That said, once I took a look at my personal Thanksgiving calorie math, it was clear that all binges are not created equal.  One over-the-top-but-every-morsel-enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner is not the same as four days of unbridled gluttony.  Not the same in the weight consequences, not the same in the payback required and not the same in the abandon behaviors that I would be unleashing inauspiciously coincidental with the kickoff of “Hurricane Season” for foodies.

It never was what I ate for Thanksgiving dinner itself that pushed me into the realm of the ridiculous anyway.  It was all the extras before and after the meal (and let’s not forget the inevitable three additional days of out of control eating) that would have necessitated a month of starving just to get back to “even”, had I any shred of intention of doing that once I had unleashed the demon.

Turns out, a few truly minor changes in my actions made major changes in the calorie consequences.  More importantly though, those actions potentially paved the way for a whole holiday season that allowed for holiday treats but didn’t roll me into January multiple pounds in debt and needing to make good on all those promises I was now sorry I had made about my future virtue.

What was really cool was learning not only how to beat Thanksgiving down to a manageable size and still find it adequately enjoyable, but also how to create sustainable behavior changes that would favorably influence the whole rest of the holiday season.  Heck, the whole rest of my life.

Below are some minor changes in behavior that made major changes in calories.  Three themes characterize all the examples given:  controlling the environment, not depending on psych or willpower and taking action soon enough.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Truly demonstrate my theoretical intention to give away the tempting leftovers by buying special plastic containers and ziplock bags, and telling my guests in advance that I did so that they will really take them.  Major Savings in Calories:  500 per day of stuffing eaten with my hands clump by clump every time I open the refrigerator.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Hand off dessert preparation to those guests who just cannot come empty handed anyway (most of my friends are like that, bless them), asking them in advance to be prepared to take the leftovers back with them.  Keeping only one slice for myself if I just can’t completely make the break. Major Savings in Calories:  500 per day eaten directly from the pie tins every time I am in the kitchen alone – with the knife I had the foresight to leave available for just such opportunities.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Lose the obligatory premium vanilla and chocolate ice cream I always had to throw into the mix that clearly enhances any dessert.  Major Savings in Calories:  1160 per pint of Haagen Dazs that I forgot to serve and then ate with a spoon directly from the freezer at 11 pm with my coat on.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Start the day with chewable proteins like veggie omelets, not a B&W Heavy Crumb Cake.  Major Savings in Calories:  800 easily, not counting the other 600 in crumbs that “fell” off when I accidentally shook the bag.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Throw in the turkey and go to the gym.  Major Savings in Calories:  400 for the class and maybe 600 more for all the little things I might have avoided eating (like the bowl of peanuts and raisins I actually finished before the guests arrived) because I was more motivated, at least temporarily.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Skip the Crescent Rolls altogether since my brother and I are the only ones who eat them and that means four each if I make only one package. Major Savings in Calories:  800 plus absurd amounts of butter.  Hey, bread is but a vehicle for the butter, no?

Minor Change in Behavior:  Pass the baton of carving the turkey to my brother.  Major Savings in Calories:  I don’t know, how many calories is the skin off an entire twenty-five pound bird?

Minor Change in Behavior:  Move the desserts to the sidebar after serving them so I stop picking at them and negotiating for more.  Major Savings in Calories:  300 minimum per dessert I remove from the table and can no longer stare down and continue to sliver.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Volunteer to be the dish washer since I can’t stand the taste of food eaten off rubber gloves, and assign someone else to package up the food. Major Savings in Calories:  an entire other Thanksgiving Dinner’s worth eaten directly from the serving dishes.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Plan a skinny day for Friday (set it up in advance) to stop the roll.  Major Savings in Calories:  three more ridiculous overeating days worth till Monday rolls around.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Make extra of the items that would be helpful to have around as long as I am cooking so much anyway.  Major Savings in Calories:  375 for every cup of leftover string beans almondine I have over the next several days instead of leftover stuffing with gravy.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Package up the gravy in individual small containers like mini snap lid condiment containers or in ice cube trays.  Major Savings in Calories:  300 per cup for every time thereafter where I used it as a condiment for jazzing my veggies instead of having a side like French fries or potato chips.

Minor Change in Behavior:  Make only enough to serve my guests, not the entire US Marine Corps.  Major Savings in Calories:  exponential.

And how about the pleasure without the guilt?  Priceless.

** BTW, want to donate some of that food?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feeding_America (a national food rescue link)

https://www.tabletotable.org/index.php/ (a local food rescue link)