Well, other than Super Bowl Sunday, Turkey Day is the biggest EATING day of the year. But unlike the Super Bowl, which is over in a day, Thanksgiving seems to give some people carte-blanche to eat for the next 5-6 weeks. I think that by starting with Thanksgiving and realizing that you can get through the day without eating the estimated average of 5,000 calories Americans consume (no kidding – I heard that on the Today Show) the holidays will be much easier to deal with. So, here are some tips to remember:

1. Do not go without eating all day and wait for dinner. Have some cereal, fruit, oatmeal, yogurt or some other breakfast food that is nutritious.

2. By not eating all day and going to dinner starving you will have set yourself up for an emotional, as well as physical binge, so eat sometime before you go.

3. Remember, the foods that most people serve on THANKSGIVING are foods that are available all year long. You can always cook a turkey dinner anytime; so don’t treat it like the last supper.

4. Eat sensibly. If you like everything, take a taste and move on. If you start eating massive amounts of food because it is Thanksgiving, you will probably feel horrible before bedtime and the next day. Eating all of those fats and carbs will send your body into orbit. All of your organs have to work harder to sustain the body and the heart will actually need to pump more blood because of abnormal caloric intake.

5. The biggest reason not to overeat is you will feel so much better for doing it. I have been getting through the holidays for many years and I clearly remember all of the Thanksgivings I stuffed and gorged because it was THANKSGIVING and that is what I thought I had to do. I have a serious talk with myself about it and eat consciously. Again, you can taste if you need to, but keep it under control.

You can do it!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL…BE PEACEFUL, BLESSED AND GRATEFUL. MAY YOUR DAY BE FILLED WITH LOVE.

Debra

So, I am out for a run yesterday morning with Hannah, my favorite canine girl and loyal companion and certainly the love of my life. My body as well as mind were craving a good heart pumping, sweating and invigorating workout and what better place to get a workout outside than the East River Drive? I love it there and can always get into my zone while enjoying the scenery. There were a lot of runners, rowers and cyclists and the place was packed. I was really motivated to get moving and to get my day started. I was ready for the challenge. I warmed up and set my goal at 4-5 miles. The sun was shining and I felt great.

As I got into the 2nd or 3rd mile, the strangest thing began to happen to me. As I was running along, minding my own business my mind switched gears and thoughts of eating began to overwhelm me. Not just some food, BUT LOTS OF FOOD. Yes, I was having thoughts of binge eating happening between my ears. What was this all about? I just had these intense cravings and that was that. Where the heck did this come from? Gosh, I did not even have my morning coffee yet. That’s my treat after the morning run. I was taken aback as this feeling came over me. I immediately began to trace what could have possibly triggered this. Those old feelings of wanting to Binge and Eat thousands of calories was right in front of me and overwhelming me at that very moment.

I kept thinking - What is this? I lost my weight. I don’t binge anymore. It has been a long time since this toxic behavior had its’ grip on me. But this was real and I needed to get in gear to handle it. As I continued to get to the finish area the desire was getting worse. I began to negotiate with myself. I made all kinds of excuses to binge - the best being TOMORROW IS MONDAY. It was then I had to stop and really use my knowledge and skills to lick this thing before it took me over again, as it had many years ago. Back then I would have given in. But today I know better. I thought to myself, “I have the power to change this”. It’s what I teach all my clients. You have the power to create change. It is the first step of the MAZDA METHOD motivational program. It is part of my soul.

Honestly, I was almost in a panic. Once those feelings come over you it is so hard to get out of their grip. But as I done so many times before I was able to switch gears. I took a step back and told myself that this is only a temporary issue. It will pass. If you give into it you have no power. You will feel helpless and accomplish nothing that will move you forward. That would be a step in the wrong direction. Plus I probably would have been so sick to my stomach. That thought alone began to help me to get over this morning catastrophe. I kept thinking my face might puff up, my knees would hurt and that none of my low rise jeans would fit, Was it worth it? NO! The fact is this; I made a commitment to myself many years ago and that alone stopped me in my tracks. I promised myself that I would never feel that horrible or look as bad as I did 25 years ago ever again. My life today is happy, motivated and I have never felt as good as I do today at 53. In the short amount of time it took for those OLD, NEGATIVE, TOXIC feelings to surface, it was an even shorter time to get rid of them.

Tonight as I sit here writing this I realize that at any time those feelings can come back to haunt me. I need to make sure I am ready for the attack. Listen, go out and have a great week. And start today and do not wait for the Monday that may never come. Make every day count.

Debra

I am moving in the next couple of weeks and I think that most of you would agree how hectic and stressful packing and moving can be - especially when you have a career to manage. Well, I am no different than most women who sometimes try to do it all but I can honestly say I have been very stressed lately. Because of this, my life seems to be off and I am not as focused as I normally am and this can lead me to overeating. I began to see my eating pattern change about a week ago, not horribly, but enough to make me take notice and realize that my eating pattern was off. For me, staying focused is key to eating well since this is essential to making me look and feel better.

When I am polluting my body with processed foods and not the fruits and vegetables I normally eat my whole world can go into overload. Most processed foods are pure junk and in the end are not good for my health. When I eat them, especially sugars, I am always craving more and more and if I do not stop this then binging is right around the corner. While binging for me is not what it was years ago, it is still an issue. Those days of stressful binge eating still stir up every once in a while. When that happens, if I do not handle it properly, it can be a disaster. So, the first step is to realize that this is a problem. In other words, if food is the way you rescue yourself from any stressful situation, know that before it occurs. This way it can be much easier to deal with. Just take a step back, look at what you need to do to care for yourself in a healthy way and get right back on track.

It is really important not to take it to the next level. For me it is the emotional roller coaster of self-loathing and feeling horrible about yourself. That is the worst feeling to shake off. Unless it is stopped with a positive affirmation such as “OK, so I am still fine even though I was off track today” or “I will get back on track; that is what I do” or anything that you know that will get you back mentally. Do not sit and be negative. Get up, take a deep breath, and get back in the game. THAT IS WHAT I DO…EVERY TIME.

Debra