Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it can be a very stressful time of the year when it comes to staying on track and eating healthy. Food is usually in abundance and parties are frequent. For me this a joyous and festive time with decorations, Christmas music and the spirit of joy. I just love seeing how excited the kids get knowing that Christmas is right around the corner. However, I know that for some women it is a time for high anxiety because of overeating and binging. I remember those days well and while I personally try to take it in stride, I too can get overwhelmed and overeat. But many years ago I came up with a plan to allow myself no more than a 2-pound weight gain and for the past 15 years it has worked. While Thanksgiving is considered the beginning of the holidays, you do not have to binge and overeat and put on the 11-12 pounds that most experts say the average weight gain is then. Not only is that unhealthy physically, mentally and emotionally, that is a lot of weight to put on and it is so hard to take off. Come January, when people mentally begin to get in the DIET mode the shift is to weight loss. The DIET industry booms with people wanting to lose weight and that will most certainly lead to another year of disappointments for many. Listen to me, DIETS DON’T WORK! I truly believe that anyone can get through the holidays without eating till you can’t breathe or better yet can’t zipper your jeans. Yes, you can do this, as I have done it for years and I am no different than anyone else. When I began to PACE MYSELF with holiday eating and think MINDFULLY about my choices I realized that anyone could do this. My best advice is to make sure you are exercising and eating sensibly. When your fitness routine takes a back seat that sets you up for a train wreck and that is when most good eating habits begin to go south. In other words, when one sinks they both go down. Without exercise and eating sensibly, those pounds will start to pack on and you can experience lack of energy, not enough sleep, feeling bloated and worse, feeling miserable. I have said this over and over, if you can make it through Thanksgiving Day half of the battle is won. That one day will most likely set you up for the next 4 weeks or so till Christmas is over. Then we to run to get fit and healthy once again. Do yourself a favor…please eat one good meal on Thanksgiving day, like a good breakfast. Enjoy the day and celebrate you. You can make it, I know you can! Debra

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