Thanksgiving dinner

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This past weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving. A lot of people have the the turkey dinner whichever day of the 3 day weekend works best for them and their family. I know people that attended a big dinner every day. Holidays are often used as an excuse to indulge. For some people, that works. For others, a day of indulgence turns into a week, which turns into a season.

I am one of the others. I've learned that about myself and there is no point in trying to pretend that I am a naturally thin person that can occasionally gorge as long as I eat well the rest of the time. When I start eating sugary treats and large portions, I have trouble stopping. For me, a holiday is not enough of a reason to just let go.

I only had one big dinner to attend and it was on Sunday. That was 10-10-10, so it was the day that I had my own little fitness challenge. I've said it before, but I don't exercise to lose weight. I train to get better at my sports. Having said that, being active helps keep me in a better mindset for how I'm eating, putting me at an advantage going in.

I also planned ahead. I offered to bring desert. For one, I am very good at making deserts, so I knew I could do something everyone would like. The main reason though, is that it gave me control over what would be the most tempting part of the meal for me. I made an apple pie and a crustless pumpkin pie. I enjoy making pastry, and let's be honest, people expect apple pie. Pumpkin pie is a comparatively healthy choice, as long as you leave off the crust.

I followed through on my plan to eat moderately. I had large helpings of salad, carrots and broccoli (skipping the yummy looking cheese sauce). I also had small helpings of turkey with cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes with gravy and stuffing. I resisted getting seconds and finished the meal off with my crustless pumpkin pie, passing up the apple pie with the perfectly made crust.

Would I eat dinner like this every night? No. Some of those foods spell trouble for me and trigger cravings, particularly the mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. It was a special night though, and I still stayed within my calorie range for the day. I've been watching my sugar intake very closely for a couple days now, as even the small amounts I had are sometimes enough to trigger my system to demand more.

As we enter the season of indulgence and gluttony, I plan to continue approaching it with moderation. My house won't be filled with Christmas baking, and Halloween candies will get sent off to my husband's work. It's a matter of finding the balance between will power and avoidance.

What's your plan for the upcoming holidays?