Post-Thanksgiving

Well, my faithful friends ... how many of you managed to maintain your eating plan on Thanksgiving? Did you enjoy a little of everything without over-indulging? I am happy to say I did quite well and I learned something new about myself ... I CAN DO IT!! Granted I will have my moments when I will make poor choices, but I was thrilled to look at my Thanksgiving dinner plate and see 2/3 of the plate filled with roasted vegetables, a mere whisper of white meat turkey, a small serving of spicy sweet potatoes and some Heritage Lane Cranberry Sauce. There was even some space between my food and alas ... no gravy. My son sliced the pumpkin pie - my major downfall - and I noticed there were two sizes ... adult size and child size (½ of the adult size) and a small dollop of whipping cream. I opted for the child's size and I can’t tell you how wonderful I felt when I went to bed. I checked my Facebook account before I went bed on Thanksgiving night and noticed the number of friends who were STUFFED! I was so pleased with myself ... I went to bed with a smile on my face!

One thing I believe helped me stay focused is a bit of Internet research ... did you know the extra calories you eat don’t show up on the scale for several days?? The sites I found weren’t medically managed, but more blog-like with people’s experiences about how overeating affected them ... and it wasn’t good. Most said they noticed an increase on the scale days after they indulged. I sure didn’t want that - I’m still trying to fit into my skinny jeans! But more importantly, the effect of overeating on my heart was what made me stop.

Understand that overeating can have effects that you may not directly associate with eating excessively. For example, eating too much can lead to fatigue, insomnia and mood swings. It can also affect your joints and cause shortness of breath and chest pain. (Read more: How to Understand Overeating Effects.)

If you’re like me you don’t over-indulge every day so you’re probably not at risk of chronic overeating, but I think you, like me, should be aware of the downside of poor choices. Lifestyle changes are never easy and the obstacles you face ... relatives ... friends ... holidays ... provide a challenge every day. They say you can create a new habit after twenty-one days ... I find it takes even longer for me because ... well, just because that’s who I am!  Who are you? How well do you know yourself? How willing are you to make a change for your heart’s health? How well do you know what challenges you face and how you will face them? A website I love is Zen Habits which provides me with a gentler way to reach personal goals. And if you're searching for another approach, try How to make new habits stick. Either way - or a way all your own - OWN IT! Asking yourself some important questions may shed some light on the solution you need for your health. C ‘mon ... you’re worth it!