I ate too much at Thanksgiving

I ate too much at Thanksgiving!!!

https://www.sharecare.com/health/live-to-one-hundred/slideshow/effortless-ways-to-lose-weight

Okay, we (almost) all did it – we ate too much at Thanksgiving.  I did!!  Turkey, dressing (or stuffing), sweet potatoes (with a pecan crust), white mashed potatoes (I peeled, cooked and mashed), cranberry sauce, white rolls (with oodles of butter), and if that wasn’t even pie (both cherry and pecan) with ice cream.

So, this article from Sharecare might help.

Item #1

Try ditching certain foods for a time.

The article suggests “We tell people to get rid of what we call BRPPS: that means no bread, rice, potato, pasta, and added sugars.” 

I’ve unfortunately recently added bread back into my diet.  I hid my toaster but brought it back.  When you live alone and have a whole loaf of bread on your counter, just popping a slice into the toaster, then slattered butter on it - and maybe jelly and peanut butter.

I have to grocery shop with better reasoning - don’t let the bad things into my apartment!!!

Item #2

Don’t skip meals

From the article “Skipping meals is one of the worst things you can do if you’re trying to shed pounds.  There’s a lot of data out there that shows that missing a meal increases your body’s hunger hormones and slows your metabolism down,”

I just purchased something that I hope can help me - a small microwave.  I love my crockpot, but from the recipes and cooking I do, I end up with leftovers (not necessarily a bad thing).  As it is, reheating leftovers in a pan on the stove becomes just a little tedious.  So, it is easier to skip a meal rather than reheating something. Do, you are at home working away (like on your blog or next novel - out soon), you can reheat something so quickly with a microwave.

Item #3

Watch your portion size.

The article suggests putting about the size of your hand on your plate.  If you only have big plates get some salad plates.  Yes, like most of us, my mother’s voice is in my head saying “Clean up your plate”.  (That was something combined with ‘think of all the starving children in Africa’ - I’m not quite sure why starving children in Africa should affect my cleaning my plate.  Maybe I should have boxed my leftovers up and sent them to Africa!!  I can imagine this: “Dear American Embassy in <place>.  Here are my leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner.  Can you please give them to starving children in your <location>?”

Item #4 Shop carefully

The article suggests shopping at the outside aisles of the grocery store.  “When you’re filling up your grocery cart, it’s best to opt for lean meats, seafood, dairy, and fresh produce. Most of these items are probably located around the perimeter of your grocery store.”

It also suggests that the inside aisles tend to have more processed foods, laden with sugar and salt.  

What about you?  Time to think about dieting so you can fit into your Santa suit in three weeks. Or that ugly Christmas sweater, you will dig out for the Christmas Party?

More tomorrow!!!

Hugs!!

(Slightly overweight) Karen