Seven Day Count Down

Seven days until Thanksgiving: family, friends, good food and drink. My advice is to enjoy the day and don't worry about what you eat. (Remember to always drink responsibly.) Did you notice I said "day?" That is the first key to starting off the holiday season on the right foot. After Thursday go back to your regular eating (and exercise) otherwise what starts as just one day often morphs into another 39 days of overindulgence.

To avoid having to face the music on January 1st, here are a few things to consider as you prepare your Thanksgiving feast:

1. Avoid using hydrogenated fats in pies and baked goods.
2. Have a salad and at least two or three vegetables.
3. Use olive or canola oil or Land O Lakes Spreadable Butter (half olive or canola) instead of margarine in cooking.
4. Offer fresh fruit with the other yummy desserts.
5. Don't drink your calories other than wine or spirits, avoid high calorie mixers.
6. Add some whole grain bread to your stuffing.

Which reminds me of one cardinal rule: Don't stuff yourself to the gills. Eat until you are full - not stuffed. Then in a few hours, if you are hungry go back for more. A stuffed turkey is good, a stuffed belly is not.