My 10 Commandments for 2012

As we close in on New Year's Eve I've been thinking about my resolution for 2012 and what I keep going back to is this—I hate New Year's resolutions. No matter how well-intended I am, no matter how precisely I articulate my goal, I never keep them. And then I feel like a failure.

Happy Freakin' New Year. You know what I mean?

So, this year I've decided to do something different. Instead of making a half-hearted attempt at some goal I really have no intention of keeping, I've decided to develop 10 commandments for a healthy life. Things that if I follow, will by default, keep me on the right path. So here goes.

Dianna's 10 Commandments for Healthy Living

1. I shall celebrate the small successes. For example, the times I actually make it to the gym, remember to do my deep breathing exercises and successfully walk past the freezer knowing that frozen chocolate chip cookie dough is inside.


2. I shall indulge my obsession with Chick Fil A's half sweet/half unsweet tea only once a week. (This one's going to be tough.)


3. I shall do more outdoor activities.


4. I shall strive to exercise three times a week.


5. I shall incorporate deep breathing into my daily life.


6. I shall continue to prepare healthy meals for my family no matter how much they complain and beg me to buy Doritos and Twinkies.


7. I shall remember to be patient with my picky eating third grader and rejoice in the small steps she makes. (e.g., "Yay, you ate broccoli. Good job!")


8. I shall allow my husband and children their indulgences and refrain from giving them the eye of shame and a sneer of disgust. Moderation is the key, not perfection.


9. I shall take time for me and not feel guilty about it.


10. I shall not be so self critical. (See number one if negative self talk is creeping in.)


Amen.


See you all next year!

Twas the Night Before Christmas and I Got the Flu

A couple of years ago I came down with the flu on Christmas Eve. Yup, Christmas Eve. I of course, didn’t get a flu shot that year because I arrogantly assumed, “I never get the flu.” Uh huh. Well, here’s my story, in poetic verse. It’s a cautionary tale that will hopefully inspire you to take care of yourself this holiday season so you don’t end up like me.

Twas the night before Christmas and I got the flu

With presents to wrap and folks to entertain, what was I to do?

The relatives arrived all merry and gay

I secretly wished they’d all go away

With sweat on my brow and aches in my body

I slapped on a smile and downed a hot toddy

Christmas Eve festivities droned on and on

I sat on the couch trying to stifle a yawn

Finally, our children were tucked in nice and tight

But Michael and I still had a long night

Up and down the stairs we did go

Delivering gifts to the Christmas tree below

Finally collapsing onto my warm, soft bed

My eyes shut for a moment before screams of, “Santa’s been here!” echoed in my head

Forcing a smile and nodding with feigned delight

I felt like a truck had run over me last night

Whispering to Michael, “I’m not sure I can make it. I feel like hell.”

His eyes sympathetic, he nodded, “Yeah, I can tell.”

Perplexed he asked, “What about the turkey and stuffing? What will you do?”

Christmas was here. It did not stop for the flu.

I rallied once more to cook for my crew

My face taking on a pasty white hue

The turkey was roasted and the potatoes mashed

I sat down for dinner on the verge of collapse

With glassy eyes and a fever of one hundred and three

I was tapped out. I hadn't an ounce of glee.

The feast was blessed and our crystal glasses clinked in the air

All the while I tried to steady myself in the chair

Waving to my family as they drove out of sight

“Thank God that’s over,” I said, “I thought they’d be here all night.”

Tissues and Nyquil in hand, I slogged off to bed

Visions of Cold-Eeze danced in my head

Enveloped in my cocoon of Kleenex and blankets

I sweated and tossed and turned for ages

Emerging three days later I’d found

My illness had made me lose seven pounds

“Hey, not bad,” I thought with a slow smile

Now maybe I won’t have to diet for a while

Yeah, nice thought, but that wasn’t the case

The pounds reappeared at an alarming pace

A week later I was back to feeling almost new

But I’d missed the joy of Christmas because of the flu

A Word about Flu Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that everyone over 6 months of age get a yearly flu shot. It is especially important for those in high risk groups—young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.

In addition to the flu shot, other preventative tips include:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

Avoid touching your face. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

Practice healthy habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

I wish you all a happy, healthy holiday and best wishes for 2012!

The Aftermath

Let’s say, hypothetically, that you didn’t do so well with your healthy eating plan last week. Let’s say, for example, that you stood next to the spinach dip and devoured about a pound of it. With chips. Those really salty thin pretzel things. And—I’m just guessing here, throwing things out off the top of my head—let’s say you had one too many drinks. Like maybe a dozen. And to top things off you buried your face in your sister’s apple crisp, your mom’s sausage stuffing and took down the mountain of mashed potatoes all by yourself. You know, hypothetically. Let’s say that’s what your weekend looked like.

What do you do now?

To quote my wonderful New York friend and neighbor, “fahgettaboudit.”

It’s over. Banish the guilt. You can’t un-eat or un-drink anything so the best thing to do is just move on. It’s a new day. Time to get back on track.

Actually, getting back on track is one of the key skills nutritionists cite as being part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Everyone indulges on occasion, that's normal. What differentiates those that are successful at managing their weight from those that aren’t is the ability to get back to healthy habits immediately. The times you indulge should be the exception, not the rule.

So, what should you do now, exactly?

1) Stop freaking out. One (or two) days of overindulgence won’t ruin your hard work. The key is to make sure you don’t continue overindulging. That will definitely sabotage your healthy habits.

2) Drink plenty of water. That bloated feeling is probably not real weight, but extra water caused by the excess salt you ingested. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. That’ll help rid your body of the excess sodium and reduce the bloat.

3) Get moving. Jump back into your normal exercise routine. Exercise boosts your mood too so you’ll not only be doing something good for your body, but you’ll feel better too.

4) Eat five small meals a day. Resume your healthy eating habits. Lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and two small snacks a day. For example:

-       Breakfast: Low-fat yogurt and berries.

-       Mid-morning snack: A piece of fruit and an ounce of low-fat cheese

-       Lunch: A big salad with lean protein such as fish or chicken

-       Afternoon snack: A handful of almonds

-       Dinner: A piece of fish and plenty of vegetables

5) Restart your food journal. When I feel like I’m out of control I start writing everything down. There’s nothing like documenting everything I eat and drink to make me more mindful of my choices. MyPlate at Livestrong.com is a great tool for this.

Surviving the Holidays

Tomorrow, turkeys will be roasting, pies will be baking and elastic waistbands will be expanding all over America.

It is possible to enjoy the holidays without wrecking your healthy habits, but it takes some planning.

Below are my favorite holiday tips. Advice I’ve gleaned from experts over the years that help me enjoy the holidays and keep my fat pants where they belong, buried in the back of the closet.

• Shift into weight maintenance mode. Losing weight during the holidays is unbelievably difficult, so shift your focus to simply not gaining weight. Maintain the status quo, i.e., exercise when you can, opt for healthy snacks and meals and pick up the weight loss goal when the holiday goodies and parties have disappeared.  Do this and you’ll be way ahead of most people in January. The typical weight gain between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is five pounds.

• Alternate alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. The party invites have started to pour in. That’s good, and bad. As I noted in last week’s blog, beverages are a huge source of hidden calories. To keep the calories to a minimum, after enjoying an alcoholic beverage have a zero-calorie nonalcoholic drink. I like to alternate with a glass of water. This keeps me hydrated and prevents me from over-consuming at the buffet table. A side effect of a little too much alcohol. 

• Prepare to party. Before heading out to the cocktail party or happy hour, decide what you’re going to indulge in and cut back on calories during the day in anticipation. And stick to your plan! 

• Eat and drink before you go. Don’t ever show up to a party hungry. That’s like taking a sex addict to a brothel. The temptation to indulge is overwhelming. Eat a light snack before you go, ideally something with protein and/or fiber so you’ll feel full. (e.g., a cup of Greek yogurt or apple slices with peanut butter or veggies and hummus) And chase it with a tall glass of water. You’ll arrive hydrated and satiated and be less likely to slam down the first drink and dive into the spinach and artichoke dip.

• Do not, I repeat, do not stand next to the buffet table. It’s absolutely impossible to stand next to a table of food and not graze. You’ll munch mindlessly, devouring a bowl of M&Ms before you know it. Don’t put yourself in this position. Get a plate, choose what you want and walk away. Far, far away.

• Channel your inner toddler. If you really think about holiday food, most of it isn’t that good. Store bought cookies and cakes, ho hum. Green bean casserole, no thank you. Be a food critic. Take a little bite, if it’s not stupendous, pass. Save your calories for the things you absolutely love and pass on all the stuff that’s just “okay.”

• Move, move, move. With holiday shopping gearing up, gym attendance typically goes down. Don’t let that translate into no movement at all. Find little ways to increase your movement throughout the day. Take the stairs, park far away from store entrances or go for a walk after meals. Every bit of activity will help burn those extra calories.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Dear God, It’s Eggnog Season

Pumpkin spice lattes, peppermint mochas and eggnog, oh my!

As we welcome the season of thanks, we begin the most challenging time of year to maintain healthy habits.

Homemade goodies magically appear in the break room. Favorite recipes, handed down from generations, flood the buffet table. As if that wasn’t tempting enough, restaurants and bars whip out their holiday menus enticing us to “get in the spirit of the season” and “eat, drink and be merry” with their calorie-laden treats.

I’m all for eating, drinking and merriment, but the extra pounds that go with it, no thank you.

So, how do you survive without going up a pant size?

For starters, know thy enemy.

One of the season’s biggest calorie busters is beverages.

Picture this…you’re at the mall, shopping for gifts, feeling festive and joyful (or crabby and tired, depending on the crowds), either way what you really want is a little pick-me-up. Stopping in the local Starbucks you see their beautiful print ad for a peppermint mocha. Well, doesn’t that sound just perfect, you think. “Would you like whipped cream with that?” the cute little tattooed and pierced barrista asks.

“Why yes I would,” you reply. Why not, right? It’s the holidays.

You leave Starbucks, holding a steaming cup of peppermint goodness and wander down to Nordstrom to drool over their shoe inventory. Ah, pure bliss. Right?

Yes, except for the 470 calories you just ingested. Yup. A 16-oz peppermint mocha with all the trimming has almost as many calories and fat as a McDonald’s Quarter-pounder with cheese. (The quarter-pounder has 510 calories.)

Take a look at these holiday beverages and their calorie count.

Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino—470 calories and 13 grams of fat in a 16-ounce serving.

Hot Buttered Rum—418 calories and 17 grams of fat per serving.

Pumpkin Spice Latte—410 calories and 17 grams of fat per 16-ounce serving.

Eggnog—350 calories and 19 grams of fat per 8-ounce serving.

Hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps—380 calories

Yikes! So, what’s a good plan of attack?

1) Skip the eggnog, mochas and spice lattes altogether, which I realize is easy for me to say since I don’t like them anyway, but this is really your best option.

2) If the lattes are your traditional holiday indulgence, then at least make them skinny, e.g., order them with sugar-free syrups, nonfat milk and forego the whipped cream. For comparison, a 16-ounce skinny peppermint mocha has only 130 calories. That's much better than the 470 calories in the full-fat, full-sugar version.

3) Same goes for the eggnog, at least get the light version, although it really doesn’t help much.  It reduces the total calories to 280 per cup versus 350 for the full fat version. Your best bet here is to drink it sparingly.

4) Finally, if you are going to drink alcohol, skip the mixed drinks, instead choose light beer, red wine or a wine spritzer made with club soda. (A typical wine spritzer has only 100 calories.) 

The holidays don't have to sabotage your healthy habits. Arm yourself with information and continue to make good choices.

Recycling Day

The Waste Management truck pulled up to my house today collecting the recycling from the last two weeks.

As I carried the trash out to the curb I noticed the contents. Normally the green bin is full of containers of Greek yogurt, boxes of high fiber cereal and bottles of water.

Not today.

Today the bin was overflowing with cartons from Daylight Donuts, boxes from Papa Johns Pizza, aluminum tins from Godiva, cardboard containers from Harry & David, and enough wine bottles to host one helluva dinner party. Okay, maybe two, possibly three.

It's been a fabulous holiday, but now I'm dealing with the hangover. The aftermath of the season.

I think I need to enter some sort of detox program. Or maybe go to a sweat lodge. Or try one of those lemonade cleanses. I've got to do something because I feel awful—sluggish, fatigued, bloated and just plain fat. Woo Hoo! Happy New Year!

Thankfully I don't need to call the Betty Ford Center. The remedies for ridding myself of the post-holiday bloat are actually pretty straight forward.

1) Start drinking water again. 

For some reason when the holidays hit, my water consumption drops. I'm not sure of the causal relationship but it happens every year. Now that the partying is (mostly) over, I need to get back on the H2O bandwagon. Water literally flushes the toxins away.

2) Stop the daily cocktail hours.

While it's been fun hosting family and friends and enjoying a few glasses of wine, the daily consumption of alcohol has got to go. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not twenty any more. My body can't take it. (I mean twenty-one of course. I never drank while I was underage.)

3) Say hello to my long lost friends—fresh fruits and vegetables.

No one I know shows up to a holiday party with a tray of raw vegetables and some hummus dip. It's simply not done. Holiday food is cheesy, sugary, fatty and sometimes deep fried. No wonder I feel bloated. Reintroducing fruits and vegetables will lower my caloric intake and increase the fiber in my diet. Something that's been sorely lacking the last month.

4) Say good-bye to sugary treats. 

As hard as it is, it's time. Time to tell the sugar cookies, coffee cakes, gingerbread houses, chocolate truffles and all the other desserts to go away. It's for the best, really. But I'll miss them. Especially the Russian Tea Cakes, they're my favorite. Whatever my family doesn't eat and I can't give away by Sunday is getting thrown out.

5) Get back to the gym.

While I kept up my twice weekly strength training sessions during the holidays, I only made it to one cardio class. In four weeks. Yikes! I'm supposed to be doing cardio three times a week. Oops. Next week I'm back on it. Promise.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and may 2011 bring you much happiness and good health.

AAAAAHHHHHH!

Every year, the week before Christmas, I smugly drive by Short Pump Mall, a smirk crosses my face as I observe the traffic. Dummies, I think, if only they’d done their shopping early they wouldn’t have to fight the crowds.

I think back to my dentist appointment on December 7^th. The dental hygienist, making her requisite small talk, asked me if I’d started my Christmas shopping.

“Oh,” I announced brightly, my eyes brimming with pride, “I’m almost done.”

“You’re smart,” she responded, “I haven’t even started yet.”

Yes, every year I pat myself on the back and praise my organizational skills.

Until December 23.

That’s when, every year, it hits me. 

CRAP! THE STOCKINGS!

This is my punishment for being smug. For feeling superior to those who don’t plan ahead. And it happens to me every year.

You’d think I’d learn. You’d think I would, I don’t know, REMEMBER THE STOCKING STUFFERS! But I don’t. So I’m out on December 23^rd and 24^th with all the other poor planners wandering the shops, fighting the crowds and stalking people in parking lots hoping to get their spot.

You probably saw me at the mall yesterday. I was the one in the green tweed coat, eyes full of desperation, and remorse.

Thank you karma for the comeuppance. I deserve it.

So what’s a penitent girl to do? What are good stocking stuffers?

My mind went in to overdrive. Well, I thought, I have lots of clementines in the house, maybe I could pierce each orange with a bunch of cloves and call it potpourri? Or I could use all that leftover Halloween candy?

But no, I couldn’t do it. So off I went in search of decent gifts.

Here’s what I scored during my travels. If you’re struggling for ideas, maybe these will help.

1.   I have four words for you. Bath and Body Works. This place is a gold mine. Lotion, perfume and hand sanitizer, oh my. Plus they have those fuzzy socks with the lotion built in. Perfect.

2.   After working out with Marq at the Advanced Wellness Centre, I noticed their holiday gift certificates. Who doesn’t love a massage? And they’re offering a holiday gift special—a one-hour massage for new clients is only $55. Sweet.

3.   Do your kids like music? Costco sells a four-pack of iTunes gift cards below the face value. Why buy them anywhere else?

4.   Speaking of gift cards, they’re the perfect stocking stuffer. Whether it’s Lowe’s, Target or Barnes and Noble there’s a gift card out there for everyone. Last year Santa gave me a Starbucks card and a Chick Fil A card to support my two beverage addictions—coffee and iced tea. It was fabulous.

5.   Underwear and socks. These were stocking stuffer staples in my childhood home. I could always count on Santa for new undies. As a kid I hated this tradition but as a parent I get it. They’re cheap, functional and best of all they take up a lot of space!

6.   DVDs and small books fit inside a stocking nicely as well.

That’s it. I’m tapped out, both mentally and physically. Good luck with your last-minute shopping.

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a happy, healthy 2011!

A Weekend Retreat from the Chaos of Christmas

A sea of headlights and taillights greeted me as we drove past Short Pump Mall Friday night. Our minivan headed in the opposite direction, away from the congestion and noise of holiday shoppers toward First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach.

While the majority of humanity filled the streets and stores in preparation for Christmas, we took our kids camping. This past weekend was our second annual “Family Longhouse.”

Our Family Longhouse is an offshoot of the YMCA Indian Guide/Indian Princess program. The YMCA program is designed for fathers and their children. Through monthly meetings and twice-yearly camping trips (called “longhouses”) it provides opportunities for dads and their kids to share experiences and have fun together.

The camping weekends with daddy are a highlight of my children’s lives, so much so that they wanted me to experience a longhouse weekend too.

“It’s okay,” I assured them, “There’s no need for Mommy to go camping. I’ve been camping and I’m really, really, really happy that Daddy takes you.”

But the kids insisted. “You’ll love it!” they declared.

Seeing the excitement on their little faces, listening to their stories of longhouses past, I finally relented. But with some rules.

When Mommy goes camping that means a cabin with running water, electricity and a coffee maker. I love being out in nature—during the day, with fresh clothes on, a clean body and fully caffeinated. Those are my standards. I don’t do tents, sleeping outside, bugs, shivering, and percolating coffee over a campfire.

While I refuse to be without indoor plumbing, there were a few modern conveniences I was happy to leave behind—namely, TV and computers. Void of our customary entertainment, we amused ourselves with cards, board games and outdoor activities. On the beach we kicked the soccer ball, tossed a football, played Bocce ball, horseshoes and laughed at our dog Snickers as she ran into the ocean playing with Ricky, an exuberant chocolate lab. (Snickers was so excited to play with her new friend, she forgot she hates the water. Until a wave struck her chest, then she made a hasty retreat.)

We hiked along Bald Cypress trail, climbed up the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse and with hot chocolate in hand, drove down the boardwalk to view the holiday lights. We even had time for a long, luxurious afternoon nap.

As we returned home Sunday afternoon, traffic still clogged the entrance to the mall. I couldn’t help but imagine all the harried shoppers rushing to finish their Christmas shopping. I have a list of items to attend to as well, but I’ll get to those later. For the moment I’m savoring the quiet time spent with my family. 

Climbing trees at First Landing State Park

Enjoying Virginia Beach

Snickers (brown dog in the foreground)
after she remembered she hated the water.
She stood at the edge, only getting her paws wet.

Playing "Life." My career was a supermodel and I made
$2 million a year. Clearly, it was just a game. And I lost.
Even in the fake world I couldn't pull it off.

Hiking Bald Cypress trail

The girls with Snickers

My beautiful family. Except that old guy.
Where'd he come from?

Thanksgiving is a time for family—Oh, great

The ice clinks against the glass as Uncle Ralph swirls his scotch. His red eyes and slurred speech inform you that the annual, “When I was in Saigon” monologue is moments away. Cousin Suzy, a born-again Christian, is on the sofa chastising poor Aunt Edna for not attending church regularly. Great-grandma can’t stop discussing her latest health issue, down to the gory details of her colostomy bag. Yippy, it’s Thanksgiving, a time for family.

While diet and exercise get the bulk of media attention around living a healthy life, stress reduction is another important topic that deserves attention as stress contributes to a host of physical problems and chronic diseases.

As we begin the holiday season, stress levels begin to escalate. And while time with family can be a wonderful thing, it doesn’t always work out that way.

Michael and I have been married for almost 15 years. While we have good relationships with both sides of the family, that doesn’t mean holidays have always been drama-free.

The following are our life lessons on how to enjoy a stress-free holiday.

Lower your expectations.

Every family is dysfunctional. The way the dysfunction manifests itself is unique to each family, but it’s there. Even The Brady Bunch was only perfect on camera. Behind the scenes Mrs. Brady was having an affair with Greg, Mr. Brady was hiding his homosexuality, and Marcia had a drug habit. Perfection doesn’t exist and expecting it from your family is unrealistic.

Expect Uncle Ralph’s stories of Vietnam, Cousin Suzy’s zest for all-things religious and conversations with great-grandma about her health, and have a plan for dealing with those situations. Accept the realities of your family—quirks and all—because no matter how hard you try, you cannot change your relatives. Acceptance is a beautiful thing.

Don’t be a part of the problem.

Another way to say this: keep your pie-hole shut. This tactic is easy for me, I come from a long line of conflict-avoiders. In most cases, burying your feelings is not productive, but the Thanksgiving table isn’t the setting to discuss personal disagreements with your mom, sister, uncle, or grandmother. And if they think it is, change the subject. Do not engage. Excuse yourself from the table if you have to, but bite your tongue, shove some turkey in your mouth and don’t take the bait. You can always spit on their food later. Or, if you’re more mature than me, engage in a healthy discussion of your differences in a more appropriate setting.

Create some opportunities for alone-time.

Go for a walk, read a book, go see the latest blockbuster at the theatre, get some Christmas shopping done. Whatever your pleasure, schedule some time apart. There’s no rule that says every moment must be shared with family. Everyone benefits from a little breathing room. 

Plan and communicate your schedule ahead of time.

Sometimes it’s not the drama that’s stressful, it’s logistics. Many families have step-children, ex-husbands and ex-wives and coordinating the activities between all the various relatives feels like a scheduling problem only NASA could solve.

Don’t leave the plan for the day up in the air until the last minute. Get the schedule set ahead of time, including when you need to leave, and let everyone know in advance what to expect.

And if you are hosting the big meal, flexibility on timing will go a long way in easing the tension for those that are juggling multiple meals with several families. For example, the last several years, my family has celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday because it was more convenient for everyone involved.

  

Just say no.

If the entire production seems too daunting, bail completely. When Michael and I were first married and traveling full-time for our jobs, we told our families we wouldn’t join either of them for Thanksgiving. That was the one time of year we were taking for ourselves, a lovely four-day weekend to relax and reconnect.

With that I wish everyone a Happy, Stress-free Thanksgiving.

I won’t be posting any new blogs next week as I’ll be traveling with my family. In celebration of my mom’s 70^th birthday the entire clan is headed to the eastern Caribbean for a seven-day cruise. I’ve packed my workout clothes, gym shoes, and will power. I think I’m ready.

Thanksgiving Side Dishes—The Agony and the Ecstasy

Mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato soufflé. Who cares about the turkey? For me, Thanksgiving is all about the sides.

The trouble is, those dishes are loaded with calories.

Yes, it’s only once a year, but Thanksgiving is the start of holiday season. If I overindulge now I’m more likely to let my guard down until the first of January, when, once again, I’d have to reacquaint myself with the gym and join thousands of others on the long journey of reversing the damage.

My goal this season is simple: maintain the status quo. Losing weight is completely unrealistic, but not gaining—that I can do.

With that in mind, here are my tips for enjoying Thanksgiving without going up a pant size.

Don’t starve yourself waiting for the big meal.

Seems like a good strategy doesn’t it? Saving all your calories for dinner. But it’s like having one more drink at the office Christmas party. It sounds like a good idea at the time, but it rarely works out well.

Bellying up to the Thanksgiving buffet on an empty stomach is a disaster waiting to happen. Eat during the day, preferably some protein and fiber to fill you up, and drink plenty of water. You’ll have better control over your choices if you’re not starving.

Channel your inner toddler—be picky, very picky.

You don’t have to sample everything, pick your favorites and skip the rest. There are plenty of foods I don’t care for, pumpkin and pecan pies for example, so I skip them entirely. Mashed potatoes are tasty, but I can have those at other times during the year. But my mom’s sausage stuffing and my brother-in-law’s butternut squash soufflé, well, those are once-a-year events. I’d rather have a small portion of those than waste my calories on boring old potatoes.

Watch your portion sizes and stick to one plateful.

It’s tempting to go back for seconds, even thirds, but the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. You’ll be seeing everything again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. So don’t go crazy on day one. There’s plenty to go around.

Don’t skip the gym.

Maintain your exercise routine as much as possible to help burn those extra calories. If you can’t get to the gym, how about a walk around the neighborhood before the tryptophan in the turkey kicks in and you conk out on the sofa?

Switch to some healthier side dishes.

Maybe it’s time to reinvent Thanksgiving. Offer some healthier options and see what happens. Below are recipes for two of my favorite side dishes. I’ve been serving these for 15 years to rave reviews. Maybe they’ll become one of your Thanksgiving staples too.

Roasted Vegetables (adapted from a Food & Wine Nov. 1995 recipe)

Serves 8

4 Tbls. olive oil

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 wedges

2 large red onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges, root ends intact (this helps hold the onion together)

1 large eggplant, stem trimmed off, quartered, and then each piece cut in half lengthwise

2 large red peppers

2 large yellow peppers

4 fresh rosemary sprigs*

4 fresh thyme sprigs*

Kosher salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375.

1.     Pour 2 Tbls. of olive oil into a roasting pan. Add the sweet potatoes and red onions. Turn to coat them in the oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2.     Cook for 1 hour.

3.     Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 450.

4.     In a separate bowl add 2 Tbls. olive oil, eggplant and peppers, turn to coat in the oil and season with salt and pepper.

5.     Push the sweet potatoes and onions to the sides of the roasting pan.

6.     Add the seasoned and oil-coated eggplant and peppers to the roasting pan.

7.     Add the rosemary and thyme sprigs.

8.     Cook for 40 mins., until the peppers are blistered and the other vegetables are tender.

*Note: You can use dried herbs too. I would recommend crushing or chopping the dried rosemary so the texture isn’t so pointy and sharp, which isn’t terribly delightful to eat.

**This entire dish can be made hours ahead of time and left to rest on the counter to reach room temperature.

Kale with Sherry (from Food & Wine Nov. 1995)

Serves 8

3 pounds of kale, stems trimmed (I know it sounds like a lot, but it shrinks down to nothing!)

2 Tbls. peanut oil

3 large garlic cloves, minced

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

2 ½ Tbls. sherry

2 Tbls. soy sauce

2 tsp. Asian sesame oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 Tbls. sesame seeds

1.     Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2.     Add the kale by the handful, pressing it down into the water with a wooden spoon.

3.     When all of the kale has been added, stir well and boil over high heat until the kale is tender, about 5 minutes.

4.     Drain the kale in a colander, pressing it with a spoon to extract all of the liquid.

5.     When the kale is cool enough to handle, cut it into 2-inch pieces, removing most of the stem. (Even cooked the stem is really tough, so discard as much as possible leaving only the leaves.)

6.     Transfer it to a heatproof serving dish.

7.     Heat the peanut oil in a small skillet over medium heat until hot.

8.     Add the garlic and crushed red pepper. TURN OFF THE HEAT AND REMOVE THE PAN FROM THE HEAT SOURCE.  Continue cooking the garlic, stirring constantly until it’s fragrant, about 2 mins. (Be very careful, the garlic burns easily.)

9.     Add the sherry, soy sauce and sesame oil to the skillet.

10.  Pour the dressing over the kale, season with salt and pepper and mix well.

(You can make this dish up to this point a day ahead of time. Cover the kale and refrigerate.)

When you’re ready to serve it.

11.         Pour 2-3 tablespoons of water over the kale, cover with foil and bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

12.         Toast the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. (Or, put them on a plate in a toaster oven and hit the “toast” button.)

13.         When the kale comes out of the oven, sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top and serve.