Eat Smart Even on Thanksgiving!

After my last post a few days ago, there were lots more questions about food. Yesterday was the great American food and family celebration, so I am sharing my tips for successfully navigating this type of event. For some of us, this is the start of the overeating season.

I wore my slimmest fitting straight leg jeans from Loft with a white tank top by Peck and Peck via Stein Mart topped off with a luxurious faux suede shirt by IC Collection from ShopMyFairLady.

I have often said that tight jeans saved my life. When I wear yoga pants or other stretchy, comfortable slouchy pants day after day, it is easy to gain a few pounds without being mindful of it. Before you know it, you have ten or more extra pounds! I have a French friend who tells me she never weighs herself. "When my clothes start to feel tight, I eat less for a few days."

This was a casual family gathering, so I limited the accessories and makeup to a lighter daytime version with one ring and arm candy statement.  The bracelets have been collected during my travels. That's my favorite YSL lip gloss and an animal print clutch from Express. The boots are by French Connection via Saks Off 5th.

My sweet sister is an excellent cook, so she prepared a delicious meal for our family. We enjoyed a perfect day together, sharing memories, laughing, and talking.

As the sun was starting to go down on this bright, beautiful warm day, I snapped this photo of a deer eating in a meadow on a hill.

These are my own essential points to remember at these special meals, which will likely be happening a lot in the coming weeks. I never eat until I feel really full. When I know I will be sitting down to a special family meal later in the day, I eat a very light small breakfast. The servings' size can quickly become overwhelming, so I always serve myself only one spoon full of the items I want to enjoy. It all tastes the same, so why pile a lot of each item on your plate and then be miserable later? 

Throughout the year, my food choices include fresh organic and local vegetables and fruit available at my local grocery stores. I keep an open mind when I shop and just look for those items that look most appealing at the time.

My goal is to eat these foods every day.
a large bowl of dark leafy greens
steamed greens
in season steamed or baked vegetables
a cup of cooked dry beans (If you only have the canned version, rinse well before serving. They have a lot of salt in them!)
an ounce of raw seeds and nuts
at least three fresh fruits
peppers
onions
mushrooms
herbs
garlic


These items do nothing for our health. I eat them in minimal quantities on infrequent occasions, if ever. 
sugar

cheese

bread

crackers

butter

sauces

oils

gravy

desserts

salt

cream

salad dressing

pasta

rice

wheat

Some foods or ingredients can trigger headaches, body aches, and inflammation, and bloating. I avoid preservatives, processed foods, and meat because my body does not respond well to these items at all. Sodium tripolyphosphate, known as STPP, is one such trigger that will bring on a severe migraine for me that lasts for two days. It is toxic poison for some people, yet the United States Food and Drug Administration lists STPP as "generally recognized as safe." I do NOT trust them to make these choices for me. It is wise to determine which foods, additives, and preservatives cause you problems and eliminate them from your life.

My goal when I started this journey five years ago was not just to lose weight. I wanted to eliminate those migraines and the inflammation that was causing me so much pain I found it difficult to walk at times, much less wear high heels. An excellent side effect was that I lost more than forty pounds and gained a tremendous amount of self-confidence along with a robust, healthy immune system.

I enjoy sharing fashion tips with you, but it is much more important to me that I convey how vital it is that you take care of your body to enjoy your life. A friend of mine who is a heart specialist was discussing this a few nights ago. She said, "Many of my patients live their lives without taking care of themselves at all, and then when the heart starts to fail, they want me to fix it."