What Will We Project on Thanksgiving and Christmas?

Do you catch yourself thinking or SAYING "I can't have that" quite a bit? 

If you are thinking that or saying it out loud, don't be the least be surprised when your family seems to pour on the pressure on Thanksgiving and Christmas to just "have some of your favorite foods already!"

The longing looks at the pumpkin pie, the wistful glances at the stuffing, all of these betray you and serve NO purpose but to make your family members and friends INTENT ON SEEING YOU ENJOY YOURSELF.

If WE make it about the food, THEY will make it about the food.

Don't you just ONCE want to taste the freedom that comes from NOT CARING about what you are going to have for that Thanksgiving meal?  Not caring that everyone is going back for seconds and thirds of pecan pie with real whipped cream or a' la mode?

And truly truly NOT CARING?

Then decide to CHANGE your MIND about food.  Ditch that hyper food-centric relationship you have with what you put in your mouth.  Because whatever you project will be reflected back to you.

Don't even mention what you are having or not having until Thanksgiving Day!  Here's something that will BLOW THE MIND of everyone who asks YOU, the person on a diet, how you will handle Thanksgiving.

"I don't know yet.  Haven't really thought about it.  Sort of ambivalent.  I'll probably eat some sort of, well, FOOD."

Can you imagine the double take you will get when you say something like THAT?  I mean REALLY? 

If you are wondering what my plans are, they are to not make a big deal about anything.  I don't feel entitled for anyone to either MAKE something that I "CAN" have, nor do I feel I need to plan out to the last detail, take my little tupperware items and make a big show or big deal about "being on MY plan....."

What does that mean practically?  Well, since it's at my house I will show up.  My job is to make the Turkey so I will make the Turkey.  My sister is bringing the sides.  Likely she will bring a salad, because they eat healthy too, but if she doesn't I don't really care one way or another.

Because for me, Thanksgiving is about the people, and giving thanks, and I will not attach meaning to a piece of pumpkin pie or some cranberry sauce EVER AGAIN.  It's just not who I am anymore.

If I can't hobble together a perfect Lean and Green then so what, I'll have some turkey and eat a salad later on.

MIND.
BLOW.

I know.  I'm ambivalent.  I don't care.  Because I'm thankful for my health, I'm thankful for my family. 

Please don't misunderstand, I am not condemning those who still attach sentimentality to their Christmas Cookies.  That person just isn't me anymore.

In past years I've had the question a few times "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?", and the person asking would let it hang in the air as with baited breath, as if it would be great entertainment for them to watch the girl on a diet try to avoid the goodies.

It just won't be that way for me.  I won't allow it to.  You see, I'm not that girl anymore.  I'm ME.   Actually, to tell you the truth, if someone asks "What are you doing for Thanksgiving" I'll likely be saying "Oh on that particular day my training schedule says I will be running 5 miles."

Rinse and Repeat!