SOS Thanksgiving!

So I am so afraid of THanksgiving (my 2nd favorite eating holiday) my gym emailed me 10 tips that should help. I thought I would share:

Gobble, Gobble (and More Gobbling)

Stuffed: It's not just for turkeys, you know. Most of us look forward to Thanksgiving as a time to cram as much food as we can onto our plates and into our bellies. Then, inevitably, we feel guilty—and console ourselves with another piece of pie. (Why not? We've already blown it.) Before Turkey Day arrives, memorize these 10 easy tricks for enjoying the meal without overdoing it.

Don't worry, we're not going to tell you to bring your own steamed broccoli to the family dinner or skip pumpkin pie altogether. However, Thanksgiving is not an excuse to eat your weight in stuffing. There is a happy medium! Here are our tips.

Eat breakfast. It's tempting to think, "I'll starve myself all day so that I can really load up during the big feast." But not only will you probably eat way more than you should (because you're famished), your body will better process those calories if your metabolism is already trucking along from a healthy start to the day.
Serve yourself. Don't let Aunt Jean load up your plate for you. Her portion sizes might be different from yours, and next thing you know, you're eating eight scoops of mashed potatoes just to be polite. When you serve yourself, you can control what's on your plate.
Know your weaknesses. Green bean casserole with those little fried onions? Sausage stuffing? Whatever it is, recognize your tendency to go overboard and limit yourself to one small serving.
Choose whole grain breads and skip the butter. It's incredibly easy to scarf down multiple rolls—usually topped with big hunks of butter. But rolls are rolls; they're nothing special, and they pack a ton of calories. Choose whole grain breads and skip the butter, you can get your bread fix with less calories.
Limit yourself to one casserole. We all know that food in a casserole dish is usually baked with cheese or cream and topped with something sinful (mini marshmallows, anyone?). Instead of sampling four, choose one.
Focus on turkey and green vegetables. The turkey's the main event, and it's also likely the healthiest thing on the table. White meat is full of protein and low in fat, so add an extra slice. Try to fill up half of your plate with turkey and something green, like sautéed green beans, broccoli, or salad.
Eat slowly. This is a no-brainer, right? The faster you eat, the more likely you are to overstuff yourself before you realize you're full. If you have a hard time taking it slow, look at the clock and set a time you have to reach (try 20 or 30 minutes). Then make sure you still have a few bites left at that time. Hint: Catching up with that long-lost cousin will give you something else to do besides chew.
Choose one dessert and keep it small. It's hard to limit yourself when there are a dozen pies to choose from, but give it a try. Pick one, have a small slice (no whipped cream!), and lick your plate when no one's looking.
Watch the wine. Drinking alcohol weakens your will power. It's hard to avoid sticking a fork into the pecan pie when you're a bit tipsy, so be sure to drink plenty of water or make a wine spritzer with club soda to keep from drinking too much.
Don't repeat everything the next day. We know, we know, the leftovers are the best part. But you don't need to eat stuffing for breakfast six days in a row. Here's an idea: Save enough turkey for one great, satisfying sandwich, and send the rest of the food home with family members.