I love to eat. I even love breakfast food. What I don’t like is to eat first thing when I wake up. I talked myself into believing that as long as I have the three squares a day, it didn’t matter when I ate. So I had meal one at noon, dinner in the evening and then a snack at night. That’s three meals.

But it turns out there are all sorts of studies that say skinny people eat breakfast. So I’ve been trying to choke down something within an hour or so of waking. Admittedly, it does help me from overdoing it at lunch…combining lunch and a snack into one meal (the idea that I can combine two meals into one).

The challenge is finding something I’m willing to eat that’s fairly easy to put together. Because its winter, I don’t want a smoothie (during the summer I like mocha smoothies). I like an egg and Canadian bacon, but I can’t eat that everyday. Too many eggs apparently aren’t great for you either. So I’ve started having a whole grain waffle with 1 tbs of peanut butter.  I suppose I could have oatmeal, but I don’t like it much without the butter and brown sugar, which defeats the purpose. If anyone has any other ideas that can be put together in minutes, I’d love to hear it.

The holidays are fraught with temptation. On Thanksgiving many people wear belts or elastic that will give once they fill up their bellies. But Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be an exercise in gluttony nor does it have to be unhealthy. Here are some ideas to enjoy your Thanksgiving meal without giving up the diet.

1. Turkey is good for you. Its a great form of lean protein. Simply choose the white meat (breast) and avoid the skin.
2. Have alternative vegetables. The problem with Thanksgiving veggies is that they often have tons of butter and other fattening toppings. Instead of potatoes, steam and mash cauliflower with just a little butter. Or have steamed green beans. Or roast yellow squash with red onions (mixed with a little olive oil) in your oven.
3. Make you’re own sugar-free cranberry sauce. It is so easy to do. Simply buy cranberries (usually in the produce section). Put them in a pot with a cup of water and cup of Spenda (TM) and cook until the berries pop. Let cool and then store in the fridge.
4. Have whole grain rolls. Bread is okay, but its best if you choose the kind that has nutritional value. Whole grain (whole must be on the package, ie whole wheat or whole grain) bread offers fiber and vitamins.
5. Have a SMALL slice of dessert. It is a holiday so you can have a little treat. Just don’t over do it. If you’re afraid one little slice will lead to more slices, have fresh fruit instead.

The only items you should avoid are stuffing and gravy, but even if you just have a single spoonful that would be okay. Finally, give yourself a single serving size of each item and savor it. Eat slowly. Don’t feel compelled to have seconds because there’s a table full of food. Thanksgiving food is as good, if not better eaten the next day for lunch.