Nothing for Thanksgiving

I watched a lot of football this past Thanksgiving weekend.  A LOT of football.  One of the things about football is that while you may see the big highlights on ESPN, there are dozens of small plays that really determine the outcome of the game.  It may be a dive over tackle on a third and one that keeps the play going.  It could be a receiver stretching out for an extra yard.  Or a linebacker stopping a running back from going out of bounds - keeping the clock running.  The games are usually won and lost on those small plays.  The big ones may get the attention.  But the small ones make the difference.

I was stressing a bit about Thanksgiving.  It is probably the worst four or five days of the year for dieters.  Sure, there are bad individual days out there.  But Thanksgiving has basically become a holiday about eating.  And it lasts the whole weekend.  Thursday is the big day to stuff yourself.  But the leftovers last all weekend.  Pies hang around to be snarfed.  Everyone's reheating all the stuff you aren't supposed to eat.  So it is a ton of consistent fighting off trouble.

When I weighed last Monday, I was 260.2.  That marked 95 pounds and put me within shooting distance of hitting 100 by my one year mark.  Today, after all the holidays, travelling, overeating, I weighed 260.2.  I actually raised my arms to the ceiling and cheered.  It was one of those small plays that won't make the highlight reel.  But it was huge to me.  I managed to make it through the whole weekend and not gain anything.  Even with all the travelling - which usually makes me retain water - and eating out on the road yesterday, I was still the same.  

That was a massive victory for me.  I didn't sit there all weekend and refuse to eat anything.  I ate quite well.  We grilled chicken and sausages on Wednesday with baked beans, peppers, roasted sweet potatoes, and roasted regular potatoes.  We had pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast.  Thursday, I had ham, turkey, pumpkin risotto, cranberry conserve, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole.  We had grilled food again on Friday.  I had leftovers here and there.  Saturday I had a Mexican rice bowl I made with guacamole, chicken, steak, beans, salsa, and rice.  We even ate at McAllister's Deli - twice.  In short, I ate more than my share of good yummy stuff.

I had to forego some stuff.  I avoided the mashed potatoes, corn casserole, dressing, chips, pizza, pies, cookies, cheeseburgers, more pies, and cheese that other people ate.  And I had frozen yogurt when everyone else was diving into baked goods.  But I really enjoyed myself.  And I gained nothing.  Plus zero, minus zero.  But it felt like a major win.  It certainly gives me hope for the month of December and the mine field it presents.  And it also gives me more encouragement to work hard these next three weeks before the madness really begins.  I figure I could really make some progress in that time.  If I was able to make it through Thanksgiving without any damage, I am sure the next three weeks at home should be easier to maintain.

On other thing.  I posted this on Facebook the other day, but I'll put it here too.  This picture was taken last Thanksgiving at our family get together.

When I found that, I could hardly believe it.  How did I let myself get to that point?  What I posted on Facebook is true.  Every year at Thanksgiving, I thank God for my family, friends, and freedom.  But this year, I am the most thankful that I finally allowed God to free me of being the guy in that chair.