UNITED STATES—I tell people all the time you don’t understand the stress of Thanksgiving unless you have actually celebrated the madness. I’ve done it several years before in the past, and I don’t miss it as much as I thought I would. I did however prepare several dishes for the household and felt like I worked all day, well that was because I did between school, one job and the other, I mean when I finally took a seat on that couch at around midnight I was done for the rest of the day, well the next day.
However, this conversation is not so much about the stress of cooking it’s about the joy of those leftovers and when you find yourself no longer craving them. I will be honest the thought of leftovers salivated my mouth before any cooking was actually done. Just the thought of having a turkey sandwich the next day with a slice of bacon, or perhaps having a slice of sweet potato pie and some macaroni and cheese as a mid-day snack on Friday. Yes, the mind is a dangerous thing because once something becomes a thought it is so hard to get rid of it people.
To be honest after Friday, I no longer had a craving for leftovers. It’s like you might horde a few items and then after eating them in large amounts which is going to take a beating on your waistline and health, you realize you’ve had all you can eat. I did not want any more turkey, candied yams, dressing, cranberry sauce or greens. The only item that kept salivating my taste buds for reasons I’m still trying to figure out is mac n’ cheese. I honestly think it’s because I hadn’t had any in like 8 months, so the notion of actually having some and it taste so good that eat bite was like a piece of Heaven made me crave it that much more.
Now before you even begin talking, I did indeed utilize the elliptical machine a few times this past holiday week. Did I utilize it as much as I should have? No, but I did make it a goal of mine to ensure I burn quite a few calories the coming week because I know I pigged out a bit and my body could feel it. But its Thanksgiving people, it only happens once a year so you are allowed to indulge a bit, just don’t do it too much. That is something I have to acknowledge: I never filled my plate with more food than I knew I could handle. Yes, the array of food looks tempting, but portion size is everything.
If you have a bit of this, a bit of that and a bit of this, you’ll get everything you want and be satiated. It’s never a wise idea to stuff your plate with one specific item and not everything else. Why? It takes from others having the opportunity to enjoy that dish you’re enjoying as well. I thought I was the oddball out for not wanting any leftovers come Saturday. People were looking at me like I was crazy. I’m thinking to myself, “I just ate it on Thursday and Friday, how much longer do you think I want to eat the same thing before getting tired of it?”
I guess for some having turkey, ham, potatoes, dressing and desserts galore day after day after day never gets old, but for me it does. 1) It cannot be healthy for the body and 2) after a while you become a bit fatigued. I’m not saying that in a bad way, but your body is stuffed, from eating such a heavy and decadent meal, you need a break from it, something a bit lighter and healthier for the body. I love leftovers just as much as the next person, but when it comes to Thanksgiving I have a rule: it’s only for the day after, and once that days comes and goes, whoever wants what I have left can have it because I’ve tapped out people!
