Shed Some Thanksgiving Guilt

I just threw away four donuts. FOUR. Without even taking a bite out of any of them. That's how full I'm feeling right now.

If you're feeling the after-effects of a food-induced Thanksgiving coma, you're like me, and the temptation was just too much to take.

It's goodbye for now...but not forever.

Here's a small smattering of what I sampled the past 4 days:

• Mashed potatoes, made by my husband using our favorite Martha Stewart recipe
• My homemade oyster dressing, a family tradition
• My aunt's chocolate cake
• A Mexican feast complete with chicken & shrimp tacos, authentic rice and more - another family tradition every Friday after Thanksgiving
• German chocolate cake, a birthday cake courtesy of my sweet mother-in-law
• Delicious, perfectly-cooked pork tenderloin at Friendsgiving
• ...all washed down with about a case of wine & champagne.

Now, I'm sure some of you filled up on the veggie tray, had reasonable portions in moderation and kept drinking water. If so...well, screw you. I ate too much and feel disgusting.

Fresh day, new week, so let's jump start our health again!

Here's the disclaimer: I am not, nor do I claim to be, a medical professional of any kind. Before attempting any change in your diet or exercise, consult your doctor.

How do I know I'm NOT a doctor? Because I once did that crazy cleanse that claims Beyoncé did it. Yep, I drank lemon juice & cayenne pepper mixed with syrup. The problem was I used pancake syrup that was butter flavored. If you think syrup + lemon juice + pepper sounds bad...try adding butter. Gag.

No more of that. Instead, I'm taking what I call a "healthful" approach to the post-holiday health hangover.

GUIDING MANTRA: CONSUME LESS
Duh.
If you've done a disproportionate share of feasting, consume less the few days after. Whenever your stomach feels half full, stop eating or drinking and rest your system. That means eating smaller meals and more snacks, which anyone will tell you is the key to a healthy metabolism year-round.

BREAKFAST
Do fruit. This morning I had fruit salad with grapes, clementine oranges, star fruit and kiwi. Suitable substitutes could be any mixture of fruit you desire. For the beverage, black coffee (this is important - NO sugar or dairy of any kind) or water, as much as you can drink. Others sing the praises of pomegranate juice. It's one of the strongest antioxidant foods known and will start detoxifying your system.


Da-da-DA! Super juice!

SNACK #1
Be sure to keep drinking water throughout the day. Even with that, chances are a fruit-only breakfast will have your stomach grumbling before lunch. Grab a handful of raw almonds, steering clear of those that may be salted or - ahem - coated in chocolate (I know some of you were trying to sneak your way around that). Almonds provide energy from "good" fats & oils. If almonds don't do it for you, have a small bowl of brown rice. Add any dry spices you like - black pepper, curry, ginger or others are acceptable. A dash of soy sauce might help you get through it, too. I'll eat half a package of the shelf-stable stuff from Uncle Ben's.

LUNCH
You saw this one coming...salad. Mixed greens with the addition of any combination of tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, bell peppers or other fresh vegetables. The greens pack lots of vitamins and minerals plus roughage to clean out your system. For dressing, go light with olive oil and/or lemon juice. If you need something sweet, do another glass of pomegranate juice with your glass of water.

SNACK #2
Are you still drinking water? Alternate this late-day snack with more almonds or brown rice, as listed in snack #1.

DINNER
Have a full bowl of brown rice and one more glass of pomegranate juice. Try roasting squash, onions and peppers to toss into your rice. If you can't handle more brown rice, mix it up with another salad. Roast beets or butternut squash for more sophisticated salad toppers. Dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

MORE DISCLAIMERS
This diet is not meant to be sustained more than one or two days at a time or ever-so-often to cleanse your system. To intensify the effects of this temporary diet, accompany it with walking, jogging or whatever level of exercise you're comfortable with for at least 45 minutes.

Or, better yet, just don't eat like a fool and you won't have to do any of this.

Give it a day or two. You'll be in ready for round 2 in no time.