Have your pie and eat it too please

Enough already. YOUR LIFE ISN'T DEFINED BY A SINGLE MEAL. Eat your Thanksgiving feast and savor every morsel. For almost a month now we've been hearing about how to control ourselves, eat less, cleanse and mentally prep for the big day. I say there's plenty of time for holiday bingeing panic next week, so how about we call a Thanksgiving truce.

What happened to sitting down with family and friends while enjoying the bounty? We cook, bake, and clean for days, wanting to create the perfect setting. We replicate grandma's recipes. Should we really be fixated on the protein/carb ratio? I'm pretty sure the pilgrims felt more gratitude than we seem to be mustering. I say revel in the once a year stuffing. Yes, the plate might be overflowing with more food than we can possibly eat, but we'll give it a try anyway. Oh, and then the dessert. Of course pumpkin pie with whipped cream is in order.

Why are you stressing about a meal that's designed to celebrate plenty? Sure, if you're on a hardcore weight loss plan, drink your meal replacement shake while your table mates enjoy the seasonal fare. Then stress some more about your deprivation. But if you're a recreational dieter, how about a little moderation while sampling all the goodies? (Yes, there are solutions that don't require a calculator or diet pills.)

Really, the obsession with overeating one day a year is ridiculous if you're not even monitoring the remaining 364 days of meal planning. Maybe you find it trendy to join the chorus of restrictive moaning, but nothing feels worse than gluttony paired with guilt.

Celebrate the seasonal harvest and shift your focus next week to reigning in the remnants of the holiday season. And pardon the rant:)

Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!