How did it go? If you live in the US, you have just passed one of the holiday hurdles.

Did you have any strategies to help you get through Thanksgiving and manage to avoid overeating?

It's good to review what worked and what didn't, so that you can learn.

I had a plan and stuck with it for the most part. Here's my post holiday review.

My strategies were:

1. Work out in the morning. Since my health club was open, I took advantage of trying out a class that I don't normally get to attend. I went to a yoga class that was absolutely wonderful.

At the end, the instructor did a short gratitude meditation. What a great way to start the day! And how come no one told me that they put warm towels on your feet at the end? That was worth the price of admission right there!

2. Eat moderately throughout the day, so that I do not arrive at the party hungry. Check.

3. I wore comfortable clothing with a belt -- not a tight belt, just a gentle reminder of where my waistline lives.

4. On the way to the dinner (luckily I did not have to cook), I thought that it would be wonderful to feel as comfortable driving home from the party as I did driving TO the party.

So I set an intention for that to happen. Think about how you want to feel coming home from the party.

5. A woman in my Small Group Coaching Program offered the wonderful suggestion of focusing on conversation more than food. She actually takes a bite of food, then puts her fork down and engages in conversation for five minutes, then takes another bite of food. After a period of time, everyone else is done eating and she has eaten very little.

While I didn't use that much structure, it was a good reminder that there is more to Thanksgiving than turkey and stuffing! It helped me to enjoy the company and the conversation, and not be so focused on food.

6. Eat mindfully. My goal is to taste every bite and stop when it no longer tastes good, or I feel satisfied.

While I wasn't perfect, having a well thought out strategy for such an occasion definitely helped. If you overdid it, take some time to evaluate what worked, what didn't and what you want to do differently next time.

And no guilt - guilt and self-hatred are counterproductive. Get right back on your plan and keep moving toward your goal.



About the author:

Carol Solomon, Ph.D. is a psychologist and personal coach who specializes in helping people who want to lose weight and eliminate food and weight issues.

She is the author of "Lose Weight Now Stay Slim Forever," a practical "how-to" manual for learning to lose weight without dieting.

Go To: Lose Weight Now to get your FREE copy of SLIM FOREVER.