Fast forward to Sunday, November 28th...............

Sunday, November 21st, as I was preparing my breakfast this morning (WW cream cheese with Truvia, almond flavoring and vanilla, butter, nut flavoring added on top of Thomas bagel thin, LF chocolate milk), I thought of next Sunday and me sitting here preparing the same breakfast to enjoy. I thought about how I will look back and feel about the Thanksgiving celebrations with family and friends.

On Sunday, November 28th, will I be stuffed and yucky feeling because I didn't want to feel left out or deprived, so I ate unending servings of the special Thanksgiving foods?

Or………..

On Sunday, November 28th, will I be lighter on my feet and feeling great because I decided that no food could taste better than the reality of my great "weight loss, get healthy" accomplishments this past year?

Then, it hit me.......yet again………..

How many times have I eaten something because not eating it would have left me feeling deprived and/or left out? Yet………………the very things that I enjoyed time and time again in order to feel included have left me deprived of life and very much left out of participating in life.

So, my thoughts of enjoying this or that “special” Thanksgiving food over the gatherings with family and friends MUST be wrapped in my reality of how different my life is this November as compared to last November. I have a freedom this November that I didn’t have last November. I have worked hard this past year and have improved my health and mobility tremendously.

Dear friends, if you are following my blog as a fellow journeyer on your way to a healthier lifestyle, I encourage you think along with me toward next Sunday, November 28th. What/how do you want to feel as you are preparing breakfast on Sunday, November 28th? Is eating turkey and dressing AND pumpkin pie or ______________________ (fill in the blank with your favorite Thanksgiving foods) until you can’t move is as rewarding as improving your health and gaining better mobility?

Which feeling lasts longer?
1. Satisfaction from eating a favorite food.
2. Satisfaction from being off blood pressure meds, walking without my stick, shopping at stores that don’t have electric scooters, feeling more comfortable at other people’s houses and the list goes on and on.

Or picture it this way: (heehee, pun intended)

Well DUH!!!!! Doesn’t take a rocket-scientist to figure that one out!!!

I choose option number 2. Without question, option number 2 provides long-term satisfaction. Option number 1 only provides temporary satisfaction.

Okay……..there it is.

The choice is mine and today I am choosing to predetermine my choices for the coming week. I am choosing better health and improved mobility over unending servings of turkey and dressing and pumpkin pie. Yes, I will enjoy turkey and dressing and pumpkin pie. Just not the unending servings that I have “enjoyed” in the past. I am choosing long-term satisfaction from better health and mobility rather than temporal satisfaction from the food.

I am thankful that the choice is mine. Yes, the choice IS mine and I am not going to deprive myself of the better choice!!!