After my first ever Thanksgiving dinner in November 2014, we had leftovers that we were eating for the rest of the week.

This year, post-Thanksgiving meal, I’m lay on the couch regretting all my food decisions today. (The leftovers are even more plentiful than last year.) But who told me to eat rice and chicken stir fry for breakfast, garri and okra soup for lunch, and pepper soup, jollof and plantain for dinner? Sorry if all those foods sound alien to you! In plain terms, I’m stuffed. Whereas last year I enjoyed my first taste of this American holiday with cornbread (AMAZING), ‘candied yams’, and deep-fried turkey (changed my view of turkey forever – YUM!); this year I did Thanksgiving Americanah style – first generation American-Nigerian style.

I’m so sleepy (think: food coma) I can’t even string a coherent sentence together. Thankfully – if you overdid it a little like me – I’ve a trick to get over your Thanksgiving holiday lethargy and to help you (and I) lose the lbs we have just put on over the last 12 hours.

Get active

I’m going to have the best workout ever on my own in the park by my family’s home. But you don’t have to do it alone. Why not invite your cousin or sister to join you on your Thanksgiving run?

Daniel Browne, the author of ‘The Energy Equation’ made a point we already know but often forget – you get energy by expending energy. It sounds antithetical, but it’s a fact of life. I’m sure you’ve noticed that you feel more tired after a day of doing nothing than if you’d been busy all day! Life is give and take. Just like the Law of Attraction, when you send positive energies out into the universe, it comes back to you more abundantly than before. And when you use your energy to take a morning jog, walk, hike, swim or whatever your chosen activity, you’ll feel refreshed, energised and ready to take on your week with greater focus and exhilaration than if you hadn’t!

So tomorrow, don’t sleep all day. Get up, get out, and get active!

Eat clean

The best way to fight the bulge for me has always been cleanse and good nutrition. But I’m not an ‘eat nothing but veg and fruit’ juices for 3-7 days type of gal. To me that just feels like paying to be hangry (adj: intense hunger –> hungry anger) for a week.  By cleanse, I mean purge the apple pies, cornbread, and excess sugary foods.

Here’s a 4-week challenge. We have a month until Christmas (a time when we will get merry, stuff ourselves once again, and probably regret it AGAIN!). I’m challenging myself to lose 2 kilos (4.5 lbs) over that time. Set a target – whether it is to lose weight, get toned, gain weight, or simply to eat cleaner and drink more water, or cut out sugar and satisfy the sweet tooth with healthy alternatives! Make your goal personal and clear. And let’s achieve it together by December 24th! Who’s with me?

Rules? 

“You can eat it IF…

It flies

It is green

It grows above ground

It swims in the sea!”

(Coach Stu McMillan, Altis)

That’s not so hard, is it? Hmmm, well here is a day one example food plan to get you started…

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Omelette (spinach, cheese, turkey, peppers)	Tuna in olive oil, parsley & spring onions + baked potato (+ side salad maybe)	Salmon + broccoli + spinach sautéed in coconut oil	[1] almonds + fruit [2] sunflower kernels

Enjoy!

Next week I’ll be less sleepy so will have time to provide you with at least 2 or 3 new, healthy and tasty recipes.

P.s. If you have any questions drop me an email on info@abbeyrosesuccess.com.

For other healthy eating recipes, including a scrumdiddlyumptious Avocado & Spinach salad, or a healthy, quirky brekkie/lunch/dinner cafe in the Phoenix area, check out my previous Fabulous Foodie blogs.

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