Plan and Menu for Thanksgiving

Hello Readers,

I have been reading your blogs and plans for Thanksgiving.  Everyone seems to be focused on portion control, extra exercise to burn extra calories, and cooking healthy foods.  That is exactly my plan, too.

Husband and I will be at the lake for Thanksgiving weekend, so the food will be in my control.  We both have very little family and are not expected anywhere for the big day. 
Here's what the menu will probably be:

Cornish hens (so no leftovers, except maybe to top a salad)
Cornbread dressing - I am only making half of what I usually do, so again, no leftovers.
Green beans with onions  - Harmless
Baked sweet potato - 1 potato split between 2 people, again, harmless.  Usually I make the souffle with the brown sugar & pecan topping.  Not this year.
Waldorf salad - Made with olive oil mayo and walnuts, mostly harmless if not overindulged.
Macaroni & cheese - Lean Cuisine for me and regular Stouffer's for Husband.  Harmless, mostly.  I usually make this from scratch, enough for plenty of leftovers.  Not this year.
Whole cranberries out of the can - Sugary, but very small portion.
NO dessert.

That's pretty much all there is.  My favorite is the cornbread dressing, so that will be my one indulgence, but that is it.  I may have either cranberries or Waldorf salad, not sure there will be both. 

That is more than enough food for 1 meal for 2 people, but my goal is to have few leftovers this year, along with not overeating.  There is a sweet black lab who will also be hungry, so she may get the little bit of leftovers.

Along with less food, I plan not to have seconds.  We will probably have brunch (an omelet for me) and then the dinner, so only 2 meals for the day.  There will be plenty of time for me to exercise while Husband watches football.  I will be drinking my water, moving my body, and not eating the junk.  I will still enjoy Thanksgiving, and will have all my favorite foods.

Many years ago I realized that we couldn't count on loved ones for holidays, except to make them miserable.  So this has been a tradition for Husband and me for 15 years, since the death of his last great aunt.  His parents and mine are both deceased.  I have aunts and cousins, but we only get together as a group for a Christmas dinner a few days before Christmas.  We have done this once a year since my grandmother died 20 years ago.  Other family members have chosen to live their own lives in a way that we do not condone, nor can tolerate.  Being alone together for Thanksgiving is a blessing for us, not a curse.  And it is all about giving thanks for our blessings.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.  Let's all get together after the weekend and brag about how well we did.