Daily Dirt: Remember, no one has ever lost weight on Thanksgiving

We are now in official holiday mode … Good luck to all and welcome to Vol. 138 of the Daily Dirt and today’s three thoughts.

1.  The best way to survive Thanksgiving? Easy. Just follow these three steps:

Be selective: Studies have indicated the more items you pile on your plate, the more likely you are to overeat. Instead, just choose three or four of your favorite dishes … and don’t worry about some bizarre recipe Aunt Mary has brought.

Be realistic: No one has ever lost weight on Thanksgiving. Eat. Be merry. Stay away from the scales until probably mid-January.

Save room for dessert: Cut back on some of the marginal offerings like sweet potatoes (who really eats a sweet potato?) to save room for pie and ice cream or whatever constitutes dessert in your house. Trust me on this. Sure, that third or fourth turkey leg would taste great, but if you are in misery after dessert you’ll realize a little resistance beforehand can be a wonderful thing.

2. A few other solid ideas to consider on Turkey Day:

• Avoid “hot button” topics at meal time: As much as you think they might, family members could care less about your world views, especially those involving politics. Play it safe, talk sports.
• Be kind: Seriously, just be nice. Don’t insult Uncle Otis about a stain on his shirt or make it public that Aunt Julie may have gained a few pounds since last year at this time.
• Put your phone away: No one — repeat, no one — wants to watch you constantly checking your messages.

3. Three great Thanksgiving thoughts:

“A basic law: the more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for.” — Norman Vincent Peale, from his book “Treasury of Courage and Confidence.”

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” — singer Willie Nelson.

“Thanksgiving, man! Not a good day to be my pants,” — actor Kevin James, who starred in “The King of Queens”.

Steve Fact O’ The Day
Steve normally wears sweat pants to Thanksgiving dinner. “They expand more easily than traditional pantwear,” he says.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He is already in a food coma as you read this.