Ezra Klein has a nice column on how you might keep yourself from overeating this Thanksgiving. I cannot actually recommend my current strategy, which is to get bilateral un-crowned root canals1, so that you have to spend the next three weeks eating only foods which are squishy. But it does seem to be working.
1 Before you start in with the inevitable aspersions on my oral hygeine, they resulted from two prior fillings which shrank away from the tooth, letting bacteria underneath. After all my teeth are repaired, I am going to track down the dentist who did both fillings and give him a sound lashing with my portable waterpik.
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One way to keep from overeating is to not sit around eating, but instead to volunteer at a homeless shelter serving food to the less fortunate. Or to donate your meal to your local food pantry, which is in desperate need owing to the 20% unemployment rate in the United States.
Even though I find myself homeless ... that's how I'll be spending my Thanksgiving. Making sure those less fortunate than myself have a good meal.
You made a typo in your unemployment stat - that's 10%, not 20%. Still, can't argue with the message.
I hope no one here would be so wretched as to cast aspersions on your oral hygeine. Best wishes in recovery, and I hope you have many interesting things (plus us!) to distract you from your teeth.
I disagree with the premise. If there is one day a year where you should allow yourself to overeat, it’s Thanksgiving.
I agree. I'm usually pretty conscious of my weight, but holidays are one of those times that I throw caution to the wind and let myself go into a food coma. But tomorrow I'll make sure to put some time on the treadmill. I've done that the last few years and haven't gained anything.
Now that I don't drink to excess, the occasional overeating is the most fun I can have...
Thanksgiving food at least has nutritional value. Just be Thankful it is not last year – or next year.
Rather than disparage your oral hygine, I will commiserate.
When I go to the dentist it's like "Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God": high-octane puritan fire-and-brimstone, complete with a fall from grace and a narrow path to salvation.
I was an irresponsible teenager, but I have found Jesus. People make fun of me for my extensive collection of waterpiks and electric toothbrushes, none of which did any *$@! good
Must have been some painkiller.
Derek
Usually I just have my traditional Thanksgiving protein shake (with flaxseed meal and olive oil), but this year the wife is inviting about 20 people over.
Since we're both employed now, I'm going to cheat and get the Peapod premade dinner (serves 8-10).
Doesn't it seem cruel to invite 20 people over, but only order food for 8-10? Do the others get protein shakes?
Heh, no, everyone is bringing food.
The wife decided she wanted to cook, though, so we fought off the kittens and got a turkey into the oven.
How to not overeat on Thanksgiving...
When I was 14, I was in a car accident two days before Thanksgiving. It was my grandfather's big boat car and I couldn't easily reach the seatbelt. "Whatever, he's a good driver. It's a big car. He's not going to have a mild stroke today."
Two of those three things were true.
So he passes out, we veer over to the left side of the road. I open my mouth to swear. We jump a curb and hit a wall and my teeth slam down on my tongue. Several hours later they sewed up my tongue. My teeth had only come together on the right half, leaving the left half still attached. Of course much swelling ensued. Also, stitches are a real obstacle for food.
Thanksgiving dinner was mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie (sans crust). And I have always hated pumpkin pie.
Megan,
Please accept my wishes for a speedy recovery. Hopefully you can enjoy stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and several soft pies (like pumpkin - still my favorite) with whipped cream.
All, I wish you a happy and meaningful Thanksgiving.
Ugh, oral surgery. Some teeth just like to have problems. Mine, thankfully, have only suffered a smattering of small fillings although I do have a few odd memories from the wisdom tooth extraction. Best wishes on the recovery, as tooth pain has got to be up there with popular eyeball and fingernail torture techniques.
Seemed like the most logical place on this blog to wish Megan a Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for maintaining this blog at such a high level.
I second the motion.
Just drink too much and pass out before dinner. It's how Miles Standish and Squanto imagined it.
Recommend ice cream. Leaving it until it's mushy makes it easier.
Eating half-melted ice cream was probably a major reason why I lost only ten pounds the week after I got my wisdom teeth out and came down with the flu.
AND came down with the flu? Wow... that must have been a major bad time...
May your pain meds be the finest kind. :)
they resulted from two prior fillings which shrank away from the tooth, letting bacteria underneath. After all my teeth are repaired, I am going to track down the dentist who did both fillings and give him a sound lashing with my portable waterpik.
It was the materials more than technique. Plastic and modern amalgams do this. Gold is the only way to go if you want a reconstruction to last.