BURR!  I know I shouldn’t be surprised that it is 30 degrees outside in the middle of November.  I am pleasantly surprised every year though.  This got me thinking…Thanksgiving is right around the corner!

I may be almost alone in saying that I am not a fan of the holiday season.  Thanksgiving especially.  There is something about stuffing my face with tons of food, along with everyone else, then sitting around like slugs watching football on the verge of falling asleep.

5 Ways to Stay Awake on Thanksgiving:

• 1. Have Oatmeal and Coffee for breakfast. Oatmeal will fill you up that morning with plenty of fiber and keep you full for a while that day.  Coffee will wake you up and give you the energy to start the day off right…A little shaky and ready for anything.  Make sure you drink enough coffee to get a little shaky, for sure.

• 2. Drink beer, not wine. I like to drink several beers during the family Thanksgiving gathering.  Beer will fill you up, too.  It will help you not to stuff your face to the point of death.  Obviously, avoid being trashed during any family gathering.  Save the heavy drinking for later in the evening when you meet up with old friends.  Plus, beer might be healthier than wine!

• 3. Keep two Red Bulls in your car. One is to sip on throughout the day.  Just discreetly make your way to your car for a sip or two.  The other Red Bull is for the moment you get in your car to leave.  I like to make plans for Thanksgiving night to meet up with friends and have our own Thanksgiving celebration (maybe at a bar), so a Red Bull is a good boost in the right direction.

• 4. Eat less this year, take leftovers home. If you eat five full plates of food (say that five times fast), you’re going to be tired.  Eat less at dinner and take leftovers for later in the night.  Try to take enough leftovers to feed your for the next 7 days.  Have no shame.

• 5. Don’t let the TV suck you in! Yeah, don’t plop your stuffed self on the couch to watch TV.  You won’t get back up, and you will more than likely find yourself exhausted and ready for bed.  You’re trying to stay awake, remember?

Finally, remember to have fun.  A nap is not an option.  Good Luck this year. If all else fails, throw an ice cube down your shirt and smack yourself in the face (gently).