7 Simple Tips for a Healthier Thanksgiving

1. Have a sensible breakfast
A lot of people think they should skip breakfast or lunch and save up their appetite for the big meal. However, if you go to dinner and you're starving, you are much more likely to make poor decisions and overeat. Breakfast kick starts your metabolism, which will help you burn more calories throughout the day. Eat balanced meals, and you will have more self control come dinner time.

2. Take a walk
If you can't pull in the reins on your food choices (or even if you can), offset your calorie intake by moving more. Take a long walk or do a low impact workout before/after your meal. Also, the fresh air will help with that food coma.

3. Don't drink your calories
The majority of us will eat way more on Thanksgiving than we do any other day. No need to add to that by drinking hundreds of calories. I like to stick with water. Tea is a good option as well. Adding some lemon will help with your digestion.
4. Dig in to that relish tray 
If your Thanksgiving meal includes a relish tray, load your plate up with that before the main event. Vegetables are fibrous, incredibly nutritious, and will fill you up a bit.
5. Go for the pumpkin pie
I never skip dessert, but I do try to go for something that has a hint of nutritional value. Pumpkin pie is a safer bet than other pies that are double crusted, such as apple or cherry. Top with whip cream instead of ice cream, and try to make your slice a bit modest in size.
6. Wait a bit before grabbing seconds
Apparently it takes us roughly 20 minutes to realize that we are full. So, fill your plate up once, chew slowly and give yourself time before you head back in for seconds. As much as you may want more stuffing, wait a few minutes and you might find that you're fuller than you thought.

Why I Absolutely Will Not Be Shopping on Thanksgiving

I was out shopping with my Mom the other day and noticed a glaring sign on the wall stating "Open Thanksgiving Day". Ugh. I'm sure you've all been hearing a lot about stores opening on Thanksgiving, and as with most things, there are arguments for and against it. Obviously there are the people who are desperate for the deals, and want to get to the sales 12 hours earlier than others. There are some employees who want the extra hours or overtime, and others who just want to enjoy Thanksgiving at home with their family. There are those who think that Thanksgiving is a sacred holiday and no one should have to work it, and others who really just don't care. I fall pretty heavily on the "retailers should not be open on Thanksgiving" side.
Truthfully, I will never understand how this mass amount of retailers have decided to be open on Thanksgiving evening, or even morning, and stay open straight into Black Friday. Not seeming to mind that they are completely obliterating any chance of their employees enjoying the holiday. Many huge retailers are actually opening right at dinner time; 4:00, 5:00, or 6:00 p.m., with some even opening at 8 a.m. ON Thanksgiving, and staying open through Friday night. This hurts my soul in so many different ways. It's a holiday, people. Not just any holiday, but a day that should inspire us to give thanks for all that we have, and in true American fashion we have managed to make it about money. Why allow workers to spend a relaxing day at home with their family making memories when you could make more money and beat out your competitors?  Has everyone forgotten that America has actually set aside an entire day for these sales? It's called Black Friday. As ridiculous as it is, we have already turned the day after Thanksgiving, into a day of wanting more.
The concept of Black Friday itself can be pretty disgusting. We have all heard the horror stories. People trampled or shot over the newest video game console, or pair of tennis shoes. It is unreal to think this is what it has come to. As a culture, we are obsessed with having the newest and the best, and paying the least for it. I could rant about Black Friday for quite a while, but that's not really the point of this post. Black Friday is not a holiday, it's a day geared towards shopping. The last three years I've worked in retail, and I know what to expect from the day after Thanksgiving. It isn't pretty, but it's predictable. Each year I knew that I would have to work a crazy Black Friday, but I also knew that I wouldn't have to work the day before. I've never worked a Thanksgiving, and I don't plan on it. One day of greed fueled madness is enough for me.

(Enjoying the holidays, with my family)

However, by opening on Thanksgiving Day, in nothing more than an attempt to squeeze more money out of the public, retailers are encouraging this greediness, and throwing their employees in the cross hairs. Truthfully, if you shop on Thanksgiving, you're not much better. The stores only open because the people line up. Imagine if Target opened their doors on Thanksgiving Day and not one person was waiting outside. Imagine if not one single person shopped in the hours that fell on the holiday, if everyone waited until 12 a.m. when it was officially Black Friday. Do you think they would still open on Thanksgiving the next year? Why bother? What's a sale if no one shows up?
It's time for some of us to get our priorities in check. It's time to remember what the holiday is really about. You want the deals? It isn't just about you. By shopping on Thanksgiving Day you're encouraging retailers to open earlier and earlier, thus requiring employees to miss time with their family on a holiday, or even just enjoy a day off on their own. Trust me, they are already stressed enough about dealing with crazed deal-obsessed customers on Black Friday, likely during a really long, possibly overnight shift. At the very least they deserve a relaxing day off beforehand, and so do you. Forget about the deals, stay home with your family, take some photos, make some memories, and get a good night's rest before you head out for some shopping, on Black Friday.

7 Reasons You Don't Have to Travel the World in Your 20s

If you're like me, you read a lot of blogs. The majority of blogs that I read are travel blogs, written by brave and beautiful 20 somethings who are traveling the world. More times than I can count, I've seen blogs titled "Why You Should Quit Your Job and Travel the World in Your 20s". I read them every time. I do find them inspirational, but I'm also left with a different feeling at the end of these blogs. Because I am in my 20s, and I'm not traveling the world, I often find myself feeling useless, or wasteful, or static. I end up feeling like I'm wasting my life away at my job. That I'm not making the most of my 20s because I'm not on the other side of the Atlantic. So, I'd like to counter this argument. You all know I love traveling, but I also believe in living your life the way you want to live it. If you're in your 20s and not traveling the world, here are a few reasons why that is totally okay.

1. You may actually be furthering your career.
Many articles may tell you that you should quit whatever job you have and travel the world. Your job will be there when you get back. There are plenty of jobs out there. You may know that this isn't always the case. Good jobs are not easy to come by, and they are certainly in demand. If you up and leave yours, there will be someone else there waiting to step in and take over your career. If you have a job that you enjoy, there is no shame in wanting to stay there, pay your dues, and further your career.

2. You may be in school.
For many of us, a large part of our 20s is spent in school. You may graduate college when you're 23, 24, 25, and you might even decide to go to graduate school. Maybe you took time off after high school and you don't even start college until you're 25. Maybe you graduated college and decided to go back for another degree in your late 20s. Expanding your knowledge is never a bad thing, and if you're studying and attending classes, it can make traveling the world next to impossible.

3. You may already have a family.
I'm only 24, but many (and I mean many) of my peers already have families. Tons of them are married, and almost as many have children. Whether you have kids or not, I'm sure you can imagine that traveling the world with children isn't always an option. Not to mention that babies are expensive, and I'm sure those fun funds are fast depleting. Also, good luck getting those babies away from their grandparents for an extended period of time!

4. You may just have no interest in traveling. 
For some people, there may not be any interest in traveling. I honestly don't think there is any shame in this. Personally, I love traveling, but I also find it draining and intimidating at times. Planning trips is a big feat, and living out of a suitcase for an extended period of time is not easy. If you're not super interested in traveling, you may not feel like going through these trials, and there is no reason to feel bad about that.

5. You may care more about being with the people you love. 
I'll be honest, there have been times that I thought about dropping everything and traveling the world for as many months as I can manage. The truth is that I have family and friends at home that I can't bring myself to leave. I just can't imagine giving up my time with them, because no one is around forever. Maybe you have family members in poor health, or who need you at the present moment. You should never feel bad about staying home to spend time with these people. After all, like I always say, the relationships we cultivate are the most important things in this life.

6. You may be scared to go alone. 
In my opinion, this is a legitimate reason no matter what anyone tells you. You'll often read that the world isn't a scary or dangerous place, and you should not be afraid to travel alone. The fact is that there are scary people and places in the world, and if you're not educated and careful, you could put yourself in dangerous situations. Or if you're introverted like me, the idea of being alone and having to navigate a foreign place makes you very nervous. It's very unlikely that you'll find me traveling abroad alone at any point in my life. I'm cautious by nature, and it simply would not be comfortable for me. If you feel the same, don't let anyone make you feel bad about that.

7. You may be saving your money. 
You'll often hear that your 20s are the best time to travel because you have more disposable money. If you're living with your parents, you may not be paying rent, and you likely have more money to spend. You're young, you're working, and you should put your savings towards travel while you still can. Personally, I save as much of my money as I can, and I'm saving it for things like a down payment on a house, bills, emergency car repair, and yes, future vacations. You won't find me blowing my entire savings account on a trip around the world, because the fact is, when I get home, I need money for my real life.

So, there you have it. If you're a 20 something who is working, going to school, or generally just enjoying being at home, realize that there is nothing wrong with that. Please don't feel like you're wasting your 20s if you're not filling up your passport. As long as you're happy, nothing else matters. As they say, time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Let's Talk About Chivalry

Ah, the mysterious concept of chivalry. I read an article today that was essentially a list of chivalrous things that today's men should do more often, and it sparked something in me. I hear about chivalry a lot, mostly about how it's dead, whatever that means. I wanted to take a closer look. Webster defines chivalry as the system of values (such as loyalty and honor) that knights in the Middle Ages were expected to follow (...okay) OR an honorable and polite way of behaving, especially toward women. Obviously the more practiced use of this word is the latter. The most common argument seems to be that men should be more chivalrous these days, because "That's just how they did it back then.". To each their own, everyone is entitled to their opinion yada yada, but I have a tiny problem with this.
Firstly, it's an odd concept to focus on the way things were many, many years ago, and complain that they aren't the same today. Things change. People move forward. Societies grow. Obviously there are many hilariously outdated rules that no longer make sense in the world we live in today. Remember when women couldn't wear pants, or vote, or be in the armed forces, or generally do anything without permission? Good times, right?
The chivalrous acts mentioned in the article included some real gems, such as guys bringing a gift when they meet their girlfriend's parents (that was a thing?), offering their jacket when it's cold out ('cause guys can be cold, no worries), dropping their lady off at the door while they park (they can walk alone), and the old standbys like pulling out your chair, opening your car door, or really opening any door for you. Heaven forbid that we females ever have to touch a door handle.

(if only there was a guy around to close that door)

My main problem with trying to implement such rules today is that our society is in a completely different place than it was when these were ideals. Because what you hear about today is that most women are fighting for equal rights. We're supporting this praised/despised concept of feminism, defined as the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. We want to be equal to men, in every spectrum. I'm totally into feminism, in fact I could probably write another blog post about it all together. The short version of that would be that I think all human beings should be treated with equal respect.
How do we spout off about needing to be treated as complete equals to men, while in the same breath saying that men should really do all of these things for us simply because they're men and we're women and that's just how it's supposed to be? "Open the door for me, but not because I can't do it myself, because I'm your equal and completely capable. Give me your jacket, but not because I need you to provide for me, it's just polite. Pay for our dates, but not because I'm not an independent woman who can't pay for herself, I can, but you should pay anyway, it's just the chivalrous thing to do." I feel for the guys on this one, I really do. How do they implement this idea of chivalry, without threatening the notion that we're strong, powerful women who don't need no man?
Gentlemen, by all means, be polite and respectful towards your lady. Good luck staying in a relationship if you aren't. But I don't believe in the pressure to follow a set of ideals that were made up decades ago to propagate the idea that woman are less than men and should be handled as such. I don't know how I can rightfully claim that I'm totally a man's equal, but he should probably open my car door for me. To be clear, I won't complain if he does, but I also won't cry about it if he doesn't. Bear in mind that every woman is different. Some may read this and think "Forget this chick, my man better take Chivalry 101 before he dates me.", and that's 100% fine. Personally I would rather live in a more equal society, where women do just as many nice things for men, and men reciprocate not because they feel pressured to, but because they want to.
I've held the door for men before. Do you know why? Because I got to the door first. I've paid for dates and walked on the outside of the sidewalk and please don't for a second think I need you to pull my chair out for me (I think it's terribly awkward). How about instead of focusing on men being chivalrous towards women, why don't we focus on human beings being respectful towards each other in general. Why don't we cultivate a world of kindness all around? Hold the door for anyone. Be polite and courteous to everyone. Then in 50 years when our grandkids are looking to our ideals, and they're being open-minded, kind-hearted individuals, they can say "That's just how they did it back then.".

4 Reasons You're Perfect Exactly the Way You Are

In a world where we are completely surrounded by images of what we "should" look like, it can be hard to have any shred of self-confidence. We live in a time when it is extremely easy to list off the things that are wrong with us. A majority of us could probably list off our flaws more easily than the things we actually like about ourselves. We look in the mirror and see nothing but what we could change. Even if we do like a few things about ourselves, we don't talk about that, for risk of being too cocky or shallow. While I may not be 100% confident 100% of the time, the older I get, the more I appreciate myself, and I'm telling you that you are perfect exactly the way you are. Just stay with me here.

1. There is only one you. This is so incredibly special and important to remember. We spend so much time wanting to look like someone else, or be like someone else. I know I'm guilty of becoming a fan of an actor/singer/what have you, and then doing whatever I can to be just like them. The fact is that trying to be like someone else will not make you any more confident in who you are. In fact, it will likely have the opposite effect. How incredible is it that there is only one you? Over seven billion people on this earth and no one else in the world is just like you. No one else has your exact same quirks, or freckles, or laugh. We are supremely unique beings, and that in itself is something to be confident in. Why waste your one life trying to be like someone else? Instead, try to own exactly who you are, and share it with the world. To borrow an old adage "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken."

2. Your so-called "flaws" are what make you special. We have been taught that there is one version of perfection, and if you stray from that in any way, there is something wrong with you. Often the things that make us stand out, are the things we want to change. When I was young I was taller than everyone else my age, and I hated it. Now I absolutely love being tall. The truth is there are endless types of perfection, and we all hold some of them. You are your own version of perfect, and there is nothing wrong with owning that. The things that make you different, are the things you should appreciate most. Imagine how incredibly boring it would be if we all fit into the same mold. Embrace everything that makes you special or different, and display it proudly.

3. Society is wrong. Sometimes I wonder why I feel the need to make changes to my appearance and the answer is always "Because society has taught me that I have to.". I straighten my hair because society says frizz is no bueno. I wear foundation because society says my skin tone sucks if it's not even. I work out partially because I want to be healthy, but mostly because society has taught me that my body isn't beautiful unless I'm fit. Don't get me wrong, I love makeup and all of that crap. I really do. But the idea is that I shouldn't feel like I have to make myself up to feel good. The truth of the matter is that society is wrong. Society has created these ideals, but who says we have to follow them? Who says we have to believe them? Why can't we create our own ideals? 60 years ago women did whatever they could to get curves, then they were taught that being stick thin was beautiful. Do not let society dictate what makes you beautiful. Say it with me, society is wrong. Create your own confidence.

(make-up is fun, but you're beautiful with or without it)

4. People love you for who you are, not for what you look like. Think about the people who love you. Do they love you because of your perfectly toned body? Do they like to be around you because of your perfect skin, or your soft hair? Hell no! Your loved ones adore you because of you who you are. They love the things you say, the way you make them feel. They like being around you because you make them smile and laugh. They have you in their life because you add something special to it. If you stripped yourself of every beauty inducing product, would your loved ones want to be around you any less? Picture your funeral. Is anyone saying "We miss so-and-so because they always applied their make-up perfectly."? It's ridiculous to think that anyone loves you for any reason other than who you are. So, next time you feel like you're worth less because you don't match up to society's ideals, think about the people who love you, and remember that they don't give a shit.