Post-Thanksgiving Inflammation: Beyond Calories, Carbs and Fats

So today I’m 197 pounds. My normal, everyday weight is 192. I was surprised to see 197. But I feel it – in my head, mental accuity and tiredness (a bit like being hung over).
So did I carb binge for multiple days? Nope. Is this extra weight body fat? Nope. My body fat hasn’t climbed a bit. Is it water weight mostly from extra carbs – no, but perhaps 2 of the pounds are. So what then? Chemicals.
Thanksgiving was Thursday (today is Monday). Thanksgiving I had whatever, no binge but some of anything I wanted; stuffing, pies, gravy etc. Friday and Saturday I was away riding ATVs on thousands of acres in southern Illinois. It’s basically a camp out atmosphere. I brought macadamia nuts, fruit, clean trail mix etc to make sure I had stuff to tie me over. But while there I had a few bites of homemade stuffing someone had made, a few bites of Doritos (truly a few bites) and a few bites of a homemade dip for veggies. Otherwise real food, clean. Saturday was cleaner than Friday. Sunday was clean except for two slices of pizza.
Today is the hang over. No binges. No stuffing myself. No living on junk. Just Thanksgiving plus a few bites here and there across multiple days – that’s all it takes for me.
I’m posting this about me because I know there are many of you who see a scale pop and probably think it’s just extra carbs/water or that it’s even lots of body fat. It’s a little of those but it could also be, like it is for me, the inflammation/water retention from the plethora of chemicals in what we call here at LLU – the NON-FOODS.

So what’s today, well I’m already off to my normal start of real food and I’ll be real food as I am 90% of the time. No real “lesson learned” other than to say I’m eyes wide open about what this feeling is, what is causing what, and I know exactly what to do to correct it – just live and eat the way I do 90% of the time – it’ll correct itself as I detox over the next few days. It’ll probably take 4-6 days to feel 100% myself but it’ll make a big leap toward great 2-3 days from today – even one good day (today) will make a difference.
I’m gonna go sweat in the gym like I normally do too and that’ll help as well. I’m also going to drink a full gallon of water each day for the next three days.
I recommend you read my article titled “They’re All Wrong – Beyond Sugar, Salt and Fat” to get a more in depth analysis on what I’m living and what I know many of you are living right now post Thanksgiving.
So how are you feeling? What are you doing to turn the corner after your Thanksgiving? I’d love to hear your comments – post them below!
Tuesday followup: Today is Tuesday as I add this – I’m down three pounds after a really solid, clean, real-food day with a decent bodybuilding-type workout. More importantly than the weight being down my head is already feeling clearer and I’m less hung over and lethargic.
Wednesday followup: 191 today! More than the weight, again I’ll stress, it’s about feeling better mentally and my energy level coming back to where it belongs. I’ve been OSM-99 for the past two days, today will be a third for sure, and the worst I’ll dip to will be OSM-90, that’s my daily sweet spot.
When Christmas comes, for a few days, I’ll repeat this Thanksgiving deal, and it’s not because I’m out of control – I go into it with eyes wide open – and I know how to correct things quickly after – we each have to decide what behaviors and foods are “worth it.” For me I ONLY eat some of these foods at Thanksgiving and/or Christmas and it’s just worth it. It’s very different when it’s choice rather than feeling out of control with someone or someTHING else driving the bus.