Why it’s easy for me to eat light on Thanksgiving

I have friends tell me “Oh, you have so much discipline not overeating, especially on holidays.” It’s not really discipline. It’s that after having digestive problems years ago caused by my former heavily-meat-laden diet, I remember the pain and the 8 days each in the hospital 3 years in a row with acute pancreatitis due to hyperlipidemia.   Pain is a powerful motivator.  The few times I’d overeaten since then, my body was in such discomfort until the offending mass moved through it 12 hours later that I am flat out never tempted to overeat anymore.  It doesn’t even occur to me.   Now I nibble fresh spinach if I sit in front of the tv, instead of snacks.  I lost 60 pounds the first 4 months I changed my eating habits in 2006, and the last year lost another 10 by working out a little more.  I want to be stronger and more vital as I get older, not less.  This should do it.