Its the day of all days. The feast of all feasts. You always tell yourself, "This year, I'm not going to eat until I feel like I actually broke my digestive system. This year will be the year of self control." And then you're staring at the ceiling, stuffed like the turkey carcass you just scarfed down, asking yourself how you let this happen, AGAIN. Having self control when there's literally every mouth watering food you could imagine just whispering your name in temptation is one of the hardest things you can do. But it is possible, and here are some tricks of the trade that can prevent you from teetering on the edge of death by food overload for the umpteenth year in a row.

1. Go in with a game plan

You don't want to wind up standing at that buffet of binge worthy decadence without knowing what you want, because then you'll end up with everything. Have a real heart to heart with yourself about what you really want to eat. Even make a list of your favorites and rank them by priority. There's not going to be room for everything, so you're going to have to make some cuts.

2. DON'T fast beforehand

This is a common misconception that can ruin the Thanksgiving eating experience for anyone. I even fell victim to it one year. When you don't eat for a while, your stomach starts to shrink. And this will make it all the more painful when you're forcing down that third plate of mashed potatoes.

3. Start small

This is key because there are about seven courses at Thanksgiving dinner and you don't want to have to tap out after the first round. It really seems like there's just a constant flow of food, and if you lose yourself in the first course, you're basically a lost cause.

4. Only take things you know you like

You don't want to waste that precious tummy space on something gross (I'm looking at you cranberry sauce). I don't even like turkey, but somehow on Thanksgiving I feel the need to eat about two pounds of it. And then by the time the apple pie is out, the whole warm gooey apple experience is ruined because my stomach is screaming "STOP EATING" in agony with every indulgent bite.

5. Pace yourself

Even if you know your favorite dish, don't go all out on it right out of the gate. There's always a chance to go back for more. Instead, take your dishes at hour or so intervals, so your stomach has time to digest some of what you just inhaled. And remember: there is ALWAYS leftovers. So even if you're disappointed in the amount of your favorite dish, there's always lunch tomorrow.

6. Keep your eye on the prize

You don't want to be the person who has a fetus of food growing inside them when the desserts roll out. Not having room for desert could be one of the worst things that could happen to someone at Thanksgiving dinner. When you're about to go back for that fourth serving of stuffing, think of the warm apple pie. The ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies. Do you really need the stuffing?

7. Have a workout plan for the weekend

No matter how much you end up eating, you're probably going to wake up Friday morning hating yourself. And that's completely normal! If you have a set workout plan for the weekend to counteract that indulgent Thursday, you'll fell a little less shame about your feast.