Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. The day of "giving thanks" offers a great opportunity for reflection on all of the blessings in our lives, we get to share time with the people we love, and, of course, there's lots of tasty food to eat!

Speaking of blessings, I'm incredibly privileged to share my life with my wife, Carolyn, who is not only a wonderful spouse, but an incredible mom, friend and a tremendous support to our family. I am very blessed by my 21 year old son, Justin, and my 2-year old daughter, Kayla, who both keep me smiling and laughing every day and make me feel so honored to be their dad.

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'd like to share my annual ritual and hope it offers you the same energy, enthusiasm and connection to those you care deeply for.

2. Have a "Burn the Bird" workout on Friday morning before you hit the malls! There's no better way to ramp up your energy, burn up some Thanksgiving calories and feel great again than a workout first thing Friday morning after the eating fest of the previous day.

3. Eat "healthy" before the big meal! Thanksgiving is often filled with lots of alcohol, appetizers and food. It's no secret that weight gain comes from taking in more calories than you burn off. If you eat a "healthy" snack or meal a few hours before the feast, you'll overeat a lot less when the relatives are going back for seconds and thirds.

4. Write down 10 things you're thankful for! This is one of my favorite rituals because it's so powerful in directing how you feel. When you take a moment out of your busy and often hectic life to become quite and think of all the blessings in your life, you'll soon discover how rich you truly are. Once I get a few things I'm grateful for in my mind, I quickly discover many, many more things that I often forget that I'm incredibly appreciative about. This is a great way to start Thanksgiving!