1. Keep portion sizes in check- a serving size of meat is the size of a deck of cards- that’s 1-2 slices of turkey- not five.
2. Eat mindfully- focus on the food you are eating and think about the nutrition and ingredients, changing how you think about food, changes how you eat your food. Eat slow and savor each bite, you will fill up faster that way!
3. Eat well balanced meals throughout the day to avoid overeating later- don’t skip lunch or breakfast, it will cause you to overeat later and eventually induce a food coma. Have your normal well balanced breakfast and lunch.
4. Be more active than usual to combat extra calories- think about getting an extra workout in that week. Thursday might be a difficult time to work out with helping prepare the meal or entertaining guests, so plan ahead. Or make up for it the next day shopping, walking around the mall all day.
5. Enjoy dessert in moderation- everyone likes pumpkin pie, but you don’t need a massive piece pilled with whipped cream to enjoy it. Take a small piece and consider making your own whipped cream at home (PS it’s really easy).
6. Go easy on the booze- as with any day, it’s only recommended to have 1-2 drinks, so don’t overdo it filling up on alcohol instead of delicious, nutritious food!
7. Find healthy alternatives to holiday favorites to share- that green bean casserole can be made healthier but ditching the canned cream of mushroom soup and making your own sauce. Serve mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes free of toppings (butter, salt, cheese, sour cream, brown sugar, marshmellows, etc). Try making your stuffing with whole grain bread. Consider a crustless pumpkin pie, we already talked about the whipped cream (see #5). Apple crumble instead of apple pie include more fruit and less fat and carbs. Or go bold and try healthy dishes completely different from your usual family recipes!
8. Don’t look at other peoples plates-this will only tempt you or allow you to justify eating more of something or in the reverse effect, make you feel guilty for eating more pie than the person next to you.
This is a holiday and it’s nice to spend time with friends and family and enjoy a home cooked meal but it doesn’t need to be an excuse to overeat or stray from your diet. Happy Thanksgiving Friends!! Have a healthy, safe, and very happy holiday!
2. Eat mindfully- focus on the food you are eating and think about the nutrition and ingredients, changing how you think about food, changes how you eat your food. Eat slow and savor each bite, you will fill up faster that way!
3. Eat well balanced meals throughout the day to avoid overeating later- don’t skip lunch or breakfast, it will cause you to overeat later and eventually induce a food coma. Have your normal well balanced breakfast and lunch.
4. Be more active than usual to combat extra calories- think about getting an extra workout in that week. Thursday might be a difficult time to work out with helping prepare the meal or entertaining guests, so plan ahead. Or make up for it the next day shopping, walking around the mall all day.
5. Enjoy dessert in moderation- everyone likes pumpkin pie, but you don’t need a massive piece pilled with whipped cream to enjoy it. Take a small piece and consider making your own whipped cream at home (PS it’s really easy).
6. Go easy on the booze- as with any day, it’s only recommended to have 1-2 drinks, so don’t overdo it filling up on alcohol instead of delicious, nutritious food!
7. Find healthy alternatives to holiday favorites to share- that green bean casserole can be made healthier but ditching the canned cream of mushroom soup and making your own sauce. Serve mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes free of toppings (butter, salt, cheese, sour cream, brown sugar, marshmellows, etc). Try making your stuffing with whole grain bread. Consider a crustless pumpkin pie, we already talked about the whipped cream (see #5). Apple crumble instead of apple pie include more fruit and less fat and carbs. Or go bold and try healthy dishes completely different from your usual family recipes!
8. Don’t look at other peoples plates-this will only tempt you or allow you to justify eating more of something or in the reverse effect, make you feel guilty for eating more pie than the person next to you.
This is a holiday and it’s nice to spend time with friends and family and enjoy a home cooked meal but it doesn’t need to be an excuse to overeat or stray from your diet. Happy Thanksgiving Friends!! Have a healthy, safe, and very happy holiday!