This Thanksgiving holiday, as you give thanks for your family and friends, why not give tribute to your health with a heart-healthy, lower calorie feast!
Don’t throw your diet to the curb in the wake of a gluttonous smorgasbord of buttery mashed potatoes, deep fried turkey and pie – oh my! In fact, eDiets.com Chief Nutritionist, Susan Burke, suggests that you could be gobbling down 3,000 calories or more on your holiday plate.
Don’t be afraid to break tradition! Instead of giving yourself over to the typical 2-pound Thanksgiving weight gain that most people suffer, take the proverbial turkey by the beak, and take back your healthy lifestyle with Anna Fleet’s Fitnessgear101 Thanksgiving survival tips:
Get some exercise you turkey! Do you need an extra bottle of wine or some additional napkins? Well put your feet to the pavement and walk to the grocery store. I know how difficult it is to exercise on a festive holiday – especially with guests in the house. Make exercise a priority and get out for at least 20 minutes. It will help keep your metabolism up during the evening nosh. A post-meal walk will also aid digestion and prevent you from falling asleep right after dinner.
Healthy foods are just as festive – Just because it’s Thanksgiving that doesn’t mean you HAVE to indulge in full-fat mashed potatoes and gravy. Try alternatives like roasted sweet potatoes – mixed with a teaspoon of olive oil, fresh garlic and ground pepper. Trust me they are just as yummy – and your dad won’t even miss the mashed spuds. Check out eDiets for Thanksgiving recipes that are yummy and good for you too!
Stay hydrated - If you overindulge in one thing this holiday – let it be water. Keeping yourself hydrated before, during and after your holiday meal will prevent you from binging on every tempting dish on the table. Drinking a glass of water when you think you’re hungry will actually help control your appetite, because many times when we think we’re hungry, our brain is actually telling us we’re dehydrated. Post-feast, drinking water will aid digestion.
Savor your food - Not only will you enjoy your one slice of grandma’s apple pie that much more, small, slow bites and chewing will actually allow your brain to register when you’ve had enough – so you’ll avoid bloating and indigestion later on. If you eat too quickly, you’ll be overloaded far before you’re brain is able to warn you that you’ve had your fill.
You are not a Thanksgiving pilgrim – If you were you would still need to feed yourself via the hunter-gatherer method. For our ancestors, food was scarce in the cold months so they gorged themselves when it was available and hibernated in order to fatten up for the winter. We no longer need to do that. So pick from the healthier dishes on the table - and make them small serving portions.
Feed your body and your brain – Do you know which traditional Thanksgiving staple is particularly high in antioxidants, and prevents urinary infections? That’s right; cranberries are the number one source of antioxidants, which protect the cells from harmful free radical damage! Other high sources of antioxidants are spinach, broccoli and beets. So incorporate grilled root veggies and fresh cranberry sauce into your Thanksgiving meal.
Allow yourself one indulgence – I know that sounds crazy coming from me, but allow yourself one average-sized slice of your mom’s signature pumpkin pie, or a modest scoop of your sister’s renowned stuffing because “it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it”. Then go ahead and allow yourself the pleasure...and better yet, don’t feel guilty about it afterwards. The most important part of surviving Thanksgiving, or any special occasion, is not to place unrealistic goals on yourself, because let’s face it – who loses weight over Thanksgiving?
With my survival tips in mind, have a happy Thanksgiving from FitnessGear101.com!
