This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. I know many of us look forward to eating Thanksgiving Dinner. On Thursday there will be lots of dishes and delicious food on the table. But there will also be lots of calories, fat and other unhealthy things that come with this meal. I want you to enjoy your meal and your family but I also do not want you to undo 11 months of hard work all in one day. Thanksgiving dinner can be good to you and good for you as well. Hopefully my tips for the holiday will help you maintain or even lose weight this Thanksgiving.
- WORKOUT – I know I am looking forward to working out with my family during this holiday while we are all together. This is a great time for you to go to the gym together, play a recreational sport together, or take walks together (weather permitting). This is a great way to combat the extra calories that may be consumed during the holiday.
- EAT – Please do not starve yourself all day so you can eat more at dinner. That will backfire quickly. Eat a healthy breakfast and lunch with fiber. Here’s a little secret, fiber has been known to prevent the body from absorbing fat. Fiber is also important in preventing colon cancer. It is good to have 25-35 grams of fiber a day. If you decide to be a little indulgent at dinner the fiber, can help you to not do as much damage.
- DRINK – Drink water with your meal. I suggest you drink 8oz before you eat. This will help you to not eat as much because you will feel full sooner.
- TASTE – Instead of getting a huge portion of everything, get a smaller plate and eat a little bit of everything and then no seconds. Remember you can always have leftovers and sometimes those are better than the actual meal.
I hope that these tips will help you to enjoy Thanksgiving this year with your loved ones. There are lots of recipes out there that can help you make the same Thanksgiving Day treats, but a healthier version. You may also want to have your children help you and use this time to teach them about nutrition, as well as start a new tradition.
BMWK: Do you have plans to serve healthier version of Thanksgiving food?