How many times have you told yourself that you are not going to over eat at the Thanksgiving table? How many times have you actually kept that promise to yourself? Trust me I get it! The struggle is real!
We are surrounded by family & friends, we feel like it’s a time to eat as much as humanly possible and then sleep for a few hours and then eat some more. I’m here to tell you that your Thanksgiving doesn’t have to end with you unbuttoning your pants or changing into to your sweats! You can still have your cake and enjoy your skinny jeans too!
Here are my 7 tips for a guilt free Turkey Day!
- Hydrate! Yes I am going to tell you to keep your alcoholic beverages to a minimum. I have good reason though! Alcohol stimulates your appetite, which is the opposite effect that we want to create on a day like this. Keep your self hydrate with lots of water! Have a glass of wine and then follow it up with some bubble flavored mineral water in a wine glass. People will think your drinking a spritzer (they dont need to know the difference). Keeping your body hydrated will prevent you from over eating and it will help with your digestion too.
- Fill up on veggies FIRST! When perusing the appetizer’s snack on veggies. They will keep you busy chewing and help to fill you up without the guilt!
- Offer to bring a dish to the party! This enables you control over at lease one of the dishes on the table! Even if everything else is not on the healthy side you will have that one saving grace dish.
- Plate your plate RIGHT! A portioned plate should be 1/2 filled with veggies(mashed potatoes dont count they are a starch), 1/4 with protein, 1/4 with starch (choose either potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing or a roll NOT ALL 3, unless they are really small portions of each).
- Everything in moderation -Don’t drown your plate in gravy, instead go for a light drizzle. Stick with ONE dessert and make it a normal sized portion. Remember the 80/20 rule, eat healthy 80% of the time and indulge 20%.
- Savor your meal! Eat slowly, enjoy the conversation at the table, don’t rush. It takes about 20 minute for your stomach to let your brain know when it’s full. If you rush through your meal, then hurry up to grab seconds before you know it you will be one stuffed bird yourself. SO SLOW DOWN! Eat, drink (lots of water) and be merry!
- Workout! Get your body moving before and after your meal. Plan a family hike, press play on your 30 minute workout, take the dog and kids for a walk to the park, plan a family tag football game. Stay active this will help you digest your food better and faster! Plus it will pull you out of your turkey food coma.
I hope this helps you to enjoy your Thanksgiving Table and leave it feeling guilt free and fabulous!