Thanksgiving is one of my favourite holidays. However, it’s an event that can set you back in terms of accomplishing your healthy weight goals if you’re not careful. One of the problems is that it’s a holiday where we tend to focus on the food rather than the people. When planning or attending a Thanksgiving event, keep the people as your main focus. Let the social aspect be of utmost importance and you’ll see that the food will just become secondary.
If you’re lucky enough to be host, include a pre or post dinner activity so that the meal really isn’t the main focus. Organize a little bocci ball, a family walk around the neighbourhood, or a good game of horse shoes on the lawn. These memories will last far longer than the taste of the meal!
When it does comes time for the meal, by all means enjoy it!! It is a holiday and that’s what holidays are all about. Indulge…but don’t overindulge! What are some surefire ways you can be sure that you don’t over do it?
Start by serving yourself, if possible. That way you can control your portion sizes. Have a little bit of everything, never depriving yourself, but sample and instead of heaping it on your plate. You want to have a meat portion about the size of a deck of cards, 1/2 cup of starches (stuffing, potatoes etc), and a full cup of vegetables. And since it is a holiday, go ahead and have that special treat…dessert! But share it with someone or only have a small portion.
One area of the meal that can quickly put a halt to your healthy weight progress is alcohol. One glass of wine alone can have between 100 and 140 calories alone. All forms of alcohol are empty calories. Your body simply treats them like sugar. One glass of wine can take up to 10 minutes running with a good stride on a treadmill. To monitor your alcohol consumption, try having a glass of water between every glass. This will keep you hydrated and will help prevent you from overdoing it…not to mention, it will help keep a hangover at bay.
Voila! Enjoy the holiday and be sure to indulge…just don’t overindulge! …And if you happen to read this thread too late, put those extra calories you consumed to good use and burn them off the old fashioned way.
