With the holiday season in effect, gatherings that involve friends, family, and food become more prominent. However, since Thanksgiving is around the bend many of us will soon fall victim to holiday gluttony and over-indulge on foods, we shouldn’t be eating, or be eating in excess. Healthy habits now suddenly become difficult to keep in the eyes of temptation, especially around Thanksgiving, a holiday where almost everyone piles their dinner plate high. According to the Calorie Control Council, it is estimated that the average person consumes an average of 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving. That’s a lot of food! It’s no wonder that by the end of the day on Thanksgiving many of us are forced to loosen another notch on the belt, and are left feeling sluggish and bloated.
Luckily there are ways to have a healthy Thanksgiving. You just have to have some discipline and follow good practices. While you don’t have to deprive yourself, it is crucial that you don’t write the holidays off as a free-for-all food fest. Balance is critical, so if you want to have a healthy and happy holiday, check out these helpful, healthy Thanksgiving tips.
Don’t Fast
Many of us feel tempted to fast during the day, so we have room for everything we want to consume during Thanksgiving dinner. However, when you do this, overeating is typically the end result, making you feel sick and bloated. Instead, eat a good breakfast in the morning, stay hydrated, and don’t starve yourself during the day. With your appetite curbed, you will have a reduced chance of overeating, making it easier to control your portion sizes.
Eat Wisely
When picking out your food, keep in mind proper portion sizes. By keeping your portion sizes small, you can actually sample more of the delicious food that is available. Just make sure you lean towards food that is healthy, or relatively healthy, and eat your food slowly. While the temptation is there to dig in, restrain yourself so you can not only thoroughly enjoy the taste of your food, but it will also make it easier to stop yourself from overeating.
Stay Active
If you want to feel your best, you need to keep moving, especially during the holidays. If you don’t have an exercise routine in place, start one before the holidays, and if you do, increase your routine. It is vital that you remain active throughout the holiday season if you want to look and feel your best, and staying active on Thanksgiving, in particular, can help you remain energized throughout the day and can even help burn off those extra calories you consumed.
Bring a Healthy Side Dish
If you want to ensure there is something for you to eat, bring a healthy side dish to the gathering. Bringing something that fits within your dietary preferences will even give you the ability to balance out your plate with something healthy and wholesome. You can bring a vegetable dish or even a traditional recipe that has some healthy swaps made to make the dish healthier and hearty. For example, cacao avocado pudding is a healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth, while getting a healthy dose of fat.
