3 Tips on How to Approach Thanksgiving the Healthy Way
Thanksgiving is this week, folks! And that means gatherings with friends, family, and fun! And it also means a big Thanksgiving feast!
Along with the Thanksgiving feast, many often associate this day with overeating and feelings of guilt surrounding it.
As your resident Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I’m here to help provide you with some tips on how to approach Thanksgiving day in a way that will help minimize overeating as much as possible to help you feel good before, during, and after the holiday.
Tip no. 1) Do not skip meals. This tip applies to everyday, but especially on Thanksgiving day itself. When we skip meals, our body knows it! And oftentimes this leads to overeating when you do wind up eating as well as hunger later on in the day when we may want to be winding down for the day. To make the most of this tip, start off your Thanksgiving morning with a breakfast with protein and fiber to help you stay full and keep your blood sugar balanced. In addition to a fiber and protein filled breakfast, try having some protein-filled snacks on hand to munch on while you wait for the big meal such as almonds, Greek yogurt, or crudité with hummus or peanut butter.
Tip no. 2) Get moving. Before the big Thanksgiving feast, or perhaps even after, try to get some physical activity in for the day. If you can squeeze in a walk after dinner, that’s even better as walking can help promote digestion and get things moving.
Tip no. 3) Portion control. Thanksgiving is a day of indulgence. And you should be able to have your cake and eat it too, so to speak. But, start with smaller portions on your plate. This will allow you to eat your favorites and also take notice of your body’s hunger/fullness ques. Take your time eating; it takes 20 minutes for your brain to begin registering your fullness.
Don’t forget to give thanks on Thanksgiving! I know I am thankful for my family and friends, for the life that I live, and for all the amazing things my body can do for me every single day.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
