Tips for a Healthier Thanksgiving

When you think of Thanksgiving, the first things that come to mind: family, gratitude, and of course, a feast. Thanksgiving marks the beginning of a month of holiday parties and gatherings through the end of the year. We love it for being the happiest time of year… but hate the weight gain that come with it. When it comes to maintaining healthy routines and our waistline, every little bit of effort makes a difference. Read on for some easy tips for a healthier Thanksgiving (and holiday season!).

Tips for a healthier turkey day:

+ Sweat before you feast. Most fitness studios will offer some variation of a “turkey burn” class so you can get your workout in before you feast. Or get the whole family in on it for a 5k/local turkey trot! Every year, I do a turkey day yoga sculpt class in the morning before I spend the rest of the day cooking and eating – so worth it!

+ Drink water – a no brainer, but it’s so easy to mistake boredom or thirst for hunger. Constantly sipping water throughout the day will help you better gauge how hungry you are for the big feast. Which brings me to my next point…

+ Eat breakfast! Too often we automatically think that in order to eat X, we have to starve ourselves first. This is so bad for your body for so many reasons! As a general rule of thumb, when you starve yourself, your body goes into starvation mode and begins hanging onto fat. Also, skipping meals causes your blood sugar to drop, slows down your metabolism, and makes it more likely to overeat when you do eat next. If you’re looking to eat a light meal before your big Thanksgiving, opt for eggs (PROTEIN), a smoothie, oatmeal, something to get your digestion and metabolism going!

+ Be a social butterfly. Catch up with everyone at Thanksgiving. Cousin’s new significant other? Introduce yourself. Extended family you haven’t seen in years? Ask them about their lives. Ever notice how when you’re busy talking and socializing, you tend to eat less? Keep yourself busy and distracted from shoveling food into your mouth.

+ Eat slowly. In between chatting with everyone, don’t forget to put your fork down in between bites and eat slowly. It’s much easier to overeat when you wolf your food down, so take small bites, chew, and re-evaluate how hungry you are. Thanksgiving food tends to be decadent, and you might find you’re full sooner than you expected.

+ Go for your favorites. I am not a fan of deprivation at all. Personally, I find that when I tell myself I can’t have something, I end up wanting it more. This is also true with food. When it comes to Thanksgiving, nothing is off limits, but listening to hunger cues is important! I try to load my plate with my favorite side dishes, and skip the ones I don’t care for as much.

+ Make a healthier plate. If you are trying to be more conscious of what you’re eating, even on Thanksgiving, then there are a few simple things you can do to load your plate accordingly. Go heavy on the protein (white meat turkey), load up on veggie sides (roasted vegetables, crunchy salads), go easy on the carbs (stuffing, rolls, mashed potatoes), and limit dessert.

+ Move after you eat. A light walk, stretching, anything to get your blood flowing and digestion going. Fresh air is the best after a large meal! Oh, and a cup of detox tea.

+ Practice gratitude. Get rid of the guilt! Thanksgiving is all about gratitude and appreciating what we have. Getting rid of negative thoughts about food and focusing on the present and everything we have to be thankful for (loved ones, our health, our bodies, the meal we just ate…) is what the day is about. Tomorrow is a new day, and the perfect chance to get back on your healthy routine.

Follow me on Instagram and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! xx