I can’t believe my favorite holiday of the year is just a couple days away! It’s such a happy day full of family, traditions, catching up with everyone I love, and let’s be honest … eating ALLLL the food! While the average American apparently consumes 3,000-4,000 calories at Thanksgiving dinner (doesn’t this make you think of Joey wearing Phoebe’s maternity pants to Thanksgiving!? ha!), I’ve got a few strategies to share so we can all feel totally happy and satisfied at Thanksgiving, rather than being uncomfortably stuffed like a turkey after our feasts. Here’s my top 8 tips:
1. Start the day with a healthy and filling breakfast, like one of my go-to smoothies, that’s full of healthy fats, protein, and plenty of fiber. Skipping breakfast so you can “save up for later” isn’t doing you any favors! You’ll just be stalling your metabolism and setting yourself up to binge on tons of appetizers right when you get to Thanksgiving because you’ll be overly hungry.
2. Get some exercise in that day! Whether you sign up for a Turkey Trot, go for a walk around the neighborhood with your family, do a 20-minute Tone it Up workout, or just get some squats, lunges, and abs in while you watch the parade – a little exercise will make a big difference in how you feel that day!
3. Hydrate! Drink plenty of water throughout the day. I suggest starting the day with warm water with lemon juice – this stimulates the liver to flush out toxins and can help with de-bloating!
4. Make sure to put all of your appetizers on a small plate so you know exactly how much you’re having. Standing at the table and grazing while you’re chatting is a sure way to eat a lot more than you had planned. Seeing it all on a plate helps with portion control, especially since there’s a big meal ahead. I try to watch out for the heavy, carby appetizers – I’d rather save myself for my favorites at the dinner table, plus some dessert!
5. Try to get some veggies on your plate! And sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top doesn’t count ;). Some salad, roasted veggies, or Brussels sprouts are always a good call!
6. Wait at least 15-20 minutes before you decide to go back for seconds. This will help you decide if you’re actually still hungry!
7. Pick your favorite dessert. Thanksgiving is not the time to tell yourself that your favorite apple crumble is off limits. Just prioritize, and either pick one dessert, or have a small serving of a couple different sweets, and enjoy every bite!
8. Remember – Thanksgiving is once a year! The post-dinner guilt is not allowed … even if you do need to borrow my maternity pants afterwards. But seriously, I honestly think the guilt is worse for you than that extra slice of pumpkin pie. Just know that one day of extra indulgence isn’t going to offset your normal, healthy lifestyle. So don’t sweat it if you go a little overboard. Tomorrow’s a new day and you can start it out with some lemon water, a workout, and a healthy breakfast, and you’ll feel good as new!
On Thanksgiving and everyday, I just want to tell you that I’m so SO grateful for each and every one of YOU. Your support, encouragement, sweet comments, and messages make my day every time. I feel so lucky to be able to share my passion with you and am thankful for your support today, and always!
