Is It Possible to Enjoy Thanksgiving WITHOUT Gaining Weight?

Enjoy the Holiday without Weight Gain

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! On Thanksgiving day, people across the country will gather with loved ones and give thanks for all that they have. If you are like most people in this country, Thanksgiving is also a holiday that’s tied in with eating a big, heavy meal.

Splurging on Thanksgiving often sets off a domino effect for the rest of the holiday season. It’s the time of year when you may gain an extra 1-10 pounds that, unfortunately, tend to become permanent baggage. Additionally, regularly consuming the tempting treats associated with Thanksgiving and the December holidays can also lead to imbalances in your system that result in poor digestion, sugar cravings, loss of energy, skin eruptions, and many other symptoms.

It all starts with Thanksgiving. So what should you to do to get your holiday season off to a healthy start? Instead of embarking on a holiday food fest, take control of the day and jump-start your motivation for a healthy and active holiday season—one where you do not gain weight!

You can feast on the food, but this year arm yourself with a plan that will help you reduce the potential impacts of a Thanksgiving feast. Think ahead to Jan. 1 when you will delight in seeing the scale right where you left it in November. With a few simple changes to your approach, you can enjoy the feast without wrapping yourself in those extra pounds. Choose a few of the useful tips below to help you maintain your weight while still enjoying the day and the delicious food on Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season.

Preparing for the Big Day

• Wear a tight-fitting outfit. This will make you less likely to overeat because it becomes too uncomfortable.
• Don't arrive starving. Eat before the big feast. A small healthful meal with lots of fiber (such as oatmeal) keeps you feeling full until dinner.
• Make time for exercise every day, especially on Thanksgiving Day. Instead of feeling bloated the day after Thanksgiving, schedule your workout in advance – then you will have to show up!
• Establish some ground rules in advance of the meal that allow you to indulge but not pig out -- for example, only one sliver of dessert.
• Buddy up with someone who is also trying to keep his or her weight in check.
• Keep a food journal and write down everything that you eat. This is an incredibly powerful tool, especially when you are tempted to overeat.
• Start a new family tradition. Take a bike ride, go for a walk or run, or do something active Thanksgiving morning. Elite Body has a special Yoga class the morning of Thanksgiving to start your day right. Additionally, plan a post meal walk. Announce your plan to take a walk after the meal. Some of your family and friends may want to join you. Once you enroll others, it will be difficult to bail out.

The Feast

• Don't eat food just because it is there. Save your calories for the foods you love.
• Distance yourself from the hors d'oeuvre table. Munch on fresh fruits and veggies instead of high fat appetizers.
• Scan the buffet and carefully choose the foods you love. If they are high in calories like the gravy, just take a smaller portion. Take larger portions of the simply prepared foods such as baked sweet potatoes, steamed vegetables, and skinless white meat of turkey.
• Limit yourself to one plate of food, no second helpings.
• Eat slowly and savor every bite. Give the food a chance to let you feel the satisfying feeling of fullness.
• Stop eating when you are full. Instead of seeing how much you can eat, serve yourself a small serving of the foods you want but only having enough to satisfy your stomach without overdoing it.
• Enjoy a small serving of dessert if you must. Choose pumpkin over pecan pie and save a few hundred calories. Eat just the filling to take in fewer additional calories and limit trans fats.
• At the end of the meal, drink a glass of water and push away from the table to help you realize that you are full. Have a cup of tea a few hours after your meal such as mint tea or green tea since these help with digestion.

Be realistic and aim to maintain your current weight. Have fun sharing food and celebrating your new Thanksgiving traditions with your family and friends.

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