Enjoy Thanksgiving Guilt Free

Several Tips for a Healthy Holiday Meal

It’s that time of the year again when most Americans are bound to gain an extra three to seven pounds of weight. With the average Thanksgiving meal well over 3000 calories, it’s no wonder. But this holiday is not the time for a diet. Trainer, Travis Grosjean, explains, “Any calories not used will be stored as fat, so you will want to be mindful about what you put into your body. However, this is a time for moderation, not for elimination.“

Travis offers these simple tips so you can happily enjoy your Thanksgiving meal without the guilt.

• Don’t skip meals on Thanksgiving Day. Eat breakfast and lunch so you are not starving at dinner and chance overeating.
• Eat Thanksgiving dinner off a small plate. “If you eat off of a small plate, you are more likely to maintain portion control, and not over consume. Fill your plate up with a modest portion of everything and you can enjoy all of the foods, in small amounts.” explains Travis. “Just be sure to be aware of how many “seconds” you have.”
• Eat an Apple and have a glass of water before dinner. Foods that are full of fiber like fruits and vegetables, take longer to digest, contain fewer calories, and help you feel full without overeating.
• Snack every 2-3 hours on healthy foods. To keep your metabolism burning, don’t let yourself get too hungry. Eat low-fat, low-cholesterol snacks such as cheese, crackers, nuts, and dried fruit.
• Eat more whole foods to fill you up. Fill up on salad and vegetables before heading for the candied sweet potatoes. Then if you are still hungry, hit the vegetables again after the turkey to reduce the amount of dessert you eat.
• Eat only the unique foods. Mashed potatoes and turkey may be traditional, but they also are easily had any day of the week. Instead, use those calories for your holiday favorites, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and other more seasonal items.
• Eat turkey. Of course with turkey as the main course you are bound to eat it. But did you know that it can help you control your appetite? Turkey not only is low in fat but the Tryptophan in turkey is a building block for the neuro-transmitter Seratonin which regulates mood and sleep, and controls appetite.
• Go for the white meat. Though the dark meat of the turkey has more flavor, it also has over twice as much fat which translates into twice as many calories.
• Don’t miss out on the fabulous extravagant holiday food. Don’t miss out on the wonderful holiday food that is served only once a year. “Enjoy your Thanksgiving. Try eating a little of everything, but just a few bites. That way you can fully participate in the meal and not feel deprived.”
• Shop the day after Thanksgiving sales. Get your exercise in by shopping Black Friday. Park further away from the stores to get a few more steps in and walk at a brisk pace to get the heart pumping. You’ll not only burn the excess Thanksgiving calories, but you will be well on your way to completing your holiday tasks.