9 Simple Tips For a Healthy, Happy Thanksgiving
Some easy, useful tips for balancing a healthy eating plan and quality time with family this Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is typically a day filled with family and food, but if you’ve been trying to lose weight, it can also be a day filled with anxiety.
If you’ve been worrying about how to balance sticking to the healthy roadmap you know you should be following, and spending quality time with family and friends, here are a few simple tips that should make that balancing act a lot easier!
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
There’s a lot of temptation to just wait for the big meal, but eating a quality, low-fat breakfast will help keep you balanced and avoid overeating later. Consider options like low-fat yogurt with fruit (remember to read the labels as many store-bought yogurts can contain hidden fat), whole-grain toast with jelly, or an egg white omelette with vegetables to get your Thanksgiving day started off right!
Stay Hydrated
Drinking things like water, seltzer, and tea throughout the day will help you feel more satisfied leading up to the Thanksgiving meal, because it’s easy to mistake being thirsty for hunger pangs!
Make a Plate Roadmap
By the time Thanksgiving morning rolls around, you’ll probably have a good idea of all the menu items that will be served that night. Decide in advance what low-fat options you’ll have more of, and what higher-fat options you’ll only sample, or avoid all together. Calculate the total amount of fat you’re going to eat that day, and then work backwards.
Focus on Protein and Fiber
While you’re making that plate roadmap, make sure to focus on high-protein options like white meat turkey and low-fat, high-fiber options like roasted veggies, mashed sweet potatoes (without butter), and whole-grain bread.
Use Alli as Your Ally
Taking Alli on Thanksgiving will help remind you to focus on healthy meals that are 15 grams of fat or less, and will also stop about 25 percent of the fat you do eat from being absorbed into your bloodstream. The only FDA-approved, over-the-counter weight-loss aid, Alli is designed to support your weight-loss journey every single day of the year.
Avoid Mingling by the Appetizers
Mindless eating while talking with family and friends is something we’re all guilty of at one time or another. Keep temptation at bay by choosing to sit or stand far enough away from the appetizer plate that it’s impossible to just reach over and grab something.
Take Frequent Activity Breaks
Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a day devoted to sitting! Focus on standing and moving as much as possible, and see if you can wrangle up some family members for a brisk walk or two during the day!
Go For Bite-Size Desserts
It can be incredibly difficult to totally avoid dessert when you’re at a gathering that has more than a few options for sweets. If it’s too hard to resist completely, consider taking a small, bite-size piece of one or two dessert options.
Ask a Family Member For Support
Find someone in your family who you know you can trust, and ask them to be your support system on Thanksgiving. This means they’ll gently help you stick to your goals, and keep you honest when it comes to your food choices.