It can be difficult to stay healthy during the holidays. Thanksgiving is typically celebrated by feasting, followed by seconds, maybe thirds, and topped off with desert. Then there's the post feast nap, a few hours of watching football, and then an additional leftover turkey sandwich and a slice of pumpkin pie.
In many households, Thanksgiving is dedicated to either eating rich, unhealthy foods foods, sitting still, and usually doing both. However, there are ways to make Thanksgiving a little healthier. Give these ideas a good ole turkey try!
1. Start Active Traditions Start Thanksgiving Day out with a family walk/run or participate in a local Turkey Trot race. Even try some active post-feast games like football, ping pong or even a board game like charades.
2.Eat stuffing, don’t eat until you’re stuffed. There’s a fine line between being full and overeating. Overeating is unhealthy in and of itself, but it also lends itself to unhealthy behavior. Who wants hop up and go for a walk or a bike ride when you can barely waddle to the couch without feeling as though you might get sick? Here are a few tips to avoid overeating on Thanksgiving:
- Choose smaller portions rather than heaping mounds of food on your plate. The first bite tastes best! The 17th bite probably doesn’t bring you near as much enjoyment.
- Pay attention to what goes on your plate, and notice what you’re eating.
- Eat slowly. Get the maximum pleasure from your choices.
- Wait a few minutes after you finish what’s on your plate. If you’re still hungry, consider going back for a second helping.
- Have a sense of how much food you want to eat, and try to stick to it. If you want to try a bit of everything, get a small amount that would allow you to try each food without overindulging.
- Listen to what your body tells you. If you’re not hungry, don’t eat more.
- Limit snacking and grazing. If you’re going to eat food, put it on a plate, and don’t eat from serving dishes or containers.
3.Stay hydrated. Choose water over soda, juice, or alcohol. Water is the healthiest beverage there is, and your body needs it to survive and function properly. Drinking water can also help you feel full, which can prevent overeating.
