Thankgiving Tips

It is that time of year again–Thanksgiving! Forgive me for stating this generalization, but in less than two weeks, most of us will be eating massive meals.

For those who are watching their waistlines, Thanksgiving very well could be an extremely hard time of the year to get through. With all of the tempting foods around you and the merry atmosphere, you want to eat and try out everything; hey, it’s only one day right? Well, yes, it is only one day, but one day could throw your diet off. Feel free to splurge a little, but with an average Thanksgiving meal containing about 2000+ calories, you really should watch what you are eating.

What are some ways to resist the temptation? I think that the biggest tip is not to go to the meal hungry because we eat more quickly when we are hungry. This often results in overeating. Drink some water before you eat, that will help to fill up your stomach and make you feel less hungry. Another important idea is to watch your portion size; it’s great to try everything, but instead of grabbing good-sized servings, take a little scoop here and there. Also, watch the high fat choices, and try to avoid those. A simple idea is not to eat the skin of your turkey.

You probably will be tempted to continue to eat as everyone else around you is eating. Do not cave towards that “peer pressure!” If you are full, stop eating. Take part of the conversations or maybe nibble on something. Eating slowly will help to make it look like you are continuously eating like the rest of the group, but you also will be limiting the amount of food that you are eating.

Thanksgiving is a great time to spend with family and/or friends. It is not just about the food, so do not worry so much about it. Give thanks!