Thanksgiving Indulgence

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season. Golden brown stuffed turkey. Creamy mashed potatoes. Green bean casserole topped with French fried onions. Candied yams loaded with brown sugar and marshmallows. Homemade cranberry sauce and warm toasted and buttered rolls. Apple and pumpkin pie garnished with whipped cream and vanilla bean ice cream. Do not forget the festive cocktails and several glasses of wine that complement the holiday feast! Wow, my jeans are becoming snug just thinking about the tasty holiday fare and the mouthwatering leftovers that become breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next week. Thanksgiving is not only the kick off to the holiday season but it can be the beginning of the spiraling downfall of healthy nutrition and consistent exercise. The average person can gain 1-10lbs in the last six weeks of the year. The number may not be staggering short term; however over the course of 5 years, if not burned off, 1-10lbs will result in a 5-50lb weight gain, hence the slow yet steady increase of the number on the scale that people complain about over the years. I do not suggest dieting over the holidays. Comforting, festive fare shared with family and friends is a tradition that we should not miss out on; however holiday feasts do not have to result in tight jeans, lethargy, and low self-esteem.
You can indulge in a lavish holiday feast with all of the trimmings without feeling guilty for days and bloated for weeks. Here are a few tips to help you avoid unnecessary weight gain at the start of the holiday season:

1.Remain consistent with your nutrition and exercise game plan leading up to Thanksgiving and through to the end of the year. Remember Thanksgiving is just one day. If you are consistent with your diet and exercise throughout the year you deserve a day of decadent indulgence.

2.Sign up for a Turkey Trot race on the day of Thanksgiving with your family and friends to help you earn your turkey dinner. After dinner, throw around the ball and chase your little nieces and nephews around to burn a few calories. Also, make sure you get a workout in the day after Thanksgiving as well. This way you will not only avoid the holiday hangover, but you will make sure those mashed potatoes and extra slices of pie do not stick to your hips.

3.When filling your plate with the goodness of the holiday menu sample little bits of all the delicious foods you want without eating a full size portion of any one dish. An array of holiday dishes to choose from does not have to be the nutritional culprit. Do not limit yourself, limit the portions. Taste everything; just don’t taste a full portion of every delicious choice on the dinner table. This way you will avoid slipping into a food coma and you may be able to keep your pants from having to be unbuttoned.

4.Ration the leftovers. One of the best ways to avoid tipping the scale after Thanksgiving is to make sure each of your guests leave with a doggy bag. Not only are you being a gracious host, but you are also limiting the amount of damage that can be caused by having leftovers fill your fridge. A turkey, stuffing and cranberry sandwich is my favorite leftover creation…so splurge and enjoy. But just save enough leftovers for a few sandwiches to be eaten over Thanksgiving weekend.
Thanksgiving is a time to count blessings not calories. Remain consistent with your nutrition and exercise game plan leading up to and throughout the holiday season and you will be pleasantly surprised with how little an effect a scrumptious turkey dinner will have on your waistline. Enjoy and be grateful for your dinner with friends and family. Happy Turkey Day!