Skip to main content

Trainer Tips for a Guiltless Thanksgiving

It's hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away. While Thanksgiving is a day about giving thanks, it also tends to be a holiday all about indulging.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and say, don't touch that pie and skip the rolls or avoid the fried turkey, but I am going to share a few tips to get you through the holiday without the post-feast guilt.


Tips for a Guiltless Thanksgiving 


Break fast. Don't skip breakfast or even your typical mid-morning snack trying to bank some calories. That'll only leave you hungry and more likely to mindlessly fill your plate.

Tackle a race. Participate in a Turkey Trot fun run/walk. It doesn't have to be a speedy 5K, it can be a family, fun event.

Be active. Go for a walk at some point during the day with family or friends. It's a great way to visit and catch up.

Skip "any day" foods. If your Aunt Sue makes some amazingly scrumptious dish this one and only time of the year, enjoy it. But mashed potatoes? You can get those any time.

Healthify a recipe. Health doesn't have to be a four-letter (ok, longer than 4 letters) word when it comes to food. You can have food that is healthy AND tasty. Try smashed cauliflower in lieu of mashed potatoes. Even better, get creative and try some non-traditional recipes like savory smashed sweet potatoes or smashed roasted winter squash.

Portion control. Plain and simple, pay attention to your portion sizes and don't go back for seconds.

Eat slowly. Savor your food. Enjoy the conversations. Don't inhale the food mindlessly.

Choose dessert wisely. Choose the absolute one and only dessert you can't live without, but keep the portion small. You're already full from your meal right? Even better, reach for the healthier desserts and skip those that you know are high-calorie sugar bombs (yes pecan pie, talkin' about you).

Hydrate. Don't forget to drink water, especially if you are enjoying adult beverages.

Of course, the biggest tip for Thanksgiving is to be grateful and enjoy the time with your family and friends.

What are some of your healthy tips for the holidays?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Love in Photos

In honor of Valentine's Day - Love in Photos Husband Family and Furbabies Friends Even if you're not a fan of Valentine's Day - I hope you have a wonderful day and remember the loves in your life.

I Run to Feel Alive

Today is National Running Day . Guess what I did this morning? Cycling? Nope. Lifting? Nope. I bet you thought kickboxing right? Nope. Running? But of course! I actually sort of planned my running days this week just so I could participate this year. I didn't get to run last year and didn't even know about it the year before. But running has become such an integral part of my life and who I am, that I couldn't miss this year. Basically, I run to feel alive . It calms me, it helps me work through life, it's often a reason to get out of bed. No matter how tough a run is, it makes you feel ... period. My plan was to get in 5 miles (got in 5.5 actually). It was about 10 degrees warmer this morning and definitely more humid. That always makes for a tougher run. We decided to take a different route today. Well, it was really only a few streets over different, but still. The point is we took a different street. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not. I did realize th

Vacation Day 2 - Running, Reading, Relaxing

Running This morning I woke up a bit before 7 am. Of course, we had gone to sleep by 9....on vacation no less. I had thought I might try for an outdoor run, but the temps were already a humid 83 degrees by 8 am. So, I took my run to the treadmill. I had the Food Network to keep me occupied for a pretty decent 5 mile run. Running and watching tv isn't so bad ;-) I did 3 miles, then 4 1:00 athletic intervals then finished up another mile to round it out to and even 5. After stretching and rolling (yep, brought my TriggerPoint kit ), we packed up the cooler with lunch and headed down to the beach. Not a bad way to start the day if you ask me. Beach Time & Stair Cardio We set up our little umbrella camp and proceeded to just relax. I was excited to start one of the books I brought along with me: Alice Sebold's The Almost Moon . I've read her memoir, Lucky , and her first work of fiction, The Lovely Bones . . We were out for a few hours before taking a break.