Thanksgiving Tips

Thanksgiving is only a week away!  Don't even get me started on what that means about Christmas - holy cow.  Thanksgiving is like the Superbowl of eating. It's the day when everyone seems to completely forget themselves and stuff themselves like they're the turkey.  According to the Calorie Control Council, people may eat as many as 4,500 calories during and around the Thanksgiving meal - that's nearly three days worth of calories for most people!

If you don't want to end up sick at your own behavior, consider these tips for a healthier Thanksgiving day:

1. Start the day burning some calories.  Across the country there are charity walks and "gobble" events - 5k, 10k or more will help create a negative balance to balance your calories later.  Plus you'll be doing good for someone else.  If your town doesn't have an event, take a very brisk, very long walk and get the whole family out for a game of touch football or tag after the meal.
2. Drink plenty of water and not much else.  Liquid calories don't trigger satiety the way that food you chew does, so beer, wine, and sodas (or sweet tea if you're in the south like me!) just add to the bottom line.
3. Take a dish to share.  Make it a nutritious and tasty choice.  Choose something you feel good about eating and which you can eat plenty of - salads, fresh vegetables simply prepared and fruit salad are all good choices. 
4. Don't skip meals.  Letting yourself show up at the Thanksgiving feast hungry is an invitation to gluttony.  If you're too hungry, you will not make wise decisions.  Which leads us to the final suggestion...
5. Choose wisely.  Make sure that at least 1/2 of your plate is made up of fruits and vegetables, 1/4 of the plate can be grains or starchy vegetables and the final 1/4 can be meat.  Limit servings of foods that are high fat and/or high sugar (like sweet potato casserole) or consider them your dessert.  Speaking of dessert...a few bites goes a long way, especially after an enormous plate of food.

Of course, be sure to focus on the reason for the day - a day to give thanks.  Thank God for the abundance you have in your life - not just on your table.  Be grateful for the gifts of family, friends, health, and financial blessing.  Take time to number your blessings and know that there are reasons to be thankful all around you. Be healthy!

 

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 

1 Chronicles 16:34