PrintBy Shawn McKee
Staff Writer
The holiday season is a time for family, friends, gift-giving and, of course, 3,000-calorie meals. This year, give yourself something to be thankful for by not trashing your diet in one gluttonous month of turkey, eggnog and pie.
Depending on how you pile your plate, you could be consuming as many as 3,000 calories in one sitting. Instead of starting the season with such a caloric surplus, enjoy Thanksgiving without the 1- to 2-pound weight gain most people experience during the holidays.
A couple of pounds don’t seem like a big fat deal?
Well, according to Nutritionist Susan Burke, they will add up in the long run.
“The importance of that number is that most people don’t lose the weight they gain over the holidays,” according to Susan, “which means eventually their holiday weight gain can add up to 20 pounds or more.” However, there are steps we can take to prevent much of this annual weight gain.
Tips for Making Healthier Choices This Thanksgiving:
Small meals: Eat light the rest of the day if you’re planning a big Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. “I’ll eat a light breakfast — a cup of low sugar cereal with a cup of berries and a cup of nonfat milk,” Susan says. “I’ll have 1-percent cottage cheese with veggies or a turkey-breast sandwich on whole-wheat pita for lunch, and I’ll snack on baby carrots and an apple in the mid afternoon. Also, I’ll never eat until I’m stuffed. Save the stuffing for the turkey.”
Drink like a fish: “Always drink lots of water. Water is vital for healthy digestion and elimination, but drinking water also helps you control your appetite, as well,” says Susan. Whether you’re slaving over a hot stove, or not, you should be drinking water to hydrate and keep your stomach from feeling empty.
Slow down: “Your mother and your grandmother told you — and her grandmother told her — eat slowly,” she says. “It’s not just an old wives tale. Eating too fast means your brain doesn’t have time to register what you’re dumping into (your body). And by the time it gets around to registering full, you’re overloaded.” So take your time eating and stop when you’ve had enough. It will help you avoid the bloated feeling and the food coma that follows.
Don’t gorge yourself just because the food is there. If you know you want some of your Aunt Gladys’ world-famous pumpkin pie (family famous, at least), go easy on the mashed potatoes and gravy. If you want to try everything, just make it in smaller portions.
Just a little piece won’t hurt: “Thanksgiving menus often include some traditional treats that can’t be beat, but most recipes can be modified to be healthier with minor substitutions — using less fat and sugar,” says Susan. “If it’s something very special, like chocolate (my favorite), then make sure it’s good, dark chocolate and eat a small portion — slowly. Savor the flavor, don’t eat it too quickly, enjoy the holiday without guilt.”
Get off the couch: There’s nothing more tempting than napping in front of the TV after dinner with the sounds of football lulling you into a turkey-induced coma, but don’t do it.
“Make sure to stick to your exercise routine to keep your metabolism up and your stress levels down. Exercise isn’t just great for maintaining your weight, but for maintaining your mood and your energy, too. Take a walk before breakfast and after dinner — especially on Thanksgiving Day,” she says.
Take a bike ride, play touch football — and if the weather’s too bad for that — try dancing or wrestling around with the kids. It will be fun and great exercise.
Window shopping can be exercise, walking and looking at Christmas lights, and instead of spending 30-minutes driving in circles waiting for a close spot at the mall, park at the edge of the lot and get some exercise that way. Exercise is everywhere.
Be honest with yourself: Realistically, you’re probably not going to lose weight during the holidays, so just aim to maintain your current weight. If you plan on overindulging, try banking some calories early in the week and getting more physical activity before and after Thanksgiving Day to offset your eat-a-thon. You should enjoy your family, the food and the day, but don’t throw away a year’s worth of healthy living for whipped cream-topped pumpkin pie — no matter how good it is.
Get creative: As opposed to the same open-faced, gravy-ladled leftover turkey sandwich, check eDiets’ for recipes to use that extra turkey for something delicious and healthy for the next few days. Turkey soup, anyone?
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