As we approach the great feast of the season, those of you trying to eat healthy, “stay in shape” or lose weight might be wondering how you will keep things under control during Thanksgiving. Undoubtedly, you will be confronted with countless temptations, including at least 3 or 4 different choices of dessert following a meal with more food than you’d usually consume in a week.
So, how to resist over-indulging? Well, there are a couple of tips for eating healthy during the holidays, but before we get to that… here’s a quick counterpoint to consider. What if you just cut yourself some slack on the holiday? What if, for one day, you savor the amazing holiday treats and allow yourself to indulge a bit?
Although we certainly don’t advocate eating until you’re overly stuffed or feeling badly (let’s face it, nobody likes that “OMG what did I just do?!” feeling), however, we also recognize that it’s JUST ONE DAY!! There are some things that only come around once a year. Thanksgiving is one of them, as are some of the delicious goodies that go along with it.
Keep in mind, this is a case where “know thyself” is key. If you are one of these people who will go off the deep end into a week long sugar binge after partaking in some Thanksgiving pie, you might want to take it easy on the sweets. If there are certain foods that really make you feel unwell, by all means, steer clear of those. However, for most of us, the occasional treat is just fine when part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
The bottom line is this: life is too short to feel guilty about food! Embrace the holiday, enjoy time with friends and family, savor the treats of the season and make the best choices that you can. If you “fall off the wagon” here or there and go a bit overboard, chalk it up to a learning experience and move on. We’re all human.
If you’re generally struggling to make good choices and want a little help to eat reasonably during the holidays, here are a few simple tips:
- Eat Slowly – put down your fork between bites. Take your time and savor your meal.
- Eat to 80% full – pay attention to how you’re feeling. Take a break from eating when you feel like you’re about 80% full rather than speeding right past the threshold of overstuffed.
- Give away or freeze the leftovers – if you want to minimize your intake of the less healthy holiday options, enjoy them on the day and then get them out of sight! If freezing, portion into single servings so that you can control how much you eat later.
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