By Rashida Ricketts
It’s that time of the year again. It’s a time to spend with family and friends, a time to throw on a pair of sneakers before scrambling through the mall at 12 am and a time to eat A LOT. As my Thanksgiving calendar count-down nears the end, my stomach becomes more and more excited for my mom’s famous smoked turkey and my aunt’s amazing mac & cheese. Thanksgiving is one of the few days a year our conscious dieting habits go right out the window, so here are five of my tricks to get back in shape after your post holiday belly blowup.
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Get a jumpstart on speeding up your metabolism now.
It’s great to get a head start on building a fast (or faster) metabolism now before diving into the Thanksgiving food coma. The way to get your body to quickly burn off the fat is to try to eat every 2-3 hours. And that doesn’t mean eat a heavy meal or indulge in junk food every 2-3 hours; eat small healthy snacks and try to make lunch your biggest meal so that your body has time to digest. That brings me to my next trick.
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Try not to skip out on meals.
It may seem logical to skip out on a meal when venturing on the weight loss journey; however, it is very important to make sure you’re eating all three meals. As I said before, eating every 2-3 hours will keep your metabolism running so skipping a meal will only slow down the process. Eat a healthy breakfast, a large and healthy lunch and a smaller dinner.
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Choose the healthier options.
During holiday dinners, making a healthy plate probably isn’t a large concern of ours, but after the holidays we should try to be a lot more conscious about it. Instead of running to pick up a burger and fries, try getting a turkey sandwich on fresh baked wheat bread. The healthier your diet is, the better your body will feel on the inside. Choosing the healthier option also includes eating in moderation; just because you’re eating flounder instead of fries doesn’t mean you can eat too much of it. My trick is to eat something from the five food groups in at least one of my meals.
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Drink a ton of water.
Make sure you’re drinking enough water every day. What I like to do is bring a water bottle to the dining hall and fill it up as often as I can. Water will also keep your skin hydrated and clear.
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Exercise.
This is my least favorite way to lose weight, but it’s pretty much the most effective way. Ask a friend or your roommate to join you, which will make going to the gym a fun experience. Even if you can go to the gym at least once a week, you will definitely see results. Getting a good amount of exercise is highly recommended because it’s also a good way to destress. But if you find it hard to fit the gym in your hectic schedule, there are always alternatives. Have a dance session in your room with your roommate before sitting down and watching your favorite show or even take the stairs instead of the elevator. The possibilities are endless, it’s just a matter of being creative.
Hopefully these tips will help ease the guilt of having all of the turkey, stuffing and gravy in front of you on Thanksgiving night. Try all of them out and soon enough you will see your pre-Thanksgiving body again. Happy Turkey Day.