Thanksgiving, like all other holidays, is a time filled with family fun and festivities. Unfortunately, the holidays are also a time of overeating and potential weight gain. It may seem nearly impossible to be healthy on Thanksgiving, but I have some good news for you, collegiettes: there are actually quite a few ways to enjoy your favorite holiday foods without overindulging!
First, start your day with some exercise! If the weather is nice, Thanksgiving morning is the perfect time to get outside and do something fun. Races and “Turkey Trots” happen all throughout the country in light of Thanksgiving, so put your millennial technology skills to good use on Google, and I guarantee you will find one in your area. Another super cool thing about these races is that they often support charities; they are not only a great way to burn some calories before your Thanksgiving feast, but they also raise money for a good cause. Not to mention they make fun family activities!
Second, be sure to eat normally throughout the day. This may seem counterintuitive, but eating a healthy breakfast and lunch can help you better control your eating when the feast begins. Many people think it’s smart to cut back on calories before indulging, but skipping breakfast or lunch will only make you hungrier when dinner comes around, increasing your likeliness to go overboard and put you in a miserable food coma.
Lastly, always try to make good choices. Of course, the holidays are not the time to be rigid with your diet, but there will always be smarter options you can choose. For example, if your family eats Turkey, opt for the white meat instead of the dark meat. This simple switch can save you over fifty calories and four grams of fat. Another easy swap is to pair your turkey with gravy instead of cranberry sauce. As surprising as it seems, gravy is actually the better choice, as cranberry sauce is higher in both calories and sugar – switching to gravy can save you nearly seventy calories per quarter cup!
Hope you have a happy (and healthy) Thanksgiving!
*Source: Nicci Micco on eatingwell.com