Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, and many college students are looking forward to spending this festive time with family and friends, indulging in a traditional Thanksgiving meal. That means it is time find your sweatpants and plop down in front of the TV to sleep off a meal that makes you feel like you are going to burst, right? Wrong! Thanksgiving is one of the most notoriously indulgent meals of the year—the American Council on Exercise estimates that the average Thanksgiving meal equals 3,000 calories, almost 4,500 if combined with pre-meal snacking. But fear not, health-minded collegiate! There are ways to have a healthier thanksgiving, without feeling like you are actually depriving yourself. Here are some easy ways to not go overboard at Thanksgiving:
Don’t starve yourself beforehand:
- You may think that saving up all your calories for the actual Thanksgiving meal would allow you to eat as much as you want, but if you are too hungry by the time everyone is ready to sit down and eat, you might find yourself going overboard and eating too much! Start off the day with a filling and sensible breakfast: oatmeal, Greek yogurt, fruits, and vegetables are all good choices. Whatever you choose, make sure you’re getting the necessary protein and fiber to keep you satisfied until the big meal rolls around.
Use a smaller plate:
- A Cornell study found that the larger the plate we use, the less food we feel like we are consuming. This makes it easier for us to go back for seconds and thirds, and you may end up eating more food than you had intended. Filling up a smaller plate tricks our minds into thinking we’re eating more than we actually are.
Do a once-over of the meal:
- When that pumpkin cheesecake or pecan pie is staring you in the face, you might be tempted to act on an impulse and just go for it—whether you really want it or not. Do a once over of the meal before you go up to get your food: you’ll be able to decide which foods you really want, and which foods you’re not willing to spend the calories on.
Be mindful of serving sizes:
- Unfortunately, Thanksgiving meals don’t come with nutrition labels, and before you know it you’ve piled 2, 3, or even 4 servings of a food onto your plate! Going into the meal knowing what the serving sizes for your favorite foods are will not only allow you to make sensible choices, but also allow you to sample and try many different foods. Having a variety of foods in sensible portion sizes is an easy way to feel like you’re eating more and not being deprived! Here are some portion sizes for the most common Thanksgiving foods:
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- Turkey: 3 oz (about the size of a deck of cards)
- Gravy: ¼ cup (about the size of a golf ball)
- Sweet/Mashed Potatoes: ½ cup (about the size of a tennis ball cut in half)
- Stuffing: ½ cup (about the size of a regular ice cream scoop)
- Butter/Margarine: 1 tsp (about the size of 1 board game die)
- Cornbread: 1 medium (about the size of a personal bar of soap)
- Cranberry Sauce: ¼ cup (see gravy for comparison)
- Pie: 1/8 of a 9-inch pie (about the size of a standard lightbulb)
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Exercise before the big meal:
- It can be quite easy to toss exercise out the window on a day like Thanksgiving, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a drag! Many cities, gyms, and community centers offer exercise events on Thanksgiving day, like Turkey Trots (various distance runs on Thanksgiving, ranging from 8ks to 5ks to 1-mile runs), or group spin classes to burn off the calories you’ll be consuming later! Make exercise on Thanksgiving a family event—take a stroll before dessert, for instance. Creating that calorie deficit, plus making sensible choices by the time the meal rolls around, ensures a Thanksgiving meal with more enjoyment, and fewer regrets.
Thanksgiving is a time of tradition, but throwing all the hard work you’ve put in at the gym this fall away doesn’t have to be one of them! The holidays are typically a time of weight gain, but approaching the big meal prepared and with a plan can ensure you won’t go overboard now, or battle the bulge later.
Sources:
http://foodpsychology.cornell.edu/outreach/large-plates.html
http://www.acefitness.org/pressroom/392/hard-to-believe-average-thanksgiving-meal-equals-3