Stay on Track this Thanksgiving!

While the Thanksgiving holiday should be a fun and festive time, for people focused on healthy living, it can be a struggle. Let’s focus on the Thanksgiving meal and how we can prepare to enjoy it without sacrificing our health goals.

Commit to One Plate

Perhaps the simplest thing to do this Thanksgiving is to commit beforehand to limit yourself to just one plate of food. Think back to your time at CPT. You were able to eat just one plate of food for every meal for weeks on end. Why should Thanksgiving be any different? You already know you can do it!

Fill Up on Greens First

A good plan for your Thanksgiving meal is to fill up on low caloric density foods first. For Thanksgiving, these foods typically include salads, green beans, and yams depending on their preparation. If possible, ask your host if you can have green beans steamed with no butter, and yams baked with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top instead of butter.

Go easy on the high-fat foods like buttered mashed potatoes and gravy. It’s okay to take a small portion of turkey, but try to get a lean piece and forget the gravy. Remember portion sizes. One serving size of turkey is about the size of your smartphone, and about as thick.

Choose Zero Calorie Drinks

For drinks, just try water with your Thanksgiving meal. If you want something with more taste, remember there are so many zero-calorie drinks out there. The trick is to find something you like to drink with no calories. Eating your calories is always better than drinking them.

Remember, beverages should be a no-brainer. Just find something with zero calories and stick with it.

Skip the Dessert

Let your host know beforehand that you will be skipping dessert. This way, you won’t have any peer pressure to try pie for dessert. If there is pressure for you to remain at the table while dessert is served, ask for some sliced fruit instead or zero-calorie jello.

Get Some Activity

Some families plan Thanksgiving around a “Turkey Trot” jog. This can be a formal event, or you can make up your own jogging event with your family. Going for a walk around the neighborhood helps with digestion and reminds us of our health and fitness goals. Find activities that are fun where the entire family can participate.

Final Thoughts

Try to maintain regular habits as much as possible during the holidays. There is a tendency for people to sleep in, stay up late engaging in screen activity, and take naps on school breaks. Try to keep a regular sleep and activity schedule and limit screen activity to two hours per day or less.

Above all, remember the effort you put in last summer at Camp Pocono Trails. Now is not the time to backslide. Because most weight gain happens over the holidays, now is the time to really ramp up your efforts. Your success depends on your ability to create a plan and stick with it over the holidays.