You’re headed home for the holidays and know the house will be filled with cookies, carbs and alcohol. You don’t want all your hard work at the gym to be ruined after spending time with your family. So what do you do? First off, DON’T STRESS! Keep reading and find out how to get through Thanksgiving without packing on the pounds.
Squeeze in a Morning Workout
On the morning of Thanksgiving, wake up and get a workout in before the festivities begin. Whether that’s an annual Turkey Trot with the fam, a lifting session at the gym or a quick at home HIIT workout, anything is better than nothing. If you are looking for a workout to squeeze in before dinner preparations start, check out some workouts here (and stay tuned for another at home workout going live on Thanksgiving morning)! You’ll feel a little less guilty about eating a big dinner if you got your sweat on in the AM.
Limit Appetizers and Pre-Dinner Drinks
If you know you’ll be indulging in more food at dinner, limit your intake of appetizers and drinks at happy hour. Have one drink instead of three and have a few bites of the snacks instead of a meal full. Keep your eye on the prize, aka the turkey dinner.
One of my favorite podcasts, Diet Starts Tomorrow (from Betches) had guest Max Lugavere on this week to discuss limiting your intake on Thanksgiving. He said his approach to Thanksgiving is to fast during the day, shrinking your stomach, and just eating at dinner. Give that a whirl, if you are up for it!
Try Small Amounts and Go Back For Seconds
If you’re like me and are overwhelmed with the number of sides at the table during Thanksgiving, try taking only a spoonful or so of each to sample. Once you try a little bit of everything, go back for the dishes you really want to indulge in and skip the ones you can live without.
Stand Your Ground
Don’t be afraid to turn down drinks, an extra helping of stuffing or desserts because of the pressure family members are putting on you. Don’t feel bad, feel proud of your decision to resist the urge. People judging or criticizing you for your healthy decisions are usually just jealous they don’t have the same self-control!
Balance
Enjoy your time with the family and remember living a healthy lifestyle is all about balance. Eat the pumpkin pie in moderation and have a drink or two, if you’d like. Don’t deprive yourself, but don’t go overboard. Remember, there will likely be leftovers for you to eat the rest of the weekend, so don’t feel like you need to guzzle it all down on Thanksgiving night.