Prevent Thanksgiving Weight Gain

You can still enjoy your Thanksgiving meal without having to gain unwanted pounds that lasts all Winter long. You can still enjoy Thanksgiving – It’s just all about planning ahead and keeping your health goals in mind.

Tips to Prevent Thanksgiving Weight Gain

• Start your day out with exercise, preferably cardio since you will need to burn as many calories as you can today! I have come to notice that if I start my day out with exercise, I tend to eat healthier throughout the day.

• Eat a light breakfast after your workout. I prefer to drink a healthy low calorie shake that keeps me satisfied without over eating.

• Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your Thanksgiving meal. People usually confuse dehydration with hunger, so drinking water will help prevent overeating.

• If you are in charge of making any of the food, choose healthy recipes that will rival the traditional favorites. You don’t have to add unhealthy fats or sugar to make a dish taste great.

• Don’t eat a dish, just because it’s a holiday “tradition”. If you don’t like sweet potatoes, for example, you don’t need to eat them just because they are on the table or because of it’s holiday tradition status. If you don’t like it, don’t eat it.

• It would be ideal if you can enjoy your Thanksgiving meal in the afternoon rather than at night. Eating a carb-heavy meal right before you go to bed is the perfect recipe for gaining weight, which is why it’s ideal to have the biggest meal of the day for lunch. This way, you have plenty of time to burn off those calories before you go into hibernation.

• Eat in moderation. You can eat all of your favorite dishes, just eat a small amount of each dish. You don’t have to clean up all of the food on the table – that’s what leftovers are for! Just eat until you are satisfied, not full. Go ahead and eat one slice of pie (if you must!), but don’t grab seconds and thirds. It’s all about moderation.

• Wait a little bit after the big meal, but go play a friendly game of football, go skiing, sledding, or playing catch with the kids – the point is, move! You don’t need to be in the gym to burn off those holiday calories!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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