Thanksgiving is right around the corner, the decisions of staying on track or completely falling off the wagon. Here’s the real question, why does it have to be one or the other? Hear me out. Holidays are the number one excuse, I mean “reason” we fall apart. We have created these ideas of holidays of overindulging in foods, desserts, and booze. We use them as our reason to fall apart. Here’s my suggestion. Have a plan, execute that plan and remain in control. I find that based on the way my family cooks it is quite easy to stay on my nutrition plan. Really by the time you eat turkey or ham, some poetess and veggies the only real damage will be the fat you consume. Normally things are cooked with extra butter or the salads come with the dressings already on them. Are you ready for that? Here are my tips and tricks.
#1: Don’t go to dinner starving. It’s that simple, “saving” your calories generally ends if WAY over consuming in ALL foods, you won’t stop because you have built this meal up and then you have starved yourself waiting for it.
#2: Drink lots of water and eat smaller Normal meals. Making sure your properly hydrated to help keep bloat, and proper hydration before you consume some alcohol will make you feel full, happy and prevent you from over-consuming booze. Eating small low-calorie meals, less fat and less starch leading up to dinner will give you room for the extra calories.
#3: Fill your plate with LOTS of protein, LOTS of veggies and choose small amounts of the foods you enjoy but know aren’t the best choices. This way you can have a nice yummy taste of the things you love without the guilt of eating too much.
#4: Enjoy dessert and wine but set a limit. Half a piece of the pie, one glass of wine. Believe it or not, holidays are still fun and enjoyable without getting buzzed and eating everything under the sun.
#5: Be thankful. Be thankful for your family and friends and the time you have to share with them. It is not about the food and the booze, socializing is about socializing. You can still enjoy one another company without a wine glass in your hand.
While I preach balance time and time again this is no different. Enjoy the things you want to just make sure you’re not flying off the deep end because of its a Holiday. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Weddings, birthdays anniversary they are all about the meaning of the holiday Not the food, and not the booze. Ask yourself, if you HAVE to have booze and certain foods to have fun, you make actually have an addiction that you should seek help with. We can all joke about how booze helps deal with some crazy families but at the end of the day be sure your in control.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. We all have so much to be thankful for.