How to Enjoy a Healthy Thanksgiving
How to Enjoy a Healthy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a meaningful day to express gratitude for our blessings, but it can also be a source of stress for a variety of reasons. It’s common to feel stress around food, especially if you are working hard to practice better health habits. Here are some strategies for how to enjoy Thanksgiving to the fullest.
Eat nutritious meals and snacks prior to the celebration. Many people try not to eat all day in anticipation of a large meal, but sitting down to a table of food when you are starving makes it harder to be sensible about food choices. Chia pudding would be a great choice for breakfast or a snack on Thanksgiving Day because chia seeds have fiber, protein and healthy fats. For lunch, try a leafy green salad with a plant protein like lentils. Prep these items in advance so you don’t have to spend extra time in the kitchen that day.
Go on a walk with your guests before or after the meal. Doing a 60-minute Turkey Burn bootcamp workout isn’t realistic for most people. Rather, aim to enjoy some kind of physical activity that day but make it a group affair. Continue to enjoy each other’s company while being active together.
Hydrate well before, during and after the meal. A Thanksgiving celebration often involves alcohol. If you choose to partake, drink responsibly by hydrating before, during and after drinking. Leave a pitcher of water on the Thanksgiving table. Make it festive by adding apple slices and cinnamon sticks for a flavorful infused water. For more tips, listen to our webinar on hydration.
Choose the foods and drinks you like the most. Consider which dishes on the table are your favorites. Choose those and ditch the rest. Thanksgiving meals often involve social pressure to eat a particular food, but eating for those reasons does not serve you.
Eat mindfully. Mindful eating is the practice of paying attention to the experience of eating, purposefully and non-judgmentally. Prepare your plate in a beautiful way. Take a moment to enjoy how delicious it looks and smells. Try this guided bite exercise before Thanksgiving to learn more about how to eat mindfully.
Enjoy the day. Thanksgiving is a time for practicing gratitude, not for stressing over our food choices. Besides, it’s just one day. No one day or one meal defines our health. Our health is impacted by our daily choices over time. If you eat more on Thanksgiving than you planned to, that’s fine. Move on the next day and go back to practicing healthy habits.
Have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving!
