- choose whole grain breads
- eat lots of green and colorful vegetables
- drink lots of water
- eat the turkey meat, but not the skin
- enjoy a low fat dessert
- slow down - eating fast means eating more food
The above tips were from THIS website. Cartoon from HERE; click it to enlarge.
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- Don't go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungry: we often eat faster and more when we are hungry - therefore eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day to avoid overeating at dinner time.
- Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet: Fill your plate half with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly and stop when you are full.
- Turkey - go skinless: choose your 4-oz turkey portion skinless to slash away some fat and cholesterol. Save your appetite for the side dishes and desserts.
- Side Dishes - watch your portion size: go for smaller portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is always the key.
- Limit high fat items: high fat food items can be found in fried and creamy dishes as well as cheese-filled casseroles in a traditional Thanksgiving meal . For instance, mashed potatoes are usually made with butter and milk; green bean casseroles are often prepared with cream of mushroom soup, cheese and milk and topped with fried onions; candied yams are loaded with cream, sugar and marshmallows. If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size. Again moderation is the key.
- Drink plenty of water: alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body. Drink calorie-free water to help fill up your stomach and keep you hydrated.
- Substitute high fat ingredients with lower-fat or fat-free ingredients. Learn about the 5 easy steps to recipe substitutions or see table below.
The above tips were from THIS website.
_______
- Drink water: I know that most kids (and a lot of adults) would rather drink soda, apple cider and other sugary drinks. Water is good for you. It has ZERO calories and can help keep you feeling full so you'll eat less. Why not have an 8 - oz. glass of water (that's 4 oz. less than in a common can of soda) before you eat, during your meal and after?
- Eat the healthier foods: I'm not saying you have to skip the pumpkin pie or the stuffing, but make sure you eat some of the healthier foods on the table too - like turkey. Turkey is a very healthy food. It's high in protein and amino acids, which are the building blocks of cells. Other good choices are: squash, cranberry sauce, green beans, salad and nuts.
- Only eat until you feel full: Sometimes, when you see lots of food on the table, you want to eat more - even if you're not really hungry. It's okay to walk away from the food - and the table (after you excuse yourself, of course). Even if someone tells you to eat more, you don't have to. Just be polite and remind them you ate all you need, but you may come back later if you're hungry again.
- Play football or another fall sport as a family: One of my best friends and her family have an annual (that's every year) tradition. They choose two teams and play tag football before dinner. After dinner, you can also take a walk, rake some leaves or do something else you can enjoy as a family.
Remember: The whole point of the holiday season is to enjoy being with those you love--not eating more than you need.
- eat lots of green and colorful vegetables
- drink lots of water
- eat the turkey meat, but not the skin
- enjoy a low fat dessert
- slow down - eating fast means eating more food
The above tips were from THIS website. Cartoon from HERE; click it to enlarge.
_______
- Don't go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungry: we often eat faster and more when we are hungry - therefore eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day to avoid overeating at dinner time.
- Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet: Fill your plate half with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly and stop when you are full.
- Turkey - go skinless: choose your 4-oz turkey portion skinless to slash away some fat and cholesterol. Save your appetite for the side dishes and desserts.
- Side Dishes - watch your portion size: go for smaller portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is always the key.
- Limit high fat items: high fat food items can be found in fried and creamy dishes as well as cheese-filled casseroles in a traditional Thanksgiving meal . For instance, mashed potatoes are usually made with butter and milk; green bean casseroles are often prepared with cream of mushroom soup, cheese and milk and topped with fried onions; candied yams are loaded with cream, sugar and marshmallows. If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size. Again moderation is the key.
- Drink plenty of water: alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body. Drink calorie-free water to help fill up your stomach and keep you hydrated.
- Substitute high fat ingredients with lower-fat or fat-free ingredients. Learn about the 5 easy steps to recipe substitutions or see table below.
The above tips were from THIS website.
_______
- Drink water: I know that most kids (and a lot of adults) would rather drink soda, apple cider and other sugary drinks. Water is good for you. It has ZERO calories and can help keep you feeling full so you'll eat less. Why not have an 8 - oz. glass of water (that's 4 oz. less than in a common can of soda) before you eat, during your meal and after?
- Eat the healthier foods: I'm not saying you have to skip the pumpkin pie or the stuffing, but make sure you eat some of the healthier foods on the table too - like turkey. Turkey is a very healthy food. It's high in protein and amino acids, which are the building blocks of cells. Other good choices are: squash, cranberry sauce, green beans, salad and nuts.
- Only eat until you feel full: Sometimes, when you see lots of food on the table, you want to eat more - even if you're not really hungry. It's okay to walk away from the food - and the table (after you excuse yourself, of course). Even if someone tells you to eat more, you don't have to. Just be polite and remind them you ate all you need, but you may come back later if you're hungry again.
- Play football or another fall sport as a family: One of my best friends and her family have an annual (that's every year) tradition. They choose two teams and play tag football before dinner. After dinner, you can also take a walk, rake some leaves or do something else you can enjoy as a family.
Remember: The whole point of the holiday season is to enjoy being with those you love--not eating more than you need.
The above tips are from THIS website.
_______
- Enjoy the variety of food available at Thanksgiving without consuming large volumes.
- Get some exercise before and after the meal, even if you just take a walk.
- Make an effort to see if there are lower-fat alternatives to some of your family's traditional holiday meals.
- Give others the opportunity to work in the kitchen. Even if they don't do things the way you would, they may know of healthier methods for meal preparation.
- Buy a smaller turkey and prepare smaller servings of all that you plan to serve.
The above tips are from THIS website.
_______
- Enjoy the variety of food available at Thanksgiving without consuming large volumes.
- Get some exercise before and after the meal, even if you just take a walk.
- Make an effort to see if there are lower-fat alternatives to some of your family's traditional holiday meals.
- Give others the opportunity to work in the kitchen. Even if they don't do things the way you would, they may know of healthier methods for meal preparation.
- Buy a smaller turkey and prepare smaller servings of all that you plan to serve.
The above tips are from THIS website.
Great post, Abby! My mom was telling me today she read somewhere that we put on half of our weight gain for the year between Thanksgiving and New Years! Isn't that scary?
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