10 Tips for a Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving

Good morning friends, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Hopefully you are all stocked up on the ingredients to make the healthy Thanksgiving dishes I hooked you up with this week: T-Day Lentil Loaf, Calorie-Cutting Candied Yams, Not Yo Mama's Mashed Potatoes, and Cran-Apple Stuffing.

If healthy cooking isn't an option though, here are 10 tips courtesy of Jenny Craig to help you cruise through this day calmly and not stress over over-eating.

Ten Tips to a Healthy Thanksgiving:

1. Personal pep talk: Start the day with a little positive thinking; make a strong positive statement of self-belief when you wake-up (e.g., “I can enjoy my Thanksgiving meal without overdoing it.”)
2. Most important meal: Slow down and enjoy breakfast – don’t be fooled into thinking that you are “saving your calories” by skipping it. Doing so will actually make you hungrier by dinner and you may end up binging.
3. Just calm down: The hustle and bustle of prepping for the holiday, paired with trying to resist temptation can increase your risk for a binge. So sit back and relax!
4. Practice makes perfect: Practice low-fat cooking techniques, like baking the stuffing on the side.  Buy fresh rather than a self-basted turkey and trade out items like cream and cheese for low-fat or fat free options, or whole eggs for egg whites
5. Drink and eat: Sounds fun, right? It’s simple; stay hydrated and fill up on healthy snacks, like fresh fruits and veggies. Thirst can be mistaken for hunger, so make sure you’re drinking plenty of water so you’re not snacking excessively.
6. Get active: Move a little more by engaging in some fun activities that don’t feel like working out like walking your dog, playing catch with your children, etc. These movements will not only help burn calories, but they will also stave off your appetite and reduce stress.
7. Be a social butterfly: Focus on the social aspects of the party and keep busy mingling with friends and family, rather than placing too much emphasis on the food.
8. Portion control: Manage your portions – using visual cues is also a great way to control those portions, such as 3 ounces of turkey compares to the size of a deck of cards.
9. Volumetrics Approach: This eating style, developed by healthy-eating expert Dr. Barbara Rolls, will allow you to add veggies, fruits and whole grains to your day, helping you to feel more satisfied while reducing the number of calories you’re consuming. Not to mention you’ll feel full, longer!
10. Treat yourself:  Indulge in a splurge…safely that is! A splurge adds 250 calories, so go ahead and get one larger portion of your favorite Thanksgiving food, whether it’s yams, cranberry sauce or even a glass of your favorite wine.

For more Turkey Day health tips check out some of past years' posts: Avoiding Thanksgaining and Thanksgiving: The Good, the Not So Bad, and The Ugly

Or read this funny and partially informative article of all the possible health questions you could have surrounding Thanksgiving from The Atlantic.

And finally, enjoy yourself and look on the bright side...at least you're not a turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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