Top 10 Tricks to Survive Thanksgiving
/Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, New Year’s... you get it...
1. Make sure you get a good breakfast! It’s easy to get busy especially when there are lots of things going on, but a good, healthy breakfast is not to be skipped. No, it doesn't have to be first thing in the morning, but you gotta eat something (See #3) One of my favorite “holiday morning” breakfasts is a highly nutritional meal-replacement shake.
2. Drink water! If your family is anything like mine, the wine will be flowing (not complaining, trust me) but don’t forget to drink your water. Seriously. DRINK the water! Aim for 100oz to keep you hydrated, offset alcohol intake, and remind your body you really don’t need to eat the whole turkey yourself. Tip: drink a glass of water in between each alcoholic beverage. I know, I know- you’ve heard that before, but here’s the key: Use the SAME glass for your water as you are using for your wine (etc.). That way you HAVE to drink your entire glass of water before you have another adult beverage.
3. Eat before your meal! If you are going somewhere for dinner, don’t leave the house without eating something first (see #1). If you’re hosting, consider putting out a simple veggie tray before the big event. Fresh veggies (without a lot of dip!) are a good pre-dinner snack. Often we “save room” for dinner than gorge past the point of comfort. By having something in your stomach, you’ll be less likely to eat everything in sight (which for Thanksgiving, can be a lot!)
4. Bring Healthy (or healthy-er)! If you are bringing something to the party, bring something cooked in the best way possible. Check out these recipes for a few ideas:
a. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
b. Roasted Root Veggie Medley
c. Roasted Red Pepper Sweet Potato Bisque
5. Cut it in Half! Only put half of what you think you want on your plate. When there is a lot of variety it's easy to overfill your plate so remember, you can always go back for seconds (And I don’t know about you, but I have a horrible case of “clean your plate syndrome”).
6. Go Small! Choose the smallest plate you can. Sometimes you have a choice and sometimes you don't; but if you can, choose the smaller plate.
7. Ask yourself, is it worth it? Is it Mom’s pumpkin pie, or Wal-Marts’? Are they slightly stale store-bought rolls or Grandma’s special recipe? Do you actually LIKE green bean casserole, or are you just eating it because it’s something else on the table? You’re an adult now, and past the “you have to try everything” phase of your life. Or maybe you’re not. But if you’re not, there’s a difference between “trying” foods and having overly large portions of said food.
8. Make it go away! If you are hosting and there are leftovers- send them home with guests. (Of course, keep the healthy stuff and items you plan to use as leftovers, but don't keep the snacks around to tempt you!)
9. Move! Just because it’s Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you have to sit on the couch all day. Go for a post-dinner walk, pop in your favorite exercise DVD, or do some stretches while watching the parade and/or football. I’m not saying you have to run a marathon (though you can if you want), just do something. Or better yet, start your day with a workout! Not only will it help get your blood flowing and put you in a healthier mindset, but the endorphins from your workout may just be the thing to help you survive that obnoxious family member you’re dreading seeing (After all, as Elle Woods says, “Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t!).
10. Give yourself a break! It’s a Holiday. Spend time with your loved ones and be grateful for the time you have together. If things don’t go exactly as planned, don’t stress. Tomorrow is a new day.
