Watching your waistline and giving in to the delicious temptation of eating all you can eat is a real challenge during Thanksgiving and any other holidays, but the best thing is you can enjoy the Thanksgiving feast without gaining weight or feeling guilty about it.
It has been said that gaining weight during the holidays starting with Thanksgiving is a national pastime where you splurge on gorge on food, then spend the rest of the year trying to lose the pounds that have accumulated over the holiday season.
The battle to lose those easily-gained pounds may not be easy for everybody, especially for those who are not getting regular exercise.
Here are some suggestions on how to eat your fill and yet not to pile excess pounds during the holidays as suggested by health experts from the www.webmd.com website.
Get active
Former American Dietetic Association president Connie Diekman, MEd, RD suggests exercising before you indulge in your favorite foods to burn off extra calories. Diekman said that eating less and exercising more is the winning formula to prevent gaining weight during the holidays.
Never go to a party hungry
A lot of people do not include breakfast in their vocabularies, especially the nocturnal ones who stay up most of the night. Take note that if you skip breakfast because you are going to a party later in the day, you’re in for more trouble. You’ll be so hungry by then that you would not hesitate to load up your plate when you get to the party.
Eating a small breakfast can help you control your appetite.
Lighten up
Make your dishes healthier by using less fat, less calories and less sugar, whether you are hosting the Thanksgiving party or contributing a dish. Diekman suggests using fat-free chicken broth to baste the turkey and make gravy, using sugar substitutes instead of oil in baked goods, reducing the use of oil and butter as much as possible, using fat-free sour cream in dips for mashed potatoes, and others.
Watch your portions
Policing your portions is easily said than done and no easy feat when you stand with a plate in front of tables groaning under the bountiful weight of your favorite foods.
Before you reach out for the ladle and load your plate, decide first what you want to have then scoop reasonable sizes of the food you have chosen. By reasonable, it means don’t act as if it’s your last meal on earth.
Skip those tempting seconds
Going back for second helpings is just as irresistible as loading up on your favorites as if there’s no more tomorrow. Limit yourself to the dishes that are not available on any ordinary day.
Savor each dish slowly
Eating like somebody is chasing you or as if you are on a timer won’t help you, but if you take time and savor each mouthful of food, you will end up satisfied and not just full.
Go skinless on the turkey
Popping the crunchy skin of the turkey in your mouth could be one of your favorite parts of the Thanksgiving feast but this is also one of the richest sources of fat and cholesterol. Save space on your plate for side dishes, vegetables and fruit instead.
Avoid the alcohol trap
Alcohol calories multiply quickly, faster than you can add them up. Keep this in mind when you attend parties like Thanksgiving. Drink plenty of water to keep you hydrated.
Focus on the company
Thanksgiving is not all about food but a time to get together with friends and family. Go around and meet everybody instead of nailing yourself on the buffet table.
Source:
www.webmd.com/diet/features
