To enjoy a guilt-free Thanksgiving dinner, consider these tips:
- If you’re in charge of Thanksgiving dinner, plan your dinner with plenty of low calorie plant based side dishes. For desert I recommend pumpkin pie, if you can try to find or prepare a pie crust with out arterial clogging trans fat..
- If you’re worried about food choices at the dinner table, bring your own low-fat or nutritious appetizer.
- Don’t skip breakfast or lunch on Thanksgiving Day as this is a sure way to overeat at the dinner table.
- Remember our bodies aren’t meant to handle 2,000-3,000 calories all at once (the typical Thanksgiving meal packs about 3,000 calories) and will store excess calories as fat.
- Control portion sizes: Draw a 12-inch dinner plate in your mind and divide it into three-inch-sized circles with each one representing one food group: proteins, vegetables and starches. The key is to stay within your circle for each food group. If you like turkey and ham, fit a little of both in one circle.
- Be mindful of your alcohol intake: Mixed drinks tend to have a high amount of concentrated sugar and quickly add empty calories. One glass of wine may be reasonable, but remember alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, which makes it nearly twice as fattening as carbohydrates or protein.
- Be active: Go for a bike ride, a long brisk walk, a run or spend at least one hour at your local gym to burn calories before Thanksgiving dinner. End dinner with a family walk around the neighborhood or some other form of physical activity (e.g., a game of touch football instead of watching it on the tube).
