Turkey Day is almost here!! Otherwise known as: your chance to overindulge, feel like you swallowed a bowling ball, and then feel bad about yourself holiday. On average, 4500 calories and nearly 250 grams of fat are consumed that day. NOT THIS YEAR!
Let me walk you through a few simple and realistic ways to avoid that extra Thanksgiving jiggle!
The first defense is to get active next week. The more you burn, the more you can indulge! If you are currently in a workout routine, you may want to add some high intensity interval training (spinning is a great way to get that in). You can burn tons of calories in a short amount of time and “wake up” your metabolism. My spinning studio is offering 2 classes on Thanksgiving (2 bikes left!) which will give you a healthy start to the day.
Your second defense is to choose your battles. Do you have a friend of family member that always pushes your buttons leading you to that extra cocktail or dessert? This year, go for a walk, run, or try an exercise on demand video to get out your frustrations ahead of time. Clear your mind and get yourself in a positive mood and think about what you are thankful for.
Third, look at your food as a source of energy that your body NEEDS, not a reward or punishment that your body WANTS. Food has no control over you! Completed the Turkey Trot or a Spin class at my studio? Good for you! Be grateful that your body was able to do that for you and thankful for putting positive energy out in the world today with your hard work and effort. Don’t thank yourself with an extra blob of whatever on your plate.
Lastly, swap a little this for a little of that. Have a bit of everything that is on the table and don’t feel guilty about it. If you can, try to fill your plate mostly with fruits and veggies first. That won’t leave much room for the more filling items like mashed potatoes and stuffing. I am not saying to deprive yourself of Grandma’s famous cornbread stuffing, just try to try a little and move on.
I am thankful for all of you that read this silly, little blog and continue to travel with me down the road to a healthier life and body. Happy Thanksgiving!