Giving Thanks After Thanksgiving
Many of you have heard me talk about the Hunger Scale and avoiding a “10” or Thanksgiving Full when eating. Most laugh when we discuss it but feeling the fullness after the meal is no laughing matter and can start the season of over eating.
What are 4 helps for getting through the holiday season and feeling thankful you made it comfortable for your health and your body?
1.Be active or get some exercise in during the day. Even if you are cooking the turkey try to move for 20-30 minutes on Thanksgiving Day. It makes your insulin 35-50% more effective at utilizing the food you take in and can help with not feeling the “bloat.”
2.Be mindful of how much you are consuming. Grazing throughout the day can really add up. One study showed an average intake on Thanksgiving day could equal as much as 8000 calories. Ask yourself if you really need that second bit of an appetizer or helping.
3. Be reasonable with your meals beforehand. Have breakfast and a small lunch with protein before the meal. Don’t skip your meals to save for the feast. You?ll be over hungry when it starts which is a set up for bingeing.
4. Be discriminating: select the most important dishes that you want to eat. Turkey and veggies are the protein and healthy carbohydrates you need. Stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, yams and pies all contain lots of starches and sugars. Even though it is one day of the year it may be a set up for lowering your resiliency during the rest of the holiday season.  Pick 1 starch you can’t go without-  like stuffing and/or a small slice of pie. Perhaps have some mashed potatoes and skip the roll. Or substitute my Apple Blueberry Compote for the cranberry sauce and the Pumpkin Custard for dessert from A Recipe for Life.
You always have an option. Being active, mindful, reasonable and discriminating can multiply your health on Monday and the rest of the season. Your body will be happy and comfortable – and that’s truly something to be thankful for!
