- Food without guilt. What food items make Thanksgiving special to you? For me, it’s Grandma’s pumpkin pie. For another it’s Aunt Nina’s sweet potato casserole. Whatever the foods are, the key is to allow yourself a reasonable
portion of these items, but leave the less desirable sides to others. Setting healthy boundaries including what you like and what you don’t like is important in honoring yourself and your needs. Don’t feel obligated to eat everything all at once. There are plenty of opportunities for leftovers. You can also indulge in those foods that make this day special and make smaller, less energy-dense (examples: skinless turkey, fresh veggies, salad, diced fruit, and water) choices as accompanists. - Perspective. You have one day to enjoy your favorite holiday foods, but this doesn’t mean gorging yourself until you are physically uncomfortable in that one day. For a reminder, read tip No. 1. All too often Thanksgiving, a one-day-event, turns into a four-day eating party, since many of us are off from work and outside our normal routine. This is the perfect setup towards feeling unmotivated and for weeks to come. It also makes us feel guiltier about the time spent with family.
- Focus. Set your focus more on the family around you and the memories created with them, as opposed to food. This ties into No. 3. Changing your perspective
- Start your day with a Turkey Trot. Most communities offer an organized run/walk on Thanksgiving morning. Take advantage of this and burn some calories before your meal to help balance out those splurge items from Tip No. 2. Not a runner? You can walk any turkey trot, too. Plus, you’ll get a neat t-shirt to wear all year.
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