- Image by jakeliefer via Flickr
Thanksgiving. What images does that bring to your mind? Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and all the goodies. Eating until you are stuffed, and then some; Aunt Beebe’s spring rolls; Grandma Mary’s pumpkin pie; Cousin Sue’s special hors d’oeuvre; Brother Bob’s special home made wine.
However, Thanksgiving is more than food. As you think about the upcoming festivities, try to focus on the social side like family and friends, and spending quality time, especially with those you don’t see often. This should be the center of the festivities, not just gorging on the food. Eating will leave you filled (or stuffed) but not fulfilled.
Before the special day of your event comes, whether you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner or bringing a few dishes to share, you will plan what to cook for the dinner. When you cook, use less fat, sugar, and thus lesson the calories. After all, most recipes call for more sugar and fat than is necessary to have a tasty dish. Try these tricks:
• Fat-free chicken broth works very well basting the turkey and making gravy.
• Use sugar substitutes and/or fruit purees instead of oil in baked goods.
• Reduce oil and butter wherever you can. Use canola oil for cooking and butter buds for that butter taste.
• Try plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream instead of milk in creamy dips, mashed potatoes, and casseroles.
Thanksgiving is here (or the day that weekend that works for your group). When you wake up in the morning, be sure to eat your normal breakfast. If you skip your breakfast, you will be famished by dinner and overeat. If your dinner is a little later than noon, have a healthy snack such as vegetables with low fat/no fat dip or a piece of toast with a tablespoon of peanut butter to take you through to dinner. If your dinner is in the evening, eat a lunch with protein – such as a peanut butter sandwich.
Here is a great tip: when you get dressed, wear SNUG clothing. Fitted slacks, a snug pair of jeans, or a belt will help you remember not to eat too much. As your stomach become fuller, you will feel it physically and it will remind you to check and see if you are really hungry or eating just to eat.
Make your drink water for the day. Your brother’s wine might be wonderful, but it is more fattening. Take a small glass to satisfy the taste, but drink water with everything else. You will feel better as water will help you to digest the food and will also keep your body functions running smooth.
Ready to eat? Be sure to have more than one size of plate available. Those who are trying to gain weight can take the larger plates, while you (trying to lose) take a smaller plate. Since we are all computer ‘nuts’, remember when filling your plate “A deck of cards, two computer mice, some salad and two slivers of pie, please.“
• Eating a large green salad before the rest of the meal will start filling you up
• Deck of Playing Cards is the size of meat or protein portion (3 to 4 oz). This can be more than one type of meat, just keep the total to 3-4 oz.
• A Computer Mouse is the size of a starch portion (1/2 cup). You get two of these. Pick wisely. Remember this is your choice. A roll and a small potato or some corn are examples.
• If you are still hungry and your pants are not too tight, go back for some more garden salad and/or veggies.
• For desert, you can have two pie slivers. That means you can have two different pies. What a concept!
Now, visualize your stomach. Do you know how big your stomach is? I don’t mean how much it can hold, but how big it is physically. Double your fists and put them side by side. This is the approximate size of your stomach. When you fill your plate, keep this in mind. Being overstuffed is not a good feeling.
Stop When You’re Full. This is one of the most repeated rules of eating, and it works when you are trying to lose. If you are trying to gain, you might want to eat a little more to stretch your stomach. Everyone else may be eating, grabbing seconds, and generally pigging out. So when you feel your pants getting tight, slow down, drink water, grab some raw veggies, or even find an excuse to leave the table (like playing with the kids). Trying to keep up with the heavier eaters will not make you feel better.
When everyone is done with dinner, be sure to have doggy bags ready to fill. Share the leftovers with your guests. Keep out a portion or two in your refrigerator, and freeze the rest in portion sizes. This gets the temptation to snack all day away from you, and lets you eat the leftovers a portion at a time.
Plan a family activity for after dinner, such as taking a walk to feed the birds or organizing a family football, basketball, or baseball, or soccer game.
At the end of the day, look back at your activities. Feel the joy of the time spent with loved ones. Remember your eating victories. Above all – DO NOT go on a guilt trip. This is only one meal on one day. Your weight loss journey will not be overturned by one meal. And as I always say, dieting is a series of choices, my choices, your choices. We are free to choose to eat something off our eating plan once in a while.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Please leave a comment with your tricks for handling the Thanksgiving Feast.
Listen to this postRelated Posts:
Tags: Butter Buds, choices, Healthy Snack, holiday eating, portion control, Pumpkin Pie, Sugar Substitutes, Tasty Dish, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Dinner, weight gain, Weight Loss
Saw your blog on GlCzone. Love it. Love your Thanksgiving advice!!!!! keep writing..
Great Blog!!! Check my blog out at fatlossdoneez.blogspot.com