Your Healthy Thanksgiving Survival guide
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Happy holidays, friends!
Whether you’re planning to create the picture-perfect turkey dinner yourself, have a Friendsgiving planned, or can’t wait to put on your stretchy pants and dive in at a relative’s house, I am wishing you the very best Thanksgiving & holiday season.
During a holiday meal, Americans can easily consume up to 3,000 calories (that’s in ONE meal, not throughout the day!). And, Thanksgiving is THE No. 1 biggest food holiday of the YEAR (followed by Super Bowl Sunday).
From the gravy to the mashed potatoes, casserole sides to the dressing (or stuffing, if you will), and everything in between, it’s often a competition to see who can get the most out of dinner. Who’s going to get the turkey leg or lay claim to the biggest slice of pie? Who wants seconds?
Before you loosen your belt (ok, let’s be real, why even wear one?!), Mel’s got 10 tips for you to help you with this meal AND future holiday festivities so you don’t overstuff yourself.
10 tips to help you enjoy a healthy Thanksgiving:
Pre-plan the menu, even if it’s not yours alone.
Whether you’re hosting or bringing along a dish, talk to the host about how everyone can pitch in. If you’re in charge, encourage variety and don’t be afraid to request healthy appetizers, sides or dessert options. Help your guests by giving them ideas or a list of possible foods that you want them to provide.
Start your day off right with a healthy breakfast.
Start Thanksgiving food off with something high in protein and fiber (think eggs and whole-grain toast with a side of sauteed spinach, or a smoothie with almond milk, banana and leafy greens).
Savor + enjoy your favorites!
Thanksgiving is all about the traditions we share and memories we make. Don’t skip your favorite beloved recipes (even if they aren’t “healthy”), just eat them mindfully so you’re enjoying it as much as possible and not overindulging. You can also research beforehand to see if you can swap out a couple ingredients to create a more nutritious version.
Revamp your favorite dishes with healthier versions.
See the previous tip! Many of us love traditional green bean casserole or canned cranberry sauce, but there are simple ways to switch out ingredients for these sides to create your own version that’s more nutritious and wholesome. Who knows, you might even like the revamped version even more!
Don’t let turkey be your only option.
Turkey is usually the show stopper, but you can always cook another protein (like fish, cornish game hens, etc.) that you might enjoy on its own, with moderate portions of side dishes. Consider how your turkey is being cooked, too (a fried turkey adds a lot of calories through the cooking process, versus a baked or grilled turkey).
Go light on appetizers.
Light doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t eat any starters – but it’s easy to overdo it if you’re not being mindful before you even sit down to dinner. Fill your appetizer plate with veggies or healthier choices, and leave a little room for the indulgent snacks.
Don’t (over)fill your dinner plate.
If you’re of the “clean plate club” mindset, you definitely don’t need to overfill your plate, or consider using a smaller salad plate for your main meal. We tend to finish almost all the food we put on our plates, making it extra easy to overeat on Thanksgiving. If you stick with a larger plate, try to fill half with salad and healthy veggie sides.
Go 1:1 with alcoholic beverages.
For every glass of wine, beer or mixed drink you pour, follow it with a glass of ice-water (or club soda). Take your time to sip and enjoy what you’re drinking and be mindful of how much you fill up on liquid versus food calories. If you’re over-drinking, it’s even easier to overeat!
Be forgiving and don’t feel guilty about enjoying your meal.
Did you read this list and still feel like a stuffed turkey (pun intended) after Thanksgiving? So what…you enjoyed your dinner! Don’t feel badly about it or put yourself down. Why not see if some dinner guests want to take a short walk around the neighborhood? See if the kids want to have a dance party with the grown-ups? Getting up and moving will help your body start digesting the food, and it’ll help you avoid feeling any guilt or shame (because you shouldn’t!)
Pause, reflect, be thankful.
Most importantly, take time on Thanksgiving to reflect on the things you’re most grateful for. Enjoying time with family and friends for a delicious meal is part of that reflection — but as tasty as dinner is, nothing compares to the people around the dinner table! Looking back, the memories you’ll savor aren’t the ones with food.
If you haven’t already, be sure you go ahead and sign up for my Holiday Challenge (sign up here!) and you’ll get: motivational emails, healthy Thanksgiving recipes, tips and more to help you form healthy habits (for your holidays + everyday life). PLUS, I’m giving away some awesome fun prizes that will keep you on track this holiday season!
