Healthy Thanksgiving Tips
Here we are again, at the verge of celebrating with another big Thanksgiving dinner. Lately I have heard the comment, “well, it’s only once a year, so it’s ok.”
If that is the justification, let’s think about other times of the year we may say that: birthday cake, family reunion, 4th of July – and don’t forget the Memorial Day and Labor Day – picnics. The list can go on, but you get my point.
We should celebrate. But we can be sensible without giving up our festive attitude or discriminating taste buds.
My tips are practical. Just some observations from other tips, a few of my own, and please, I invite you to be inspired to create some of your own from your own common sense.
Water. Drink water as an item on a to-do list, don’t just wait till you are thirsty. At a busy time like this, it would be something we can forget and it helps with digestion, physical stamina, brain power and mood. We need ALL of those during the holidays. I recommend checking in on your own hydration at every awake hour. Sip some every hour and it will help. If you are giving the party, try to have a glass of water for your guests at the meal and offer refills as long as they stay. If it is easier, put a case or two of bottled water at a nice access point away from the kitchen so guests can get their own without bothering the progress in the kitchen. If you are a guest, you could bring a bottle with you and drink some in the car before you even go in to the party. It is now just a common item everyone sees around, so in case the host doesn’t realize you are thirsty, you can look out for yourself.
Water in cooking. You can cut back a little on things that help moisten a dish by adding a little less – of butter, oil, egg, etc and add water to make up the texture difference. It will lessen the calories.
Have healthy choice dishes on the menu. So many people have varying diet needs for their own health issues, so JUST GO AHEAD and make a no carb offering, a vegetable (vegetarian) dish without a heavy sauce or “naked”, and have bananas or some fruit around for those who cannot have dessert. Another good thing is to have around is non-sweetened iced tea. That way, there are choices without disappointment or much unpleasant discussion about being deprived.
Activity. Make sure you get your regular exercise times in. It is so easy to give up your exercise hours during this time because no one else notices. But you will notice later if you gave it up and you may feel guilty or even resentful that you didn’t get that workout in.
If the regular routine is out of the question, be more active where you are. Make a point of getting up and down out of the chair a couple times an hour. Gesticulate more with your arms, march in place in the chair, and even just doing glute squeezes, torso turns, roll ankles and bend/straighten legs now and then will be better than sitting still. But if you are on a plane, refrain on the big hand gestures!! And of course, sit up straight!
Food Groups. Make sure as you are filling your plate, to find offerings of all food groups. Include grains and proteins, which won't be hard, but make a special effort to pick vegetables and fruits to enjoy also.
BE thankful. Take a moment and really remember that this holiday was created to stop and take note of all we can give thanks for. The pilgrims were stressed out too. But they still took time to invent the holiday traditions.
We at All Is Well Posture & Fitness wish you a very joyous holiday season. And we are thankful that we are blessed with the ability to help make people’s lives a little better.
Yay!!
Paula
