Advertisement
Thanksgiving is this week, and for some that might cause more dread than excitement.
This week officially marks a time of overeating. With all the pies, carbs, side dishes, and sugary sweets, there is a lot that can go wrong when you are trying to either lose weight or maintain your weight. More importantly, though, you want to be able to enjoy yourself and not feel the guilt of eating that slice of pumpkin pie--that just goes against everything the holidays are about!
So how do you keep the weight gain at bay while still enjoying yourself? Check out these five tips below and find out!
1. Eat breakfast. Even if you are eating a big meal later, you definitely don't want to skip breakfast. This will cause your metabolism to slow down, and your body will store more of your Thanksgiving meal than it would have if you had eaten breakfast.
2. Redistribute your calories. Skipping a few calories during breakfast and redistributing those extra calories to your dessert later that night is a good idea if you're planning on eating more than usual. For example, instead of eating your usual egg, toast, and sausage breakfast, opt for organic peanut butter on whole wheat toast with tea. The peanut butter gives you the kick of protein while the fat will keep you satisfied longer, and the fiber in the whole wheat toast will digest slowly, which ultimately helps your metabolism for the day--all for less than 250 calories. You could be saving up to 400 calories for dessert!
3. Drink water. If you want to focus on eating less but staying full, try drinking an extra glass or two of water to keep your belly extra full, which might make it easier to say "no" to that extra helping of mashed potatoes. Water also can help if you accidentally eat too much sugar or salt!
4. Don't let guilt get to you. Just remember, it's nearly impossible to gain more than a pound in one day--and even that is hard! Focus on revving up your metabolism in the morning, then shed your guilt and focus on enjoying yourself. Guilt is more fattening than an extra dinner roll at Thanksgiving!
5. Have a post-party plan. "Even if a few too many margaritas fall into your mouth, or your face lands in a pumpkin pie, you’ll be okay," says Pomroy. "Just get back on track so that it doesn't turn into a season-long binge." The day after a feast, focus more on getting back on track than on what you ate the night before.
What do you think about this list? What are your tips you follow? Let us know in the comments!
Copyright © 2010 Satya Murthy/Flickr
