7 DIET TIPS FOR SURVIVING THANKSGIVING DINNER
An IFBB Pro League athlete shares her tips on how to win on Turkey Day while enjoying it.
By Tabitha Klausen
That special holiday is right around the corner: Thanksgiving. It’s a holiday that we’re supposed to be thankful for everything that we have—family, friends, health, jobs, a roof over our head—but it’s also synonymous with feasting. We’ve preached about refeed meals and treating yourself every once and a while, but some people tend to go a little overboard on Thanksgiving.
The Calorie Control Council, a group that promotes healthy eating and exercise, estimate the average American will eat about 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving — and unless you’re qualified for the Mr. Olympia, that’s way above what you should be eating in a single day.
This is because many of the food items you’ll see on the table are super-high in calories: mashed potatoes with butter, pecan pie, and stuffing are just some of the caloric bombs we see on the table on an annual basis.
But there are ways to enjoy yourself without exploding your waistline.
Here are a few tricks to avoid overdoing it at the dinner table and blowing your diet.
Plan it out
If you’re celebrating with the regular crowd, by now you know who brings which dishes (Mom’s special cheesy potatoes, Aunt Sue’s famous pumpkin pie) so start thinking about what you’re planning on eating, or avoiding.
This is how I break it down: each meal I want a protein, a good carb, and a veggie. Thanksgiving is no different.
Protein source: Turkey—I eat the white meat. Vegetarian? Try cooking your own protein substitute for dinner.
Good-carb sources: Rice and potatoes, just beware of the butter.
Veggies sources: Green beans, corn, carrots, and peas.
Other Things to Watch Out For
Look out for added ingredients such as sugar, butter, bread crumbs, and sauces. While no one is expecting you to eat 100% clean on Thanksgiving—I’m looking forward to treating myself to a roll and a piece of pumpkin pie—just don’t go crazy like it’s your last meal.
Dare to Dessert
Once again, it comes down to planning. Pick one dessert you are going to eat, not three. There may be a lot of choices, and they all will look yummy, but as they say, “a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips”.
It will only taste good for a moment, but you will regret eating it a lot longer than that so eat a dessert you’ll munch slowly and savor.
Don’t Graze
Avoid nibbling on food the rest of the night (or for a few days after), and stick to your basic meal schedule. Keep your meals clean the rest of the weekend, and be sure to eat every two to three hours.
Get Moving
Take a walk after dinner, or go for a run. You’ll feel great, and it will get you out of the house and away from the all the goodies.
Be Strong
Watching what you eat can be a dangerous thing around family members. “You don’t need to watch what you eat,” or “Aren’t you going to try my___?”
These may be some of the things you’ll hear at the table, and you may even catch a few dirty looks, but you can kindly tell them that this is your personal choice, and explain to them why you’ve decided to make the choices you have.
It may be a learning experience for them.
Hit the Gym
It may be crowded at the gym the day after Thanksgiving, but it’s worth it.
Getting back on track immediately will keep you from falling off the workout wagon. Too packed in the gym for a workout? Take it outside.
Plan an outdoor workout including lots of plyos and cardio to help burn off any treats you might have consumed.
This workout will have you feeling great after Thanksgiving Day, and all you need is a mat and your gym attire.
Repeat the circuit a total of three times.
30 Jumping Jacks
10 Pushups
10 Burpees
1-min Mountain Climbers
1-min Side-Plank each side
15 Squat Jumps
10 Pike Pushups
3 10-sec Sprints
15 Reverse Crunches
@muscleandfitness
@beautybydaybootyatnight
Topics: COOKING DIET DIETING FAT LOSS FIT FOR HER HEALTH HEALTHY FOODS LOW CARB MEAL PLANS MEALS AND SNACKS NUTRITION PLAN PROTEIN FOODS WEIGHT GAIN WEIGHT LOSS