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I laugh every time someone suggests that they should have a healthy Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner and do away with all the traditional family fair. Why? Because the implication behind that is if on these two days of the year, they serve or eat Tofurkey, kale salad, and angel food cake, that all of a sudden, their health and weight, or that of their guests, will instantaneously improve.
Good health and a healthy weight do not come simply because you abstained ONE DAY from eating the cheesecake at Christmas or Thanksgiving. Conversely, if you have been a healthy person for the majority of the year, gorging two days a year is not going to destroy your body and soul! It's ridiculous how people imagine these two days as being the sole reasons they gain or will mythically gain that extra ten pounds after Thanksgiving or that a years worth of diet and exercise will all go away with two meals, which is impossible. One does not gain ten pounds after eating one turkey dinner.
No, the weight gain and degeneration of your fitness level comes from first of all, deciding Nov. 1, that you're going to start a diet/exercise plan. You go crazy all out lifting weights and running miles and miles and you lose weight and then Thanksgiving comes, and you figure, the office party, your friends, and your family and everyone you wanted to impress have seen you 'not fat,' so then you go back to your old ways which include not exercising and not eating right and then continuously gorging on treats and leftovers. That fad diet slips away because you can't keep up anymore with the feverish pace of an insane and should be banned, "lose 40lbs in a month plan," and so you give up on it and blame your Grandma's turkey dinner for what comes after. I assure you, it's not her fault.
The other part are those people who like to show up on Thanksgiving or Christmas proclaiming, they are "getting healthy this year." They parade around with a bowl of salad proudly announcing that "there will be no cake for them," and "do you have any fresh fruit and water." Don't start a diet on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Just don't. This is the ultimate deprivation. These two days are about being with family and enjoying the bounty of food that is presented.
Rather than trying to deny yourself everything and making a big scene about it, try instead these tips:
1) Get a smaller plate. When you get this huge 14 inch round dinner plate, your inclination will be to stuff it to the gills. Try using a smaller bread plate or paper plate for your meal. It's better you have one small meal to start and remind yourself that you can get seconds if you are still hungry, then to power load up this huge plate and then be popping at the belt.
2) Have some non-creamy soup before dinner. Waiting around for everyone to arrive can drive your hunger level through the roof. Have some broth before you go or before guests arrive to help fill your belly so that you aren't ravenous at meal time.
3) Skip the drinks. Drinks are often loaded with "hidden" calories. If you want to help save your waistline, limit yourself to one small drink if you must, or drink water so you can enjoy your food without so much guilt.
4) Manage your leftovers. You do want to save things like the lean turkey, the vegetables not slathered in sauce and butter, and other healthier fair, but consider boxing up the rest to go with your guests or bringing leftovers to someone who may be shut-in or who didn't get to spend the holidays with family.
5) Stick to or implicate a healthy and normal workout routine. Walking 5 days a week or more for an hour is great. It will also help mitigate your stress level with all the planning. Remember your health is not nor should it be, a temporary diet or exercise plan. It should be routine.
6)Lastly, if everything goes out the window and you just gorge yourself crazy, tomorrow IS a new day, and a new start for you to begin a healthy routine or pick up where you left off. Also remember it is much much easier to remain on a healthy diet and exercise plan throughout the year so that days like this don't continuously inspire you to go on fad and yo-yo diets.
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