All in Moderation

Every year, thoughts of a big Thanksgiving meal and all the calories that come with it, start filling our heads. And honestly, it's something we look forward to. The stuffing, the mashed potatoes, the turkey (if you eat meat), the pumpkin pie, you name it. Oh and enjoying it all with family of course.

A few years ago, I realized that each year I finished Turkey Day with a stuffed belly, but not necessarily satisfied with all my eats. That's when I employed a different strategy that allows me to not have to worry about Thanksgiving. Hey, I had cinnamon rolls and milk for breakfast today!

Since that year of revelation, I simply take one scoop of mashed potatoes, a little stuffing, one piece of turkey, etc. That way, I'm also able to enjoy appetizers before hand, Thanksgiving meal, a drink if I feel like it and a slice of pumpkin pie AND my grandma's berry cobbler.

So, here are my tips for this Thanksgiving:

1. Have some veggies and hummus before dinner to fill your belly a bit
2. Choose the items you really savor and dream about all November and leave the items you could care less about (sweet potatoes w/ marshmallows in my case).
3. Drink H20!
4. Have conversations during dinner so you eat slowly
5. Take a walk/run before or after the meal (one year I laced up for a run at my grandparents' house about 30 min before dinner)
6. Keep on moving the day after Thanksgiving - hit up the sales, meet a friend for a walk, head to the gym, do a yoga podcast at home

Do you have a plan for big meals like Thanksgiving or do you give yourself a pass for these special occasions? Anyone doing a turkey trot tomorrow? I'm excited to run our local 5k + a few more miles so I really earn my turkey and mashed potatoes, but it's going to be freezing so I've already decided I'm not going to be sprinting this thing.

Anyone heading out to Black Friday sales this year? I usually get up early with my mom to watch the frenzy around town, but I'm not sure about this year. I may be checking out the online sales anyway.

Comments

Amber said…
Great tips! I really need to work on these at Christmas this year. Last year I did go for a big run on Christmas Eve and another one after breakfast on Christmas Day so that helped, but I also felt way too stuffed! Need to work on only enjoying a LITTLE bit of each thing I like :)
Anonymous said…
Your Thanksgiving tips are great! If I wasn't leaving for California tomorrow I would be running one of the Thanksgiving races. Good luck!
Erin said…
Everything you say is the truth! I hate how I (usually) end up feeling at the end of Thanksgiving Day....especially because I have two families to eat with now. I decided that this year I would make some healthy alternatives to some of my usual turkey day favorites. We'll see how they turn out. The fiance and I are also going for a run tomorrow morn. This COULD be interesting since we're going out for a night of craziness this evening..... :)
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Katness said…
I'm still new to this whole Thanksgiving thing and I just went vegetarian few months ago, so I'm just gonna go with the flow and do whatever the fam is doing and observe them.

I think were just having dinner and then head back home. I would love to create some of our TG traditions though, something that me and my husband would start doing every year. But I know Black Friday sales def won't be part of it...

Happy Thanksgiving!
chaco sandals said…
Great tips for the thanksgiving...thanks for the share...

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