Turkey, Stuffing and a Side of Weight Loss (Really!)
Turkey Day is on its way! Thanksgiving is one of my very favorite holidays—no pressure to find the perfect gifts, just a day of relaxing with family, being grateful for each other and all my blessings, and, of course, eating ridiculously scrumptious food. I love stuffing, turkey, veggies and pumpkin pie. I'm thankful for all of it, but I try to avoid what I would call "over" appreciation.
Want to make your own holidays healthier? Try these easy tips from some of our favorite food bloggers Holiday Eating Handbook.
Rather than view Thanksgiving as a marathon of eating, I make an effort to eat within my normal range, meaning a regular (not heaping) portion of all my favorite dishes, so I can enjoy the occasion rather than end the day with that guilty, overstuffed feeling and the sleepiness brought on by a sugar overload. I try to avoid piling a tower of food on my plate and going back for endless refills. Seconds of turkey are understandable; polishing off the entire tray of stuffing may be a regrettable move.
Bring your own dish! Afraid only fat-laden bites will be offered at your favorite aunt's house? As long as it's okay with your host, make like Self.com's Eat Like Me blogger Cristin Dillon-Jones, R.D., and bring your own nutritious dish for guests to enjoy. "Whenever I go to a get-together, I contribute both a healthy dish such as a big fruit salad as well as something indulgent, like coffee cake," says Dillon-Jones. "Most people are happy to see a healthy option, and you get to fill up on it while also helping yourself to a small serving of the more sugary food." Don't blame me if you're hounded for the recipe! For a treat that's healthier than it looks (or tastes!), try these Chocolate-Walnut Cookies.
Exercise early. Squeeze in a sunrise workout before the rest of the house wakes up and you'll scorch calories and squeeze in alone time, without missing out on the day's activities, says Fitnessista.com blogger Gina Harney. If you're away from home visiting family, get a free trial pass to a local gym, choose one of these toners you can do without equipment or take part in a local Turkey Trot—log onto Active.com to find a race near you.
Shake up your baking. For healthier pie and other desserts, replace the animal products in your treats with ingredients that are lower in fat and calories, suggests Angela Liddon, who blogs about eating vegan at OhSheGlows.com. Substitute pumpkin or banana for eggs and use soymilk or rice milk instead of whole regular milk. Learn more about vegan or vegetarian options.
Eat well the next day. So you stuffed yourself on stuffing. Rather than regretting the feast, or pledging to starve yourself the next day as punishment, just try to resume your preholiday healthy habits. Eat a balanced breakfast such as yogurt with berries and a high-fiber cereal soon after you wake up, says Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., who writes diet blog SkinnyAndTheCity.com. You'll be fueled and back on track in no time—plus have the energy to hit the Friday sales! By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief
