How to Eat Healthy this Thanksgiving
With the holidays quickly approaching, we can help you stay on track with your diet and weight loss goals. While the temptation is real to indulge in calorie rich food, Thanksgiving is also full of healthy, but equally as yummy alternatives! Here’s how you can eat healthy, but still join in on all the holiday festivities:
Snack smart.
If there are a lot of snacks around during your Friendsgiving or family Thanksgiving this year, be smart about what you snack on and how much. It’s OK to grab a few nuts or other protein rich snacks. Be careful not to fill up on too much bread, crackers, or cheese. If there’s a cheese dip that’s calling your name, try it with some veggie sticks like carrots, celery, or peppers. Or, if you’re afraid you’ll give in to too much temptation, have your favorite protein bar close by to hold you over before dinner. Check back here or join our email list for our upcoming sales. Stock up today and save!
Start with soup or salad.
Start your meal off right with a vegetable rich soup like this butternut squash recipe or a seasonal spinach salad topped with dried cranberries, walnuts, and balsamic dressing. When you start your meal off with a light vegetable appetizer, you set yourself up for success for the rest of the meal.
Pace yourself.
It’s easy to overeat and send yourself into a food coma. After each bite, put your fork down and take a sip of water. The Thanksgiving meal is also a great time to catch up and enjoy the company of your family and friends. All that talking can also help you pace yourself.
Indulge the right way.
You can still indulge in all the fixings of a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but take it easy with the starch vegetables. Skip the butter rich casseroles and try steamed broccoli or brussel sprouts instead. If mashed potatoes is one of your favorites, skip all that milk and butter and roast the potatoes in extra virgin olive oil topped with rosemary.
Turkey is a given during Thanksgiving and it can actually be healthy if you skip the skin and gravy. Turkey is high in zinc, B vitamins, and protein. It’s also low in saturated fat and cholesterol so you don’t have to feel guilty about adding it to your plate!
Portion control, especially when it comes to dessert.
A healthy diet (and one that’ll last a lifetime) means letting yourself indulge every once in a while. If you have a sweet tooth, you can still enjoy the foods you love, but in moderation. A traditional slice of pie is quite large, especially if you want to try both the pumpkin and apple pie. Savor a small slice of one and take your time before reaching for seconds – you might be surprised at how full you are when you take just a few extra minutes!
Need extra encouragement? Stay tuned for more tips on how to power through this holiday season!
- Nashua Nutrition