Happy Healthy Thanksgiving

 If you're like me, this Thanksgiving 2020, things are looking a bit different. We aren't gathering with all of our favorite people to catch up and eat a big meal...I mean, the big meal will still be in play, but the big-group turkey trot, back yard football game and people squeezed around a table are going to be sorely missed. 

BUT, with change, we are making different choices to help our little family enjoy the day just as much. And, let's be honest, it's all about the food anyway...haha...mostly.

Thanksgiving is still a day where it's perfectly acceptable to day drink while eating a crazy big meal at like 2 o'clock in the afternoon, take a nap (we call it "watching football" in my house) and then have 4 different kinds of pie for desert at 5....and then around 7....do it all again...probably while watching the first of many Christmas movies of the season.

So, in review, Thanksgiving is amazing...and still can be... but I dread the bloat and sleepiness afterwards...anyone else? The average Thanksgiving dinner clocks in at 3.000 calories…gasp...shocking that we feel a bit sickly afterwards!! 

So in order to make my Thanksgiving eating a bit more balanced and the day more meaningful, I am following these simple tips and swap outs and be thankful for a fun filled, guilt-free day of celebration!

1. Start the day off right with a little time for gratitude. I mean, the day is actually called THANKSgiving! This could even be done on days that are NOT called Thanksgiving. In fact, according to a Harvard study,  "gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships." Welp...that seals the deal for me!

2. Get that body MOVING with a metabolism boosting workout. Get outside for a walk, do this calorie torcher or just move your body with a dance party (this is a no-judgement zone).

3. Fill up on the good stuff.

• Start with soup…yep…hot liquids make you feel fuller, so scoop up a healthy bowl full of goodness like this festive butternut squash soup.
• White meat turkey (15% less calories than it’s dark counterpart)
• Raw, steamed, grilled or roasted veggies like these tasty Brussels sprouts
• “Lighter” mashed potatoes (make yours with unsweetened, unflavored almond milk and 1 TBSP ghee...it's richer tasting than butter so you need less!)
• Gravy…that’s right, I said gravy. It’s only about 80 calories per 2 tbsp and is more than half the calories of the sugary cranberries.
• Bring a protein and fiber packed dish like quinoa. I make a yummy one with sweet potatoes and black beans; you have to try it!
• Pumpkin Pie (180 calories vs. 250 in apple and up to 700 in pecan!!)

3. Skip the not-as-great stuff.

• Bread…you can eat bread any day…don’t waste your Thanksgiving calories on bread
• Butter…there is butter in nearly everything on Thanksgiving so give your mashed potatoes the benefit of the doubt (that they taste great) and leave the butter on the table
• Pass on the green bean casserole…yes, this tasty dish contains veggies, BUT it’s not enough to count this dish as a side vegetable what with all the fried onions and cream. Grab the steamed for fresh veggies instead

4. Ditch the drinks…just kidding. But remember that alcohol lowers your inhibition with what you put in your mouth (as well as what comes out of it) so just be careful.

5. Stay awake. While napping during the game might seem like a good idea, a better idea for increased energy is to go on a brisk, post-feast walk. Not only will you get your blood circulating, heart rate up and thus an avalanche of energy, but you’ll also be burning off some of the pie you just ate!

6. Relax…it’s a holiday. Although you don’t need to overindulge so much you make yourself sick, it’s still a holiday with some special food that is a one-day-deal...or a few days if you're into leftovers. So, take everything that’s special to you and skip the stuff that’s not.

Happy Thanksgiving!