While Thanksgiving is a holiday of reflection and gratitude, it is no secret that food often takes the central role, and many of us tend to eat more than is healthy for us, and then feel unwell. If you’d like to keep your healthy habits on Thanksgiving, but are not sure how, here is a guide for a healthier Thanksgiving:
1. Enjoy the holiday! Instead of having a restrictive mindset, think about what you can add to your meals, rather than what you are “depriving” yourself from.
2. It’s all in preparation and planning: make sure you are including plenty of whole, plant foods. Plants should fill up most of your plate.
3. Consider including these superpower side dishes: green beans sauteed with almonds, sauerkraut, grashak (green peas), roasted brussels sprouts, asparagus and cauliflower, and steamed broccoli.
4. Eat negative calorie foods: starting your meal with a salad (remove the cheese, don’t use dressing (other than squeezed lemon perhaps) and go easy on the nuts if you really want to go for the negative calories) will ensure that your stomach is bulked up and you consume less of your second course.
5. For dessert, focus on fruit. Consider baked fruit with added cinnamon for extra taste. I love baking berries, apple slices and grapes, and eating them with cinnamon (if combined with oatmeal, they make a great breakfast). After you’ve eaten your fruit, if you are still hungry for cake or pie, go for it!
6. Make sure you stay well hydrated throughout the day, and have a glass of water before your meal.
7. As you are eating, focus on chewing your food thoroughly. This allows you to slow down and helps start the digestion process.
8. Most importantly, don’t forget to tell your loved ones how much you appreciate them, and be kind to yourself.
0 Comments