Helpful Tips for Thanksgiving Feasts

The holiday season officially kicks-off tomorrow with Thanksgiving and it’s important that we remember not to go too crazy with all the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, pumpkin pie, pecan pie…It’s easy to overeat this time of year.  We’ve all been known to do it.  I’m willing to bet that most of us also regretted it shortly after.  Am I right??  We may have regretted it for different reasons.  Feeling like your stomach is going to explode because you ate too much.  Feeling guilty that you ate way more than you had planned and now you feel like you have to run a marathon to balance out the calories.  Feeling sleepy because of all the tryptophan.  Okay that last one may be an old wives tale, according to the internet.  Regardless of the reason for your regret, you still overate.  Here are some helpful tips (some are my own and some are from said internet) to make sure you don’t overeat/feel regret. 

1.       Portion control – I feel like sometimes this is a dirty word.  People throw it around but no one really wants to talk about how difficult it is or how important it is.  My grandfather used to say “Too much applesauce will kill ya.”  He was a very wise man.  While it sounds silly to say too much applesauce will kill you and while it’s probably not true, it’s never been disproved though, his point was everything in moderation.  It’s not easy to do.  We’ve been given this gift called will power and some of us have it and some of us maybe need to work on it a little bit.  What better time than Thanksgiving to start?  Here’s what I recommend for portion control…when you are passed a dish, think about how much you want (be honest) and then take half of that.  So if you want two scoops of potatoes, take one.  If you want 3 pieces of turkey, take one medium size piece and one small piece.  The key, though, is to be honest with yourself about how much you want.  Don’t tell yourself you want more than you really do just so you can have an extra serving.  That defeats the purpose. 

2.       Don’t Put the Food on The Table – We all are used to sitting around a table with tons and tons of food in the middle and passing the dishes around, right?  Well, what if you left the food on the counter or better yet, in the kitchen?  What happens then?  You are probably going to be less likely to go back for seconds if you have to get up from your seat and walk into another room.  If it’s your own home, you have more control over this than if you are a guest.  Chances are, though, if it’s someone close to you, you can explain what you are trying to do (stay healthy and not overeat) and they will be willing to help you out.  It’s good for everyone, really.  Not just you. 

3.       Engage in the Conversation – If you’re talking, you’re not eating.  It’s a simple as that. 

4.       Don’t Eat Everything on Your Plate – I was raised in a home where I had to eat every single morsel of food on my plate before I could be excused from the table.  In fact, legend has it that my dad and I had a standoff at the dining room table one night because I wouldn’t finish my dinner.  While I don’t remember that incident (but am not surprised by it), I’m pretty sure I won.  At least that’s the version of the story I tell myself.  Anyway, it turns out that not eating everything on your plate is actually a good thing.  It keeps you from overeating.  Yes, I realize there are hungry children all over the world and even in America.  And my heart goes out to them, it really does.  But that doesn’t mean I have to eat every single bite of food made.  If that was the case, I would be as big as a house with all of the leftovers I have cooking for one person.  In order to avoid having a tremendous amount of food left on your plate, please refer back to Number 1 – Portion control. 

5.       When You Think You are Full, STOP EATING!! – When you think you are full, you probably are.  It doesn’t do you any good to keep eating simply because the food is there.  Even if everyone else is still eating, put your fork down.  In fact, take your plate to the kitchen and put it in the sink.  Then go back to the dining table. 

 

6.       It’s Just Another Meal – For some reason, we all go crazy at Thanksgiving thinking that the point of the holiday is to eat as much food as well possibly can.  Why is that?  Honestly, it’s just another meal.  The point of Thanksgiving is to be with family and friends and celebrate what you are thankful for and the blessings in your life.  Yes, we are all thankful for the food we have but that’s not what I’m talking about.  Would the holiday be any less meaningful if you didn’t overeat?  Would your family and friends feel less appreciated if you don’t have that piece of pie?  Probably not.  In fact, you might inspire them to follow in your footsteps. 

I hope you find some of these tips helpful as you gear up for tomorrow.  Remember, it’s okay to enjoy the day and the food.  Just don’t go crazy.  You will only regret it. 

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

BE BOLD! BE YOU!