Ok, so this seems to be the topic of the season, right? Thanksgiving only comes around once a year, and it seems to be on trend to splurge during the Holidays. But why do we feel the need to gain weight and eat more than needed? Why can’t we make it a healthier holiday while still giving thanks and enjoying the company of friends and family? Lets try to be guilt free as much as possible! Exercise more than usual, put your mind to it and enjoy the season free of guilt.
Here are some tips that have come to mind as we approach Thanksgiving:
1. Get active! There are tons of organized runs going on during this time of year. Get registered to run or walk a 5k even if you are not a runner. Burn off those extra calories, both before and after meals. Take a walk, increase your steps, lengthen your fitness routine the weeks ahead and also the day of the feast. Make fitness a family adventure which you can all enjoy together.
2. Eat breakfast the day of. While it may make sense to save calories for the big meal, eating a small meal in the morning gives you more control over your appetite later in the day.
3. Lighten up the feast, with less fat, sugar and calories. This is easier if you are the one in the kitchen, but fat-free chicken broth, sugar substitutes, and less butter are just a few ways to make the meal a little less indulging.
4. Portions, portions, portions! Use portion control people! “If you’re hoping to keep this Thanksgiving from turning into another gut-busting affair, that’s what your plate should look like: a serving of turkey no larger than a deck of playing cards and half a cup each of two starches. (A half-cup is about the size of a computer mouse.) And that’s being generous…But Americans generally are clueless when it comes to proper portions, and on Thursday most will belly up instead to platters piled high with more calories and fat than an average person should eat all day.” Did you know that Americans are eating about 200 more calories per day than they did during the 1970s? Visualize your stomach; it’s about the size of two fists. If the food on your plate wont fit, cut back. To read more about portion control, click here.
5. Slow your roll and eat early. Enjoy your meal by eating it slower, which also gives you more time to digest and realize how full you actually are. Also, eat your meal on the early side, so you have time to digest before bed, or maybe even take a walk afterwards to get that metabolism moving.
Thanksgiving is a time to focus on family and friends, socializing and spending quality time together. It’s not all about the food! Although, it sure is delicious don’t focus on the meal, rather focus on those wonderful people you are surrounded by. Oh and one last very important thing, be realistic. Shift from a focus of weight loss to weight maintenance. You will be ahead of the game with a heavy mindset and can ultimately avoid gaining weight over the holidays if you put your mind to it!
How are you planning to practice these tips this coming season?
Enjoy the season and stay fit,
Jenna
{Sources: MSNBC.com, WebMD.com}
When I first found out about Sandy, we heard that the marathon was still on and we would be flying out to NYC. I knew it would be a rather interesting trip, as we had no idea if our hotel had power or if the city was in shambles. So we proceeded and got there safely. My first thought was how in the world could they proceed after such a disaster. My second, we are going to do this thing to raise money and help the state as they are in much need. Then the news hit that it was cancelled and there would be no marathon this year after lots of training and preparation. Of course many were let down, but we really had to focus on the relief efforts at hand, as the state had never seen such a disaster. My heart truly goes out to those who lost so much. After watching the news and seeing it first hand, it really hits home and our first question was how we could help. I am proud to say that Diamond Foods donated over 70,000 units of product to the relief efforts and it has been said that the marathon has donated a significant amount of money as well. If you would like to donate to the Hurricane Sandy Relief, please do so 
To my surprise when we decided to take a Sunday stroll through Central Park, we came across this amazing sight. Runners uniting and thousands of participants running through the park, cheering, chanting and doing it on their own. It was an amazing sight to see! No resources needed, just runners doing what they do best as they support the city. It was then that I realized that all runners are a part of such an amazing community as they were determined to make a difference and come together as a group to conquer this difficult time. They are truly unstoppable and their efforts are much appreciated as many had volunteered later that day. GO RUNNERS, we are so proud!!
