Have a Healthy Thanksgiving

Posted by GladGirl Team on November 19, 2014

Let’s start this holiday season off right with a happy, HEALTHY Thanksgiving Day. We’ve cooked up some Thanksgiving health tips just for you.

Fitness Fun

Now is not the time to ditch your exercise efforts. Nor is it the time to amp them up in the name of burning more calories so that you can eat more food. Studies show exercise doesn’t really do all that much to keep the pounds away during the holidays if you insist on gluttony. So, keep on track with your fitness program. Don’t have an exercise regimen? Don’t wait until after the New Year to start. There’s no better time to begin moving than now! Find something you enjoy doing—dance class, Pilates, hiking with your dog. Mix and match various types of movement to keep your fitness forever fun and interesting.

Give Thanks

On this day of thanks, be sure to thank your body, for staying strong, healthy, and mobile. Too often we look in the mirror and focus on the negative. Your body is gorgeous in all its perceived imperfections. There’s no better way to thank your body then to give it some love with ample activity on Thanksgiving Day. Energize it with a walk in the morning, and get your digestion rolling with a post-Thanksgiving meal walk. If you have a chance during the day, pop into the gym for a quick cardio or strength-training workout…or just grab the family for a friendly game of football. And if you didn’t cook the meal, then clean! Cleaning up is a great way to burn calories and build some lean muscle mass while you’re at it. See how many plates you can carry to the sink at once. We expect that a Glad Lash gal like you likes to dance. So finish up your Thanksgiving party with a little dancing! But, let your food settle first—no cramping!

Police Portions

Thanksgiving is a diet-free day, but that doesn’t mean it’s a binge-eating day. There’s no need for sacrifice or gluttony. The key to policing portions is to practice moderation and tune in to your body’s signals. It will let you know if you’re really hungry or not. It will also let you know when you’ve had enough…don’t let your mind or your taste buds rule. Here are some easy ways to avoid overeating on Thanksgiving:

1. Eat breakfast. Not pancakes. A light breakfast of eggs and cantaloupe should do the trick.
2. Stay hydrated with water, not alcohol. Alcohol calories are the first to burn, and as such they promote fat storage and weight gain!
3. Go easy on the appetizers. If you fill up on the pocket-sized quiche how in the world will you have room for the pumpkin pie? Plan your portions ahead of time to keep yourself honest.
4. Talk. It’s Thanksgiving for goodness sake! Have a conversation, rather than wolfing down seconds.
5. Speaking of seconds…wait 20 minutes before you fill your plate up again. Chances are after 20 minutes it will tell you, “Nope. We’re not hungry. Let’s just wait for dessert.”
6. Enjoy dessert! That means one slice of apple pie, not three. And if you must sample all the goodies, then take very small portions of each. Remember, you can have a slice tomorrow, and the day after. Leave room for leftovers!

If you fail miserably with the aforementioned tips and become a glutton worthy of Dante’s Inferno, then don’t sweat it. Maybe literally sweat it at the gym, but don’t feel guilty. It’s just one day. Inhale, exhale, and release any Thanksgiving guilt. After all, you have the opportunity to try again at all those holiday parties you’ve got lined up!