Want to hear a frightening but true statistic? The average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone. That number is more than double the amount of calories that a man hoping to maintain his weight should consume in a day and more than three times the amount of calories a woman looking to lose weight should consume!
How then, when Thanksgiving is filled with some of the most tempting dishes we eat all year can we keep from overindulging?
Portion Control – I hate to say it, but one of the biggest factors that contributes to this over-consumption issue is overloading your plate. You don’t need all those potatoes and gravy and you certainly don’t need to go back for leftovers of mom’s stuffing just because it’s there.
Load the plate with veggies – If you really feel the need to pack your plate as much as everyone else’s, load your plate with vegetables. If you are heading out this holiday and worry there won’t be any veggies you like bring a vegetable dish of your own.
Drink up – No, I don’t mean alcohol! By the way though, you shouldn’t drink your calories at dinner, but we’ll save that for another post. When I say drink up, what I really mean is drink a lot of water. Drink a full glass before you sit down to eat and this will help you feel a little full preventing you from over eating.
Take a walk before dinner – Studies have shown that a brisk walk before a meal can help you suppress your appetite.
Only eat half of dessert – Nobody said you can’t have a slice of pumpkin pie, but if all you really need is the taste you can probably live with just half a slice and save those excess calories.
All of the above tips can be used at any big meal. Don’t restrict yourself too much because that does lead to binging, but there is no reason you need to stuff your face when you’re trying to maintain or whittle your waist!
