In last week’s news letter I told you I would give you 3 tips to Avoid turning Thanksgiving into Black Thursday…The annual celebration where the average American consumes 7000 calories, (enough extra calories to add 2 pounds of unwanted body fat).
So said another way your 3 commonsense strategies will help you avoid bloating up like a dead, water logged animal carcass, adding unwanted inches and pounds that you’ve been busting your butt to get rid of, and help you avoid the plunge into the holiday season weight gain abyss.
So I’m going to keep it simple. And before I discuss your 3 simple strategies to avoid self sabotage, I want you to ponder the following:
It’s important to remember what this holiday is all about. It’s about giving thanks for the things we have. Not gorging like a roman solder after winning a battle. I do think it is important to slow down and appreciate all the things we are fortunate enough to enjoy. It’s easier said than done living in the big city. There’s a reason monks go to mountain tops to find serenity and peace. But try this little exercise. Look around and absorb everything. Look at the architecture of the city. The lights on Michigan Ave, take just 2 minutes each day to think about how lucky you are. Be thankful for great friends and loving family. And here’s a thought, you could be away from all this in a place like Iraq, fighting a war, like one of our former clients was just 18 months ago, an investment banker turned soldier, away from his wife and 14 month old baby girl for 12 months. Fortunately he made it back in one piece, but only after dodging bullets for year. So do yourself this favor; stop and smell the roses.
Okay back to the keeping you from pretending you’re a victorious roman soldier.
Tip #1- The right way to eat appetizers. Avoid snacking on chips and dips, and salty calorie dense appetizers, and drinking alcohol all day hanging with family. This doesn’t mean don’t eat a little of the aforementioned, but what I am saying is…be sensible. Most parties and gathering include veggies with dips, Try to stick to the veggies, opt for humus instead of creamy dressings. Limit or avoid the crackers, and chips, and stick to veggies and lean proteins. The shrimp cocktail, chicken sticks, and a few sushi rolls. And remember cheese is a source of fat, and while it does have protein, it is important to remember it is a fat. So keep the cheese to a minimum and when you do, stick to the white cheeses (they tend to be lower in calories). This will also help you fill up on nutrient and curb your appetite so when dinner comes you’re hungry and you won’t overeat.
Tip #2- Enjoy a drink or two- Hey it’s the holiday and if you want to enjoy a cocktail or a nice glass of wine; knock your socks off. While enjoying a few drinks is acceptable, 6-12 is like taking a nose dive off a cliff for 24 hours. So set a limit on how much you will drink ahead of time. If you have guests, buy less alcohol, if they want more, make them head out into the cold to go get it. And interchange drinks with water. Go with a 2:1 ratio... Two glasses of water for every alcoholic drink you consume. But do yourself a favor and pace yourself and try to keep it to just a couple. Enjoy don’t destroy.
Tip #3-Enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner- That means enjoy the meal (singular) unfortunately I know of too many families that turn this into a day long act of gluttony. We’ve already discussed the right way to eat appetizers, and consume alcohol, so now its time to readjust how you eat your meal.
It’s this simple; stick to the turkey breast meat, it’s the leanest. Enjoy a small serving of the mashed potatoes and stuffing and think of your portion control suggestions. ¼ plate of starchy carbs (mashed potatoes and stuffing) , ½ plate of veggies (green beans, etc), and ¼ (up to 1/3 plate) of turkey or protein source being served. Keep your gravy moderate and be sure to begin the meal by slugging down about 8-10 oz of water before you eat. This will help you feel full sooner and help you avoid overeating. When it’s all said and done, enjoy a small slice of pumpkin pie.
Congratulations, this is how you survive Thanksgiving Day this year and all the years to come. It’s not complicated, but a little mental planning will do the trick. (Oh, there’s that word again, PLANNING.)
This is also your test day for the rest of the holiday season. If you think you can gorge and then add an hour on the treadmill to get rid of the calories, you’re sadly mistaken. To put in perspective, (we’ve already discussed how inefficient long boring cardio is) but to get rid of 7000 extra calories from the Thanksgiving day gorge using the long boring treadmill workouts will take about 21 hours… 2 1 H O U R S… just to get back to where you were the Wednesday before the holiday! Don’t set yourself up for failure because you want to go nuts for a few hours. Again, ENJOY don’t DESTORY!!!
Thanksgiving is going to be your official holiday season launch. Use tomorrow as practice for the bevy of upcoming holiday parties. Stay dedicated to the process by learning how to have it all and live healthy. Virtually all of you are busy urban professionals, not crusades warriors that need to celebrate their battle victories.
I know you’ll all do well.
And all of us here at Fitness Mojo hope you have a great holiday and we thank you guys for choosing us and for dedicating yourself to getting lean and healthy.
Happy Thanksgiving.