The Healthy Eater’s Thanksgiving Survival Guide
You know that point in the day when you’re standing in the bathroom, and you casually turn to the side and notice your belly bloat, patting it as if you were four-months pregnant? The pat — that is what Thanksgiving feels like at 4 p.m. Only, if you wait patiently for 15 minutes, you find yourself thanking your stomach for making a little room for another sliver of pumpkin pie.
Sound familiar? The good news is, if you’re a healthy eater, you can afford to indulge every now and then. But if you’re looking for ways this holiday season to save yourself some of dieting strife, check out my tips for navigating the feast like a nutrition pro.
1. Bring a healthy dish.
Are you potlucking this Thanksgiving? Bring a healthier dish to share — that way, at least you’ll know one good item is there to keep you sane. This year, I’m introducing my family to roasted parsnips, red and golden beets, rutabaga, turnips, purple potatoes and purple carrots. I want them to try something new, and it’s something I will absolutely love on the dinner table.
2. Take your time.
Your stomach needs at least 20 minutes to identify that you feel full or satisfied. Eat slowly. Put your fork down between bites. Taste the food. Take a swig of water. Repeat. Talk to your family. Focus on the football game. Enjoy the entertainment around you. The experience of eating will slightly adjust. You might find after 20 minutes, you may not want seconds. How did I learn this? By sitting with my cousins, ages six and eight. Between giggling and playing with our food, I couldn’t even get through my first plate. That, my friends, is a miracle.
3. Remember: It will be there tomorrow.
The great thing about Thanksgiving is this: There are always leftovers. Besides, if there’s a particular dish you loved, you can always make it for dinner in a week or two. When you know know food that is SO good will be there tomorrow, you might not treat it like you must eat ALL of it right now. Relax.
4. Find a Turkey Trot, or run your own.
Confession: I am the weirdo that literally runs to Thanksgiving dinner at 1 p.m. at my aunt’s house. I leave from my parents’ house and arrive at my aunt’s an hour or two later, depending on my route. My parents have clothes waiting for me. In my mind, I turkey trotted. Actually, since I don’t eat turkey (I am a vegetarian), I guess I Tofurky trotted. So whether you do an actual Turkey Trot — here are 26 of ’em ripe for the picking — or run on your own, the point is to get a nice cardio calorie burn in before you sit down to eat. That way, you can take dietary comfort in knowing you earned it — because, well, you totally did.
5. It might not be Thanksgiving dinner you should worried about.
Biggest calorie glut? Thanksgiving Eve, traditionally one of the biggest drinking nights of the year, which of course is followed by a day of eating large quantities of food just 24 hours later. We all know alcohol provides empty calories (i.e. calories that are useless) and can take a huge toll on daily calorie requirements. Unfortunately, too many liquid calories combined with over-consumed portions on Thanksgiving Day can set you back double time. My best advice? Don’t go crazy on Thanksgiving Eve. Pace yourself. Drink water — and plenty of it — between alcoholic drinks. And whatever you do, avoid the creamy drinks, the sugary drinks, the multiple shots … You get the picture.
6. Focus on fiber.
Fill up on water-based and fibrous foods such as carrots, green beans, salad, sweet potatoes and other veggies that might be on the table. Fibrous foods will keep you feeling fuller longer and help you avoid consuming too many calories at your meal. For example, I eat a salad, veggies and homemade soup as my entrée. I leave the indulgent foods as my side dish. For me, as a non-meat eater, I NEED pierogi casserole or mac-and-cheese. So, it takes up the space of a small side. If you have a holiday full of several meals back to back, this can be the best strategy.
7. Opt for lean protein.
I understand not every one is vegetarian, and you are here for the turkey. Turkey is such a great protein food, which means Thanksgiving can absolutely be a healthy meal – just make sure your portions and choices reasonable. Select the white meat and avoid fatty gravies. For my veggie friends, there’s a Tofurky, of course, but you can also sip a glass of soy or skim milk, make a great bean dish, or surprise your family by bringing a dish with tofu to make sure you’re getting enough filling protein. Heck, if they don’t eat it, you’ve got more for you (back to tip #1).
8. Rethink Black Friday.
Don’t keep patting your pregnant food-bloat belly. Get your shoes on and work out! I make Black Friday a different kind of holiday. I do my usual run to sweat out the yummies, but then I grab my mom and we venture out to the stores — not to buy anything, but to watch everyone else spend their money. We also happen to burn a lot of calories walking together.
9. Detox the healthy way.
Did you overindulge? No worries, it happens. Take the next few days to drink plenty of water, eat lean protein, veggies and fruit. It is entirely normal to feel bloated from the salt intake, but in no time will you feel like yourself again if you stick with lean, clean foods the following days.
10. Most importantly, enjoy your Thanksgiving.
I am a believer in the 80/20: Eighty percent of the time, put on your halo. Twenty percent of the time, I promise I won’t look. Life is about enjoying the ride. There is no way you will gain five to 10 pounds of legit fat in one day of eating. Even two days of eating won’t kill you. And if you had bad eating days, who cares? The only person who is going to notice is yourself. So remember why you are celebrating Thanksgiving and enjoy it.
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Jenna Stranzl is a registered dietitian in Philadelphia and consulting sports nutritionist for athletes of all types including the PGA Tour golfers, NY Islanders NHL organization, Vincera Institute, and Velocity Sports Performance Cherry Hill. To find out more about Jenna’s services and blog posts, visit jennastranzl.com.
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