Tips To Avoid Overeating On Thanksgiving

Written by Greg

With the holidays fast approaching, I thought we could take a moment to outline a few tips to avoid overeating on Thanksgiving. It seems to be a tradition, that we should stuff ourselves silly and lay around moaning about how bad we feel. Since overeating once preps our bodies to do it again, we’re better off to try making healthier choices. Try these tips.

Photo Credit Tracy Hunter

Tips To Avoid Overeating On Thanksgiving

1. Eat a filling high fiber breakfast.

Some suggestions for high fiber, filling breakfasts include these Healthy Harvest Muffins, Healthy Blueberry Muffins, or High Fiber Oatmeal & Flax Pancakes.

2. Drink plenty of water.

Staying hydrated will swell the food in your stomach, promoting the feeling of fullness. By contrast, consuming a lot of high sugar drinks not only contributes empty calories, and does spikes in insulin will lead to more hunger.
3. Resolve to make a single trip through the line.

Enough said. An aside to this is to avoid hanging out in the kitchen. This promotes “grazing.” (I’m guilty of this.)
4. Remember “portion distortion.”

A proper serving size of meat is 3-ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards. Remember this when you’re loading your plate.

5. Weight your plate toward vegetables and away from breads.

Fill the majority of your plate with veggies and you’ll be adding fiber and water, which promote fullness. This does not give free reign to pick broccoli casserole, which is usually loaded with bread unhealthy cheeses. Beans, and steamed or baked vegetables are better choices.

6. Eat half of your dessert.

I usually get distorted here. Who doesn’t like dessert? Instead of picking pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream, only have one. Or, if you must have both, cut each serving in half.

7. Accept that one day is O.K.

Overall, only eating badly a few days a year isn’t going to ruin your health and fitness goals. So, its OK to go and enjoy yourself.