Any holiday centered around food is a good one in my book. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, stuffing and a table covered with pies… I can almost taste it, now. Listen, if it only comes once a year, why not indulge? Get seconds? Try all the pies?
The average American eats between 3,000-5,000 calories on Thanksgiving. That’s TWICE as many as any other day. While one day of over-eating won’t make you fat, (just like one salad won’t make you skinny) a whole month of it surly will.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be comfortable in your clothes at work next year instead of loosening your belt buckle a couple of notches?
Here are 5 Tips to Keep Your Chiropractic Health in Perspective this Thanksgiving:
Exercise Early
Start your day by burning a few calories before you pack some on. Even if you don’t exercise on a regular basis, do something active that morning. Go for a walk or a run, play basketball in the driveway or head to the gym while the turkey’s cooking. (A turkey will be fine for a short time in the oven or crockpot.)
Most gyms open early on Thanksgiving morning. Just focus on 30-35 minutes of exercise to your upper and lower body. You’ll feel so much better about yourself and have more energy to tackle whatever the day holds.
Enjoy Breakfast
Studies show that people who eat breakfast actually eat less throughout the rest of their day! Plan on a protein rich breakfast that will last longer in your system. A few ideas: eggs, protein shakes, diced ham, greens and and potatoes.
These choices will keep you feeling full – or at the very least, stop you from constantly nibbling on chip dip as the aroma of hot buttered mashed potatoes begins to fill the room.
Drink Water
Water is an amazing natural appetite suppressant. Start your day with a full glass of water and keep some flavored water handy while you’re cooking. It will keep you from constantly tasting the cheesy potatoes or nibbling on appetizers while you’re cooking or waiting for more guests to arrive.
You can flavor your water the night before with lemons, limes, oranges, cucumbers, mint, grapes, watermelon, grapefruit, cantaloupe, pineapple, berries… The possibilities are endless! Keep a pitcher in the fridge and refill your glass throughout the day!
Think Dixie Cup
Most of what is served on Thanksgiving, you won’t be eating until next November, so go ahead and indulge. Try the foods you love, just not so much. Picture your plate filled with Dixie cups, and scoop out about as much, of each of the foods you want, as would fit into the cup. That will help you cut out the calories while still allowing you to enjoy your favorites.
Slow Down
The biggest weakness of our digestive system is that it takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s full. We can do a lot of damage in 20 minutes! To keep over-eating out of the picture, eat slowly. Put your fork down between each bite and really savor what you’re eating. It will help you enjoy the flavors in each dish and leave you feeling satisfied – even after eating less.
Thanksgiving Day is an opportunity to gather with family and friends to appreciate our blessings. Savor the food, take a nap, go for a walk or play a game of flag football with Uncle Larry, play games, laugh and enjoy Thanksgiving this year. We have so much to be thankful for!
Read More Chiropractor Health Tips
10 Reasons to See a Walk In Chiropractor During the Holidays
Kansas City Chiropractic Office Offers Giving Opportunities in 2014
The 12 doctors at Fulk Chiropractic offer chiropractic health tips and treatment to residents of Olathe, Overland Park, Lenexa and all of Kansas City. Open 7 Days a Week, they are the industry leader in state of the art chiropractic treatment.