Ways to Have a Healthy Thanksgiving

It’s true – holidays can be a hard time to eat healthy. An average person consumes about 3,000 calories on Thanksgiving. During the four-week holiday, the average weight gain is about one to four pounds. This may not seem like much, until you consider that many people do not shed the extra weight after the holidays… and the pounds add up.

Here are some tips from Physicians Premier, your Corpus Christi emergency room, that will help you have a healthy and fit Thanksgiving holiday.

1. Eat in the morning

Skipping your morning meal to save your appetite for the Thanksgiving feast is not the best idea. This may lead to serious binging later on. Your consumption during breakfast affects energy intake, appetite, and the endocrine and metabolic responses to food consumed later in the day. Do not show up at the Thanksgiving table starving. You’ll most likely overeat, which will make it hard for your body to digest the heavy meal.

2. Get rid of the turkey skin

Trim off the skin as soon as you get your slice of turkey. Turkey skin is loaded with fat, and not the good kind. Do not make the mistake of leaving the turkey skin on your plate – eventually, you may be tempted to ‘snack’ on it.

3. Choose water, and hydrate often

Did you know that your mind sometimes interpret thirst as hunger? Drink lots of water before and during your meal. Water will keep you from overeating and will help your stomach stay full. A good bonus: you won’t get any additional calories from soda or other sweetened beverages.

4. Leave the table immediately after eating

This is a simple, but hard-to-do Thanksgiving advice. But there is wisdom in it; hanging out around the table may tempt you to eat more. Once you are done eating, it’s best to move to another room to chat and mingle with family.

5. Use a smaller plate

When you use a smaller plate, you are actually tricking your mind (and eyes) into thinking that you are consuming more than you actually are. However, regardless of your chosen plate size, you are going back for seconds, so it’s best to keep your portions small and limited.

Eating may take the center stage during the Thanksgiving holiday, but it doesn’t mean that you have to give up on good health. It is never a good idea to deny yourself your favorite foods during the holiday, but neither is falling into a food coma.

A healthy Thanksgiving is possible! Start your holiday season off on the right track by making healthy choices. If you need us, Physicians Premier, your Corpus Christi, TX Emergency Room, is open 24/7, even during holidays.