Think Thin for

Thanksgiving

 

The Thanksgiving holiday is all about time with family and friends and giving thanks for all that you have. But, what we all really look forward to is the FOOD. Apple pie, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cheese balls, chocolate chip cookies, and the list goes on forever! Americans typically consume 4,500 calories with their Thanksgiving dinner alone!

To avoid putting on those extra few pounds, keep these 6 tips in mind.

 

  1. Make a healthy recipe

You’re going to indulge a little and that’s okay. Bring a healthy entrée and snacks to keep you from overdoing the bad stuff. Make a dish that is low in carbs and fats and includes plenty of protein. Let this be the main item on your plate have “sample” sizes of the not-so-healthy stuff.

 

  1. Eat before your big meal

Yep. Eat before you eat! You may think if you go all day without eating that you’ve saved up enough calories to pig out at dinnertime. That’s actually the last thing you want to do! Make sure you eat as normal throughout the day, for two reasons;
a) you won’t be starving at dinnertime and eat any and everything you can as quickly as you can.
b) you will keep your metabolism burning better if you continue to eat as normal before your big meal, allowing your body to burn through those calories more efficiently.
Include lots of protein in your earlier meals and skip the carbs.

 

  1. Eat slowly

Not only does it allow you to enjoy the food you’re eating, but it also helps you fill up faster. When you scarf down your food, you don’t realize when you’re full and you’re more likely to get seconds. Slow it down by taking smaller bites and drinking water in between every couple bites.

 

  1. Watch portions

Go ahead, get a variety of foods on your plate. If you want the stuffing, get the stuffing! Just be sure when you’re loading your plate up to keep an eye on your portions. If there’s something you want, get it, just don’t get 3 servings of it. Remember, “sample” sizes.
Emphasize the proteins and veggies and go easy on the higher carb/higher fat foods.

 

  1. Drink plenty of water

Not only does water help fill you up, but it will also assist in flushing out what goes in. As your digesting fatty, sugary, or salty foods, drinking more water will help to eliminate them more quickly.

 

  1. Be active

To keep the extra pounds off, be as active as you can the week before. This helps to give your metabolism a little extra boost and you may even drop a pound or two, so you have some wiggle room for your Thanksgiving!
Same goes for the week after. Time to burn off that stuffing! HIIT training is an effective and quick way to boost your metabolism and burn calories.

 

Here’s a quick HIIT workout to blast fat before and/or after the holiday!

20 seconds of each exercise with 10 seconds rest between.
Repeat 3 times for a 20-minute workout.

High Knees

Mountain Climbers

Bicycle Crunches

Russian Twists

Jump Squats

Burpees

Side Plank Dips-right

Side Plank Dips-left