If you are fortunate to be a part of a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner this year, how in the world can you enjoy it and yet not get fat! There are many ways. Some ways take planning and assessing exactly what is available at your feast and then only eating the healthy stuff. Doesn't sound very Thanskgivingish does it? Others tell us to eat a breakfast and a light lunch before the big dinner. Makes sense; fill up before the good stuff. Yet others say to drink lots and lots of water before you eat. Drinking loads of water may certainly fill you up to the point of not overeating but this one seems like a sure way to ruin a fine meal. I say; unless you have a health issue and you need to watch your diet closely, don't do any of these things.
If you are one of the lucky ones in the United States who will be eating an opulent Thanksgiving dinner this year, take thanks and enjoy it. You can drink tons of water anytime. You also can eat "only healthy" some other day. Gluttony is never a good thing but enjoying every lit bit of what your Thanksgiving bounty has to offer IS a good thing.
One of the best ways to keep at a healthy weight, no matter what some complicated diet programs say is to eat in moderation and utilize portion control. This is simple yet not so easy for many of us. I have always had problems with portion control. I often struggle at it but it works for me and I keep at a pretty good weight. The good news with portion control is that on those occasions where there is plenty of great food on the table I can have a little of it all. Sounds selfish and I suppose it is but what can I say; I love food. Again, I remind myself not to go overboard and I usually do not.
I read where a nutritionist said an average Thanksgiving dinner eaten in moderation is around 2,000 calories. That number makes sense to me and for a holiday dinner that comes around once a year it is not excessive. However, for me, if I did not remind myself to practice portion control, I could easily quadruple that caloric intake. It is so easy to just eat and eat and eat.
Many of us will be fortunate to have plenty of great food in front of us this year. If you want to enjoy the dinner and keep a handle on your weight and health eat everything your heart desires, just do not eat too much of it.
What if you overeat? Join the club, who hasn't. If you happen to eat an extra serving of turkey smothered with gravy, walk around the block after dinner. If you happen to lose your self-control and eat an extra piece of everything, walk around the block and keep walking until daylight. Who knows it may be one of those holidays where I lose portion control too, and if that's the case, you may see me walking right next to you. Happy Thanksgiving!
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