The holidays make me do it -- overindulge that is!

 

Making the MOST of Thanksgiving

Healthy Tips for the Weight Conscious

By Dr. Marissa Fernandez-Kiemele

Family Medicine Physician at WWMG
and Amateur Gourmet Cook

Well, here is it again!  That time of wonderful year that all “dieters” dread as being the grim reaper of will power.  The holidays are known for piles of delicious foods dripping with bad fat and sugar.  So how does anyone make it through this time of year without overindulging?  Here are some tips to keep you on track!

Remember why you are celebrating.  The holidays are about family and friends and giving thanks, not food. 

Try refocusing the day around other family-fun activities rather than a monstrous meal.  Here are a few suggestions:

Go for a walk.

Play games!  Get everyone involved.   

Turn on some fun holiday music and get those bodies moving! Shake, shake, shake! It burns tons of calories and it’s loads of fun!

Pack up the family and volunteer at a shelter serving food to others. 

Get creative.

Plan the Thanksgiving meal around the same time as you would normally have dinner or just one to two hours earlier (4pm at the earliest).  This will keep you from gorging yourself early in the day and continuing the binge all day and into the evening. 

Be sure to eat a normal nutritious breakfast and also a light lunch at usual times.  Have fresh veggies available for snacking on between lunch and turkey time. 

Thanksgiving is just one day.  While many take the opportunity to continue the celebration into Christmas and on to Valentines Day, it is important to realize that one day of indulging will not cause you to gain 10 pounds.  It is the continued party that makes the New Year’s resolution necessary.  Make your resolution early this year: I will be a mindful eater during the holidays! 

Avoid “all-or-nothing” thinking.  Just because you decided to have that second helping of pumpkin pie does not give you carte blanche to have a dessert every night for the next two to three weeks.  Don’t think of those extra helpings on Thanksgiving day as failing your “diet”.  This is a special day that should be guilt-free.  Remind yourself that you are in control and that the day/week after your delicious meal will include healthy food choices.

Eat slowly. Slow down and really savor each bite. Taste your food.  Pause between bites.  Chew slowly. Don’t take the next bite until you have swallowed what you have in your mouth.  Periodically take a longer pause while you enjoy the company of friends and family. 

Give your body time to digest.  It is generally thought that it takes your body twenty minutes to tell your brain that you are full.  Try drinking some water and wait a few minutes before you decide you need a second helping.

Prepare as much as possible the day or two beforehand so that you can focus on your family and stay out of the kitchen where you will be more tempted to nibble.

Most importantly, relax and enjoy yourself. 

Dr. Marissa Fernandez-Kiemele practices Family and Lifestyle Medicine at WWMG's Family Medicine Centers in Everett and Silver Lake.