Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving in October or November keeping of the pounds on these holidays can be quite the task.
I want you to totally pig out at Thanksgiving dinner, and still look awesome. To do that, you've got to start now.
You need to earn the right to pig out at Thanksgiving dinner.
That means tightening up your workouts and nutrition right now. Start keeping a food log, the time between now and Thanksgiving is crucial.
The best way to manage weight gain at Thanksgiving is to lean up right now.
If you lose 2lbs of fat per week, every week between now and Thanksgiving, you'd lose 10lbs total. With a smart workout program and a food log, losing 2lbs per week is totally realistic.
You can totally lose 10lbs in the next 5 weeks. Then if you
gain 2lbs at Thanksgiving, you're still 8lbs leaner than you are right now.
Earn the right to be able to eat what ever you want on Thanksgiving, and not feel guilty at all.
You can enjoy Thanksgiving and come out fine on the other side. Most Americans get fatter because of Thanksgiving, and keep that fat until Christmas, when they gain more fat.
I want you to enjoy Thanksgiving, and in truth, I want you stuff your face until you pass out. It's only one meal, and one meal won't be the end of the world. But that's if it's only one meal.
Most people's Thanksgivings spill over into the whole following week.
People have such an "on diet" or "off diet" mentality, that they destroy themselves. They fthink if they eat one "bad" thing then they might as well give up. So they figure after "messing up their whole diet" on Thanksgiving, they might as well keep on pigging out the next day, and the day after that. Hey why not keep on going straight through 'til New Years. That kind of thinking will put you 5 or 10lbs fatter at your New Years eve party.
I want you to plan to pig out for one day - on Thanksgiving - and then stick to that plan. And then get back to your clean, whole food, low calorie, balanced nutrition or whatever diet you do the next day. Stick to that diet. You can totally go crazy on Thanksgiving, just keep it to Thanksgiving Day.
Go back to your eating plan and go back to your workouts. The 2lbs of fat you gain you'll lose the next week, and then you'll be even leaner when you roll into the New Years.
"Do you want to be the hot girl in the little black dress at the New Years party that everyone is talking about?" There's 12 weeks of weight loss between now and then.
Or do you want to gain 8lbs over November and December like most Americans?
Waiting for January to make a new New Years Resolution is a mistake.
Start planning your Holiday meal now, some simple smart substitutions will go unnoticed but go a long way in keeping the fat and sugars out of your meal.
Turkey has little fat, is full of protein and is an important source of B vitamins. Your best bet is turkey breast, but be sure to remove the skin first. A three-ounce serving of skinless turkey breast has about 120 calories and 1 gram of fat. If you choose to eat dark meat instead, a three-ounce skinless serving delivers around 160 calories and six grams of fat (two grams of which are saturated).
If you decide to eat pie go for Pumpkin over Pecan, pumpkin pie has less calories and fat than pecan pie and its an excellent source of vitamin a as well as being a good source of calcium and iron.
Sweet potatoes are a rich source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium and fiber. Leave out the butter and excess sugar. Use orange juice and a sprinkling of brown sugar for flavor instead.
Cranberries are a great source of vitamin C, and contain compounds that are believed to block certain bacteria that cause infections. Add oranges to make Cranberry Orange Sauce and you add even more vitamin C.
Vegetables should be steamed or roasted rather than slathered in butter or cheesy sauces. Skip the fried onion rings on top of the green beans (you could use toasted almonds or walnuts instead), and use vinaigrette dressings or herbs for flavor. Enjoy some sweet Glazed Acorn Squash Rings, some Sautéed Green Beans, some Roasted Carrots and Parsnips, or some nutritional Brussels Sprouts.
So now you can see how to enjoy the basic foods at the center of the Thanksgiving celebration. That leaves us with gravy and stuffing, which are notorious sources of fat and calories. Make a lower fat gravy by straining the fat from the drippings (a fat separator makes the job easier), and using cornstarch or a sprinkling of flour as thickening agents rather than a butter and flour roux. Add extra flavor to your gravy by using herbs and wine. You can make a low fat stuffing by omitting butter, using fat-free broth and, say, lean turkey or chicken sausage instead of pork sausage. Omit sausage altogether if you like, and use meaty mushrooms and extra vegetables instead.