Thanksgiving should be a heartwarming day (or long weekend) full of family, food and festivity. But throw a colossal turkey, several kinds of stuffing and a boatload of desserts into the mix, and those of us trying to make healthy choices have a recipe for a nutritional nightmare on our hands.
If you're anything like me, you start looking forward to Thanksgiving — or at least
the food that will be served — weeks in advance. Come early November, I'm already
dreaming of the sausage stuffing, marsala mushrooms and fluffy mashed potatoes that
make up my family's traditional feast (To be honest, I could take or leave the turkey).
I start to think about which "healthy" dishes I can bring to seem virtuous, all
the while knowing I'll ignore my steamed herbed broccoli and load my plate with
anything doused in butter or cream, or preferably both.
Even if I've been "good" in the weeks leading up to the holiday, my restraint
goes out the window when I sit down to dinner. I try to plan my week around the
meal, eating light fare the rest of the time to save up for a marathon holiday eating
session where I let myself indulge in whatever I want. I'm sure I must end up eating
a whole week's worth of POINTS® values that day. I can easily devour
at least two servings of every side dish, plus a generous sampling of every one
of the dozen desserts trumped out before my dad and uncle even have a chance to
fight over the turkey carcass.
The (skinny) voice of reason
Of course, while I'm sinking my teeth into a second slice of pie, my skinny sister
— who honestly can not comprehend how people can overeat ("Why don't you just stop
when you're full?") — is shooting disapproving glances across the table. She doesn't
say it out loud, but I can see her eyes asking, "Do you really need to be eating
that?" I know her concern is genuine — after all, she knows I'm miserable being
the Fatty McFattypants of the family, and only wants to see me lose weight so I
can be more comfortable in my own skin — but come on! It's Thanksgiving! I'm thankful
for all the delicious food, a spread that would make a pilgrim blush! Just this
once, let a fat girl enjoy her second helpings without guilt.
Coping without calories
This year, I'm aiming to limit my intake of all things creamy, but if I get carried
away with second helpings, I'll be okay with that, too. I usually don't gain weight
Thanksgiving week as long as I only really pig out on Thanksgiving Day itself. This
approach fits nicely within my "don't lose, don't gain" strategy for the season.
If you're like me and truly enjoy rich food but tend to overindulge or if you're
prone to drown your sorrows in pumpkin pie, Colleen Gengler, family relations educator
at the University of Minnesota Extension, has a few survival Thanksgiving survival
tips:
1. Let comments roll off your back
If you're tired or stressed, you're more likely to feel insulted by even innocent
comments about the food, your hair, what's on your plate or anything else. If someone
says something that makes you flinch, "don't take the bait; try to change the subject
quickly," says Gengler.
2. Don't make food the focus
"Let the meal bring you together, but don't dwell on it the whole time," suggests
Gengler. If the banter at the table shifts from praise for the delicious food to
the stuffing's caloric count or who's eating the most mashed potatoes, gently change
the subject. "Initiate conversations about your guests' lives and interests to take
their mind off the food," she says.
3. Stick to a schedule
Maintaining your normal routine of meals, snacks and sleep will help keep you (and
your kids) on an even keel. And tempting though it may be, don't starve yourself
before the holiday meal; you'll probably feel shaky and on edge and you're more
likely to overeat. Have a healthy breakfast, like scrambled egg whites with low-fat
cheese on whole-wheat toast, to tide you over.
4. Don't try to do it all yourself
If you're hosting the meal, take your guests up on their offers of food and drink
to save yourself some time. "Make them feel they're making a special contribution
by asking them what they'd like to bring, if they offer to help," suggests Gengler.
"If they don't have ideas, you can suggest healthy options like fresh fruit, sparkling
cider or a tossed salad with a light dressing."
5. Carve out some "me" time
Yes, you've heard it a million times before. But let's be honest — who actually
takes that relaxing bath or goes for a massage? Especially around the holidays when
every second is spent cooking, shopping or telling a second cousin where the spare
bath towels are. The trick is to sneak in a few moments of peace and quiet (or better
yet, some exercise) whenever you can. Even if that means taking long bathroom break
just to finish that book you've been reading. Or making up an excuse to run an errand
so you can speed-walk an extra lap around the mall.