Is it possible to enjoy Thanksgiving and not feel guilty? After all, you may have lost a few pounds or have been doing great on your diet. Does that mean you have to forego all those wonderful dishes, possibly offending Aunt Patty?
I plan on enjoying my Thanksgiving meal and not feeling guilty about it afterwards. You can do the same.
First, I read somewhere that the average Thanksgiving meal is about 3,500 calories. Yes, that is a lot of calories but that is 3,500 calories for one meal. It would be different if you were eating that many calories every single day.
I also read that 3,500 calories is found in just one pound of fat, so essentially, you would be putting on about a pound…give or take. It’s not like you can’t get rid of a couple of extra pounds.
In other words, don’t stress about the calories…enjoy your meal. Don’t even worry about counting the calories.
You can also avoid guilt by having only one “big” meal. If your family is the type that goes to several houses in one day, well, that is a sure-fire way to sabotage your efforts. So if it is possible, stick to having just one big meal.
Another way to avoid guilt is by not piling on the plate. You can pick from every choice available, but just make sure your servings are smaller. There is nothing wrong with enjoying some mashed potatoes and gravy, or the infamous green bean casserole. But just take smaller
portions.
Eat slowly. Take sips of water in between, which will help you to feel fuller faster. Don’t feel like you have to eat everything on your plate. This is a great reason to keep those portion sizes small. You still get to enjoy the great taste of the dishes but you aren’t overdoing it.
You can also avoid guilt by staying away from appetizers before eating. Or if you do indulge, stick to the healthier choices that are usually offered. And guess what? I don’t encourage anyone to skip dessert. If you have a large selection to choose from, pick one and enjoy.
Finally, take a walk later on in the day if you can. You will burn away some of the calories and even if you don’t, remember that one meal won’t kill you. Enjoy Thanksgiving, fixin’s and all.
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Photo by led_head101 in Flickr