Thanksgiving is a week from Thursday!

How am I going to keep away from all of that delicious, incredible, yummy food? Any tips are so welcome and appreicated. If possible, I'd like to lose a couple of pounds before then.

Mon. Nov 14, 11:36am

It will mostly be about portion control. Make sure you dish up your food, don't leave that to anyone else. I recommend using a smaller plate and fill it mostly with green beans and turkey, little to no mashed potatos, marshallow yams, etc. After you are done with your first serving, wait at least 30 minutes before you consider seconds. Remember, there's dessert to save room for. Skip the ice cream or whip cream with the pie. I bet there's someone you could split a dessert with so you can have a taste but not eat all. Enjoy the food that you do eat, as well as your company!

Monday, November 14, 2005, 11:45 AM

YES! Portion control is a biggie! Since my family knows that I am changing my eating habits, they are great about making healthy versions of the normal dishes :) When my mother in law pushes dessert on me, i just take a brisk walk or 2 around her block after eating and i feel a bit better about it. Altough, when i get back ,amost everyone is asleep from stuffing their faces full while i was out getting some exercising in! LOL

Tuesday, November 15, 2005, 12:39 PM

Try to stick to lean pieces of meat, fruit and veggies (yams are good for you). Limit your bread intake. If there won't be a veggie tray available consider taking one. The good thing about going to someone else's house for a holiday dinner is that you don't have leftovers sitting in your fridge. You only have to worry about going through it one time that day. If you like pumpkin pie, have a slice. Pumpkin is good for you. If you are committed to your new way of eating, you will start your next meal back on track. Take a walk before going to dinner and after dinner. Just take smaller portions than you may have in the past. You can do it!

Tuesday, November 15, 2005, 3:47 PM

guilt free thanksgiving

i just got this email & had to share. I hope it helps!

EAT SMART

Christie Bridges at the 24 Hour Fitness club in Honolulu shares these suggestions for making it through Thanksgiving dinner with your weight loss or maintenance intact:

* Don’t starve yourself in anticipation of turkey dinner.
* Avoid snacking on nuts and high-calorie hors d'oeuvres.
* Skip the alcohol and drink lots of water. “If you don’t like water, at least drink a carbonated beverage. It satisfies and fills you up,” says Bridges.
* Barter for calories. For example, eat a roll, but skip the butter or indulge in mashed potatoes, but leave off the gravy.
* Eat slowly. This allows time for your brain to realize that you’re full.
* Choose light meat instead of dark and avoid eating turkey skin – nearly half the fat resides in the skin.
* Says Bridges: “I think about how I want to look. I keep that goal in mind and remember the consequences of eating too much.”
* Create a caloric deficit; for example, eliminate 500 calories on Tuesday and 500 calories on Wednesday so you can eat an extra 1000 calories on Thanksgiving!
* “Practice saying no,” she says. “It hurts the first time we do a chest press; then it gets easier. It’s the same with our ‘no thank you’ muscle. The more we practice, the easier it gets.”

Turkey
Fresh turkeys are not injected with basting solution and therefore have fewer calories than frozen turkeys. However, according to the people at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line™ (800) BUTTERBALL: “Fresh turkey is also self-basting, you can baste with fat-free broth, but it’s not really necessary.”

Stuffing
Include lots of vegetables such as onions, celery and mushrooms in your dressing. Add fruits such as cranberries, raisins and apricots. Use whole grain bread, barley or wild rice to increase fiber. Another tip: bake stuffing in a separate casserole so it won’t absorb the fatty drippings from the turkey.

Mashed Potatoes
As you mash those potatoes, skip the butter and use non-fat milk. Better yet, use low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth.

Gravy
Use a gravy separator. Or pour pan juices into a container and place it in the freezer as the turkey rests before carving. Skim and discard the fat that congeals on the top. Add a little cornstarch to the defatted liquid, bring to a boil and simmer until it thickens.

Side Dishes
Vegetables lose their virtue when mixed with sugar, butter, eggs or cream. Instead, serve steamed green beans or broccoli topped with red peppers, a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of olive oil and fresh dill. Top these and other veggies with toasted almonds. Skip the fried onion rings!

Dessert
No need to forego pumpkin pie. Reduce calories by using non-fat evaporated milk instead of cream and egg substitutes instead of whole eggs. Serve pie with reduced-fat whipped topping instead of ice cream.

Finally, Bridges says: “Look at Thanksgiving as an opportunity to spend time with friends and family, time to catch up with people, not as an occasion to eat a huge meal.”

24 Hour Fitness Healthy Holiday Feast (Nutrition & Recipies)
http://www.24hourfitness.com/html/nutrition/articles_s/holiday/

Link

Tuesday, November 15, 2005, 10:51 PM

Or you could just enjoy the meal and eat a lot and not worry because it's just one meal and not obsess about how much food your're not eating. Eat what you want, without going overboard, and then go back to eating sensibly. Most people who gain weight during the holidays don't do it just because of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. They snack continually on the leftovers and the sweet treats people make during this time of year. That's the part to worry about.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005, 10:13 AM

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