How to Prevent Overeating This Thanksgiving
/Thanksgiving week is upon us.
Don't let the turkey get you down.
The holidays can be such a polarizing time. Some people love them, and count the days until pumpkin pie and Christmas music, while others adopt more of an Ebeneezer attitude, grumbling about the pumpkin spice obsession and griping about the very same Christmas music others love.
Whichever camp you fall into, we can all agree that the holidays can be a stressful time, especially for your health. With Thanksgiving a couple days away, I'm sharing a few of my favorite tips to keep yourself feeling happy and grateful – rather than stuffed and bloated – this Thanksgiving.
- Hydrate, hydrate hydrate. Drinking an 8 ounce glass of water before you sit down to eat will put your appetite in check, and has been shown to decrease how much you'll choose to eat before feeling full. Added bonus? You'll eliminate any hangover from too much wine with dinner.
- Up the Citrus. Adding citrus to your meal is a great way to keep your stomach happy, especially when you're eating richer foods than normal. Adding fresh lemon juice to your water or salad dressings with keep your body's chemistry in balance, and adds some great digestive enzymes to your gut.
- Eat Real Food. Skip the canned cranberry sauce and boxed stuffing. Thanksgiving is one of the few times during the year when we collectively set aside time for cooking, so make the most of it! Use organic, whole foods to make your Thanksgiving dinner.
- Don't Skip Breakfast. You may be tempted to skip breakfast and save room for your big meal later in the day, but that's only a big way to set yourself up to overindulge. Start you morning with some protein, healthy fats and maybe natural sugars. Greek yogurt with berries, a veggie omelette or green smoothie are all great options for Thanksgiving morning.
- Just Breathe. When we sit down to a delicious, rich meal we can sometimes start to shovel in food without thinking. Taking a deep breathe before each bite throughout your meal will slow you down and help you stay present, meaning you'll notice when you're full.
- Remember to Chew. Just as important as breathing is chewing! Take it slow and chew each bite at least 10 times. This helps out your digestive system, and again helps you stay mindful and really appreciate your meal, without any post-meal regret.
These tips are of course helpful during any meal, and I'd love for you to experiment with them throughout the holidays. Happy Thanksgiving, lovelies!
Do you find yourself wondering how to stop overeating on a regular basis? Frustrated by how feeling like you can't top emotional eating? Wondering what to do when you overeat? Let's chat. Fighting to overcome emotional eating is a hard battle, but it's not one you have to conquer alone. Schedule a free consultation here to learn what drives emotional eating and how I can help.