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Have A Guilt-Free Thanksgiving
Have A Guilt-Free Thanksgiving
By Leslie Fink, MS, RD for Weigh****chers.com Thanksgiving's coming and we all know what that means: too much food and too many parties cropping up from now until New Year's Eve. But a big holiday dinner doesn't have to leave you feeling like a stuffed sausage -- or signal the beginning of the end of your weight loss. It's important to remember that Thanksgiving is just one day, not a whole week. One large meal won't pile on the pounds. But if you are the type who feels guilty after just one sliver of pie -- and uses this slip-up as an excuse to go on a weeklong binge -- perhaps it's time to rethink your strategy. The Game Plan "Don't set yourself up for failure," says Maria Walls, RD, manager of program development for Weight Watchers International. Decide which foods you want to enjoy at your Thanksgiving meal before you sit down to eat. Walls suggests that you prepare by imagining yourself sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner -- visualize the spread and decide how you'll fill up your plate. Be sure to include a few items you love so that you don't feel deprived, which can often lead us to overcompensate by eating everything else in sight. Here are some additional pointers for getting through the big meal: Decide how much of a favorite food will satisfy you. If you cannot conceive of eating just a small piece of Aunt Millie's famous pumpkin pie, cut something else out to account for the larger slice. Select foods you don't normally eat so that you can easily eliminate several of the dishes. After all, do you really need sweet potatoes topped with melted marshmallows plus an ordinary baked spud? Practice creative ways to say "no" in case you get pressured by others to take seconds (or thirds). If you're hosting the meal, remember that there is always tomorrow -- and leftovers. But if you won't be able to sleep knowing that there's half a pie in the kitchen, "freeze leftovers immediately or give your guests doggie bags to take home," suggests Walls. Push yourself away from the table when you're full. If you're not sitting within arm's length of the cookies, you'll be less likely to overindulge. Acknowledge that all foods have benefits. Pumpkin pie, for example, is loaded with vitamin A (important for proper vision) and beta-carotene (a potentially powerful antioxidant). And that green bean casserole and stuffing contain lots of folic acid (a B vitamin linked to the prevention of birth defects and, possibly, heart disease). Try to broaden your focus so that the holiday is not just about food. Concentrate on what you're thankful for, like wearing a smaller dress size, more comfortably crossing your legs or feeling more confident about yourself. And if, despite all your efforts, you end up feeling like you're off the mark, put it all in perspective: "Don't worry about it, just move on," encourages Walls. Tomorrow's a whole new day. -- Steve º¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤º Steve Chaney Remove "kfc." to get my real email address |
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