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How To Stay Fit During Thanksgiving

Make sure your hard work up until now doesn’t go to waste in one weekend.

It is that time of the year to be thankful to your close ones. And usually, that means eating a lot of high-caloric food and sitting around most of the day. This could hinder what you have accomplished so far in terms of fitness, so you should learn how to stay fit during Thanksgiving this year.

Thanksgiving is an annual holiday in the United States and Canada in which people celebrate the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Usually, at a table surrounded by mountains of food, people tell each other what they are thankful for in their life this year.

After that, it is all about eating, drinking and laying around doing mostly nothing but recovering from the food coma you put your stomach through. All of this is a recipe for disaster when it comes to keeping track of your fitness goals.

Source: Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

If January 1st is synonymous with promises of getting healthier and more athletic, Thanksgiving is the opposite in which people tend to let go of any fitness responsibilities they might have.

But that doesn’t have to be the case. You can still learn how to stay fit during Thanksgiving and not have to pass on the delicious food that comes attached to this holiday. Check it out.

How To Stay Fit During Thanksgiving

Begin with Exercise

You know you will eat more than usual when dinner is set on the table. To keep your calories in check, or close to it, you should begin the day with some exercise. Burn off those calories you know you will ingest hours later.

The best part here is that you should do any form of exercise that you love simply because it means you might do it for longer, thus shedding off more calories before it’s time for dinner.

This can be any HIIT workout at home, running or walking outside, or just some regular strength training if you have that option. Anything that gets your body moving is partially the answer to how to stay fit during Thanksgiving.

You may also do some walks with the family after dinner to help with digestion and burn more calories. It’s a win-win decision.

5 Fun Thanksgiving CrossFit Workouts You Should Try

Eat Breakfast

Also early in the day, you should eat breakfast. Some people skip this meal thinking they are saving the calories for the big dinner, but nutritionists agree that eating a satisfying breakfast can help you keep control of how much you eat later in the day.

We recommend eating a nutritious meal with fibre and protein to keep you fuller for longer.

Eat Slow and Only One Plate

By now you should know to eat your vegetables before getting to the main dish. This way you will fill your stomach with less caloric food, which helps to stay in check with your weight.

Another tip for eating less and to begin understanding how to stay fit during Thanksgiving is to limit yourself to having only one plate of food (no seconds allowed) and eating it slowly.

How to Control Hunger While DietingSource: Life of Pix / Pexels

Good traditional options that have lower fat and calories are white turkey, plain vegetables, roasted sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, thin gravy and pumpkin pie.

Eating slower might be difficult for most, but one classic strategy is to put down the fork every time you take a bit of food. You are sending signals to your brain that you need time with the food in your mouth before you go for the next bite, which helps your body understand you are full without having to resort to more food.

Mind Your Alcohol

Yes it is the end of Fall and it is getting cold outside, but that doesn’t mean you need to warm yourself up with alcohol. Of course, drink what you like, but keep in mind that alcoholic beverages are usually empty calories, meaning they add calories to your calorie intake without giving you any of the nutrients.

Cook or Bring Something Healthy

Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving or going to someone else’s house, having a healthy dish available can help you tremendously to stay fit during Thanksgiving.

You know exactly what is in the food, how it was prepared and, possibly, how much you can eat without gaining too much weight. It’s the perfect combo.

Drinks Lots of Water

Drinking water might be the best tip on how to stay fit during Thanksgiving that people don’t think about.

how to stay fit during Thanksgiving

In a similar way to eating less caloric food that fills up your stomach, water is the perfect ingredient to make you feel full without adding ANY calories. If you are drinking lots of water during Thanksgiving, chances are you will be eating less food while still feeling satiated.

Or you can also choose food that is full of water, which is the basis of the Volumetrics Diet.

Conclusion

One thing you should keep in mind is that you need to be realistic. Probably, aiming to lose weight during Thanksgiving is going to be a lost cause for you. Maybe you should aim to keep your weight, or fight as much as possible to not gain that much during the holidays.

Make sure you are moving a lot during the day, drink lots of water and keep your portions to a smaller size. The following week, get back to the gym and get motivated to reconnect with your fitness side.

Read more: How to Stay on Track with Your Nutrition Over the Holidays

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