Avoiding Holiday Pounds – Thanksgiving Battle Plan

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Want to keep your weight in check over the holidays? Then come up with a strategy that doesn't deprive but let's you walk away satisfied not stuffed. (Image: An awesome Turkey with Brown-Sugar Glaze via marthastewart.com)

Want to keep your weight in check over the holidays? Then come up with a strategy that doesn’t deprive but let’s you walk away satisfied not stuffed. (Image: An awesome Turkey with Brown-Sugar Glaze via marthastewart.com).

It’s that time of the year where people over indulge in food and drink. Studies show that most people who gain weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s usually don’t lose that weight, despite those resolutions.

That’s why I’m coming up with a plan. I want to lose about 16 pounds before the end of the year so I need a strategy. Today, I’m working on Turkey Day.

Guiltless Thanksgiving
This year we’re spending Thanksgiving with friends. I’m not going to worry about eating high-carb foods like stuffing or dessert. I want to enjoy myself. That doesn’t mean stuffing my face. I need a strategy that keeps my eating in check and wisely uses my 49 weekly allowance points.

So what’s the plan?

  1. Eat Slowly – If you eat slow you don’t eat as much and you fill up quicker.  So how do you eat slowly? Take a bite. Put fork down. Chew. Sip water. Repeat. Easy.
  2. Pick Dishes I Don’t Normally Eat – It’s Thanksgiving after all! I love stuffing, pie and cranberry sauce, but I rarely eat them. Just too many carbs for me.  Since Thanksgiving is once a year, I plan to enjoy those dishes. Depriving myself just means I’m going to breakdown and eat way more than I should.
  3. Portion Control — I need to watch those portions. So I’m actually going to practice visualizing what a 1/4 C or 1/2 C of food looks like.  Without practice, your eyes are always bigger than your stomach. I want just enough food to satisfy so a small amount will do.
  4. No Left Overs – This is the bonus of Thanksgiving at a friend’s house.
  5. Saying No to Seconds – If I’m full, I need to say so.
  6. Leave The Table When Full – This is a biggie. If I hang out near the food I tend to “nibble.” Well, to me it’s nibbling. In reality it’s more like seconds and thirds.

Again, the name of the game is enjoying the day with family and friends. If I mess up my plan, I’m not going to beat myself up. It’s just one day. The key is getting back on track the next meal.