Mindful Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and this season can be a very stressful time of the year when it comes to staying on a fitness routine and eating healthy.  Food is usually in abundance and parties are frequent.

While Thanksgiving is considered the beginning of the holidays, it does not have to be the beginning of month long food fest of overeating and binging putting on the 5-7 pounds that most experts say the average weight gain is for the holidays.. this is so unhealthy physically, mentally and emotionally, not only will the emotions get the best of you but that weight that you gain will be so hard to take off, trust me I have been there in my younger years.

Listen to me, there is a better way as I truly believe that anyone can get through the holidays without eating till you can't  breathe or better yet can't zipper your jeans. Yes, you can get through that fat laden, calorie enhanced and sugar ridden meal that can pack in as much as 4,000 calories. Begin by pacing yourself and pick and choose what and when you will eat and think MINDFULLY about those choices you need to make.  Here are a couple of ideas and tips to help you make it without eating the kitchen sink. First, make sure you are exercising.

Most times exercise will keep you motivated and on track, if not your fitness routine takes a back seat that sets up a roller coaster ride for a train wreck and opens the door to poor eating choices, Staying on track translates into we are doing something great for ourselves and that will keep us motivated. If not, most good eating habits begin to go south, when one sinks they both go down. Without exercise and eating sensibly, those pounds while start to pack on and you can experience lack of energy, not enough sleep, feely bloated and worse feeling miserable. I have said this over and over, if you can get through Thanksgiving Day half of the battle is won. That one day of either eating sensibly or not so sensibly will set you up for the next 4 weeks that will lead us into the New Year. Do yourself a big favor; eat one good meal on Thanksgiving Day like a good breakfast so you are not famished at the dinner table. Enjoy the day, family, friends and celebrate you. You can make it, I know you can.