Make Thanksgiving the Healthiest Day
Festival Fever- Make your Thanksgiving the healthiest day of the year by following a few simple tips.
Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November. An important occassion for the Americans, it is part of the holiday season, which includes Christmas and New Year.
Traditionally, the celebration of Thanksgiving is a way of thanking God for a common purpose. On this day, friends and families gather for a feast at dinner.. Now that the big day is close, you need to charter a plan to keep yourself healthy and prepared throughout the day.
Do Not Forget Breakfast
Considering that Thanksgiving is a reason for celebration, people end-up spending a lot of money in preparing for dinner and overlook breakfast. Breakfast is the first meal of your day,and therefore, should not be overlooked. Instead, prepare a nutritous breakfast.
Practise Mindful Eating
On thanksgiving, people like to set aside the entire day to meet their loved ones and practise gratitude with good food. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), an average meal on thanksgiving is packed with about 3,000 calories and 229 grams of fat.
Make sure that you don’t overeat. To make your thanksgiving day a healthy celebration, practise systematic undereating i.e. eat until you are satisfied. Having moderate food intake throughout the day will ease your digestive system and make you feel more energetic.
Enjoy with your Friends and Family
Some people associate Thanksgiving with sumptuous food, holiday parties and discounted shopping. Unrealised, however, eating is just a part of the celebration. There is more to Thanksgiving. You must show gratitude and acknowledgment to people around you.
According to many researches, socialisation is important for health and longevity. Make this Thanksgiving day healthy by putting petty quarrels aside and working towards strengthening your social ties.
Some studies have reported that showing gratitude helps to reduce depression and stress. Therefore, say ‘Thanks’ and be healthy.
Prepare Beforehand
According to a study published in the journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, active runners are more immune to the negative effects of laden holiday meals than inactive runners. Even a little activity can help your body. Therefore, prepare your body for the calorie influx before Thanksgiving; start workingout a week before the Thanksgiving day!
Revamp your Menu
The best way to make your Thanksgiving day a healthy one is to make smart food choices. Try to avoid roasted sweet potatoes, casserole, forgo dark meet and ranberry sauce isnetad opt for their low calorie alternatives.
High calorie and fat content in holiday food makes people gain one or two pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year.
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Source: Onlymyhealth editorial team Nov 22, 2011
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