Every Thanksgiving I tell myself that I’m not going to eat too much, but I always do and end up feeling over-stuffed. Here is a reminder for me and some tips for all of you who do the same:
Get some exercise. In the morning, go for a walk or a jog. I love 5k Turkey Trots, family walks around the block, bike rides. Starting your day off on the right foot leads to better choices throughout the day.
Eat slowly. Put your fork down between bites. If you eat too fast your brain does not have time to catch up with your stomach and you’ll end up eating more food than your body needs to feel satisfied (this feeling catches up to you later).
Chew your food. Our digestion starts in the mouth. There are enzymes in our saliva that actually start breaking down our food almost immediately. When you chew your food enough, it leads to smooth digestion and greater assimilation of nutrients. When we eat too quickly, the rest of our body has to work extra hard, and it doesn’t always digest food (hello indigestion and heartburn).
Limit sugar intake. This includes foods made with white flour like those delicious rolls or even white potatoes. These foods spike your blood sugar levels causing an increase in insulin production (which is a fat-storage hormone). Once the blood sugar levels drop, we lose that sugar high feeling and crash, feeling yucky, and actually begin to crave sugar and start the cycle all over again.
Drink 8-10 cups of water. Did you know even moderate levels of dehydration can trick your brain into thinking it’s hungry? This causes you to eat more instead of just having a glass of water. Drinking plenty of water not only helps you eat less, it helps your digestion, your immune system, and flushes out toxins.
Practice Moderation. Eating foods in moderation is always a good idea, but sometimes that is hard when there is so much good food around. Put smaller servings on your plate and then you won't be tempted to gobble up too much. There is always tomorrow for leftovers!
