Aren’t holidays the best time of the year? Yummy meals, family gatherings, and lots of chatting with friends. It’s such a treat after the daily and tiring nitty gritty of life.

Thanksgiving is many people’s favorite; it’s a mini trailer before Christmas, and is another particular time when everyone returns home to gather with family to be thankful for all they have.

Since it’s once a year, everyone comes with one thought: we will splurge and go all in! However, putting on weight during the holiday season is a trend observed worldwide.

Every year we end up gaining weight that stays with us permanently and keeps on adding up. Soon, we start to dread this happy time of year. So, here are some healthy Thanksgiving tips below.

1. Become active!

Begin today and become a little bit active before the Thanksgiving season. You can start by walking or working out a bit to decrease your weight and increase your fitness before you indulge in all the yummy food your aunts, grandmothers, and mother makes.

By eating a bit less and working out, you’ll be able to burn a good amount of fat before thanksgiving, leaving room for a splurge to slip up.

You can add in a few friends and motivate them to do the same, so you all can enjoy the delicious feast guilt-free.

2. Make breakfast an important meal of your day:

Did you know that skipping meals isn’t an efficient way of losing weight? Instead, it adds up to your hunger until you finally lose it and consume more than you usually do throughout the day.

So, by eating a healthy breakfast meal in the morning, you help to gain control over your appetite.

A small tip: make sure your breakfast includes protein and fiber. This helps in keeping you feeling full for longer, hence eliminating the need for unnecessary food and drinks.

3. Pitching in!

Thanksgiving is when people make all the food they love that’s yummy, but bad for your health. So to make things easier, you can pitch in with a dish or a few for Thanksgiving dinners.

This will be very convenient, because you’ll be taking along with yourself a meal that you can make low in fat, carbohydrates, and sugar.

Are you confused? Well, for example: use butter and milk substitutes in mashed potatoes and dips. Add vegan ingredients to your traditional non-vegan favorites.

No need to make a super healthy dish, just a few small switches to help lighten up your meal.

4. Watch your portions:

Thanksgiving dinner includes a table full of all the yummy goods that you have been enjoying for years. It may have a yummy casserole that your aunty makes, a sweet dish made by your grandmother that you have been craving all year long, and mashed potatoes made by your mom.

Make practical choices and police your portions. Instead of taking a considerable amount, take small amounts of everything. This way, you’ll be tasting everything and satisfying your craving. Enjoy but in smaller portions.

5. Avoid a second helping:

Resisting the temptation to grab some more is the biggest test during the thanksgiving season, so it’s better to limit yourself to a single plate (or until you are full, but not overly full) and make room for dessert.

You can avoid overeating and can again enjoy leftovers the next day, but for now, consume less. You can also choose some food items without policing your portions.

For instance, mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed vegetables are an excellent alternative to other greasy items. But if you want to enjoy a bit of everything, portioning is effective, and avoid second helpings.

6. Enjoy all your meals slowly:

Savor all your meals without getting in a hurry to grab more! It’s essential that you eat your meals slowly and savor each and enjoy every bite of the yummy Thanksgiving goodness. Put down your fork in between and take it slow. Have a chat with your family during your meal.

7. Do not consume alcohol:

Alcohol may seem like a good idea right now. Still, the calories that a glass of wine or maybe two have are multiple and can add up the calorie count that you tried to cut down all over the holidays.

Even though drinking may seem like a fun idea, with friends surrounding you and wanting to let loose, it will be better if you refrain from the temptation.

Try having fruit juices and chilled water in between. Lesser calories and a healthy alternative with a dash of fun is a perfect combination.

8. Enjoy family time!

Yes, Thanksgiving is a time when everyone comes together and enjoys food and chatters, but the real deal isn’t the food.

In fact, what’s more important is the collection of friends and family, so take your time to enjoy and give yourself a break.

The central part shouldn’t be the food, but the social gathering and quality time you spend with your loved ones and be grateful for it.

Do not make a healthy lifestyle a burden; instead, enjoy the fun parts that follow it, and you’ll observe a change.

Conclusion on healthy Thanksgiving tips:

Finally, you can enjoy delicious meals but by putting a little pause so your health stays put and you can devour everything to the fullest!

Vegan thanksgiving recipe ideas:

• Gluten-Free Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

• Vegan Butternut Squash Recipes

• Vegan Sweet Potato Recipes

• My Favorite Cornbread Recipes

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