Weight Management for Professionals & Dieters

The Turkey is Stuffed. That Doesn’t Mean You Have to Be.

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The average Thanksgiving dinner is between 3,000 and 4,000 calories. (I’m cringing a bit as I write this.) I knew that the traditional meal with all the fixings is heavy and fattening, but I never would have guessed that much.  For a lot of people that’s twice as many calories as you should be eating on a daily basis, and for those of you on a low calorie or very low calorie diet… Well, you get the picture!

But this Thanksgiving, we’re going to maintain control, walk away from the meal feeling great, and… we’re going to enjoy it! Here’s how:

1. Drink two glasses of water before meals. A new study shows that drinking water before meal time can help promote weight loss by helping you to feel fuller, thus consuming less food. So while you’re waiting for the turkey to finish cooking, take out a glass and have a drink!
2. Don’t break your routine by “saving your calories for when it counts.” Consider Thanksgiving just another meal (albeit with special, traditional choices) and go about your daily meal routine. Our bodies are hardwired to eat more to make up for the deficit after limiting food intake, so you’re actually hurting your diet by doing this.
3. Nothing is better than that first bite or two, right? So stick with that! Look around the table and decide what you would like to try and create a sampler for yourself.  Take the time to slowly savor each bite of the food you’ve selected (it’s not a race to finish), and you should find yourself full in the end. Remember: It’s about moderation, not deprivation!
4. It might sound like the scene from a cheesy movie, but it’s time to re-evaluate what you’re thankful for this Thanksgiving. Take the focus off of food and desserts and get back to the real meaning of Thanksgiving. Give thanks for the changes you’ve made this year in your life: for your progress on your weight loss program; the support of your family and friends in making these lifestyle changes; in the idea that each step of progress is ensuring you a longer, healthier life and many more Thanksgivings to come.

I’m sure many of you have other tips for handling the holidays, so feel free to leave them in the comments section below, but I’d also really love to know: Related to your weight loss program (as a professional or dieter), what (or who) are you thankful for this year?

Me? I’m thankful for all of you and your continued support and participation in these weekly blog postings! I love reading your comments and about your experiences and writing about topics you ask for (so feel free to leave a comment or email me at kelli@robard.com). We hit the milestone one-thousandth subscriber a few weeks ago and I couldn’t be happier about it!

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20100823/water-may-be-a-secret-weapon-in-weight-loss
http://www.ivillage.com/have-healthier-thanksgiving-feast/4-a-106718