Eat the Healthiest Offerings First
Mom’s mashed potatoes and gravy. Aunt Tilly’s pecan pie. Cranberry sauce and stuffing. All at one sitting. With these gut-busting treats on the menu, its hard to find a healthy option – but not impossible. Scout the kitchen for white meat turkey, veggies or broth-based soup, and you’ll be less likely to reach for the decadent foods.

Eat Slow
Eating quickly — especially at indulgent meals like Thanksgiving Dinner — leads to poor digestion, increased weight gain and lower satisfaction. Stop inhaling your food and take small bites. The benefits of slow eating include better digestion, increased hydration, easier weight loss and greater satisfaction at mealtime.

Plan Time for Exercise
Exercise prevents weight gain, offsets overeating, and helps relieve holiday stress. Shoot for 10-to 15-minute walks twice per day. Don’t try to lose weight during the holiday, ain’t gonna happen. Instead, try to maintain your current weight.

Drink Water, Stupid
Drinking water instead of eggnog at holiday meals is as foreign a concept as slow eating to many people (myself included). However, this strategy pays dividends in that water fills you up and ensures that the calories you get come from actual foods. Drinking water at the dinner table will help you avoid overeating and under-hydrating, a combination that can leave you feeling hungry even after you’ve had your fill.

Prepare Mentally
Think about all the food (and drinks) you’ll be served this holiday season. Decide whether there’s anything you simply shouldn’t partake in, whether it’s because of the physical, emotional or psychological consequences that comes with indulging. Deciding how to respond ahead of time can help you enjoy a healthy holiday this year.

Source: Epicurious

Posted by Ray Simon

Ray Simon is a veteran copywriter with more than a decade's worth of experience in the field. He studied journalism at Vanderbilt University, graduating Cum Laude in 2007. Ray currently specializes in writing content and news articles for independent publications.