Diet vs. Thanksgiving: This is How You Make Sure Your Diet Wins!

1. Sample the foods.

This may be the best move those who don’t have the will power to simply omit a certain dish. Make your way around the serving table taking only sample sized portions of each dish. Opting for those small bites of each of your favorite foods will help you to stay on track. You can try everything without going overboard.

2. Fill up on green things first.

Hit the clean vegetables first. Get a plate full of steamed vegetables and then go back for your other favorites. You won’t be able to eat as much because you have already filled up on greens. This trick actually works really well.  It stops you from overeating the not so healthy stuff but leaves room just in case you want to try that world famous mac and cheese or peach cobbler. But remember the small bites!

3. Say no to dessert (if you can).

I know I know. Dessert is a lot of people’s favorite part of the meal but the extra sugar can undo your whole week! Sugar has the ability to set you back in your weightloss goals, mindset, and even your body chemistry. Yep, have you ever wondered why you get so tired after eating that Thanksgiving meal? It’s because you’ve overloaded on all of the dairy, sugar, and possibly gluten your body could hold. Your body is going to spend a lot of time breaking all of that food down. And so it basically puts you into a mini coma while it goes to work.

4. Wear tight clothes.

Yup! I said it. Wearing tight clothes will help you to stop eating when you are full. It’s a physical thing. If your pants start to get super uncomfortable, chances are you’ve eaten too much. Where a fitted shirt and pants to the Thanksgiving gathering. It’s all in the tight shirt, because you can unbutton the pants but you can’t exactly hide under that fitted shirt. Your family and friends will compliment your muscle gains or your weight loss and trust me those compliments will make you want to stay away from that extra helping of bread pudding.

5. Bring healthy options.

Instead of only having fried and fatty options, offer healthier options with less added sugar, butter, and bread. Contribute to the dinner with your own options and don’t tell anyone they are “healthy.” I don’t know what it is but when people hear the world “healthy” they automatically think “tasteless.” Nothing could be farther from the truth. Prove it by bringing your own yummy dishes!

Implementing these cardinal rules will help you to stay on track with your diet even during the most tempting holiday of them all. Your diet will receive the “W” or win every time. Not only are you playing a mind game with yourself but you’re setting yourself up for success by implementing all of these rules at once!