Hello everyone! Happy Thanksgiving week!
Welcome to blog #2 of our Holiday Wellness Blog Series! Last blog post, we discussed the power we all hold to choose what we eat, how much, and when. We talked about prioritizing what you love to eat over what you’re indifferent about. Finally, and most importantly, we talked about loving yourself enough to enjoy the holiday without guilt, regarldess of what happens. I wanted to start with that topic to help lay the foundation for this conversation!
This is Part II of that talk- some focus on the HOW behind eating thoughtfully. Read below for some helpful pointers that don’t involve starving yourself or missing out on the things you love. Let’s just be strategic about it!
Portion Control
For most of the people we talk to about Thanksgiving, they feel their portions are their biggest struggle in keeping the eating and drinking out of control. First, I LOVE estimating portions by using your hand! In this tip, as demonstrated by the infographic from Precision Nutrition below, we can get a general idea for our food groups from different parts of the hand. So much easier than counting calories or being the weirdo that brings a food scale to dinner, right?? Check it out!
I love this method because it is simple, straight-forward, and requires nothing to make it happen! Your hand is typically proportionate to your body and doesn’t change, so it’s a great trick for friends and family too. The hope is ultimately use it to develop healthy habits by giving you the ability to quickly assess whether you’re eating too much or too little. Additionally, it will help as a checklist to ensure you’re getting a diverse spread of food on your plate! Curious how much of everything to consume? Refer to the table below!
Amp up the Quality of Food!
Another easy tip for making it through the holidays is by volunteering to bring some food you made! Not only will this earn you the status of your host’s favorite guest, but you’ll also have the opportunity to craft some delicious and nutrient-dense options! This doesn’t have to be boiled Brussel Sprouts or a bland salad… pick your favorite holiday side dish and focus on just making it a LITTLE more healthy. Examples? Use applesauce to cut some of the oil in your baked goods or make a tray of roasted vegetables with a yummy dipping sauce. Even just knowing what is in the food automatically brings it up to a higher quality. Chances are, you aren’t using ingredients you can’t pronounce or labelled as Red 40 (can I get a yikes?), so keep the food real and the recipes tasty… your friends and family will love it!
Drinking Smartly!
Drinks are such an easy way to rack up a lot of unnecessary sugar this time of year. In addition to alternating your alcoholic and/or sugary drinks with water or sparkling water, think about the flavor profiles you LOVE and make your own! Find a way to cut soda or tonic water with sparkling water or focus on slower-sipping beverages rather than ones you know you can drink all night. Need some inspiration? Check out some of our favorite festive recipes below!
“Apple Cider Sangria”
Ingredients
1 bottle white wine
2 1/2 cups fresh apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup vodka
2 apples, chopped
1 orange, chopped
1 tablespoon raw honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Directions: Chop apple and orange and place in the bottom of pitcher with pomegranate seeds. Add in wine, apple cider, cinnamon sticks, vodka, honey, and cinnamon. Stir and serve with ice.
I’m not shy about my love of fruit in cocktails, so this Apple Cider Sangria is high on my list! I snagged this recipe from below. Need more inspiration? See more below!
I hope you enjoyed the post and found it to be helpful! Stay tuned for the next post in our Holiday Wellness Blog. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone! Do your best to have fun, stay kind, and be present! See you soon.
In love and wellness,
Annie