4- Step Game Plan to
PREVENT THANKSGIVING WEIGHT GAIN
The focus of Thanksgiving should be about spending time with loved ones, and of course, food is center stage! With Thanksgiving, a week away remind yourself that Thanksgiving is about more than the mashed potatoes (it’s actually about the pumpkin cheesecake 😉)… But don’t let the turkey, pie, and cocktails put you behind on your wellness goals.
Even though the season of eating is here, start practicing these 3 game plans to prevent weight gain.
1. BEFRIEND FIBER
Many people start skipping meals in an attempt to save calories for the Thanksgiving feast. But, you’ll probably just end up eating more! Don’t forget to include protein and fiber earlier every day until the big day. It will be easier to eat rationally and not over-indulge later in the day.
Fiber is the underrated nutritional powerhouse! It can aid in weight loss, improve digestion, and help heart health. It keeps you feeling full, aids in weight loss, and keeps your gut happy. If you’re feeling hungry shortly after you eat, don’t have energy throughout the day, or having trouble losing weight, it’s a good sign you don’t have enough fiber. Aim for 30g of fiber a day.
A typical breakfast for me is a Fiber Burst Raspberry Surprise smoothie…it’s packed with great sources of fiber and protein.
Fiber Burst! Rosemary Raspberry Slim Shake
1 serving chocolate slimdown shake…try the KS Wellness Protein Shake!
1 C unsweetened oat or cashew milk
1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 avocado
1 Tbsp chia seeds
2. MAKE IT A FAMILY FIT-SGIVING
For most families, being active on Thanksgiving isn’t a priority when there’s a buffet full of turkey, pie, and stuffing. But, while everyone is gathered in one place, put a little fun into the day and spend quality time together while enjoying physical activity. If doing a turkey trot or playing a game of Turkey-bowl two-hand-touch football aren’t the right fit for your family, put together an obstacle course, warm up with hot yoga, or set up an outdoor scavengar hunt around a park.
3. BREATHE YOUR WAY TO BLISS
Holidays can feel stressful, which can lead to overeading, and less sleep. To feel calm and in-control, try nasal breathing. Fun fact… your body was designed for nose breathing. Your lungs are a main source of your energy level. On every exhale, the lungs withdraw oxygen from the air. Because the nostrils are a smaller area than your mouth, when you breathe out through your nose, a back-pressure is created and exhaled air is restricted and slowed down, which the lungs use to absorb more oxygen. Exhaling and inhaling correctly and consistently through your nose offers numerous surprising health benefits, including…
• Expanded left-brain activity and enhanced verbal performance
• Elevated right brain activity and intensified spatial performance.
• Amplified ability to fight infections
• Increased blood flow and raised lung volumes
Breathing through the nose also encourages the body and mind to slow down until proper breathing is second-nature. Because of that, nasal breathing reduces hypertension and calms stress levels.
Join me in this 5-minute video where I guide you through the basics of nasal breathing…
And, don’t forget your sleep! Lack of Zzz’s impacts glucose homeostatis and appetite regulation. Find out the 5 cardinal sleep sins that you may be breaking on a daily basis and could be preventing you from getting a good nights rest.
4. RISE AND SHINE
The choices you make during the first hour upon waking usually set the stage for what the rest of the day will look like. A hap-hazard morning routine really doesn’t work for me. I like the structure of a winning morning routine, and the key is consistency!
A big part of waking up happy and winning the morning is getting in the right frame-of-mind. Before your morning shower, try the “10-in-10” audio workout… 10 exercises in 10 minutes that incorporate cardio and strength training to tone every muscle. It’s a functional, time-saving workout…. check it out!
