Surviving Turkey Day: 3 Tips for Overcoming the Urge to Overeat

Last week I talked to you about staying fit through the holidays by increasing your walks, rather than waiting until January 1st to try to repair the damage of extra rich holiday meals.

This week I'd like to address strategies to help you survive the onslaught of family and food on Thanksgiving Day.  First and foremost, let's all try to remember what Thanksgiving Day is really about:  giving thanks.  Siince Thanksgiving Day can be stressful for many people, I realized that there are three basic tips to surviving the meal itself.

Exercise before you go & drink water. 
Try to squeeze in as much exercise as possible before and after Turkey Day.  Either walk, ride your back, or go to a fitness class.  Many gyms are open until noon on Thanksgiving Day and many people offer classes on Black Friday.  Besides keeping you hydrated, drinking water will help you eat less.

Don't arrive overly hungry. 
Eat a light breakfast and perhaps a mid-day snack before Thanksgiving dinner, which many people serve around 3:00.  That way you won't be as tempted to take the second helping of potatoes or pie.  Try to fill your plate with healthy foods like the vegetables rather than the carbohydrate-rich potatoes.

Bring games.
If you feel comfortable doing so, let your host or hostess know beforehand that you'd love to share your new game...a Sudoku challenge, Scrabble, Jeopardy, Charades, whatever.  The idea is to take the focus away from the table as quickly as possible.

Just keeping fitness at the forefront of your mind is the first step towards staying fit on Thanksgiving and throughout the holidays, and being willing to concoct your own fitness holiday strategies will go a long way towards keeping you fit.

Janice Litvin is a Fitness Educator and can be reached at Facebook.com/ZumbaContraCosta.