This Thanksgiving tips post was originally written 2 years ago, but it still makes me laugh. Plus I tweaked it a bit. Some leftovers are better the next day. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Let’s face it, Thanksgiving is known to start off the glutinous season of merriment, overeating and indulgence. But unfortunately it comes with a price tag in the form of tighter pants, underwear included and a decline in exercise. After all, who has time for that!
Since I love working in 3’s, and I’m sure you’ve already got your mile long holiday “to-do” list, this Misfit is going to give you 3 simple Thanksgiving tips to avoid you tossing the scale out the window. But hey, if you do, I’m sure they’ll be one during a Black Friday mega sale.
Misfit Tip #1:
The E word. Exercise. You’ll need a solid dose of it. Ok, maybe not solid but you need movement. I love 5 minute exercise bursts. Without an increase in heart rate though, exerise might not allow for an extra helping of cranberry sauce (just a ¼ cup has 5.5 teaspoons of sugar in it. Blah!) but it will help your thought bubbles from exploding during any holiday family drama.
So try this on for size:
1 minute jumping jacks, 1 minute low squat with air punches (make sure those knees don’t go over the toes) and 1 minute mountain climbers. Rinse and Repeat. If you can do that 3 times, that’s almost 10 minutes. And that my friend is awesome! Which means YOU ARE AWESOME!!!
Misfit Tip #2:
Keep your carbs to the right, lower quadrant of your plate, veggies to the left and protein to the right upper quadrant above the carby stuff. We read left to right, from top to bottom. There’s no research to support this Misfit way, but my theory is you’ll be unconsciously eating the green beans, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage (my favorite!) and turkey first then finishing on the potatoes and stuffing when you’re fuller. No store bought rolls allowed. Only Aunt Gina’s homemade buttermilk biscuits can be consumed on this day.
Honestly do you really taste the bread after you’ve eaten it? I only remember the feel and taste of the butter.
And speaking of carbs, leave 3 bites of said mashed or casserole style potatoes or stuffing on your plate.
Trust me. You can do this. Happy Plates are SO overrated.
Misfit Tip #3:
Breakfast is a must. I know, I know…. You’ll be filling up earlier than normal. You want to maximize the calories at the main event. And breakfast only makes you hungrier an hour later. I’ve heard it all. But I’m not budging. Didn’t you read my Easy Peasy Tips to avoid the weight gain creep?? Sign up to receive these little blog posts and those tips will be in your inbox (or hiding in your spam folder, so check there too) as quick as you can spell Thanksgiving hangover.
Breakfast is a staple!! And the right breakfast. Not Cheerios. Not store bought donuts. Not a nonfat caramel macchiato from the only place open on Thanksgiving that’ll be open but a real breakfast that contains protein, fiber and fruit or a vegetable. Here’s a few suggestions:
- Granola, yogurt, fruit parfaits. Take a wine glass, because it’s the holidays for goodness sake and you deserve to be fancy in the morning (plus then you won’t have something to put the mimosas in) and layer it with preferably non fat Greek yogurt, frozen blueberries and granola. If you use frozen berries, the juice when they melt will sweeten the yogurt not requiring flavored (which typically means more added sugar).
- 100% whole wheat toast, avocado slices, fried egg. Trust me on this. When that yoke breaks onto the mild avocado with the crunch of the toast… heaven. A quarter turn of a pink Himalayan salt shaker will put this over the edge.
- Huevos Rancheros-esk. Fajita sized tortilla (NOT burrito sized bigger than the 2 yr old), re fried beans, sauteed veggies, salsa, sprinkle of cheese and an egg as desired, oh come to mama!!
- Left over pizza from the night before. OK, only if it was a Veggie Lovers. Get it out of the fridge. You’ll need room for the next round of leftovers anyway.
And that my lovely Misfit Friends is this Misfits way of tackling the holidays and your Thanksgiving tips. Make sure you check me out on Facebook come Gobble day, I’ll be trying to motivate our butts to move. And since posting pics of our Thanksgiving dinner plates is already so taboo, I want to see your breakfast.
Honestly, this year I have NO idea what I’ll be posting on Thanksgiving day. But stay tuned just in case.
Misfit Hugs and have a Healthy, Safe and Joyous Thanksgiving, Kim
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