Have a Healthy Holiday: How to Navigate Thanksgiving Feasts

Thanksgiving and other holidays centered around meals can be unforgiving to people following diets or those with eating restrictions. But staying on track with your health goals and enjoying a Thanksgiving feast aren’t mutually exclusive. 

At Westminster Family Healthcare in Westminster, Colorado, trusted family providers Clifton Etienne, MD, Michael Cavanagh, MD, and Flora Brewington, MD, understand how important it is to manage your weight, cholesterol, or blood pressure. 

Managing conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and obesity often requires changes to your eating habits. A feast full of hearty, salty, and rich foods can be enticing, but many holiday food staples fall outside your health-oriented dietary guidelines. 

Our team can help you navigate Thanksgiving feasts without compromising your health and well-being. This Thanksgiving, follow these tips for healthy and mindful eating.

Limit portion sizes

Just because one of your favorite foods affects your cholesterol or blood sugar doesn’t mean it’s fully off-limits. Unless you have an allergy, you can often enjoy your favorite Thanksgiving foods in moderation, even if they don’t fully align with your recommended eating plan. 

It’s common to eat multiple platefuls of food at Thanksgiving, but doing so can cause you to eat more calories than you intend. You can control portion sizes by:

• Using a smaller dish
• Filling your plate halfway
• Consuming larger portions of salad, vegetables, or other low-calorie options
• Drinking a large glass of water before your meal
• Eating slowly 
• Paying attention to your body’s fullness cues

Taking these steps can help you stay within your target calorie range without missing out on your holiday favorites. And you’ll probably feel more comfortable after the meal than some of your friends and relatives. 

Enjoy physical activity before or after your feast

It can be tempting to spend the day watching football or holiday movies with your loved ones. Your family might even consider it a tradition. Try breaking tradition (or at least taking a break) by including movement in your holiday routine.

While you don’t need to sign up for a Thanksgiving day marathon, getting some physical activity during the holiday can help you stay on track with your health goals. This can be as simple as taking a walk in the brisk fall air or playing a game of touch football with family members. 

Give yourself a little time to digest before you play, but know that physical activity around a Thanksgiving feast can support digestion and help balance a higher calorie intake. 

Explore replacements

Instead of loading up on high-fat, high-salt, and high-calorie foods during your Thanksgiving feast, consider replacing some of the foods with healthier alternatives. 

For example, you could swap the white bread in your typical stuffing recipe for wheat bread. Try using less sugar in baked goods or low-fat milk in recipes that call for cream. 

This is an opportunity to get creative. You might even find new Thanksgiving recipes you enjoy more than those you typically use. 

Get in touch

Our team at Westmed Family Healthcare is ready to help you prepare for the holiday season with annual wellness visits and guidance for eating mindfully. Call our office today to book an appointment or schedule one online anytime.