I realize some of you are not in the United States, but for those of you who are, I'm sure at some point you asked yourself, "what will I eat?", "what can I eat?" or maybe even "how do I avoid the crap?"
Likely you’ve already started thinking or planning your own menu items for this week’s festivities. And hopefully you’re creating items that will help you in continuing to achieve your long-term weight loss goals.
Although there are so many carb heavy dishes around the holidays, it can be so easy to make low-carb dishes that conquer the craving without impacting your goals! You can visit my friend and colleague Patricia Hill, in My Bariatric Kitchen on Facebook, or you can even check out recipes on Pintrest. The point is to make it easy for you to eat bari-friendly!
This Thanksgiving - like everything Thanksgiving since surgery, I focus on protein first. Then veggies. Then everything else. There's not much room, so this is how I stay focused on eating healthy. Also, since we can't eat that much, working from a smaller plate also helps regulate how much you put on it because no matter HOW many years out you are from surgery, your eyes are ALWAYS bigger than your stomach.
Sure, you can decide to splurge and have a bite or two of that special dish, it’s important however that you DECIDE in advance how much you plan to have and when.
This will help you to avoid overeating, or serial grazing. Thanksgiving is typically a "grazing" holiday anyway, but to avoid this type of grazing, eating every 4-5 hours will help you keep track of your "meals" rather than just random grazing throughout the day.
This year we are having turkey, butternut squash roasted with swerve (brown), brussel sprouts, loaded cauliflower, and swerve sweetened cinnamon apples.
What's on your MENU? Share with us inside the Bariatric Mindset Mavens group.
Other top tips for Turkey day....
Keep track of what you're eating. While it may not seem "sexy" to track on Thanksgiving, it will actually give you perspective of what you're eating and how much. This will help you gauge how you're doing and help you keep track of your nutritional needs.
SLOW DOWN.. enjoy each taste, and be mindful of your bites! This helps you to avoid "over-stuffing" of your pouch during your meals. This way you can avoid feeling sick or "stuffed" (literally!).
Make sure that you're staying hydrated throughout the day. And... be sure that if you're having alcohol that you are paying attention to how much. Alcohol, like caffeine can dehydrate you, so making sure you are drinking water is essential. Also be sure to wait 30-min before and after meals to sip, sip, sip!
Use a small plate. I love Livliga brand plates, but really any small plate will help you stay on track and keep your EYES in focus, so you don't put too much of anything on your plate.
Move your body - this is just as much for your mental health as it is for your physical health. Go for a quick walk outside if you can, or walk around your living room or den. Have a dance party to keep the family active too! This will help your digestion and also keep those endorphins high!
I hope these tips serve you well!