{"id":34565,"date":"2021-11-24T01:15:58","date_gmt":"2021-11-24T06:15:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=34565"},"modified":"2021-11-26T05:17:03","modified_gmt":"2021-11-26T10:17:03","slug":"healthy-thanksgiving-weight-loss-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/healthy-thanksgiving-weight-loss-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Ways To Survive Thanksgiving, Minus the Food Coma"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So, Turkey Day (and dinner) is almost here! And while everyone is busy cooking all these scrumptious gravy-drenched drumsticks, buttery mashed potatoes, and gooey pecan pie, you are looking for the smart ways to stay on track with your healthy eating habits and maintain your fitness<\/a> without depriving yourself of your favorite Thanksgiving treats<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Not to worry! We\u2019ve rounded up 12 expert-approved tips to help you make it through the festive celebration, indulging in the flavors of fall without feeling as stuffed as the bird!<\/p>\n

12 Genius Thanksgiving Dinner Hacks You Won’t Regret<\/h3>\n

1. Eat before<\/i> the big meal.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>Yes, you read that correctly! Showing up for the feast with a rumbling tummy is a recipe for over-eating, so be sure to pre-game by having a nutritious, low-calorie snack. A bowl of vegetable soup<\/a> about one hour before mealtime should help tame your hunger, says Sonya Angelone, R.D., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics<\/a>. Picking at an appetizer veggie platter<\/a> is a good option as well.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Low Calorie Foods That Will Actually Fill You Up<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Dress to impress.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>Save your baggy, comfy clothes for another occasion. Instead, break out a form-fitting garment \u2014 think skinny jeans or a curve-hugging dress. “You’ll be less likely to overeat if you’re wearing something a little snug, because you’ll start feeling uncomfortable more quickly,” says Keri Gans<\/a>, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet<\/a>.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

3. Make single-size versions of decadent dishes.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>Want to be the perfect host? Add flair to the table and stop everyone, including yourself, from overdoing it by offering individual portions of the fattiest items on the menu, suggests Jackie Newgent, R.D., culinary nutritionist and author of The With or Without Meat Cookbook<\/a>. “For instance, bake stuffing in cups of a muffin pan; make sweet potato<\/a> or green bean casserole in individual ramekins; ladle creamy soups into espresso cups; or serve gravy or rich salad<\/a> dressing in shot glasses.” Pre-sizing eliminates the opportunity to pile those taters too high.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/b> 15 Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Don\u2019t worry, be picky.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>Before sitting down at the dinner table, have a few favorite foods in mind that you plan to indulge<\/a> in\u00a0\u00a0 \u2014 and don’t be afraid to change course if the first taste proves to be more “meh” than marvelous. “If it isn’t everything you’d hoped it would be, don’t waste calories<\/a> by having another bite,” says Elisa Zied<\/a>, R.D., author of Younger Next Week<\/a>.<\/i> “Try something different.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

5. Make faux mashed potatoes.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>Can’t limit yourself to a small scoop of these buttery spuds? Then bypass them entirely in favor of cauliflower<\/a>. “For a delicious stand-in, boil cauliflower, mash it, and add a little skim milk, lemon and garlic,” say Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., and Lyssie Lakatos, R.D., aka “The Nutrition Twins<\/a>.” The similar texture and color will trick you into thinking you\u2019re getting the real thing.<\/p>\n

6. Choose booze or sugar.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>Cocktails and desserts are usually both laden with sugar<\/a> and calories, so pick a singular indulgence \u2014 but still be mindful of serving sizes. One small piece of pie<\/a> or a half-cup of eggnog, says Zied, will do the trick.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>12 Drinks That Aren\u2019t Worth the Calories<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Mix up a 45-calorie cocktail.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>If liquor and dessert are equally essential to you enjoying the holiday, at least choose your libation wisely<\/a>. For a mere 45 calories you can have a “Fruity Tooty Spritzer,” say Lakatos and Lakatos Shames: Simply combine 1 cup sparkling water, 2 ounces vodka, 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice and 6 raspberries. Garnish with fresh mint leaves. For more better-for-you beverages, check out these 10 Healthy Holiday Cocktail Recipes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

8. Eat off colorful plates.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>Leave the fancy white china in the cabinet. “You\u2019ll likely eat more when light-colored foods, such as turkey and mashed potatoes, are served on white or cream plates,” says Newgent. “Research<\/a> has found that the more contrast between your food and plate color, the less you\u2019ll likely eat \u2014 or overeat.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

9. Go to the back of the line.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>Heading to a holiday buffet? Let others get their fill first. “Once the cheese platter and desserts<\/a> have been picked over they won\u2019t seem nearly as enticing,” says Karen Ansel, R.D.,<\/a> a New York-based nutritionist. As hard as it may be, fight the urge to be number one.<\/p>\n

10. Choose appetizers that provide visual clues.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>If you tend to inhale your food without realizing how much you consumed, opt for nibbles like in-shell pistachio nuts<\/a>. “Their empty shells are a helpful visual cue about how much you\u2019ve eaten, potentially encouraging you to eat less,” says Ansel. Chicken satay and shrimp cocktail are also good options, as you can watch the skewers and tails stack up.<\/p>\n

11. Draw a clear finish line.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>Once you’ve had your fair share, reach for a “meal ender” to prevent you from picking at whatever’s in front of you. Zied suggests popping a breath strip, sucking on a strong mint, or reapplying your lip gloss. Another trick: Pour some water on your plate so you won\u2019t want to use it anymore \u2014 just make sure no one\u2019s watching.<\/p>\n

12. Join the clean-up crew.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/b>“One hour spent clearing the table and washing dishes while you\u2019re standing can whittle off about 100 calories,” says Newgent. Plus your host will be grateful!<\/p>\n\n\n

Not a Daily Burn member? Sign up at dailyburn.com<\/a> and start your free 30-day trial today.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally published on November 26, 2015. Updated on November 24, 2021<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All images via Shutterstock <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Before you indulge in Thanksgiving dinner, try some of these expert diet tips you may never have heard before. Spoiler alert: They actually work!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":67897,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,425,7,11,9,18],"tags":[155,58,189,341,388,285],"class_list":["post-34565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-dinner","category-health","category-health-hacks","category-recipes","category-weight-loss","tag-dinner","tag-hacks","tag-holiday","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2nutrition","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34565","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34565"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34565\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}