The holidays are times for fun and family.  You get to see family and friends you haven’t seen in almost a year as you come together and share a meal.  Families love to share food and good times over a Thanksgiving meal.  It gives the best cooks the opportunity to bring out their best dishes and wow friends and family.

It is not just the meal but an entire day (or weekend) of celebrating with food and drink.  While there’s everything good to be said about the time, this can also be a difficult time for anyone who is trying to lose weight or be good with their current eating plan.  Unfortunately, the celebrating goes on with many decadent delights that can ruin your waistline.   But, that doesn’t have to be the case this year. 

Here are some ways to enjoy the holiday without ruining your figure.

Change your mindset – It’s often thought that it’s necessary to skip breakfast and lunch for a couple of days so you can chow down on anything you want on Thanksgiving and all will balance out. This is not so. Overindulging is not a habit you want to cultivate even once during the year. Eat your meals each day, but decide that you will try a little bit of everything on Thanksgiving instead of a lot of all of it.

Drink water – Water is your friend. It can make your stomach feel just full enough to keep you from grabbing the biggest piece of cherry pie on the table. Try downing a couple of glasses right before dinner. With your stomach partially filled, your plate won’t be.

Eat slowly – You can get so busy talking that you don’t realize how fast you are eating.  Lots of talking and eating is also a choking hazard, so when you talk, put your fork down. As your stomach fills with air, you won’t want to eat as much as you once thought. Also, as you chew, consciously taste each bite of that sweet potato casserole or once-a year corn pudding. That sensation will go a long way even if you only have a few spoonfuls.

Take an after-dinner walk – When you feel too full, you can feel miserable. Fit in a little exercise with a walk in the clean, crisp air. Your food gets a chance to be digested and you can get tired out from something healthy instead of fatty foods.

Create healthier versions of favorite foods – You certainly don’t want to have to feel guilty about enjoying yourself on Thanksgiving. Use low-fat or fat-free gravy this year, seasoned with spices for added flavor. Season your vegetable dishes instead of adding heavy sauces or creams. When done right, no one will even notice that you’ve changed things up a bit.

Thanksgiving is about fun and a meal, but don’t suffer on account of that meal. There are ways to enjoy the holiday without adding pounds or feeling guilty.