Get in shape this holiday season!

With Thanksgiving coming up we know all that you can think about is the joining together of families and delicious food! Let’s face Thanksgiving food is on another level and we are all determined to stuff our faces with homemade recipes that only come around once a year. However, the aftermath of Thanksgiving food is the holiday weight gain! Don’t worry we got 10 healthy ways for you to avoid that Thanksgiving weight gain and still enjoy tasty holiday food!

Intermittent fasting

This fasting method has been proven to be one of the healthiest ways to lose weight! The most popular form of intermittent fasting is the 16:8 one. By having an eating window of 8 hours you can start your day eating at 12PM and end at 8 PM, allowing you to fast for a total of 16 hours. This way, you can opt to have an earlier Thanksgiving dinner at around 7 PM so that you can start your fasting at 8 PM. This way, you can have two or three meals in one day and get the right amount of calories in. It is also recommended to sleep earlier or keep yourself busy so that you don’t get distracted and random cravings in the middle of the night.

Build A Workout Routine

Just dieting and watching your calorie intake is not going to cut it, ladies. You need to start getting active and making sure your body is up and running. Creating a solid workout plan is a great way for your body to stay healthy and in shape. This will help you burn off the food you eat throughout the day and when Thanksgiving comes you can make sure to work out in the morning or afternoon before your guests come over or you leave to see your family. Cardio is important, whether it’s going on a run, dancing, or even jumping rope. You also need to incorporate weights or resistance bands to tone your arms and legs and get that core strength.

Drink Green Tea!

Green tea is proven to have a wide variety of health benefits and is adopted into a lot of people's daily routines. It is filled with antioxidants that help you prevent cancer, improves brain function, and best of all it increases your metabolism. With a fast metabolism, you are able to burn fat quicker and, therefore, lose weight! This drink can be hot or iced so you can make it however you’d like! I, personally, drink a cup of green tea every morning and feel I can concentrate better on my work and feel refreshed.

Self-Control

Alright, we know that feeling when you’re eating your favorite food and you go crazy stuffing your face and running for seconds. However, sometimes we don’t realize we are not even really hungry. We are just eating because we want to taste that savory, deliciousness again. Once you know that you are full from a meal and are not dying to eat more, refrain from eating a second plate and control your urges. It can also be hard to see someone eating your favorite desserts that you know are nothing but junk for your body but taste amazingly good. You just need to be mindful and remember that in the end it is all going to be worth it and just because you can’t have that food now does not mean you’re never going to!

Portion Control

It is very helpful to know just the right amount of each food group you need for your body. Depending on your weight, you should search up how many calories you should consume in a day and know what portions are protein, carbs, vitamins, minerals, fats, and fiber. Some people tend to overeat while some tend to undereat. Both of these things can negatively affect your body and cause weight gain. You should portion your meals appropriately and make sure you are getting enough of each food group. Many people even go to a dietician to hear professional advice on this topic!

Limit Snacking

It is tempting to eat any tasty snack while doing whatever work or activity you have to do. We all want to just get comfortable with a bowl of popcorn, binging Netflix all night. However, you can easily watch Netflix without any snacks or junk foods, especially if you had just eaten lunch or dinner. If quitting your snack urges is too difficult then the best way for you to control it is by throwing away your junk food pantry to stop your temptations and maybe even replacing it with healthy foods. You can start eating fruit, nuts, Chex mix, and anything that is filled with healthier ingredients than you would find in a bag of chips or buttered popcorn.

Substitute For Healthier Options

An easy way to cut the junk food out of your diet is by substituting it for healthier ingredients! You can also cut out or limit unhealthy ingredients such as sugar, oil, and butter. Just because something is healthier does not mean it will taste worse. It all depends on the person making it so we want you to stay motivated on that health grind and eat and drink better. Cut out all sodas, alcoholic drinks, and energy drinks that are filled with nothing but sugar and waste. Instead, drink water, low-sugar juice, or even smoothies. Get your vitamins and nutrition in!

Join A Fitness/Health Group!

People tend to work better in groups when they can be motivated by other people and can relate to others. By joining a group focused on achieving a healthy lifestyle and working out, you can feel more inspired to follow your diet and workout plan because other people are in the same boat as you. You can also hear everyone’s stories on how they are passionate about being healthier and can learn a thing or two from them to help you form a more motivated mindset when choosing your next meals and activities.

Have An Accountability Buddy

An accountability buddy is someone who you can rely on when you are feeling weak and like you are about to give up on this entire fitness journey. By updating someone on how you are feeling unmotivated and feeling like caving into junk food, you can get an instant wave of inspiration and motivation to keep you strong! Sometimes little words of encouragement and affirmation are just enough to keep you on your path to success!

Make Your Screensaver Your Ideal Body

This tactic will make it impossible for you to escape your ideal body. You will constantly be reminded that this is what you want and you are working hard to achieve those results. You can even start following fitness bloggers and dieticians on social media such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube to get inspired by these people who are passionate about their healthy lifestyles! 

Use A Food Journal

Logging your food is a great way to keep track of what you are putting in your body. Sometimes we get so consumed in our work that we skip a meal simply because we forgot and this way you can check in and see if you took the time to eat lunch or dinner. Writing down your food and drinks in a journal will also motivate you by showcasing how many days you have been on a health grind and it will make you not want to ruin that streak!

We know Thanksgiving food can be tempting and only comes around once a year but trust when we say that you will be glad that you steered away from the high-calorie food and drinks and kept your diet healthy. We hope you have a safe and joyful Thanksgiving with your friends and family.