Thanksgiving Survival Guide: A Nutritionist Shares 9 Ways to Plan a Healthier Turkey Day Family Health

This year, plan ahead to so that you can enjoy Thanksgiving without drowning in heaping servings of guilt. Here's my hour-by-hour survival guide for Thanksgiving:

• Get a full night’s sleep the night before. Thanksgiving day will likely be stressful, and a lack of sleep will take its toll.

• Eat breakfast. Don’t save up for the big meal. Eating right away in the morning will help get your metabolism moving, and prevent you from overeating later in the day.

• Work out. Exercise is another metabolism booster. It is easier to have the motivation to exercise right when you wake up, rather than after a heavy meal that makes you sleepy. Don’t have time to hit the gym? Don’t worry, household chores and cleaning count!

• Hydrate. Drink water throughout the entire day.

• Skip the stretchy pants. Put on your normal jeans, not those baggy sweats that are a size or two too large.

• Have a snack. Choose a low-calorie healthy snack to help prevent overeating at the big meal.

• Season dishes with healthy herbs and condiments. Season dishes with fresh herbs, if possible. Otherwise, dried herbs are OK. Try making some dishes with a little kick. Spicy foods are harder to eat in excess.

• Wait at least a half hour between dinner and dessert. Your brain will have to time to get the message to your stomach that you are full, and you won’t eat as much dessert (or any).

• Take a post-dinner walk. If you are still awake and able to move, an after-dinner walk is a great way to speed up digestion.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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