The Thanksgiving holiday has the meaning right in the name. It’s about “THANKS” and “GIVING”, and less about the food. Yea, it’s a time to indulge a little and forget about your diet plan for a day, but too much of anything is a bad thing. I wanna share 6 things you wish you knew before overeating on Thanksgiving. It might save you the stomach ache that you’re destined for, especially if all you’re thinking about is the food.
1 – Accept The Indulgence Responsibly
The worst thing to do is try to stick to a strict diet on this day of feasting. You’ll just end up feeling left out and rebel later on in the day.
You might as well just accept that the diet is out the window for today. Go ahead and try all those delicious foods that you normally wouldn’t eat. Just be responsible and take small samples.
2 – Give Thanks
Take the time to actually recognize what this holiday is about. What are you genuinely thankful for?
Whether it’s your home, family, the life that God gave you, or the troops that give up everything to fight for your country…….take the time to reflect, pray, and share what you’re thankful for.
It takes the focus off of the food, and brings the true meaning of Thanksgiving into perspective.
3 – Pace Yourself
This isn’t a sprint people. It’s a marathon. You have all day to eat turkey and stuffing. The rest of the week you’ll have time to eat so much leftovers that you won’t wanna see a turkey until next year.
I know you’re excited about all the food, but you don’t have to fit it all onto one plate, just to inhale in a matter of 10 minutes. There’s always an opportunity for seconds if you’re still hungry.
Eating really fast is the quickest way to get a stomach ache. Take the time to enjoy your food by chewing each bite and giving your stomach time to digest things properly.
4 – Talk With Your Family
Spending quality time talking with your family that you may have not seen in a while is a great way to slow down the gorge.
Talking will force you to take more time in between each bite. That gives your stomach the time to let you know when you’re actually full.
Besides…..time with family is a big part of this holiday that you don’t wanna miss! You’re welcome 🙂
5 – Eat Something Before The Big Meal
Don’t completely save yourself for the big meal. Your stomach needs a little pre-game warmup. Have a light breakfast and lunch/snack before you start to throw the major food back.
Imagine sitting on the couch all day…..and then all of a sudden out of nowhere you just get up and start running at an all out sprint. You’re bound to pull a muscle.
Well that’s exactly what you’re doing to your stomach if you just starve yourself all day and then out of nowhere it gets bombarded with a ton of food to digest. That’s the perfect recipe for cramps and bloating.
6 – Move Around Afterwards
After the face stuffing marathon, give yourself a few minutes to digest. But then get up and move around. Go for a walk, or better yet…..get everyone involved in a game of backyard football.
It’ll top your day off and bring your family together. Obviously use discretion, if you’re too full then take it easy. No one wants to see your food a second time.
Some light moving around can help digest your food and get rid of that “food coma” feeling that you might get.
I hope these tips help to keep you from overeating on Thanksgiving, and getting a regrettable stomach ache. Have a wonderful time with your families, but please take a second to share this on facebook first! If you got a quick second, you might also wanna check out 10 Motivational Nutrition Quotes.
About Adam Pegg
