Thanksgiving is a time when good nutritional habits are broken. Sweets and foods with high fat content and of course the fitness structure that flies out the window when your guests walk in. Everywhere you turn you are inundated with food ads. All your extra time is spent in the kitchen cooking or in the grocery store buying more food. Most people over-buy on Thanksgiving and over-eat.
First of all; no one really wants to exercise at this time of year, and secondly, everyone loves pie! I have a suggestion that may help. Get up early, put on the turkey and while the guests are still asleep go for a walk and enjoy the solitude. Exercise during the holidays helps to lower stress levels.
You will find that when you have completed your walk, you will feel less guilty about your food intake: Speaking of food, if you have control over the Thanksgiving menu, put items on it that will not cause caloric anxiety. Plan two or three vegetable dishes and use sliced fresh fruit instead of ambrosia. Mashed or baked potatoes are better than sweet ones, and fresh baked whole wheat bread is better than white rolls. Keep your extra calories focused on the turkey. Pies are wonderful, but leave off the toppings. Dressing can be a big part of your calorie intake so keep your portions small. Home baked pumpkin pie is the lowest in calories and pecan the highest at 450 calories. Apple pie is not bad if you skimp on the crust. That's where a lot of your fat and calories hide.
If you are a guest without menu control, close your eyes a lot when they pass the high calorie dishes. Stay away from nuts, cream, alcohol and sauces.
Same old stuff every year, but this year concentrate on staying busy, and keeping your stress level low. The more nervous you get the more you will eat. And once you have tasted the pecan pie, it’s all over. That's when your sweet cravings take over and it takes three weeks to gain control again. By that time its Christmas and you start all over again.
Thanksgiving is for getting together with friends and family, it’s about remembering the best things in life. So, happy Thanksgiving, enjoy your turkey and forget you read this. Bring your fat to class after the holiday and I’ll fix it..
Sweat Shop Exercise times; 9 am, 12:10, and 5:30 pm, Community Center, Comstock Room
— Carson City health and fitness expert and writer Jerry Vance is a regular contributor to Carson Now.