Thanksgiving Dinner Survival 101
A holiday get together should be a time to celebrate and enjoy family and friends, not worrying about what you will and will not eat. If you prepare yourself ahead of time you can make any special occasion stress free. Make it through any holiday dinner with these holiday dinner tips. If you have friends or family who are concerned about holiday calories, why not forward these tips to him or her?
Ten tips to help you feel good and stay motivated over the holidays
Have fun and focus on success! Why not print them off and tape them to your refrigerator to help keep you on track?
1. Make time to take energy walks either first thing in the morning, after dinner with the family, during your lunch hour or while shopping at the mall.
2. Be aware of emotional eating by keeping a food journal.
3. Tell yourself you can eat the foods you truly enjoy as long you control the portions.
4. Watch your alcohol intake, besides adding up in calories, alcohol can lower your resistance.
5. Eat regular meals! Skipping meals to "save" up for dinner will most likely result in overeating.
6. Beware of food pushers. Don't let family or friends pressure you into eating more. Stay strong and remember that you can eat or not eat whatever you like.
7. Find easy ways to revitalize yourself by taking a relaxing bath, listening to music you enjoy or looking through old picture albums.
8. If you do over indulge, don't throw your healthy goals out the window. One day is just that - it's ONE day. Get up the next morning and get right back to your healthy way of eating. You deserve it.
9. Are you alone for the holidays? Why not invite other single people over for dinner or enjoy dinner out together.
10. Find something to be thankful for. Whether it is your friends, family, your pet, or just the trees outside - the world is a better place because you're in it.
If you're watching your weight or trying to change your eating habits, it doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in a classic holiday dessert! This Thanksgiving why not try a new twist on the traditional pumpkin pie! When you compare the calories and fat in this recipe to the traditional pumpkin pie, you will see why this one is called “Skinny” Pumpkin Pie. I'm sure your entire family will love it!
"Skinny" Pumpkin Pie:
Filling:
16 oz can pumpkin
4 egg whites or 1/2 C egg substitute
12 oz evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup sugar
1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Crust:
1 cup gingersnaps
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon light margarine (such as Brummel and Brown), melted
Preheat oven to 350. For crust: grind gingersnaps in a food processor and combine cookie crumbs with melted margarine and sugar. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray and press cookie mixture into the pie plate evenly. Mix the filling ingredients in a medium size bowl and pour into the crust. Bake until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool and slice in to 8 pieces. Serve with a dollop of fat free whipped topping if desired.
Traditional Pumpkin Pie: 316 calories, 14 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat
Skinny Pumpkin Pie: 175 calories, 2 grams fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat
For Information on Healty Eating, Visit the Following:
Please note: The information in this article is not to be followed asmedical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your physicianor primary health practitioner for information regarding your own personalhealth and necessary treatments.
