Let’s Talk Turkey

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season, and with the holidays comes food, food, food. With all the pies, gravy, and mashed potatoes around, making healthy eating choices can be extra challenging. On top of this temptation is the social pressure to indulge and the mentality, “Holiday calories don’t count, right?” (Unfortunately, they do.)

TAC Fitness has some Dos and Don’ts for making it through the festival buffet:

● DO indulge a little. Part of healthy eating is allowing yourself the room to enjoy the more delicious, less nutritious options from time to time. Restricting yourself completely will only lead to frustration and a higher likelihood to binge later on.

● DO eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. A table laden with food makes it easy to eat more than you normally would and to continue eating as long as the food is in front of you. Don’t make yourself sick – there will be leftover turkey tomorrow.

● DON’T skip meals. Even if your sleeping clock is off during holiday break, your body still needs the same amount of food to function properly. Not eating will make your thinking foggy and may lower your mood.

● DON’T let eating be the focus of a holiday gathering. There is so much more to the holidays—even Thanksgiving—than the spread. Catching up with friends and spending time with family will take your mind away from temptation. Social interaction also helps fight mood disorders and gives you a sense of support.

If the holiday temptations don’t subside after the holidays are over, or if you find yourself restricting too much, you may want to evaluate your eating habits. Check in with yourself at http://screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/aspenstrong.