Thanksgiving Survival Tactics

Thanksgiving Day Survival Tactics It's the time of year to count your blessings, but the typical dieter is not thankful about staying on a smart-carb food plan. Fortunately, eDiets Healthy Lifestyles Columnist Joanne Eglash is here to help. Follow her top 10 tried-and-true Thanksgiving survival tactics, and let it be the turkey that gets stuffed instead of you.

Joanne Eglash
eDiets Healthy Lifestyles Columnist

So you've been following your diet carefully. Heck, you even skipped the cake at the CEO's birthday bash. "I don't like chocolate," you claimed, longingly eying that thickly frosted fudge layer cake but holding true to your goals.

And now it's almost Thanksgiving. From the pastries at brunch to the croissant-and-cheese appetizers at dinner to that second serving of pecan pie heaped with whipped cream, it's a high-carb, high-calorie time of year.

Let it be the turkey who gets stuffed -- not you! Try these 10 low-carb Thanksgiving survival tactics:

1. Start off the day with exercise. Thanksgiving Day does NOT mean resigning yourself to 24 hours of cooking, tasting, eating and sitting. Enlist a relative, a friend or the family dog and plan an early morning brisk walk. Many towns and cities feature "Turkey Trots," in which you walk or run 5 miles, sometimes donating food or money to a charity. Bad weather makes this impossible? Then call local health clubs, yoga centers and other exercise places: Some offer a special class on Thanksgiving morning. I've taken everything from yoga classes to jazzercise on thankful Thursday! No go? Then pull out your favorite home exercise DVD and boogie up your metabolism!

2. Eat a small but satisfying low-carb breakfast. With turkey as the theme of the day, you could opt for turkey bacon. Stir up egg white omelets to accompany it, and you've got a no-carbs, low-fat, healthy and satisfying delight.

3. Make a list and check it twice -- or thrice! Plan out everything from exercise breaks to snacks to when to start cooking the feast.

4. Focus on decorating the table and celebrate your creative side. For example, you could go with autumn-hued candles and flowers. Having fun with the inedible decor will help you forgo the desire to "take just a taste."

5. Chew sugar-free gum and sip water or sugar-free sodas while you cook. Keeping your hands and mouth busy will help keep you from sampling too much.

6. Ask for help. Friends? Families? Don't be afraid to say, "Hey, I want assistance with kitchen preparations" or ask guests to bring dishes.

7. Make sure you have food that YOU can eat without guilt. Prepare that turkey without stuffing -- keep it separate or ask a guest to bring a separate pan of stuffing. Have nuts and cheese available for pre-dinner nibbles, along with sparkling water. Fix vegetables without bread crumbs and pre-measure your serving, so you know how many carbs you will consume.

8. Include yourself in the dessert plans. For example, in addition to the standard pie, how about making one of the desserts a large bowl of sugar-free strawberry gelatin topped with fresh strawberries and sugar-free whipped cream? You can dive in without guilt.

9. Definitely ask for help with cleaning and leftovers. Ask people to take home leftovers so you are not tempted to endulge.

10. Make plans for Thanksgiving evening, such as a walk after dinner and a trip to a video store to rent a family film. Settle down and be thankful for just how satisfied and proud of yourself you are.

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Joanne Eglash has worked as a journalist for more than 15 years, specializing in health, fitness, diet/nutrition, lifestyles, careers and relationships. Among the publications and websites for which she has written are Shape magazine, Fit Pregnancy magazine, Working Mother magazine, KidsHealth.org, ePregnancy magazine, Every Baby magazine, Entrepreneur.com, the San Jose Mercury News, the Christian Science Monitor, Netsurfer Digest and more. She is the author of How to Write A .com Business Plan: The Internet Entrepreneur's Guide to Everything You Need to Know About Business Plans and Financing Options (McGraw-Hill).

EnjoyThanksgiving Feast, Avoid the Fat

Thanksgiving Special: 8 Ways to Enjoy the Feast, Avoid the Fat
By Shawn McKee
eDiets Staff Writer
eDiets

The holiday season is a time for family, friends, gift-giving and 3,000-calorie meals. This year, give yourself something to be thankful for by not trashing your diet in one gluttonous month of turkey, eggnog and pies.

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Depending on how you pile your plate, you could be consuming as many as 3,000 calories in one sitting. Instead of starting the season with such a caloric surplus, enjoy Thanksgiving without the 1- to 2-pound weight gain most people experience during the holidays.

A couple of pounds don't seem like a big fat deal?

Well, according to Nutritionist Susan Burke, they will add up in the long run.

"The importance of that number is that most people don't lose the weight they gain over the holidays," she said, "which means eventually their holiday weight gain can add up to 20 pounds or more."

Susan says there are steps we can take to prevent much of this usual weight gain.

TIPS FOR MAKING HEALTHIER THANKSGIVING CHOICES

Small meals: Eat light the rest of the day if you're planning a big Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. "I'll eat a light breakfast -- a cup of low sugar cereal with a cup of berries and a cup of nonfat milk," Susan said. "I'll have 1-percent cottage cheese with veggies or a turkey-breast sandwich on whole-wheat pita for lunch, and I'll snack on baby carrots and an apple in the mid afternoon. Also, I'll never eat until I'm stuffed. Save the stuffing for the turkey."

Drink like a fish: "Always drink lots of water. Water is vital for healthy digestion and elimination, but drinking water also helps you control your appetite, as well," Susan said. Whether you're slaving over a hot stove, or not, you should be drinking water to hydrate and keep your stomach from feeling empty.

Slow down: "Your mother and your grandmother told you -- and her grandmother told her -- eat slowly," she said. "It's not just an old wives tale. Eating too fast means your brain doesn't have time to register what you're dumping into (your body). And by the time it gets around to registering full, you're overloaded." So take your time eating and stop when you've had enough. It will help you avoid the bloated feeling and the food coma that follows.

Don't gorge yourself just because the food is there. If you know you want some of your Aunt Gladys' world-famous pumpkin pie (family famous, at least), go easy on the mashed potatoes and gravy. If you want to try everything, just make it in smaller portions.

Just a little piece won't hurt: And try checking eDiets' Recipe Club for lighter versions of your favorite traditional holiday fare, so you can enjoy the food without the fat.

"Thanksgiving menus often include some traditional treats that can't be beat, but most recipes can be modified to be healthier with minor substitutions -- using less fat and sugar," she said. "If it's something very special, like chocolate (my favorite), then make sure it's good, dark chocolate and eat a small portion -- slowly. Savor the flavor, don't eat it too quickly, enjoy the holiday without guilt."

Get off the couch: There's nothing more tempting than napping in front of the TV after dinner with the sounds of football lulling you into a turkey-induced coma, but don't do it.

"Make sure to stick to your exercise routine to keep your metabolism up and your stress levels down. Exercise isn't just great for maintaining your weight, but for maintaining your mood and your energy, too. Take a walk before breakfast and after dinner -- especially on Thanksgiving Day," she says.

Take a bike ride, play touch football -- and if the weather's too bad for that -- try dancing or wrestling around with the kids. It will be fun and great exercise.

Window shopping can be exercise, walking and looking at Christmas lights, and instead of spending 30-minutes driving in circles waiting for a close spot at the mall, park at the edge of the lot and get some exercise that way. Exercise is everywhere.

Be honest with yourself: Realistically, you're probably not going to lose weight during the holidays, so just aim to maintain your current weight. If you plan on overindulging, try banking some calories early in the week and getting more physical activity before and after Thanksgiving Day to offset your eat-a-thon. You should enjoy your family, the food and the day, but don't throw away a year's worth of healthy living for whipped cream-topped pumpkin pie -- no matter how good it is.

Get creative: As opposed to the same open-faced, gravy-ladled leftover turkey sandwich, check eDiets' for recipes to use that extra turkey for something delicious and healthy for the next few days. Turkey soup, anyone?

Looking for that extra little push to motivate you to be serious about losing weight? We're behind you every step of the way. Start today and you can lose 10 lbs. in five weeks. Click here to get a FREE diet profile.

Shawn McKee graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in Journalism and has written for The Broward and Miami New Times. He will be re-gifting all fruitcakes and Cosby sweaters he receives this year.

Protein, Iron, And Calcium For the Vegetarians

Veggie Nutrition

From Sonoma Diet

While it might be a tad more difficult to maintain adequate levels of certain nutrients when following a vegetarian diet, it's certainly not impossible. Check out these important nutrients (most often associated with meat) and their vegetarian-friendly sources:

Protein is the main component of muscles, organs, and glands. It is necessary for the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells. In addition, protein can be broken down by the body to be used as energy. Great sources of plant-based protein include grains, nuts, tofu, beans, lentils, and seeds.

Iron is essential because it aids in the transport of oxygen to the blood and muscles. A vegetarian will find good sources in mushrooms, apricots, bok choy, broccoli, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, lentils, and firm tofu.

Calcium helps promote strong bones and prevent osteoporosis. It can be harder for vegetarians to obtain calcium when they don't consume any animal products (especially dairy), but it's plentiful in navy beans, almonds, collard greens, kale, and tempeh.