As Thanksgiving swiftly approaches, you can expect that many of us are already planning our post-meal workouts to make up for the indulgence of rich foods we’ll certainly be cramming into our faces. (Or, for those who are less physically-inclined, we are planning to be doubled-over on the couch stuffed sick by 2 pm.) Not only are the holidays notorious to stretching our waistlines while thinning our wallets, but the stress-induced by all the preparations are always very hard on your health. But, it doesn’t have to be like this. Here are some ways to make your feast less fatty and your anxiety low this Thanksgiving:
Ways to Gobble, Gooble…Guilt-free
Completely forgoing traditional holiday food is no fun. Instead, try some of the following alternatives:
- Sneak Cauliflower into your mashed potatoes. Your dinner guests won’t even taste a difference and you’ll cut calories without sacrificing the classic yumminess of this comfort food.
- Dry your turkey before roasting. Take a paper towel and dry the turkey inside and out before you throw it into the oven to be roasted. This way the skin will be crispy, but you won’t have to get that excess fat.
- Serve green beans in brown butter instead of green bean casserole. The classic green bean casserole might be missed by few, but this substitution will give you a healthy alternative that any guest watching their waistline will ultimately thank you for.
- Throw more veggies in your stuffing. By just mixing in more healthy produce in your stuffing’s breading, you can fill up without absolutely killing your diet. Plus, it’s such a small touch that no one will ever be the wiser.
- Have a veggie tray and/or salads for appetizers. While your family waits for the turkey to be finish roasting, keep your dinner guests’ hunger at bay with no-prep healthy foods like salads or veggie trays. It literally won’t take you more than a second to prepare it and you can warn off those starving vultures.
Simplify to Shake off the Stress
If the idea of putting together a lavish holiday feast, cleaning the house top to bottom or dealing with obnoxious in-laws makes you want to tear out your hair, then try some seriously simple strategies to alleviate that potential heart-attack waiting to happen.
- Store-bought & Stress Free: You don’t need to beat yourself up if you can’t make every single dish from scratch. Pick up a pie at Costco. Relax, no one will care.
- Ditch the Dishes: If you’re planning on using your fine China that requires hand-washing for every single course….you’re putting yourself at risk of some super stress stemming from the sink. You can just stick to everyday stoneware…or even paper plates to ditch the hassle of hand-washing.
- Clean Only Main Rooms: If you’re running low of time, focus your crazy cleaning efforts on the main rooms solely. Private areas that guest won’t be inside don’t need to be gone over with the white glove test. Stick to the kitchen and main rooms to save major time and energy.
- Change Your Outlook: For those of us with extreme OCD, the holidays are known to get the best of us. But, why? Why do we hold ourselves up to these ridiculously high holiday standards? There’s really no need to overdo it. Maybe you want to mix it up by asking another relative to do dinner this year. Or, just realize the reason for the season and that perfection comes second.
