Preparing for Thanksgiving

In the U.S., Thanksgiving is next week.  As the unofficial start to the holiday season, Thanksgiving can sometimes bring on anxiety surrounding food and upcoming Nutcracker performances.  Here are a few tips to ensure your Thanksgiving is healthy and fun.

1.      Eat well, but don't overindulge.  If cooked with limited sugar, salt, and fat, Thanksgiving foods can actually be very good for you.  Turkey breast contains plenty of protein, stuffing made with whole grain bread and veggies packs complex carbs and vitamins, and cranberry sauce is full of antioxidants.  Get involved in the cooking if you're eating at home or bring some healthily-made dishes to a get-together to make sure you can feel good about what you're eating.

Regarding desserts and fatty foods like mac and cheese, it's wonderful to celebrate with a small amount of these foods.  If your plate consists of mostly lean protein, complex carbs, and veggies, a small serving of a more indulgent food is great complement.  Treat these foods more as condiments instead of main components so you can get the flavor without feeling bad about the unhealthy ingredients.

2.      Exercise, but don't overdo it.  If your Nutcracker opens on Black Friday, you definitely don't want to wear yourself down or get injured on Thanksgiving.  If you're in the habit of doing a morning cross-training activity like Pilates or swimming, keep it up if you can.  If not, it's great to join a family member for a walk around the neighborhood or a similar gentle activity.  If your clan is one for a rough football game after Thanksgiving dinner, you may want to sit out as running and tackling are likely to give you bruises and other injuries.

3.      Keep anxiety in check.  If there's a difficult relative or anxiety provoking food making things tough for you, it's fine to take a step back.  You don't have to eat the sugary sweet potatoes or talk to that uncle who keeps asking when you're going to quit dance and get a real job.  It's ok to walk away from a situation if you feel uncomfortable (especially if once your anxiety starts, it takes days to come down).  Remember that you are responsible for making the best choices for you, and you should not feel bad for doing so.