You’ve been doing well on your weight loss program but the holidays are upon you and you dread Thanksgiving. You don’t want all your hard work to go to waste on the last Thursday of the month. Revive Medical Center assures you it doesn’t have to. You can enjoy your Thanksgiving meal and still feel satisfied even with some healthy alternatives. Here are five of them.
Mixed Drinks
If you enjoy a glass of wine with your Thanksgiving meal mix it up. Rather than drink the wine straight, make yourself a wine cooler with no-calorie mixer and fruit juice. This still gives you the satisfaction of an alcoholic beverage without the added calories of a full glass of wine. You can also save some calories by replacing eggnog with apple cider if you nog it up on Turkey Day and Christmas.
Fresh Vegetables
Okay, this might be sacrilege to you but let go of the green bean casserole right now. Do you know how much fat and calories are in that thing? Fresh green beans are better for you and they taste wonderful when sautéed with onion and peppers. Don’t be tempted to add bacon to the mix because that’s a lot of unnecessary fat and calories, too, but whatever you do, eat fresh veggies instead of casseroles.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
The same goes for that sticky, sweet casserole of sweet potatoes, brown sugar and marshmallows. That will go straight to your waistline and seriously throw you off your diet. Roasted sweet potatoes are fantastic, and they are much simpler to make. Just cut them up, toss them in olive oil and fresh garlic, spread them out on a cookie sheet and toss them in the oven. They are delicious and healthy.
Whole Wheat Rolls
Yes, crescent rolls are a Thanksgiving tradition but you should avoid all white flours and starches if you want a healthier Thanksgiving meal. In fact, instead of having mashed potatoes, make mashed sweet potatoes to lose the white potato starch. Back to the rolls, however. Whole grain rolls are the way to go. They are healthy and provide one of the grains on your daily diet. They’re yummy, too.
Pumpkin Instead of Pecan Pie
Nope, even we don’t think you should skip the pie on Thanksgiving Day but you should eat pumpkin instead of pecan. Pumpkin pie is filled with fiber and has less sugar than pecan does. It still captures the season perfectly, and it gives you that sweet dessert you crave. Avoid the artificial whipped creams, however. They are filled with saturated fat. Use small amounts of real whipped cream instead.
Finally, we here at Revive Medical Center in Lawrenceville, GA, want to remind you that everything in moderation will help stay on your weight loss program. Enjoy small portions of everything on the Thanksgiving table and eat it slowly. Call us at 770-545-8888 for information on our weight loss program.
