New Thanksgiving Traditions- So You Can Have Your Cake and Eat it Too

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The holidays are a special time to bring family and friends together to celebrate by giving and being thankful. Although there are many unique traditions among families, the most common tradition is the Thanksgiving meal. There are many ways to add health to your thanksgiving meal and several tips to help you decrease calories but I’m not going to talk about that here. The reason is because most people don’t want to tamper with their Thanksgiving recipes especially those recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. In order to really utilize the principles of eating in moderation we should be able to enjoy these wonderful family recipes (I look at them as family food heirlooms) without changing them to save some calories. I know, I know, you can’t believe I am writing this but I do believe there is another way.

Instead of changing up your recipes opt for changing your other traditions on this festive day by adding a little activity. This activity can take place before your meal or after, either way you will burn more calories and get your metabolism burning at a higher rate for part of the day. Here are some suggestions of how to incorporate some movement so you can work off some of those extra calories during the day and not have to give up your favorite Thanksgiving fair.

1. Start the tradition of a family touch football game. I have to admit this idea came to me after seeing an episode of the television show “Friends” where the gang played a funny and competitive game of football on Thanksgiving. Playing a game of touch football is a wonderful tradition to start that everyone in the family can enjoy and becomes a family tradition your kids will continue to pass on with their families. It’s your family…you don’t have to be good or even know how to throw the football, just have fun!

2. Take a walk. You can go for a group walk or go solo at any time of the day. When I lived in Santa Barbara, CA I loved watching the early morning joggers and walkers down by the beach on Thanksgiving morning. It’s such a refreshing way to start off your day. It is also one of the only times the “cooks” of the household can get in their activity. Get off to a good start by taking a morning walk or going for a walk after your festivities.

3. Family bike ride anyone? If you live in a warmer climate taking a morning or afternoon bike ride with the family is another great way to go. Few people are out and about on Thanksgiving so you’ll have all of your favorite sites to yourselves!

The goal here is to find a fun activity that you and your family can participate in and most important make it a ritual so your kids can pass it on to their families. Thanksgiving comes once a year so enjoy but try to burn some of those extra calories, and get back into your healthy eating habits the next day. Lastly, when you eat your favorite thanksgiving foods, try not to over-indulge. Eat until you are comfortably full and don’t eat more just because it’s there. This is the key to celebrating thanksgiving with the foods you love and sticking with your health and weight management goals. Enjoy, celebrate, and be healthy!

© Meri Raffetto

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