7 Ways to Beat Thanksgiving Day Bloat

So for my Canadian friends out there...you'll have to bear with me since for us Americans Thanksgiving is still two weeks away. Yikes.  Here's a few things to keep in mind while you're planning your eating strategy for the big day

The above graphic denotes how long it would take to burn off a average Thanksgiving Day meal.  Notice there's only one plate in this picture.  That means NO SECONDS.  Except for pie.  Pumpkin Pie.  At almost 500 calories a slice.

For me...I love stuffing and I always have.  It's honestly my favorite part of the meal.  And pumpkin pie...until I realized that one slice can contain anywhere from 500-700 calories a slice...that sort of took the pleasure out of it.  Now I stick to little tart sized pies.

But let's just take a look again at the meal.  The average person would have to walk a MARATHON (26.2 miles) in order to burn off the above pictured food.  However there are some things that can be done in order to cut down on the amount of food you take in.

1. DRINK WATER.  ALL DAY.  It's proven that if you drink two glasses of water before every meal you tend to eat about 20% less.  Hey that would mean about 5 less miles to walk!!

2. Eat small meals during the day.  This doesn't just apply to Thanksgiving, but you'll be less likely to gorge yourself than if you haven't eaten all day.

3. Plan out your plate.  Fill 3/4 of the plate with proteins and veggies.  READ: turkey, peas/carrots etc.  Then use the last 1/4 and fill with the good stuff, i.e. stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and a roll.

4. Skip the wine and eggnog.  That alone takes another 5.5 miles off your marathon.  Just stick with water.

5. Take part in the clean-up.  Your mom will love you for this and as a bonus you'll shed some more calories instead of lounging on the couch.

6. Get rid of the leftovers.  Make sure you send lots of it home with your guests.  Especially the pies.  They will shake their little butts at you till you eat them.

7. Last but not least...start a new Thanksgiving tradition.  My family has done this since I can remember, we go on a Thanksgiving Day hike after we eat to help get us moving and also to clear the way for pie.  We also go on one the day after.  It's a great way to spend quality time with family that may be in town and hey you're working off more of that dinner.

Happy Early Thanksgiving guys!