AAY! Thanksgiving Action Plan

To help keep your Thanksgiving as healthful as possible, our Nutritionist, Narina, has created an AAY! Thanksgiving Action Plan. Follow her tips to enjoy your holiday and stay on track with your health & weight loss goals.  PLAN IN ADVANCE: Beginning on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, cut back your daily food intake by 50-100 calories. That will give you an additional 250-500 calories on Thanksgiving to enjoy your favorite food or drink. (But watch your portion size and don't assume you can eat whatever you want.) STAY FUELED: Start drinking water from the time you wake up and keep drinking throughout the day. Fuel your body every three hours with a complete meal or snack consisting of lean protein, carbohydrate and healthy fat. This will reduce cravings and help you resist temptations. BURN CALORIES: Before and after your Thanksgiving meal by attending AAY! workouts on Thursday and Friday. This will give you a boost of energy and help you feel great throughout the day. WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THE THANKSGIVING MEAL: BE STRATEGIC: Survey all the options first and make strategic decisions about how to fill your plate. We recommend filling most of your plate with salad and veggies, and then add a reasonable portion of your other favorite dishes.  If you've "banked" calories throughout the week, decide whether you'd like to spend those calories on dessert or alcohol or a second serving of your favorite dish.  USE DISTRACTIONS: Eat slowly and engage in conversation. The slower you eat your meal, the less tempted you'll be to go back for seconds. After dinner, find fun activities to enjoy with friends & family to take the focus away from food.