Dr. King of Advanced Health Concept’s Guide for Healthy Eating during Thanksgiving:
Friday, November 6th, 2009, 12:05 am
TRAVELING:
Thanksgiving is one of the travel times of the year. With so many of us on the road, delays are unavoidable and eating right can be difficult. What Dr. King advises her patients is to bring their own meals and/or snacks such as fruit (I personally like apples), a wrap sandwich, raw unsalted nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts), or packages of instant oatmeal, just in case you are stranded somewhere with limited dining venues.
EATING IS A BALANCING ACT:
So you splurged and cheated and ate foods that you normally would never eat; that doesn’t mean you have a license to eat whatever you want over the next six weeks. If it’s just one day of overeating, you can forgive yourself for it, even Dr. King has one bad day we all do we’re only human. Health experts recommend moving on, and being careful over the next few days of what you eat, and squeezing in enough exercise, could detoxification supplements, and/or our detoxification machine to counteract your overindulgence.
THANKSGIVING MEAL & YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM:
The traditional Thanksgiving Day meal can be tough on our digestive systems, especially since we’ve navigated away from the original traditional “Pilgrim Meal” of lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables to a heavy, greasy, fried, and buttery foods. To help you through the maze of foods that will make your stomach groan, I offer you the following recommendations for a Thanksgiving Day that will leave you with a healthy, quiet and satisfied gut and you still get to enjoy a FABULOUS MEAL.
Preparation:
Keep your stress level as low as possible. If you are hosting the holiday, delegate, delegate, delegate! Make lists and throw out all signs of perfectionism. Anything that can be put off to next week, should be put off to next week. Get plenty of rest and sleep. Engage in light exercise for overall health and added stress relief.
Before the Main Event:
Don’t go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungry: we often eat faster and more when we are hungry – therefore eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day to avoid overeating at dinner time. I also recommend drinking plenty of water, water has 0 calories and fills up your stomach.
Main Ingredients:
The other key to a successful meal is the use of top quality ingredients. Choose wisely what foods to eat and you will be rewarded with a sense of physical well-being. In general, avoid anything that is fatty, creamy or fried, as foods with a high fat content may result in unpleasant digestive symptoms. Be cautious about your choice of drink as well, as alcohol and caffeine can both be irritating to your system. If you are in charge of dinner I suggest using whole, unrefined organic foods your body will feel satisfied faster due to high levels of nutrition and you can indulge a little more in some carb and sweet based foods because they are of a healthier nature.
Appetizers:
Think lean protein: shrimp, barbequed (not fried!) wings, and cheese. Reach for whole grain crackers, and raw fruits and vegetables.
Main Meal:
Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet: Fill your plate half with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly and stop when you are full.
Choose white meat turkey, as dark meat has a higher fat content. Baked sweet potatoes are a better option than buttery mashed potatoes.
Side Dishes – watch your portion size: go for smaller portions. This way you can sample a few different “treat” items is so desired without the guilt. Moderation is always the key.
YOU MAY ASK WHAT DOES DR. KING EAT???? Very well, here’s my plate, I love turkey so yes I do have my serving of turkey mostly white meat. I have a small amount of stuffing (yes this is my cheat, because I do love the taste), and the rest of my plate is fresh salads and vegetables which my Mom (who hosts our Thanksgiving) graciously makes sure we have plenty of), I also have a small bowl of yams for my dessert (yes, dessert they’re sweet and with a little bit of agave nectar and butter I think they beat out pie). Typically I snack on veggies with a little dip and salmon log (this is pretty great stuff) on some whole grain unprocessed crackers as an appetizer which really acts as a lunch as a prelude to my meal.
Dessert:
Enjoy the inside of pie! Eating healthy does not have to mean total deprivation. Have a piece of pumpkin or apple pie, but only eat the filling. In this way, you will avoid the hard-on-the-system crust.
TO SUM UP:
That’s the biggest mistake people make when faced with a table full of food. They adopt an “all-you-can-eat” mentality and take a little bit of everything. Help yourself to smaller servings. Be aware that a single three-ounce serving of meat is the same size as a deck of playing cards. For fruits and vegetables, one medium-sized fruit or a cooked cup equals one serving. Select nutrient-rich and lower- calorie fare first so you will feel full faster.
Avoid stuffing yourself, eat until your hunger is satisfied. Pace yourself and wait a few minutes before deciding to get up for a second helping. Plus if you have friends and family to visit over the long holiday weekend, you don’t want to loosen that belt buckle just yet. Take time to savor your food and give your body time to digest. Only the turkey should be stuffed at one sitting.
Get moving. Stay active over the holidays. Along with eating healthy, keeping fit is great for the mind and body, also it’s a great way to connect with family. Go outside and play basketball with the family, or take long walks together. Staying active will boost your metabolism, helping you to burn more calories. Try to maintain a regular exercise regiment of cardio- and strength-training during this busy time. Even if you’re only working out once or twice a week, it’s better than nothing. The goal is to keep your weight at the same level come the New Year.
All my best for a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday,
Our office will be closed 11/26-11/29 for the Holiday and will re-open 11/30/2009 (Mo) at 12:00pm. We will be open regular hours before and after the Holiday.
Enjoy your family and all the great food,
Dr. Stephanie King
626-799-0557
Tags: Advanced Health Concepts, Celebrity diet, Celebrity Holidays, Diet & Holiday, Dr. King, Dr. Stephanie King, Healthy Eating, Holiday eating, Holiday eating Oprah, Holiday weight loss, Nutrition & Holidays, Oprah dieting, Oprah Holiday, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving eating healthy
Category: Nutrition & Foods, Weight Loss
