As we come together around the table and say our thanks, you look down and notice a heaping pile of food that you know you will regret eating later. Lots of foods that are offered on Thanksgiving day can be loaded with sugars, saturated fats, and enough carbs to help you complete an Iron Man three times over. I am here to give some tips on how to stay healthy this Thanksgiving.

First: portioning. This is the downfall of almost everyone on Thanksgiving day. They pile up their plates with enough food for three people, consume the entire plate, get seconds, and then the regret starts to kick in. A good way to prevent overeating this Holliday season is portioning! I would browse your options before going down the line of options and picking as you go. Once you get the lay of the land. Go in and get a little bit of everything you want. I like to follow a one plate rule when it comes to portioning. No, this does not mean filling your plate three feet high, but rather make sure you get everything you want to eat, while still fitting on one plate. After finishing your first plate, wait a couple of minutes to see if you are full. It takes around twenty minutes for your brain to tell you that you are actually full, so waiting is key to make sure you do not overeat. If you are still feeling hungry, go up for seconds and try doing half a plate and waiting a few more minutes afterward.

Second: eating the right kind of food. We all know that there are unhealthy options on the thanksgiving table. From sweet potato casserole that has more marshmallows than sweet potato to all the deep-fried chicken or turkey that contains enough to block your arteries on the spot. The best way to avoid eating unhealthy is to cook your own meals to make sure you know what ia going in your recipes. However, if you are with a group of people who brought dishes, it is best to avoid anything that you know is loaded with butter, sugar, or is deep-fried. Now, it is almost inevitable to avoid these food groups entirely, so it is always best to eat these foods in moderation. I would stick portions that are no larger than the palm of your hand if you know that the food you are about to consume is loaded with unhealthy fats and loaded with sugars.

Lastly, do not freak out if you do overeat! This is still a vacation and a break from a mundane healthy eating lifestyle. It is okay to indulge sometimes. While Thanksgiving foods can be unhealthy, you do not want to be the person who is dying to have some pumpkin pie but already had one plate of food. Overall, do not be too scared to overeat or have some unhealthy foods, but try to eat in moderation and avoid overeating foods that are filled with unhealthy ingredients that leave you feeling sick the next day.