Turkey Day Tip Number TWO!

This always freaks me out.
This is just WRONG!

Here's the thing - one day of overeating is not going to wreck much of anything. You'll feel like crap and retain a lot of water, but if that's okay with you then put on your stretchy pants and worship at your food altar on Thursday.  I'll wait.


But four days of overeating is another story. The average Thanksgiving meal is about 3,500 calories, equal to a pound of fat. If you're on a sensible weight-loss plan, that is about one week's worth of hard work. That may be a bargain for you, I don't know. I have to practically chop off a limb to lose a pound so it is not worth it for me.

Just so we're on the same page, you won't actually gain a pound unless you eat like 5,000 calories, because your body is still going to burn about 2,000 just laying around watching football.  But still.  Be reasonable.


So if you do that on Thursday, and then eat the leftovers on Friday, and then get the Christmas baking started on Saturday, and then figure by Sunday that you're so far in the hole that the diet will start over on Monday, its not unrealistic to think that by that point you may have sacrified a full week of hard work because you "deserve it." I'm just sayin', it's science.


SO! If you want to avoid that, make a plan. It should look something like this:


1. On Thursday, be sensible. Enjoy your favorite Thanksgiving foods and counteract the calories with some exercise and lots of water. A Thanksgiving walk is a great family tradition to start!


2. On Friday, go back to your normal routine. Give away the leftovers or make less food on Thanksgiving so you don't have as much left over. Eat normally, exercise a little extra, and be thankful for how great you feel as a result.


You do not have to give into the Thanksgiving gluttony hype!  I promise, there is no winner. 

It's not too late to register for your local Turkey Trot!

Tomorrow, one last Turkey Day Tip!