10 Tips to avoid gaining weight over Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all things for which we are thankful. You may be thankful for your family, your friends, your health, your happiness, your ability to fit into your favorite jeans. Oh wait, that reminds me, this is the biggestcalori fest of the year! But can you really do that much damage in one day? In one day, probably not, but it can lead to a spiraling effect of uncontrolled eating from now until the New Years. But how about in a month? Oh yes; however, do not panic. There are steps you can take that will allow you to enjoy the holiday and still keep your waist line in check. The 10 tips listed below are designed to steer you away from the "Who cares, it's the holidays" mentality and the "I'll just go on a diet after the New Year" mantra.

1. Don't skip breakfast and avoid overeating at Thanksgiving
Eat breakfast and do not attempt to fast going into this meal, or you will overeat for sure.

2. Plan what you eat before and after Thanksgiving to avoid weight gain
Lighten up on your calorie intake a couple of days before and after. Your weekly average intake is more important than one day's intake, and you can balance it out if you are careful.

3. Small plate = smaller portions = reduced calorie intake
Use a small plate: This keeps your portions in check. Sure, you can still pile high but that tends to get stares from other guests.

4. Don't deprive yourself of food, just reduce the amount you eat over Thanksgiving
Go ahead and get a dab of everything that you want to try; this will keep you from feeling deprived later.

5. Make wise food choices so you enjoy Thanksgiving. Do, however, choose between the bread and dessert. One or the other, your choice.

6. Eating slowly avoids overeating
Eat slowly and take a drink of something calorie-free in between bites. This will allow you time to tap into your body's fullness factor before you have overdone it.

7. Thanksgiving weight gains as a result of second helpings
No seconds! This is a one-stop shop, not all you can eat!

8. During Thanksgiving keep moving around to burn up those calories!
Resist the urge to plop on the couch afterwards. Move around, help do dishes, or take a walk. This will aid the digestion process and burn a few extra calories.

9. Remove the temptation of eating Thanksgiving leftovers - offer to your guests
If you are the host, divvy up the leftovers among the guests. You do not want to repeat this oh-so-good (but calorie-laden) fest any time soon. (Next stop: holiday parties.)

10. Drink water
Drink plenty of water, follow these tips, and avoid the scale for a couple of days afterwards and you will once again be thankful.

Enjoy the great food, your friends, and your family--it only comes once a year!

Good Calories, Bad Calories

When trying to achieve weight loss in Phoenix, gaining a balanced diet can be confusing. There is a lot to include and there are real moderated needs for protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and even calories. As most people know, quantity of calories is a major concern; but then, calorie quality is important, too.

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Good Calories, Bad Calories
All calories are not created equal; not all calories are evil—you need calories to live and have energy. A diet capable of supporting health and fitness is one that is packed with good calories. So what's a 'bad' calorie? You might recognize it by another name—an empty calorie.

An empty calorie is a calorie with no nutritional value. It is a calorie largely based in fats and sugars devoid of vitamins, minerals, and important nutrients. When trying to achieve weight loss in Tempe, you should learn which calories are empty calories and try to avoid them.

Protein, carbohydrates, and fats are all macro nutrients. There are good sources of these needed dietary elements, but there are also a lot of bad sources that are nothing more than empty, useless calories.

Good calories and good sources of macro nutrients have necessary carbs, good fats, and proteins, and they also have micro-nutrients such as fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Useless, Empty Calories
The problem with empty calories is that they provide little to no energy, no restorative and constructive properties (for muscle, bone, and tissue), and add to fat stores. Very simply, empty calories have none of the necessary elements needed to support body function, workouts, and good health.

Fitness depends on having good sources of calories that also provide other needed elements and energy for working out. The right caloric sources will result in improved energy, enhanced muscle formation, and increased weight loss. Empty calories will negate these efforts, making it harder to achieve weight loss in Phoenix.

How To Spot An Empty Calorie
In a hurried world it is easy to consume many empty calories throughout the course of the day and not even realize it. This can leave you feeling sluggish and thwart the best of fitness efforts. Many people trying to achieve weight loss in Phoenix eat mainly empty calories and do not even know that they do it. So how can you easily spot an empty calorie?

First off, consider that all 'junk food' is empty calories. Avoid sugar-laden foods and refined grains (white flours). Eat natural sugars (fruits and vegetables) and whole grains. Avoid fried foods, candy, and sugary drinks (soda, but also sugary 'energy' drinks that are often nothing more than sugar and caffeine). Also look out for beer and alcohol; these are sources of sugar and stored fats with nothing else to offer.

Depending on preparation, even good calories can turn empty quickly (fried foods and more). To really learn to quickly spot empty calories you need to get educated—talk to a nutritionist, your doctor, or your personal trainer. These professionals will give you the basics of good calorie consumption, help you balance out your diet and point you to reliable resources for more information about weight loss in Phoenix.

Your health and well-being depend on your good diet. Reaching your fitness goals does, too. Many a person has found that simple dietary changes, a switch-over to good calorie sources rather than consuming empty calories, has made the difference between a stalled fitness campaign and reaching and exceeding fitness objectives.

To your health,

Dawn Franklin
Serving: Phoenix, Ahwatukee, Tempe, Chandler, Foothills and More!
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