Hey hope you’re gearing up to have a fantastic Thanksgiving filled with fun and joyful memories.

The holidays can be a scary time but if your nutrition and your workouts have been going well then I honestly wouldn’t make that big a deal out of Thanksgiving dinner and all the calories.

Now I’m not saying to go buck wild and chow down the farm but there’s no need to feel guilty out of eating one yearly meal.

Thanksgiving only comes once a year and if you’re doing good with your nutrition then I don’t hesitate to splurge on my Thanksgiving feast.

But I do want to hand off some tips to you that will give you the edge to keep off some of those extra calories.

Tip #1: Workout Hard In The Morning

By working out hard in the morning you’re going to be depleting your glycogen stores and eating later will actually help replenish your body rather than sinking it.  Walking at a steady pace on the treadmill isn’t going to cut it neither, you’re going to have to break a good sweat to get you’re body to ring itself out.  I use the sponge analogy all the time with my boot camp members and clients, after an intense workout your body is like a dried out sponge and we want to replenish it by giving it the nutrients it needs.  After working out is also a great time to have some starchy carbs.

Tip #2: Eat Your Vegetables First

When you arrive for your Thanksgiving feast I would think it to be a good idea to eat the vegetables (the stuff we all hate) first. Why? Simply because if you fill yourself up a little bit with the healthy stuff then you’re less likely to pig out on all the bad stuff later.  A variety of vegetables are the one thing that you can’t get enough of when it comes to eating.  And if there aren’t going to be any vegetables at the dinner you’re planning on going to then just chow down some before you go to the big feast.

Tip #3: Choose Your Dessert Wisely

Now I’m a pie and ice cream guy when it comes to Thanksgiving dessert.  In fact I don’t think I’ve missed having that combo after my Thanksgiving dinner since the first time I had it! But after I eat that I’m usually done when it comes to desserts.  I’ll at least wait 15 minutes to let my stomach settle and to let my mind recognize that I’m actually full before I’ll go back for seconds.  What to get out of this story is that I choose my dessert wisely, pick out my favorite and I’ll ENJOY it to the fullest.  I’m not plowing down every dessert I see in sight, pick your favorite and enjoy the heck out of it and be done.

Have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy your one (hopefully one!) Thanksgiving feast of the year!

Do you have a healthy Thanksgiving tip? Be sure to share it with us…I’ll give you all the credit I swear!