So.Much.FOOD!

I’m excited. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! That means I can eat some of my FAVORITE foods with my favorite people. BUT, I have some goals that I want to meet for my health and fitness!

How can I enjoy the food I want to eat and also be mindful of my goals? 

From now to January, our lives will most likely be filled with constant office treats, parties, dinners, and outings revolving around the holiday season. You already know there will be a ton.of.fooooood.

Here are some practical tips that you can use to help you continue to meet your health and fitness goals through the holidays.

Before we jump in, share this post with someone you’ll see this Thanksgiving!

Here We Go!

• Understand the ENTIRE balance of what you eat. 

  • The key to nutrition is to know what foods do for your body and how to use them. You can maintain a better balance by understanding what you put on your plate and how it will affect you later!

  • For a more balanced meal, aim for a healthy serving of vegetables, a good amount of protein, some of your favorite carbs, and work in those healthy fats!

    • (If half of your plate is mac and cheese, you may want to revisit the veggie line.)

• How to make your plate…

  • Start with Protein- If your eyes are bigger than your stomach, this may be a good place to start.

  • Balance the carbs- I’ll give you a major hack here… Most of what will be served in the form of bread, casseroles, and desserts counts in the carb category.

    • Include dessert in the grand scheme of what you’re eating. If apple pie is a non-negotiable for you (like it is for me), maybe your initial plate has more protein and fats in preparation for that warm apple pie.

  • Eat slow- Pace your eating!

    • In-between bites, engage in some conversation, slow down and really taste the food in front of you.

• Stay Active!

  • Keep that quality time with family and friends going and head out for a walk!

    • This helps your body digest what you just ate.

    • It also gives some of those quick sugars and carbs a job to do! If they don’t have a job, they’ll store in your body until they do.

• Don’t Neglect Your Training.

  • If you are on a training cycle or have a plan to stay consistent, don’t let the holiday mood glue you to the couch. Stay consistent with your plan.

• Relax and Enjoy!

  • No one wants to spend the holidays worrying about every calorie in and out. But, if you practice these good fundamentals you will be able to enjoy all of your favorites and lose the guilt.

  • Look up from the plate and go do something you enjoy! Not only is nutrition a key part of the holidays (because there is so much food), the most important thing is that you spend it with the people that you love.

  • Go hug your baby cousin, catch up with the grandparents, or jump into the family football game.

There you go! I hope this helps you apply some good practices to your Thanksgiving dinner!

What is your favorite Thanksgiving food or tradition?

Respond to this email and let me know!

This post is made possible by Pine Nutrition Coaching! If you want to learn more about how to use food to meet your health and fitness goals, consider following Pine Nutrition on Instagram and Twitter.

I offer personalized 1:1 nutrition coaching, nutrition basics courses, meal plans, and more!

Just for reading this newsletter, here is a link to a FREE Nutrition Basics Course given last month. Enjoy! Watch the Nutrition Basics Course training HERE !

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