You know the feeling…the Thanksgiving bloat? After eating past your hearts content; gorging on turkey, stuffing, casseroles, bread, wine, and pie, the initial high from that wonderful meal eventually fades and the reality of your choices begin to sink in. You might start to develop that uncomfortable feeling in your belly and notice that the top button of your skinny jeans no longer wants to stay closed! You just can’t believe that it happened, especially after you promised yourself you wouldn’t do it again this year: YOU have just been another victim of the Thanksgiving Day Gorge!
So NOW what do you do?
- Squeeze in a workout. I’m not saying that I want you to spend 2 hours at the gym on black Friday. Let’s face it, you probably got enough of a workout fighting off the crowds at the super stores this morning!! All I ask is that you find something exercise worthy you can do today! Try a 30 minute cardio DVD, a new class at the gym, OR maybe you have some intense cleaning to get done today! Sounds like movement and a bit of a calorie burn to me! Whatever you can do to add some extra movement to your day…go for it! Need some exercise ideas? Try this workout from Laury at The Fitness Dish!
- Eat your fruits and veggies! I’m sure that most of us had a few extra indulgences yesterday; pumpkin pie, extra helping of stuffing, or too many candied sweet potatoes. Instead of feeling guilty all day for the choices you made yesterday….MOVE ON!! Today is a new day! Forget about what you ate yesterday and make HEALTH your priority today by finding room for LOTS of extra fruits and veggies!! Cut up that pineapple that has been sitting on the counter, add some extra veggies to your salad for lunch, make your snack an antioxidant power packed fruit smoothie, or try a new veggie for supper! Don’t focus on what you can’t have today, focus on what you can add to it!!
- DON’T skip meals!! I know plenty of people who eat a week’s worth of calories on Thanksgiving and then make up for it by starving themselves the next day or exercising beyond exhaustion. PLEASE do not be one of these people. I want you to eat 4-6 mini meals throughout the day to give back to your body…not take away from it! As I mentioned in #2: make health your priority! Being healthy does not mean skipping meals and over-exercising! Treat your body well with lots of added nutrients and an energizing workout!
Hope everyone enjoys a relaxing long weekend! IF you are hitting the stores on this Black Friday: Good luck, be safe, and play fair!!
QUESTION: How do you spend Black Friday? Shopping, Decorating for Christmas, or Cleaning the house?
Great advice, I agree about nourishing yourself with healthy food the next day instead of depriving yourself because of the guilt from the food marathon the prior day.
As for me, I stayed active during Thanksgiving. I ran a race and then kept my normal workout schedule the rest of the week.
Great advice. I am back on track as of today!
Yes, lots of workouts to squeeze in:)
Hope you had a fantastic holiday.
All excellent tips! We actually have a second Thanksgiving on black Friday with my side of the family. Knowing I’ll have another the next day makes it easier to control my gorge on the first meal.
Great tips! It is so important to just get back in the swing of things. My parents didn’t host this year so we didn’t have all the leftovers like we usually do. It made it much easier.
I always tend to skip meals the days after b/c I’m so full but you’re totally right – it’s a bad idea and throws off your eating schedule completely.
I went shopping on Black Friday for Christmas decorations
Plus a little shopping to find a new party dress or two (which I didn’t find). Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
And I just noticed your adorable header! LOVE!
I didn’t do any shopping on Black Friday but I did get a great work out in! And then I baked! Ha!
Great pointers. I think the most important thing to remember is to get moving and keep on eating! People make the mistake of starving themselves the day after, and then they just end up gorging on leftovers! I’m all about filling my Friday with vegetables, fruits and whole grains! This black friday was spent walking, cleaning and baking (I just can’t stop
It wasn’t Thanksgiving in Canada but these are great tips for me to apply to my Christmas eating!! I ALWAYS overindulge and feel gross for days afterwards. Need to work on that this year
Great tips–Everyone needs to splurge on Thanksgiving…but it’s time to move on afterwards! I spent my Black Friday with my family (definitely had some leftover action!), and I did a little bit of Amazon online shopping–I’m not one to brave the crowds!
Happy Thanksgiving
thanks for sharing the awesome tips.. have a nice weekend.
These are really great tips. Thanks for sharing!
**I meant–thanks for the workout shout out
ugh, I can’t type today
Thanks for the workout!!! This is a great post! Great tips!!! You are right, the worst thing people can do is skip meals and fast..it only slows your metabolism and makes you hold onto all those calories from the Thanksgiving gorge!!!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!