Thursday, November 12, 2015

Dos and Don’ts for Filling Your Thanksgiving Dinner Plate

I know you’re probably going to eat more on Thanksgiving than you would on most Thursdays. And, I understand. It’s one of my favorite holidays too! I want to eat all my favorites (stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie…), but I also don’t want to wake up the next morning and feel like I’ve undone my progress. Of course, if you’ve been exercising and eating right, one day won’t undo all the work you’ve done. But, as we head into winter, it’s easy to fall off the horse and really struggle to get back on. So, with that in mind, here are some photos to help you plate your Thanksgiving meal.

The Typical Plate
This is what the typical Thanksgiving dinner looks like. But, after watching reading this and learning some tips, hopefully you'll be able to see where you're going wrong. First off, where are the greens? And, secondly, this plate is filled with so many carbs and sugar, it’s no wonder most people need a nap after dinner. It's not the tryptophan or whatever people like to blame it on, it's the excess carbs and sugars in the meal!
Approximate Nutritional Information for the typical plate:
Registered Dietician, Ani Aratounians weighed in on this typical Thanksgiving plate and said, “It’s high in carbs and there’s lot of sugar and fat. Especially saturated fat. There’s butter everywhere and hardly any fiber. After eating this plate, you’ll feel stuffed and bloated.” And this doesn’t even take into consideration the pie. Or the wine. Or seconds…or thirds. Not to mention these are all of  the calories you should have in ONE DAY not one meal! 

The Revised Thanksgiving Plate
One easy way to totally redo your Thanksgiving plate (and still have all your favorites) is to start with the green veggies. Put the green beans and the salad on your plate first. Then, add the turkey (aim for the the skinless pieces if you can find them), and then add on your other favorites.
Approximate Nutritional Information for the revised plate:
The calories aren’t low, but they’re much more reasonable than the first plate. Aratounians’s thoughts on this plate were much more positive. “This is much higher in vitamin and mineral content, and antioxidants. Overall, this is much more balanced for your blood sugar with the protein and fiber balancing out sugar content. And, I can’t help but notice that it’s a much prettier plate!” She recommends, if you are going to go for seconds (and really, who isn’t), go for the greens and protein (again, ideally, without skin).
I hope that this comparison will help you come Thanksgiving! Let me know, will you consider trying the “revised plate” approach?

Via the Team Beachbody blog

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