3 Simple Tips for CHOOSING a Healthy Holiday

One of the best feelings in the world is anticipating a really fun day with family and friends which will include sitting down to a really good meal.  One of the worst feelings in the world is crawling away from the table with an overstuffed belly, pants that are now way too tight and the mental haze of an uncontrolled feeding frenzy.  Wouldn't it be fantastic to focus on that first feeling without having to worry about the second?  Here are three simple choices that you can make to have a healthy holiday and avoid the post-dinner pain of having eaten too much.

1) CHOOSE TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES BEFORE THE PARTY BEGINS.  Before leaving your house or welcoming your first guest, make the conscious decision to have a healthy holiday.  Going in with the mindset of making healthy choices increases the possibility that you will do just that!  I encourage you to take that one step further and tell someone that you want to have a healthy holiday.  Having someone give you the evil eye as you begin to help yourself to a second piece of pie can be a strong deterrent!

2) CHOOSE YOUR SEAT.  When you arrive at the gathering, scan the room before you sit down.  If there is a table with appetizers or desserts, sit far away.  You are less likely to keep munching if you have to stand up and walk across the room.  If there are other members of your family or friends also striving to be healthier, sit with them or where you can make eye contact with them.  Getting that "look" as you reach for another chip loaded with dip can be very powerful.

3) CHOOSE YOUR TREAT.  Before jumping into the buffet line or placing a large spoonful of the first dish passed to you on your plate, know what all of your options are so that you can choose wisely.  I'm not suggesting that you deny yourself any Thanksgiving goodness, simply be mindful of what you are putting on your plate.  If your uncle makes the best macaroni and cheese, take a smaller portion of other sides and save room for a heaping spoonful of that cheesy deliciousness.  If your mom only makes her pecan pie at Thanksgiving, choose that as your dessert and skip the others.  When you are lifting your fork to your mouth, go slow!  Take your time.  Savor each bite.  At my work's Thanksgiving Dinner last week, my co-workers were teasing me as I ever so slowly took each bite of that sweet potato casserole.  I look forward to that casserole every year so I didn't want to shove it in my mouth without pausing to enjoy it.  I purposely made sure that I delighted in every single mouthful of that casserole!  It was the highlight of my meal!

Three simple steps that you can take to help yourself make healthy choices at your holiday feast.  Set yourself up for success!  And most importantly - focus on having a good time with family and friends.  It will be much more fun without the worry, guilt or discomfort of overeating.  You got this!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Don't Forget to Massage the Kale!

When food assignments are given out for family holiday meals, I am normally assigned to bring a salad.  I never know whether that is a hint at the fact that I'm not the best cook in the family, a loving offer since I am a working caregiving mom or an ode to the fact that I never just open a bag of mixed greens and throw them in a bowl.  I take my salad assignments very seriously.

My Thanksgiving Salad this year featured one of 2014's favorites among healthy eaters: KALE.  I'd never eaten kale before.  I was actually kind of afraid of the rough thick leaves, but I knew that it was considered a Super Food loaded with vitamins, fiber, minerals and antioxidants which basically means it is really good for you.  What I did not know is that kale is very high maintenance when it comes to being in a salad.  You don't simply wash and chop.  You need to massage the kale.  That's right . . . massage.  Massage turns this bitter chewy green into a tender and sweet centerpiece for a deliciously healthy salad.

I washed the kale and removed the leaves from the stems.  I sprinkled it with some sea salt and extra virgin olive oil.  Then I went to work with my fingertips to gently massage the kale in the same manner I would massage someones shoulders.    After five minutes, the stiff leaves were looser and more relaxed just like a stressed out person turns to putty in your hands after a good shoulder massage.  I was amazed! 

Topped with roasted butternut squash, toasted pumpkin seeds, crisp bacon, diced red onion and a warm apple cider dressing this was one yummy salad!

Massaged Kale and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

I was obviously not the only one who did not know the impact that massage has on kale.  As my family began to fill their plates and came upon my salad, one after another asked with scrunched up noses, "Is this kale?  In a salad?"  I explained that it was not just regular kale . . . it was massaged kale.  I was happy when everyone who tasted it really liked it.

Next time you're making a salad, don't pass up the kale!  There is no need to be afraid.  Just know that it requires an extra step before tossing it with your favorite toppings.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Thank you for reading my blog and following my crazy journey of attempting to make healthy choices in a stress-filled, busy life.  I am thankful for the opportunity to share it with you!

Staying warm before Turkey Trot 2014