Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Thanksgiving-There Will Be No Unbuttoning

I wouldn't suggest searching for an "unbottoning pants" photo ew.
About a month ago, my mom called me . My sister usually hosts Thanksgiving but my mom worried it was too much this year;  she thought it would be nice to take the pressure off and go out to a restaurant. I wasn’t happy. Out came my inner brat: I told her it wasn’t the same, that part of Thanksgiving was spending time together- not just at a table, I even offered to host and then mid-rant I realized how silly I was being. My Thanksgiving day usually goes something like this: wake up and rush out the office (on the parade route) for the parade, rush home and start chopping Brussels sprouts, parsnips and string beans (I make the sides) until my hand starts cramping and then rush up to my sister’s house in Westchester smelling like shallots and parsley and completely exhausted. I looked at the menu online, this year I’ll be having Artisan Greens and Hudson Valley Apple Salad, Sea Bass, a Poached Pear and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Shush don’t say anything but I’m sort of excited.

As for you, I’ve spent years trying to strike a balance for my clients between strategy and satiety, special and silly. Many of you already know the “good” items on the Thanksgiving table: white-meat turkey, cranberry sauce (not this kind),

sweet potatoes (later, marshmallows), and non-bastardized vegetables. The killers – and yes, in large volumes they are killers – include stuffing (so good, yet soooo bad), turkey skin, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, and any creamed vegetables or those given the casserole treatment. What you may not know is that the difference between a good plate and a bad plate can be enormous. A good meal will hover around 400 to 600 calories – including wine and extras. The killer? Multiply that number by three or four.

To temper Thanksgiving tendencies:
Just Say No To  “Whores”
I recently wrote about Ina Garten. While her recipes are top notch, you may be surprised that I stole one of my favorite weight-related tips from her. A couple years ago, I was watching Ina, on the Food Network, fielding Thanksgiving-related questions. One question was what to serve before sitting down to Thanksgiving Dinner. Ina said keep it simple before the meal and advised not serving guests too much. I couldn’t agree more (maybe for different reasons). If you are hosting, shrimp cocktail, crudité and a dip and olives are all nice, lighter choices. If you are a guest, minimize your nibbles; you can easily eat a typical dinner’s worth of calories in hors (d’oeuvres).

Workout Twice
If you’re going to eat a sweet and fatty feast, get moving. Many spin studios and gyms are open on Thanksgiving and many cities have Turkey Trots or similar races. Walk, dance, run, swim, spin, or practice yoga. Exercise is a prerequisite that will help your mindset. Of today, tomorrow and Friday I need two workouts over the three days.

Observe the One Plate Rule. Review the offerings and formulate your strategy.
  • Reserve ¼ of your plate for carbs including sweet potatoes, stuffing, corn, bread or regular potatoes.
  • Then you’ve got ¼ of your plate for turkey or another protein.
  • Half of your plate should include vegetables (the green kind), or salad – even if you have to steal the garnish from something. Eat your vegetables first; this fills you up on fiber. 

  • Savor this plate of Thanksgiving goodness because there are no second helpings at dinner on this plan. Seconds and thirds lead to unbuttoning your pants in inappropriate places – not to mention serious regrets. The One Plate Rule leaves you feeling lighter and self-righteous.


You’ve Already Had Dessert
So you’ve worked out, eaten your virtuous one plate, and are feeling good. Then the pies, crumbles, tarts, and tortes arrive. I can hear you negotiating (my clients try to negotiate, I’m used to it).   I really believe that you’ve already had your pie before dessert.  Think about it, maybe you’ve had sweet potatoes topped with candy or Jell-O disguised as sauce or sweet soup. If we’re being adults about this – you really don’t need the pie. Now, if you’ll cry or die without pie, then you need to pick your poison/pleasure. Choose mostly “goods” at mealtime, and then you can have your (tiny sliver of) pie and eat it, too.

Blacklist on Black Friday- Thanksgiving is one day, Thursday, not Thursday until you go back to work on Monday. If you are a leftover person, stick to turkey, veggies and soup. Stuffing is a holiday food and Friday is not a holiday. I have one client who has pretty containers and makes care packages for guests to bring home. I am fine with stuffing your guests, I only care about you.
Now, aren’t you thankful for Foodtraining?
What are your favorite Thanksgiving Day treats? Does the plan above sound reasonable? Anything need negotiating? Let’s hear it.

37 comments:

  1. Great plan! I am actually worried a little because I am going to a friend's rather than the traditional trip to Reading, PA to go to my Aunt and Uncle's favorite Italian Restaurant (ugh). I only ever over-eat around this particular group of people. Peer-pressure? Perhaps. Over-imbibibg? Maybe. Really great cook in the kitchen making things I want to put in my belly? Definitely! See, the good thing about going to a restaurant is once the food is bussed, it's GONZO! I agree, being at home or with friends and family for the day makes it feel more like a holiday. But having all that food around is hard to resist, even with good intentions to do so. I am going to try and take your advice, Lauren! And I am going to workout...maybe double....for sure!

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  2. Ooh so we're each branching out this year. Let's see how it goes. Have a game plan and enjoy yourself Cameo.

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  3. Nice post, Lauren. Thanksgiving is one day and it always becomes a four day affair. I will remember what you said, thank you. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  4. Your advice is really sound. I especially love the idea of treating the plate the same way you always do: 1/4 carbs, 1/4 protein, 1/2 veggies. When it comes to sweets, I give myself free passes on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and my birthday. For me, the really important thing is to STOP after that day. So yeah, I might have 2 desserts on Christmas, but if I'm not careful, I'll also have 2 desserts on Christmas Eve, and 2 desserts on Boxing Day and 2 desserts on Christmas Eve Eve...you get the picture. I try to be really mindful before and after the holidays, but the day of? All bets are off. (Ummm...yeah...it's a good thing I'm not working in the nutrition industry. Ha!)

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  5. Ayala- happy thanksgiving to you too. If it can be one day, you can follow the "Stephanie" plan she talked about. It's when it stretches out that we tend to feel poorly.

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  6. So true. I'm a firm believer that if you keep up with your good eating and exercising habits and then on Thanksgiving indulge a little, as long as you're back on track the next day, nothing bad will happen. It's all the snacking, left overs, pot lucks, and tempting treats in the office that add a bit of weight.

    I like the plate ratio, too -- I'm cooking this year to ensure I get healthy veggies on my plate!

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  7. Lauren- your recipes sound fantastic. Nothing bastardized at your feast.

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  8. I definitely agree about the workouts! I have been getting extra workouts in this week and already have my spin classes lined up for after. Hopefully doing a 3ish mile run tomorrow morning too!

    Thanks for the tips! Helpful as always :)

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  9. My favorite Thanksgiving tip is to fill half the plate w/ veggies or salad.
    I also stick to raw fruits or veggies pre-Thanksgiving dinner, which helps w/ food overload.
    Fav Thanksgiving treats are stuffing and cranberry sauce.
    Have a Happy Thanksgiving =)

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  10. Super great plan!!! LOVE this!

    I'm so anxious/nervous. I always cook at my parents house but this year am cooking in our apartment!! Our appliances are all miniature. Here is my menu which balances good and baaaaddd:
    Butternut squash soup, turkey, sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows, stuffing (with turkey sausage and bacon), sauteed spinach and shitake, sauteed green beans, fennel & orange salad with pomegranate, beet salad, roasted mini potatoes and onions, homemade cranberry sauce, and of course pumpkin & apple pies for dessert. :-)

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  11. Lisa so "healthy and sensible" ha ha. And Einat- good luck hosting your menu sounds great and I find that after cooking and tasting my appetite is almost gone. Homemade cranberry, so much better.

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  12. Love these tips, especially the one about working out. Aside from burning calories, the endorphin boost you get is also helpful for dealing with family members. Haha or at least that's part of my motivation.

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  13. holidays are always hard, even for dietitians (don't ya think!?). I feel like I try my best to eat as healthy as I can the week before thanksgiving so that on the day, I don't really have to worry SO much about it. Like you said, I make sure to squeeze in an extra workout or two this week and come the day of, I keep it light the whole day and pick my poisons come dinner. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my mother's stuffing. It's SO bad but SO soooooooo good. I can't go a year without a helping of it. For the rest, I skimp. I pass on the potatoes, dinner rolls, corn (bc I can eat those any time of the year), eat 1 slice of turkey, some homemade cranberry sauce, and the dish that I provide (which is ALWAYS a healthy veggie). I leave the table satisfied...but not stuffed. When it comes to dessert, I usually pass and have some the next day but this year, I'm going to 2 thanksgivings (one on saturday) so I'll be saving my indulgence for my mother in-laws FAMOUS apple pie. Now that is worth EVERY single calorie. Oh me oh my... :) HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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  14. Yes to scheduling in extra workouts and avoiding the pre-meal appetizers! We try and do a pre-meal family hike (lots of hills!) and I will try very hard to get in a good workout on Friday too. My plate is usually pretty reasonable, but I will likely go back for a second (small) helping of that naughty stuffing :-). Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Lauren!

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  15. Just say no to whores - dying. The structure is great, particularly the one plate rule. I had no idea spin studios are open on thanksgiving - Gotta love NYC.

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  16. I feel like I was feeble in my resolve in that first comment. I will not over-stuff! I will not give myself an excuse to change into sweats. I will not wake up Friday cursing my life and feeling like a fat looser! OK, there. Much better.

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  17. There's the cameo we love. Let's be thankful for not being fat losers. Thankful for funny comments and laughing while sitting in a room alone with my computer.

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  18. I'm running a Turkey Trot tomorrow morning! I just love getting out and moving before settling in to visit and sit around. But I do have an issue about the one-plate method. I'm one of those people who don't like their food to touch each other. So my plates are made of really small amounts of food. I have to monitor myself on seconds to be sure I'm not overdoing it, but I just can't deal with my food slopping together. It gives me the willies. Happy Thanksgiving!!

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  19. You see Caron, I'm one of those, I like my food to touch and sometimes mix it into weird combinations. I wonder what that says about is. If your multiple plates are equivalent to one real plate, you're ok but it's a harder method to pull off. Enjoy your trot!

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  20. I have no fears this Thanksgiving...I will run the 4 mile turkey trot, eat some oatmeal and go to WORK. At work, I will run around like a turkey without it's head on dealing with the aftermath of people eating to much, drinking to much and all the drama that comes with a forced family gathering. My co-doctor is Indian and a vegetarian and she is cooking us a meal. My mom is sending me to work with a pumpkin pie to share. I doubt that I will get to eat anything. On black Friday I get to to it all again!

    No need for self control, no tempations not to give into, no desserts to say no to. All the perks of being an ER doctor on Thanksgiving....at least that is what I am telling myself!

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  21. hehe love this! Definitely have to follow the one plate rule after surveying the goods and determining the foods that are worthy of your single plate. Also agree on including lots of activity. I will be riding my bike in the morning to burn off about 500 kcals/hour :) Have a great Thanksgiving!

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  22. "foods that are worthy" love the high standards for plate space

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  23. It IS harder to pull off. I came back for inspiration because we had a potluck at work today and I have sampled my first deep-fried turkey. I'm not much of a poultry fan, but I'm having trouble keeping away from this turkey.

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  24. Oh and yes, I often wonder what it says about us. I also eat around my plate, one thing at a time. People notice this and tease me. I really don't mind. I have no idea when this started. I can remember as a child every year I left my mashed potatoes to last and every year I was disappointed because they were cold and disgusting. Surely there's a personality expert out there who knows the answers. ;)

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  25. These are all fantastic tips!!! I was already planning to abide by the one-plate rule; it can be so hard to just stop picking and taking seconds (or thirds) when everyone is sitting around, still talking and eating. But the one-plate rule it is, and your plate divisions will make it easy. AND I've already got my workouts planned for tomorrow and Friday! Signed up for a Friday morning spin class so I have no choice but to show up.

    I really like the hors- reminder, too. So unnecessary to overindulge there, when so much more filling food is yet to come.

    Most importantly, I think, is to just stay engaged in conversation. If you're busy talking, asking about your relatives lives, work, relationships, you can forget all the food sitting in front of you. Just get involved, keep asking questions, and your mouth will be too busy to overeat. Isn't family and friends what the holiday is really about, after all?

    Happy Thanksgiving, Lauren! Enjoy the holiday weekend. Thanks for the great advice here.

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  26. Meredith, I'm not entirely sure what Thanksgiving is about but you'd think company is a big part of it. The trouble with family and friends is that sometimes talking to various family members makes you want to head for the stuffing (I'm not referring to anyone in particular in my family).
    Good luck, enjoy and thanks for stopping by.

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  27. The truth is that to me Thanksgiving is just like any other day foodwise...I'm sure people will hate me for saying this but I really have no interest in Thanksgiving foods! I mean they're good but they aren't worth regretting the next several days, right?

    Would love to see you while I'm here... I'm going to text you!

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  28. Ameena- why am I not surprised that holiday foods don't push your buttons. I'm sort of with you. Sure, I could eat pie and stuffing but I don't eat that other days...text me and enjoy NYC.

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  29. I already celebrated Thanksgiving this year so this weekend is just like any other - except we'll be at our friend's house for the weekend and that is a whole other "could be a recipe for disaster eating wise" situation :)

    My favourite thanksgiving treat is definitely stuffing. In fact, I would forego dessert if it meant I could have more stuffing. When I make it at home I always use multi-grain bread and minimize the butter by subbing in chicken stock for flavour. I remember growing up, when I was a vegetarian, my mom always cooked my veggies in a separate pot because she boils her veggies with salt beef. My plate was always a pile of carrots, cabbage and potatoes. And maybe a special meat-free pile of stuffing that was always too dry to even consider eating :)

    Have a great holiday!

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  30. That's right Jenny, in October in Canada, yes? There are so many ways to make many Thanksgiving staples more healthful but I feel so many stick to what's traditional.

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  31. Great tips Lauren, although I'll admit I don't think about calories or anything of the sort on this day. I do, however, try to practice what I preach and focus more on how I feel (in other words, I won't let myself eat to the point where I am uncomfortably full, yuck, I hate that feeling).

    Right now I'm debating about what to do for my workout this morning...I'm thinking a Jillian workout!
    Have a great Thanksgiving!

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  32. Happy Thanksgiving Gina! Uncomfortably full is never good, off to the parade, enjoy your day.

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  33. I like your tips.

    I actually didn't do any appetizers this year as I felt turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, veggies, salad, and pumpkin pie were more than enough! I also decided to have everyone over for lunch so that we could get plenty of movement in after the meal. And luckily, the weather cooperated and we got lots of outdoor playtime in with the kid. And I was able to start the day with a barre class.

    One thing I had been looking forward to for weeks was pumpkin pie with whipped cream. I had a small piece with whipped cream, and I'm now "over" it. I also had some wine and tasted some of hubby's "special beer."

    As you point out, I think the real problem is not one day of (a bit too much) food, but that it turns into a whole weekend/weeks of a lot of food...

    Hope you had a wonderful day!

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  34. Great tips! Although I didn't eat the healthiest of items, I did pretty good with portions. I had one plate along with salad..well along with two smaller size desserts. I did run a 12k so I felt good knowing that I did move yesterday.
    Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!!!

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  35. I was actually out of town for Thanksgiving. The restaurant we went to had a special Thanksgiving menu. They portioned out the perfect plates for everyone I was pretty surprised.

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  36. Great plan! My favorites treats are the stuffing and the pies. So bad yet so good! Sigh.

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  37. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving Sam and a fun Ameena visit.

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