Did you know? Turkey contains tryptophan, an acid that makes you tired. But what makes you exceptionally sleepy is the amount of food you eat.
Consider these 5 tips for a healthy Thanksgiving day.
- Stay active. Try to walk outside before and after you eat. Activity helps stimulate your metabolism, helping you burn calories and suppress your appetite. Take your family along too!
- Drinks lots of water throughout the day. Even though the more popular drink for the holidays is some type of alcoholic beverage, alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it dehydrates you. Aim to drink about 8 glasses of fluids a day.
- Eat low-calorie vegetables. Most Thanksgiving dinners have a vegetable dish, whether it is green beans, broccoli, or carrots. Fill your plate with these dishes rather than high-calorie dishes.
- Pumpkin is good for you! This special Thanksgiving fruit is rich in vitamins and low in calorie content. Be sure to have some for dessert, but be careful on portion size and the amount of whipped cream you put on top!
- Enjoy being with friends and family. It's a possibility that the people you see for this holiday are people you don't see often. So enjoy the time you have with them and remember that the holidays are about friends and family rather than about food.