Better Thanksgiving Choices

It's about that time of year again, the meal cookers are rushing around to get the last of their Thanksgiving meal ingredients while the meal eaters are prepping their stomachs by fasting for the past few days. I just love it!! Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday because of the 3 Fs; family, food and football (booze is also included, but for obvious reasons it's not listed). Families come in from all over the country to sit around, catch up, watch football and be thankful for each other...what's better than that?! Thanksgiving is definitely my Achilles heel, I can eat like a normal person the rest of the year but on this one day, I stack my plates (yes, I said plates) high with mountains of mashed potatoes, piles of turkey, stuffing, cranberry and lather it all with gravy.

I'm literally getting hungry just thinking about it. In this blog post, I will be making suggestions and comparisons on different choices you can make to ensure a healthier Thanksgiving. These are just merely suggestions, but just so you don't hate yourself tomorrow for eating more food in one sitting than all the meals of the week prior, take a read!

Turkey: White Meat or Dark Meat?
When it comes to turkey, most people have the part that they like, Uncle Bob gets a leg, your dad gets a wing, and everyone has to fight over the white and dark meat. To make your plate a little lighter this year, opt for the white meat. White meat (3 oz) packs 115 calories and 7 grams of fat, while its darker counterpart packs 160 calories and 11 grams of fat, respectively.
Better Choice: White Meat

Casserole: Green Bean or Sweet Potato?
In my opinion, the sides served at Thanksgiving are just as important as the turkey. Casseroles have been a staple on many Thanksgiving dinner tables and when choosing between the two, opt for the green bean casserole. About 1 cup of GB casserole has an average of 161 calories and 9 grams of fat (including the creamy mushroom soup and fried onion topping) which is a lighter pick than SP casserole which packs a whopping 285 calories and 5 grams of fat. The reason for this is that green beans are low-calorie foods to start with, although sweet potatoes are full of good-for-you nutrients, such as beta carotene which is packed with vitamin A and antioxidants.
Better Choice: Green Bean Casserole

Toppings: Cranberry Sauce or Gravy?
Believe it or not, gravy is the better choice here. Although there are tons of different ways to prepare both gravy and cranberry sauce, 1/4 of gravy has about 30 calories and 1.5 grams of fat while cranberries have 110 but 0 grams of fat. The elevated calorie count for the cranberry sauce is due to added sugars. That being said, you don't need to drench your whole plate in gravy, make your gravy mashed potato boat and fill it up so you can dip everything else later!
Better Choice: Gravy

Starchy Sides: Mashed Potatoes or Stuffing?
Personally, I love mashed potatoes, one of my all-time favorite foods. They are so versatile and you can put practically anything you want in them; bacon, cheese, sour cream, chives, horseradish or even sneak in some veggies! One cup of your typical mashed potatoes puts you at about 230-260 calories and about 7 grams of fat, while one cup of typical stuffing comes in with over 340 calories and almost 15 grams of fat. There are many ways to lighten up both these dishes; add some turnips, cauliflower florets or some sweet potatoes to your mashed to lighten up the load by up to 60 calories. As for the stuffing, lighten up on butter, and other fatty ingredients.
Better Choice: Mashed Potatoes

Dessert: Apple or Pumpkin Pie?
By this time of the meal, most people either take a nap or try and release a huge belch to make room for a slice of their favorite pie. For one slice of apple pie, it will cost you about 410 calories and almost 20 grams of fat, while the pumpkin pie has about 315 calories and 14 grams of fat per slice. Although neither are healthy options, the pumpkin has so many benefits and doesn't have the double-crust that apple pie does, which saves you on a few calories. The whipped topping that sits atop your pumpkin pie also has less calories than that warm vanilla ice cream that usually accompanies the apple.
Better Choice: Pumpkin Pie

There you have it my friends, just some things to keep you thinking healthier on your Thanksgiving day. I for one cannot wait for Thanksgiving and I wish you all a happy and healthy one!!

ENJOY!!

10 Habits You SHOULD Have

Ever wonder if there is a recipe for being skinny? Or how skinny people manage to keep themselves skinny and the pounds off? According to David Zinczenko of Men's Health, writer for ABC News' website has some insight into the lifestyle habits that help skinny people stay skinny. Below are a few of their successful habits:

1. Eat an early dinner. Researchers have found that people who eat dinner regularly at 8PM ingested more calories and carried more body fat than people who ate dinner earlier; between 5:30-7:00PM.

2. Eat breakfast. Studies have shown that people who skip breakfast were 4.5 times more likely to be obese than people who eat a healthy breakfast. Eating within 30-45 minutes of waking up is optimal in order to kick start your metabolism for the day.

3. Drink water. Skip the sugary soda and swap it out for a tall, refreshing glass of water. People who make the switch lose as much as 23 pounds per year! Start small--if you're a regular soda drinker, swap out one soda a day and gradually cut soda out for good.

4. Order a la carte. People who order combo meals consume almost 2 times as many calories as people who order a la carte. For those who are unfamiliar with 'a la carte', it simply means separate items with separate pricing. That way you can pick what you want instead of settling for a combo meal.

5. Manage stress. Some people are really good at delaying stress and keeping buried, but that is not a healthy response. Research shows that dealing with life's stressors can lead to weight gain. Everyone has things in their lives that stresses them out whether it be school, work, family or a combination of things--manage the stress one day at a time and don't let it build up.

6. Chew thoroughly. I am guilty of inhaling my food and eating every meal like it's my last. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who chew their food slowly consume fewer calories than people who eat quickly, like yours truly. Cut up your food into small bites, drink water between bites and enjoy your food.

7. Eat whole grains. Replacing highly processed grains with wholesome whole grains help keep off the belly fat. Although some people say that you should limit your carbohydrate intake, making the switch to whole grains can definitely reduce the risk of serious weight gain.

8. Get a good night's sleep. Getting between six to eight hours each night will help keep your appetite under control and your willpower strong enough to resist those high calorie snacks. I understand this isn't the easiest thing to do, but sleep should be a high priority on everyone's list.

9. Laugh. A study from the International Journal of Obesity found that laughing for 15 minutes each day can burn up 40 calories. The math comes out that in a year, you can lose up to 4 pounds via laughing. Life doesn't always have to be so serious, giggle a little bit and unwind. Laugh at yourself!

10. Reward yourself. Establishing a healthy routine is a very hard thing to accomplish so remember to reward yourself for sticking to it. Food should really not be used as a reward, so use something else that you like--spa treatment, getting your nails done, shopping spree or something else.

I believe that this list is very helpful in developing a healthy routine to help lose or maintain your weight. It's not easy to change your lifestyle overnight so small changes is the way to go. This information was taken from Skinny News magazine.

ENJOY!!