3 Reasons Why You Eat Yourself Into a Food Coma on Thanksgiving

Why is Thanksgiving a binge-fest that leads to a food coma? Why do we not only allow, but plan to give in to our gluttonous selves on the last Thursday of November? Why is Thanksgiving all about the dessert table? The puffed fried appetizers? The black Friday food plans? The in-dul-gence? It’s like we’ve taken this holiday and made it all about stuffing our senses like we stuff that bird. But here’s the deal: The reason we eat so much on Thanksgiving may not have everything (or anything) to do with the food. In fact, it’s more than possible that the food is just a symptom of something bigger. Think about it… What would it look like to eat that Thanksgiving meal on a Tuesday in July? Most likely, you would eat that decadent meal in an empowered and healthy way, without eater’s remorse and the three-day, post Turkey Day food coma. So if it isn’t just the food, what is it about Thanksgiving that makes it so challenging for us to navigate this holiday easily? Read on, because we think we’ve cracked the code. 3 Reasons Why You Eat Yourself Into a Food Coma on Thanksgiving 1. Stress comes with the holidays.  Stress is a huge trigger for overeating, and since Thanksgiving brings on stressors like travel, broken routines, extra time in crowds, and navigating relationships, it’s no wonder people turn to the comfort of food. But not all stressors are bad. The holidays can also bring on good stressors like spending time with your 2-year-old niece or 85-year-old grandmother, writing your holiday cards, watching your alma mater’s nail-biter of an annual football game, and loading up your virtual shopping cart with anticipated Black Friday deals. These may all be fun and wonderful things, but they take extra energy and can bring on stress, even if it is “good” stress. So during the holidays, you’ll want to keep your stress level to a minimum as much as you can, because with stress comes the hormone cortisol, which is destructive to both your waistline and your health. Our tip: Plan for these stressors, both good and bad, so you won’t feel overwhelmed and not know why. Identifying the stressors of the day will help keep you in check and gain perspective. When you bump into a stressor, say a mantra to yourself like, “be in the moment” to help remind you to stay present and not get overwhelmed. 2. Your world is disrupted.  Is it possible your Thanksgiving food coma is a result of you being out of your routine? Thanksgiving is a day, followed by a day off, followed by a weekend that turns our regular day-to-day schedule on its proverbial ear. Schools and many businesses are closed. Our world breaks routine. The thing is, your body likes routine. It likes to sleep in its own bed, use your own toilet, and sleep and wake at the same time. Routines are healthy, and even “good” disruptions keep our systems from humming at their best. As much as possible, stick to your daily routine of sleep, morning habits, coffee or smoothie of choice, and wellness habits. The little bit of consistency will make it easier to recover from Thanksgiving and set you up for a healthy December. 3. Your nurtured self is on a shelf.  Could the temptation to overdo it on the sweet potatoes covered in marshmallows be related to your disconnection with your body? Let’s face it, celebrating Turkey Day is not always easy on the ol’ self-care routine. As a host, there is lots of planning, prepping, organizing, and expectation to manage. As a guest there are lines at the airport, traffic, and navigating which family gathering you show up to first. Taking time to squeeze in a bubble bath, read a few pages of a novel, or visit your favorite Instagram accounts just may not happen.  Any chance you can rethink this? We need our nurturing time to restore balance to our bodies. Taking care of ourselves, beyond the basic teeth brushing, hair washing and toenail clipping takes us from surviving to thriving. When your wellness isn’t thriving, you’re more likely to get sucked into overeating your way into a food coma, skipping the exercise, and having the extra glass of holiday cheer that starts a cycle of unhealthy behaviors. Feed your soul like you’re feeding your tummy this Thanksgiving by listening to your favorite tunes, calling your bestie, or enjoying some other self-nurturing activity for a few minutes every day. Feeling good leads to fueling right! Enjoy yourself this Turkey Day, and do it in a way you can feel great about. Think beyond the food to the underlying reasons you may overdo it. Maybe one of the reasons above speaks to you. Squash your stress, maintain balance in your world, and remember to nurture yourself. Happy Thanksgiving! 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7 Thanksgiving Recipes for Healthy People Who Like to Eat

Scouring the interwebs for healthy Thanksgiving recipes? You’re not alone. Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner at your home or bringing a dish to pass at someone else’s house, you either whip out the family cookbook and make the same dishes your grandma used to make OR you fire up your google search for the perfect Thanksgiving recipe.  But preparing side dishes and desserts isn’t so easy when you’re a healthy eater with a healthy diet, is it? Almost every holiday recipe calls for items you don’t normally keep in your pantry, and you aren’t used to using that many sticks of butter in a single year, nevermind a single meal. Thankfully (see what we did there?), we’ve amassed a stash of delicious and healthy Thanksgiving recipes over the years and we’re passing them on to you, just like grandma would.  Because, yes, you can absolutely have a healthy Thanksgiving dinner that’s every bit as tasty as one that’s, well, not.  Whip up these 7 nutritious Thanksgiving recipes for the most delicious, healthy, happy Turkey Day feast you’ve had to date. 7 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes for Health-Conscious People Who Love to Eat Pilgrim Salad This slightly sweet and crunchy salad is loaded with nutrients. Walnuts are a great source of vitamin E, an important antioxidant that keeps our cells strong and healthy. They’re also packed with protein and linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help keep you sharp by protecting against memory loss. The olive oil plays a role aside from tasting good—the healthy fat helps your body absorb vitamins A and K found in the greens! You already know greens are good for many reasons but just a reminder here that they also contain minerals like calcium and iron.  Get the recipe Roasted Brussels Sprouts These aren’t the mushy, flavorless sprouts you fed to your dog as a child! Brussels sprouts contain many vital nutrients and when done right, they often convert Brussel haters into lovers. Brussels sprouts help regulate digestive function due to all that fiber and they are a rich source of vitamin C with around 50% more vitamin C than your average orange. Get the recipe Garlic and Lemon Haricots Verts Green beans may not seem like a glamorous veggie, but combined with garlic and lemons they make a seriously yummy, savory side dish. These beans are chock full of antioxidants, including carotenoids which fight free radicals, vitamin C for a healthy immune system, and fiber, which helps keep our digestive system healthy and helps lower cholesterol. Garlic not only gives this dish flavor but also boosts your immune system, fights cancer and prevents infection. Bam! Get the recipe Whipped Sweet Potato Casserole Sweet potatoes are a winter staple that can satisfy the strongest sweet tooth. And, without a doubt, one of our top 3 winter foods. These tasty tubers are higher in fiber, beta-carotene, and vitamin C than white potatoes. They’re also packed with vitamin A, one of your skin’s BFFs. Vitamin A plays a big role in producing new skin cells and shedding worn cells, as well as defending the body against free radicals that may lead to wrinkles. Craving this now? Get the recipe Thanksgiving Turkey Grab a serving of this holiday staple and grab an excellent source of lean protein. Just one 3.5 ounce serving contains 30 grams of protein, to help you fill up (protein is super satisfying) but not out. It’s also a good source of B vitamins and iron to keep you energetic and strong long after the meal and into Black Friday shopping. Spices are key to any dish not just for flavor but for a healthy dose of antioxidant goodness with virtually no cals. Get the recipe Wild Rice & Bulgur Stuffing If you’re over traditional bread stuffing, try this updated recipe for some serious texture and flavor. Bulgur and wild rice are hearty, delish, and loaded with fiber (white bread stuffing can’t come close to saying that!). Celery isn’t just a crunchy filler food, it contains fiber and is also known to have a compound that lowers the concentration of stress hormones in your blood. We can all use that. Parsley looks pretty and may help flush out excess bloat. Sounds good to us. Want in? Get the recipe Pumpkin Soufflé Pumpkin’s gorgeous orange hue comes from beta-carotene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant that also promotes healthy vision and builds immunity. Toss in some cinnamon (known to help reduce stress) and you just may have your new go-to holiday dish.  Get the recipe  

9 Thanksgiving Recipes That Give Classic Side Dishes a Healthy Makeover

Prepping your Thanksgiving side dishes to complement that big, juicy turkey? Before you add that heaping cup of sugar to the cranberries the way you do every November, consider this: We believe in enjoying the happy indulgences holidays present (like eating every bite of that slice of creamy, delicious pumpkin pie), but that doesn’t mean your meal always has to result in a paralyzing food coma. Tweaking classic sides is one easy way to make the feast healthier without sacrificing traditional flavors or dishes altogether. It’ll also add creativity and excitement to your table, which your little brother’s foodie fiancé will totally appreciate. Try one of these tasty recipes for a fresh, healthy menu this year. Thanksgiving side dishes, reimagined: Mashed Butternut Squash Butternut squash offers all the fall flavor of sweet potatoes, but with none of the peeling and chopping. Just cut in half, throw in the oven, and—voila!—a healthy Thanksgiving side dish. Spiced Cranberry Relish Instead of a sugar bomb, this twist on cranberry sauce is light and tart, providing a counterbalance to the many heavy, warming foods on the table. It’s packed with antioxidants from the cranberries, and vitamin C is a natural stress-fighter, which will help when Uncle Joe starts talking politics. You’re welcome. Sweet Potato Latkes Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, beta-carotene, and vitamin C no matter how you make them, but these (baked!) latkes are especially unexpected and delicious, with cinnamon and nutmeg for a flavor- and antioxidant-boost. Ginger Carrot Squash Soup Butternut squash soup is generally as nutritious as it is delicious, but add in ginger and you’re serving guests an immune-system strengthener that will help them get through cold and flu season without sniffling. Protein-Packed Corn Muffins Garbanzo bean flour, coconut oil, and unsweetened almond milk make these corn muffins the healthiest you’ve ever had. And they take less than half an hour to make. Wild Rice and Bulgur Stuffing This recipe trades the refined carbs that usually dominate stuffing for healthier grains like wild rice and bulgur, and the pecans provide some healthy fat and protein to prevent overeating other dishes. Cranberry Roasted Root Vegetables  Spices (cardamom and nutmeg) plus a dash of honey pretty much guarantee that these vegetables won’t get lost in the crowd. Carrots and parsnips never shined so brightly. Garlic and Lemon Haricot Verts Green bean casserole is one of the highest-calorie side dishes at any holiday feast. Instead of smothering the crispy, vitamin-rich veggies with cream of mushroom soup, add immune-boosting garlic, lemon, and sea salt. Mini Pumpkin Pie Bites Okay, this one isn’t exactly a side dish, but these treats are the perfect bite-sized addition to your dessert table. Flax seeds and chia seeds help stabilize your blood sugar, and Greek yogurt offers a hit of protein you won’t find in other sweets.