Healthy Tips for Thanksgiving!

The Thanksgiving feast is almost upon us and for many people, that means a day of overeating. Articles in the popular press estimate that the average adult will eat 3,000 calories at the holiday meal and 4,500 calories for the entire day. You would have to walk 30 miles just to burn off Thanksgiving dinner!

There are hundreds of tips out there to help you keep your meal in line and not put you over the edge into that zone of total discomfort. But I think one of the best tips is seldom used. Your stomach, or pouch, doesn’t know it’s a holiday. How about putting the food on the back burner and focusing on other things related to the holiday?
• Start your day running or walking the Scheels Reno-Sparks Turkey Trot. This is a family event so everyone can participate. Go to https://www.scheelscommunity.com/events/reno-scheels-turkey-trot/ for more information. If you don’t live in the area, you can get out and do your own walk or run.
• When you get home, tune in to the Macy’s Parade. This year we celebrate 87 years of giant balloons, unusual floats, marching bands, and performance groups. You can catch it on NBC, starting at 9AM.
• After the parade you can watch some NFL football or play a friendly game of football until you join family and friends for the holiday meal.
• Whether the meal is in your home or you are a guest, this is a good time to spend quality time reconnecting and catching up with each others’ lives.
• After the meal, it’s a good time to get moving with a walk.

And above all, be thankful for what you do have: a home, food, a job, health, family, and friends. Most of us are very blessed and we can get full by counting our blessings rather than getting full by overeating.
Eat Smart…
Vicki Bovee, MS, RDN, LD
Vicki Bovee, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian with over 25 years experience in weight loss and weight management. Vicki works with both weight loss surgery patients and nonsurgical weight loss patients. Prior to joining WBI, Vicki spent 11 years at the University of Nevada School of Medicine working in the areas of weight management and women’s health. She has also authored several cookbooks with Chef Dave Fouts. Vicki received her master’s degree in nutrition from Montana State University and her Bachelor of Science degree in home economics from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.