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Nov 19, 2019
Monday Tip: Eat This, Not That. Thanksgiving Edition
Happy Monday Everyone! Here we have some healthy tips before you put together that Thanksgiving shopping list. Fear This, NOT That, Thanksgiving Edition!
I don’t know about you, but I am transfixed by all of the books, articles and advice available when it comes to healthy eating – especially the ones that give you healthier alternatives to your favorite foods. With America’s feasting holiday upon us (Thanksgiving), there is no better time than to put together a list of Eat This, Not That, the Thanksgiving Edition.
I’ve compiled a short list of a few very tasty, yet more healthy, alternatives to the main dishes that will laden your table this Thanksgiving.
The Main Event: TURKEY TOM
Americans, as a whole, look to this tasty bird as the main dish every Thanksgiving Holiday. It takes a million hours to make, but it’s worth it because you end up with leftovers that feed lingering company for days. When it comes to your main dish, here are a few ideas to make it as healthy as possible.
Eat this:
• Skinless turkey breast – removing the skin removes unwanted fat calories.
• White meat – Eat white meat for an extra lean bonus.
• 2-3 portions max – our fist size is roughly 1 portion.
Not that:
• Dark meat – Just a little added fat content, but do you really need that?
• Butter & Gravy – If you can avoid them, your meal will be a bit healthier.
The Topper: Gravy
I will give you this, eating the white meat of turkey without gravy is like trying to swallow chalk. It just doesn’t go down that easily. But, gravy is essentially made of the fat drippings and butter that didn’t sink into the bird. Still sound tasty? If so, give this a try…
Eat this:
• If possible, eat gravy made with fatless turkey drippings
• Let your gravy sit for a bit on the counter and then take off the top layer of fat.
Not that:
• Canned gravy – Packed with sodium and other ingredients you likely can not pronounce.
Dish Filler: Bread and Rolls
This is a tough one…just the smell of baking bread and stuffing alone makes many people salivate with anticipation. ✴But, you’re on a mission for health, so do your best to avoid these tasty dish fillers.✴ If your carb cravings are overwhelming, try to make a stuffing using whole grain bread and low butter content. Load it up with onions and celery for flavor so you can get a taste of the good stuff without going overboard on filling calories you just don’t need.
Eat this:
• Stuffing – Try to make it with whole grain and low butter content.
Not that:
• Refined, white bread rolls. Especially with butter. Darn!
• Stuffing made with mostly bread and no added veggies, or smothered in butter.
White Elephant in the room: Mashed Potatoes
Turkey and mashed potatoes are such an American classic for Thanksgiving, but they do not contain nearly the amount of nutrients of their healthier cousins, the sweet potato and yams. If you leave off the butter and sauces, these are a great alternative to white potatoes.
Eat this:
• Sweet potatoes
• Yams
Not that:
• White potatoes
• Scalloped potatoes
• Sweet potato fries
• Candied yams
On the Side: Cranberries
Cranberry sauce…yeah, a lot of people just skip right past it, especially when it comes out of a can (seriously, who eats that?!), but eating a spoonful or two of actual cranberries is not only a viable alternative, but it happens to be part of a superfood group that can help lower blood pressure, protect the urinary tract and stomach lining, lower bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing good cholesterol (HDL) and play a part in good heart health. Plus, they taste really good with turkey, so why not throw some on your plate?
Bon Apetit!
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Andrea has been at IPT since July of 2023 and has been the definition of consistency! She always makes adjustments to her nutrition and exercise when needed and pushes herself in workouts every single time. Each month she exceeds her goal of losing body fat mass, and has lost a total of 24lbs of BFM since joining! She's able to chest press 25 lb dumb bells and can do a full pushup without any assistance now. You can really see the difference in how Andrea carries herself and the confidence she has now compared to her first day at IPT. She completely transformed her life for the better!
Rey has been here since early June & has never missed a session! He's on-point with his tracking for nutrition and always does his cardio. He has hit every goal since he started and has lost 49.6 lbs of body fat mass and gained 3.8 lbs of skeletal muscle mass. Down from 48.9% BF to 36.6% BF. The health of his knees has improved drastically and he continues to have an exceptionally positive attitude!
Hi, my name is Dylan and I’ve been at IPT since December of 2022, and my fitness habits have greatly improved since then!
Since I started at IPT, I’ve been consistent with all of my workouts at the gym, my workouts outside of the gym, and my nutrition. I’ve lost 13.2 pounds of body fat, and have gotten stronger and faster with every session. My training at IPT has helped me to throw a no-hitter this baseball season as well as decrease my 40 yard sprint time!
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