5 ways to avoid holiday food hangover REGRET!

Turkey day is a full-fledged eating holiday, yahoooo! My good friend & nutritionist to the hot bodies of  NYC, Rebecca Sedek, notes that the average American consumes a day and a half’s worth of calories in 1 Thanksgiving meal!

Follow these 5 closely guarded industry secrets of the lean, fit and happy and you will come out of Thanksgiving slimmer than when you went in:

1) Bring your own healthy dish
If you are going into a traditional family eating environment that thinks “being good” means only using 1.5 sticks of butter instead of 2  then you must take matters into your own hands. Whip up a nutrient dense, high fiber, guilt free entrée and bring it with you to the party. Take small portions of the other stuff as to not cause a family feud, then follow #3 like it’s the holy grail.

2) Plan your workout for Thursday morning TODAY
Creating a calorie deficit with a heart pumping workout kicks off your good habits early in the day (therefore making you less likely to overeat later), reduces the impact of the meal you are about to consume, and gets you out of the kitchen for a bit! Get in and out of the gym quickly & efficiently with a high intensity routine, little rest in between sets  and a kick a$$ playlist!

3) Fill up your plate (and your stomach) FIRST w/ veggies.
Eating mostly  veggies will give you more bang for your buck tomorrow. Because they are low in calories and packed with fiber and nutrients, you can consume double the roughage for half of the impact. (More food –> Less bloat  –> Flatter stomach –> Happier Lady.)

4) Be active AFTER dinner
Decide BEFORE you eat that you will go on at least a 20 minute walk with the family after dinner. Moving your body after a meal will help speed up digestion, aid in preventing that pie from being stored as fat, and helps keep your mood elevated for all of the family fun to come!

5) Give away unhealthy left-overs
Thanksgiving is 1 holiDAY; it should not last 5 days. After your meal, give away all left-overs (besides the veggies of course) to family, friends, or the mailman. Clearing out the bad will allow you to jump right back on the horse Friday morning. (Out of sight + Out of mind = Out of your stomach.)

Go in with a plan, not an afterthought. NEVER leave healthy eating and exercise decisions up to will power when you are overly stuffed, vulnerable, possibly drunk, and jonesing for something sweet!

Good luck tomorrow and Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Look out for our blog post on Friday for an INSANE BLACK FRIDAY SALE! The last outdoor Boot Camp of 2010 in NYC & Long Island starts Monday 5:30am!