Staying healthy on Thanksgiving...

Well, it's here. Today, families all over the U.S. will be sitting down to the most anticipated - and probably the most dreaded - meal of the year. You don't need studies and statistics to tell you that Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday weight gain that doesn't end till after New Year's.

Yes, you have two more high calorie filled holidays to go through in the next month, so brace yourself this Thanksgiving by cutting back on portions...or better yet, cutting out high calorie ingredients completely. And be sure to keep up with your fitness routines. I know, you're thinking of the post-Thanksgiving lethargy. Hello! Less portions + lighter dishes = less fullness and more energy for a post-Thanksgiving workout tomorrow morning.

To give you a little push, here are some tips (brought to you by Women's Health magazine) for keeping Thanksgiving healthy this year:

1. "Stress Busting Workout: Four Zen Moves..." - The holidays are certainly a stressful time of year: shopping, cooking, cleaning, relatives...the usual. And today is just the beginning. Add these yoga-inspired moves from celebrity yoga coach Gwen Lawrence to your fitness regimen for the rest of the year to keep holiday stress at bay.
   
2. "The Lower(er) Calorie Thanksgiving" - Completely lost on how to make healthy choices during your Thanksgiving meal? This slide show will tell you how. For example, if you need alcohol (you know, to get through a long day with the relatives) opt for red or white wine. For turkey, choose light meat over dark and make sure your portion is no bigger than a deck of cards. And for that Thanksgiving staple (well, for me), sweet potatoes, say no to casseroles and yes to a baked sweet potato. (Ok, that's one rule I refuse to follow. I get my aunt's AMAZING sweet potato casserole recipe - better than the traditional marshamallow topped recipe - once a year, and I will eat much less of everything else just to make extra room for sweet potato casserole.)
3. "Pipe Cleaners: Two gentle yoga poses that are tough on cholesterol" - Thanksgiving meal means a lot of food to digest...and a lot of fat just waiting to clog up your arteries and raise your cholesterol. Try these two yoga poses, both before Thanksgiving as well as post-Thanksgiving morning, to reduce stress...which will help your body digest food more efficiently (keeping the nutrients and kicking out the fat.)

I'd give you more, but posting this on Thanksgiving day is posting it a bit late. But I'll say this...hopefully you've been eating healthy and keeping up with your work outs all week.

Have a happy (and healthy) Thanksgiving!