Even the best laid diet plans can be derailed by a Thanksgiving feast — and who can say no to their mom’s mashed potatoes or auntie’s pumpkin pie?
But just because we’re letting ourselves indulge in some of our favorite holiday foods doesn’t mean we have no power against the pull of over-indulgence — and in fact, there are some celebrity nutritionist-approved tricks to reign in your turkey day binge.
A survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Herbalife found that one in four people still haven’t lost the weight they gained last holiday season. And though they packed on an average of 10 pounds, they expect to gain another 6 pounds this year.
Half admitted that they’re less healthy than usual at this time of year, with 43% said they even use it as excuse to postpone eating healthily.
So how does one strike the balance of getting to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner without having to unbutton their jeans at the end, moaning that they ate too much?
Dr. Daryl Gioffre, a gut health specialist and founder of Alkamind, told The Post that it’s not about depriving yourself but making smart choices before, during, and after the meal.
“As we get ready for the big day, you probably won’t stick to your regular, health, strength eating diet, and that’s OK. Remember that one day doesn’t define your health. It’s not about deprivation, it’s about moderation.”
Go green in the AM
Dr. Gioffre says starting your day off right can help offset any damage you do in the evening.
“You know you’re going to indulge later, so load up on greens to start. Begin the day with a green juice and follow that with a healthy salad full of dark leafy greens for lunch. This will suppress your hunger, and reduce your cravings for carbs and sugar.”
He recommends a scoop of his Acid-Kicking Greens in water to get five servings of vegetables.
“It’s a great way to get that early morning energy while giving your metabolism a boost and improving overall health.”
Grab a dessert plate
While everyone is loading up their massive dinner plates, use a super easy mind trick and swap yours for a smaller appetizer plate or dessert plate.
“This will make your portion look bigger, so you won’t feel you’re depriving yourself, but you will eat a little less,” explained Dr. Gioffre, who is also Kelly Ripa’s nutritionist.
The science on this one is split, but in an experiment published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in 2006, 85 people who showed up to an ice cream party were given either a small or large bowl and a small or large scooper.
The bowls were weighed and researchers tracked whether or not people finished their ice cream. In the end, those with bigger bowls ended up eating 30% more ice cream, and lose with the bigger scoopers ate 14% more than those with the smaller ones.
Stack up those sides
You might think you should just be eating turkey — white meat, of course — and limiting your side dish intake, but Dr. Gioffe insists the other way around is the smartest move.
Of course, that doesn’t mean double helpings of mac ‘n cheese, scalloped potatoes, and rolls. Have a bit of those, but load up instead on steamed or sautéed veggies, salad, and root vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes.
“Try to make things like this the main event and any acidic foods like turkey and stuffing the side show,” he said.
Stephanie Schiff, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Northwell Huntington Hospital, agrees — especially if those vegetables were made in olive oil, which has heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, instead of butter.
“Veggies first can help reduce your blood sugar spike after a meal,” Schiff explained to The Post, adding that salads made with nuts add heart-healthy fats, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Don’t forget aftercare
According to Dr. Gioffe, “the solution to pollution is dilution,” and you should be hydrating both during and after your meal.
“Between courses, or after your big dinner, go for a walk with the family and drink lots of water,” he said.
A 2012 study published in Obesity found that people who drank two glasses of water before eating ingested 75 and 90 fewer calories. In another study published two years later, overweight women who drank just over two cups of water a half hour before meals lost weight and body fat over the course of eight weeks.
