A pound or two gained during the holidays, what could that to your health?

Research shows that the weight gained during Thanksgiving and through Christmas doesn’t necessarily have a short term affect on your health, but will affect you in the long run. (Read more on the research)

However, this Thanksgiving, you can take simple steps to stay healthy and enjoy your food.

Don’t worry; these tips won’t necessarily have you change your favorite recipes for the big dinner, just change a few habits during the day.

Stay active

Don’t go for the “unbutton the top button” approach. Keep moving: take a walk in the morning, play games with the kids, fuel some family competiveness with a game of touch football and even breakout the game boards.

The activity will use up calories leading up to the meal and after the meal. You’ll be able to fight food coma better by not just hitting the couch after the big meal.

In between dinner and dessert, help clean up the kitchen or take a quick walk around the block. This is also the perfect time to break out charades, make the clues active and team members should stay standing while they guess.

Exercise tips for Thanksgiving

Ways to exercise during Thanksgiving

Drink Water

Eggnog, wine, cider, hot chocolate, soda, juice and many other things will be available for drinking during Thanksgiving.

However, don’t forget water.

“Drinking water speeds up your digestive system and metabolism by flushing out toxins and waste products from your body,” ClutchMagOnline reports. “You’ll be able to stay hydrated without adding any extra calories.”

Tips to stay healthy on Thanksgiving   

Food portions

“Your eyes are bigger than your stomach” is never truer than on Thanksgiving.

One method to eating smaller portions it to trick your eyes. Using smaller plates to eat on will make the food look bigger. Also, less food will be able to fit on the plate. (Read more)

Another method to eating smaller portions is to start with healthier foods and save the desserts for last. Pile on the vegetables and the white turkey meat first. By the time you get to dessert, you’ll get a smaller piece be eating a smaller piece because your already full. (Read more)

But remember, don’t go back for seconds. Smaller portions don’t give you the excuse to eat seconds or even thirds.

Pace yourself

Don’t skip breakfast.

Eating a high protein breakfast will balance the carbs you’ll be taking in during dinner. When you snack, eat raw vegetables.

Unless you’re having an eating contest with your uncle, there is no need to scarf down your food. Take time to enjoy your meal. This way you won’t over eat.

Take breaks in between courses. This will give your body time to digest a bit and will most likely keep you active.

A lot of people might call the following blasphemy, especially on Thanksgiving, but get it a chance…

Skip the gravy

When you pour gravy on the turkey, you’re basically pouring the fat drained from the bird back onto it.

Instead, use cranberry sauce. Cranberries are high in antioxidants. Make a fresh batch of cranberry sauce to add flavor to your turkey. (Read more) 

You can read more about eating healthy for Thanksgiving here