Hip Hip Hooray! It’s Thanksgiving Day! - ViaroHealth

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday when families spend time together, passing along meaningful traditions from generation to generation. What does your Thanksgiving look like? Is a big part of it about your meal? As you fill your table with pickles, olives, and other tempting appetizers and sides, try to enjoy only to the point of feeling satisfied—and not stuffed and uncomfortable!

A tip for being mindful of what you are consuming at your Thanksgiving meal is s-l-o-w d-o-w-n and enjoy your meal. Think about the taste, textures and smells. A good rule of thumb is when you feel like you are about 80% full, stop. Take a rest. Play scrabble, start a card game, or watch a quarter of the football game and think. Are you still hungry? If you really are still hungry after the pause, then it might be okay to get that second helping.

Households and cultures have different food traditions. Do you ever wonder about what everyone else is doing? Here’s a list of the top ten foods we consume at Thanksgiving:

1. More than 80% will have this bird at the dinner table.
2. Mashed potatoes. The “untouchable” Thanksgiving side dish.
3. Green bean casserole. And all its variations.
4. Sweet potatoes. It’s a Thanksgiving staple since the 1800s.
5. Dinner Rolls. What Thanksgiving menu doesn’t have these?
6. Sauce or jelly, for some it’s an option. For many, it’s tradition.
7. Pumpkin Pie. Estimates are that Americans consume more than 50 million…
8. No Thanksgiving turkey is complete, stuffed or in a baking dish!
9. Macaroni n’ cheese. Not the stovetop stuff. But the creamy, breadcrumbs topped masterpiece.
10. An essential, rich in flavor and wonderful with the turkey, potatoes and stuffing.

What else do we Americans do on Thanksgiving besides eat? There are many popular traditions. Ever wonder about this top ten? You can stop wondering! Which ones are your favorites?

1. Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
2. Break the turkey wishbone for good luck
3. Eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings
4. Take a post-meal nap
5. Share what you’re most thankful for
6. Watch a football gameor two
7. Be grateful with friends and enjoy “Friendsgiving”
8. Start you holiday by running a Turkey Trot
9. Go shopping on Black Friday
10. Give back by sharing your time or donate

Mainly, enjoy the time with your friends and family.  May your heart be as full of gratitude as your belly is full of food.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Heather Loken, MS, ATC

ViaroThrive Certified Nutrition Coach and Athletic Trainer

For questions or comments, contact wellness@viarohealth.com.