The Blog

With Thanksgiving around the corner, many of us here in Austin will join the mass exodus along IH-35 for the long and painstakingly slow trek home. If you’re worried about how to plan for your normally 3 ½ hours but due to the holidays 7 hour car ride, fret not! I whipped up a little light reading as the perfect side dish for your Taylor Swift playlist that I know you just can’t wait to rock out to. For a holistic, healthier Thanksgiving, take a look at these three simple steps that are easy as pie.  

1. Slow down, savor the little things

The holidays aren’t always restful. When family arrives from far off places, their suitcase isn’t the only baggage they bring with them. There can be past hurts and unreconciled arguments that put us on edge, and make us count down the days until we’re back to the places we call home. But before you rush off from the dinner table, try relishing the meal and the moment. Eating slower and pausing between bites can benefit more than just our waistline. It’s a physical practice that can instill in us rhythms of reflection and perhaps appreciation for the present. After all, that’s what Thanksgiving’s about, isn’t it?

2. Start new traditions

When the meal is over, fight the urge to indulge the food coma and go for a walk instead. Perhaps you’re an introvert like me, and a lot of bodies and a little space can seldom lead to time alone. A walk is a perfect opportunity to get away for a few minutes of necessary “me time”. Or, maybe your family flees the table too quickly only to return to the digital mistress of Instagram, Buzzfeed, or Facebook, so engaging in a physical activity may be a healthy and creative source of family bonding. Either way, kick the couch and lace up those tennis shoes—which more than boots, were definitely made for walking.

3. Learn to color in the lines.

It’s easy to over do it when loading up our plates with Grandma’s mash potatoes, mom’s stuffing, and dad’s gravy smothered turkey. Try staying within your means this year and dressing up your plate with vibrant color. According to the Mayo Clinic, deeper colored fruits and vegetables are richer in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Start out with a kale salad, or dish out some zucchini as a side. Maybe substitute a high-sodium green bean casserole with a healthier quinoa option for your gluten-free folks. Whatever you choose, let’s leave the turkey as the only thing getting stuffed this year.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Written by Choose Healthier Coach Suzanne