We are now one week away from Thanksgiving! It’s my favorite time of the year where we share quality time with our loved ones, take the opportunity to be thankful for all the good things we have been given this year, and fill the house with all of our warm, comfort foods including mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, deviled eggs…argh! And before we have even begun, you’re already thinking how many pounds you’ll pack on and how long it will take to you get it off before you have to do it all over again next month! Don’t fret. You can still put yourself in position for weight loss even on Thanksgiving. Here’s the game plan and how you can boost your metabolism for weight loss with these simple tricks the day of Thanksgiving.
1. Drink at least 8oz of water just before starting and in between bites.
Water has been shown to help suppress your appetite especially if you drink a glass before you even begin your Thanksgiving meal. Also because of the increased salt intake and potential alcohol consumption, water will help flush the salt and toxins out and minimize any damage from the major water weight and bloating that we all have.
2. Drink Green Tea.
Instead of drinking coffee, try drinking green tea instead. In addition to caffeine, green tea has fat burning properties and has been shown to increase your metabolism. Green tea has also been found to improve your mood and enhance your brain function, so drink up!
3. Eat hot peppers.
Hot peppers contain capsaicin which has been known to speed up your metabolism, curb your appetite, and slow down your eating to help you feel full and stay in control of your portions.
4. Add cinnamon.
Cinnamon naturally regulates your blood sugar and is very helpful especially on a day where we put ourselves into a carb coma. Put it in your tea or mix it into your foods, and keep your blood sugars from spiking too high.
5. Eat turkey!
Eating a 3 oz skinless, lean turkey breast is packed full of protein. Protein will help build your lean muscle which increases your metabolism. It also takes longer to digest and essentially will burn more calories. Eat your turkey first as it is the star of the show, and the protein will start to curb your appetite and help you from overindulging too much on our favorite side dishes.
