Prepare for a Healthy Thanksgiving

As Turkey day is fast approaching the shopping lists and trips to the store are beginning. I wanted to give some of my favorite healthy suggestions for the holiday season, in hopes that it might help you make some positive choices this year.

I used to eat mashed potatoes and only mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. Ok...wait. I take that back. My thanksgiving meal consisted of three foods. Mashed potatoes, my mom's homemade rolls, and pumpkin pie. I LOVE pumpkin pie. For my 8th birthday party I requested a pumpkin pie instead of a cake. I'm sure the kids who attended that year were stoked...
Now, I've definitely learned to love a whole new palate of foods, and I get excited for a lot of different tasty dishes come Thanksgiving day. I am a firm believer in moderation in all things. I think that holidays and great food are meant to be enjoyed. I also think that gorging yourself and eating until you are sick is not exactly the definition of, "enjoying your food."
My challenge to you this year is two fold.

1) Include some healthy dishes in your Thanksgiving spread. I'll be giving some more healthy recipes up until Turkey Day, but my favorite holiday staple is my Healthy Pumpkin Pie. A few years ago my mom let me make it along side our normal pumpkin pie as a trial run, and we've since abandoned the normal pie altogether. It's that good.

Click HERE for the recipe

2) Get active! The second part of my challenge to you this thanksgiving is to find a way to burn some calories. Many communities offer Turkey Trot's or Thanksgiving day fun runs that are a great way to get the whole family up and moving the morning of the big day. My family has done the Turkey trot several times in Arizona and it is a fun way to feel like you aren't just sitting and eating all day. Involve your family in a Turkey Bowl football game, go for a bike ride, take a hike, or even just go for a walk. Do something! If you know your Thanksgiving day is going to be packed schedule in a two-a-day the Wednesday before. Doubling your caloric intake and cutting your physical activity in half isn't the best thing for your body, so get moving!

November 17th: Today I am grateful for an incredible healing body. I got in 50 minutes on the elliptical this morning, and was going to call it good...until I got my new running shoes in the mail...I did 6.5 miles tonight with no problem! I really hope this means I'm injury free. It is AMAZING to me how big of a difference new shoes can make.

Also...I was invited to the Yogurtland premier of Breaking Dawn tonight. It was so fun to go! The jury is still out on how I feel about the movie. I am NEVER a fan of talking animals, and there was definite wolf conversation. I always love a movie night!! Thanks Yogurtland! 

One year ago today...aghhhh

Do new running shoes help you to get pumped about running again? They get me every time! Have you seen Breaking Dawn yet? Do you plan to? If so, what did you think?