5 TIPS TO PASS ON THE STUFFING THIS THANKSGIVING

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 November 14, 2011 (National) --  It’s you against the turkey. Are you going to come out of this thing a butterball or a better woman for it? Don’t succumb to stuffing yourself this Thanksgiving, says internationally-renowned fitness and nutrition expert JJ Virgin, co-star of TLC’s hit series Freaky EatersIf you’re like most people during Thanksgiving, you mindlessly slip back into the kitchen to “clean” and nosh on seconds… and thirds… initiating the holiday-season binge that carries through New Year’s Eve.


Don’t give in and pack on the pounds unnecessarily! Instead, put the leftover triple-layer pumpkin pie back in the fridge and replace eating with these suggestions:

 

 

 

  • Take a nap – you get sleepy from eating too much, so stop blaming the turkey. Relieve post-meal drowsiness with a short snooze. A 30-minute nap promotes wakefulness, enhances performance, and improves learning. It also guarantees, for a little bit at least, that you don’t go face-down in leftover maple cheesecake with roasted pears for a mid-afternoon snack.
  • Get your brain going – flip off the blaring TV and go old school with classic board games for entertainment. Scrabble or charades challenge your mind so you’re not thinking about that leftover apple crumb cake your mom made. If you’d rather stimulate your brain solo, crossword puzzles or Sudoku make smart ways to distract you from the kitchen’s siren call.
  • Take a long walk – you sit a lot on Thanksgiving: while eating, browsing online for after-holiday bargains, watching football, etc. A brisk walk breaks that sedentary behavior and gives you an excuse to get some fresh air and (at least for a while) escape the overwhelming extended family. One caveat: you’re not going to burn enough calories walking to earn that second piece of pie, so don’t use that as an excuse to subsequently pig out.
  • Play, don’t watch, football – unless it’s pouring, snowing, or otherwise inclement weather, you have no excuse not to enjoy the great outdoors on Thanksgiving. (And no, I ate too much apple crostata is not a valid excuse.) A fun game of touch football provides a fun way to let off familial tension and burn some fat while you’re at it.
  • Email or call friends and family who impact your life and thank them – a study in Psychiatry showed people who kept a gratitude journal experienced high well-being compared to the other two groups who wrote about neutral or negative experiences. In the frenzy of food and festivities, we forget the point of Thanksgiving. Make your own gratitude list. Remind your family and friends who’ve gathered how much you appreciate them. And surprise someone who’s shown you kindness with a thank-you phone call or email. You’ll feel great, with no lingering regrets like you’d have with that second piece of caramel pecan pie. 

Nationally known fitness expert and media personality JJ Virgin has  25 years in the health and fitness industry including 10 in holistic nutrition and functional medicine.  She isthe author of  “Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy” published by Simon & Schuster Gallery and the co-star of the TLC reality series, Freaky Eaters. She has worked with high performance athletes, CEO’s, and A-list celebrities from around the world, including Gene Simmons, Ben Stiller, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tracie Thoms, Janeane Garofalo, Carrie Otis, Stephen Bishop, Benny Mardones, and Superman Returns star Brandon Routh. JJ appeared for two years as the nutrition expert on the top-rated Dr. Phil Show, and made appearances on Bonnie Hunt, ABC’s Extreme Makeover, NBC’s iVillage Live, and the E! channel’s Modern Girl’s Guide to Life. She’s authored numerous articles and is frequently featured on nationally syndicated radio shows, at international conferences, in national magazines, newspapers and websites. A UCLA graduate, she has taken 40 graduate courses from six different graduate and doctoral schools including Biomechanics from California State University Northridge, Sports Medicine from University of Miami and doctoral level courses in Exercise Physiology, Nutrition and Aging from USC. She is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, a Certified Health and Fitness Instructor with advanced certifications in Nutrition, Personal Training and Aging and Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition.


Clips: http://jjvirgin.com/media/

 

 

 

 


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