Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at AFAC gym! We have so much to be grateful for, and are especially thankful for every member of our gym in Thornton. It is a pleasure to see you each day, working hard to achieve your goals. Thank you for being a part of our fitness family at AFAC gym.

To show our appreciation, we will be open on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon! Join us for Jamie’s Huff & Puff Before You Stuff Class from 8:30 to 9:30 to get your Thanksgiving Day started off on the right foot. Sign up on our class schedule page or through MINDBODY. We will resume regular gym hours the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, Nov. 26.

We know that the holidays can be a challenging time to keep on track with a diet and exercise program, but it’s possible to eat, drink, be merry, and stay fit — all at the same time. In this blog, we’ll discuss some ways you can keep your Thanksgiving healthy and happy.

Thanksgiving Survival Tips from AFAC Gym

What’s not to love about Thanksgiving? It’s a day that we remember to be thankful for all we have — family, friends, a roof over our heads, a job, our health, and the list goes on. And how do we celebrate all the blessings in our lives? With a bountiful feast, of course!

The Calorie Control Council says that the average American consumes more than 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving. The typical holiday dinner totals around 3,000 calories, plus most of us snack on another 1,500 calories in appetizers, drinks, dips, chips, and more before and after the big meal.

Since there are roughly 3,500 calories in one pound of body fat, it’s easy to see how we could gain at least a pound following the Thanksgiving feast and all the nibbling that happens before and afterward. To avoid packing on a few LBs during the holiday, it pays to have a strategy laid out in advance.

Use Every Opportunity to Exercise

During the holidays, every calorie burned counts! There are several ways to keep extra active both inside and outside AFAC gym, including:

Attending our fitness classes
Cardiovascular workouts at the gym
Strength training workouts at the gym
Holiday shopping at malls and stores
Ice skating
Skiing and snowboarding
Decorating for the holidays
Doing lawn work
House cleaning
Raking leaves or shoveling snow
Taking the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator

Be Careful Before and After the Big Event

In the month or two leading up to Thanksgiving, do your best to be extra vigilant about your diet. Count your calories closely and don’t give yourself as many cheat days as you normally might. By creating a calorie deficit before the holiday, you’ll have some room to let your guard down and really enjoy your favorite foods when Thanksgiving arrives.

Likewise, get back in the saddle the day after Thanksgiving. It’s absolutely fine to enjoy some leftovers, but watch your portion sizes and log those calories. Remember that the December holidays are right around the corner and you’ll want to prepare for those treats in advance, too.

Fuel Up on Healthy Snacks Before Going Out

Keep some healthy, low-calorie snacks at home that you can eat before going out shopping, socializing, or to Thanksgiving dinner. Try not to go anywhere famished, as this can lead to overindulging.

Control Your Portions

On Thanksgiving Day, you can save calories by eating smaller portions of your favorite foods. Instead of loading up your plate with huge portions, take a tablespoon or less of each holiday dish. Even desserts can be enjoyed in sample-sized portions. This allows you to spoil yourself without spoiling your diet.

Shave Calories Off Your Thanksgiving Meal

In addition to controlling your portion sizes, there are many other ways to save yourself hundreds of calories on Thanksgiving, and still eat all of your favorite foods, including dessert! How is this possible?

Raise a smaller glass — There’s nothing better than a Thanksgiving toast that lets us reflect on all the good things in life. Research shows, however, that the bigger the wine glasses, the more we pour into them. Use champagne flutes instead to lighten your pour and reduce those calories a bit.
Load up with veggies first — During the Thanksgiving meal, fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables first (think green beans, carrots, broccoli, and peas) which leaves less room on your plate for higher-calorie dishes.
Bring a healthy dish to share — If you’re joining family or friends for Thanksgiving dinner, bring a healthy dish or two to share. Call the host beforehand to make sure your offering won’t duplicate what’s already on the menu.
Skip foods and drinks that you can eat any time of year — Certain foods like chips, rolls, and soft drinks are available all year long. Avoid those and spend your calories on special treats that you and your loved ones only make on Thanksgiving.
Eat white meat — Turkey is naturally low in calories compared to other proteins, but you can save even more calories by eating white turkey breast meat over dark meat. While you’re at it, remove the skin before you eat your turkey, since skin adds about 35 calories to the standard 3.5-ounce serving.
Replace bread with extra vegetables — Dinner rolls are delicious, but if you replace some of your rolls with roasted or steamed vegetables, you can save yourself calories in the triple-digits.
Watch your toppings — Sometimes we pile toppings onto our favorite foods without even thinking if they really add that much flavor to the dish. For example, that handful of croutons can add 50 calories to your salad, but do they really taste that good? Also, how about the marshmallows on top of your sweet potato casserole? They’re pretty much pure sugar and often detract from the brown sugar-pecan topping underneath. You can save quite a few calories by leaving the marshmallows behind.
Replace sour cream with Greek yogurt — If you love to add sour cream to your mashed or baked potatoes, try Greek yogurt instead. Greek yogurt has less than one-third the calories of sour cream and you won’t notice a difference in taste or texture.
Make lighter versions of your traditional favorites — There are tons of recipes online that show you how to make healthier and lower-calorie versions of traditional Thanksgiving dishes. For example, instead of green bean casserole, try serving green beans almondine or steamed green beans sautéed in a little butter and tossed with slivered almonds and lemon juice. Or to make lighter mashed potatoes, use lower-fat milk instead of cream or replace some of the butter and milk with lower-sodium chicken broth.
Wait 20 minutes before going back for seconds — It takes a while for our stomachs to tell us they’re full. Before you reach for more food, wait 20 minutes to see if your craving goes away.
Pick your pie wisely — Are we going to ask you to skip dessert? Never! But some desserts have fewer calories than others. For example, a slice of pumpkin pie has a little over 300 calories, while a slice of pecan pie has about 500 calories. The choice is yours!
Whipped cream beats ice cream — If you plan to put a scoop of ice cream on top of your dessert, you’ll be adding about 150 calories to your meal. Try whipped cream, instead, which has about 25 calories per 3 tablespoons.

Lighten Up Your Leftovers

Those turkey sandwiches with bread, gravy, and stuffing are hard to beat, but there are lower-calorie ways to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers. Try eating turkey with leftover veggies or preparing soups, salads, and other lighter dishes with your leftovers. Your waistline will thank you!

Thankfully, AFAC Gym Is Here to Help Before and After the Holidays

The entire team here at AFAC gym wishes you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Remember that our gym near you is here before, during, and after the festivities to support you as you try to stick with your fitness goals.

To learn more about AFAC and how to become a member of the best gym in the Thornton area, please stop by or call to speak to a member of our staff. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.

To read more articles from Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, check out our Adventure Corner blogs by clicking here.