Happy Thanksgiving! Yes, we are going to party. Enjoy our food. Connect with loved ones. Savor a good drink. And celebrate all that we’re grateful for. What’s more, we’re going to feel light and healthy through it all!

Here’s how:

1. You are the gift! If you’re worried about overeating at Thanksgiving dinner (who isn’t?!), wear a thin ribbon around your waist – as a belt, or even under your clothes if it doesn’t work as an accessory (no one will know!). When you’re eating and start to feel the ribbon tightening, take it as your body’s sign to slow down :). Guaranteed to help you eat more mindfully!

2. Chat away from the chow. Enjoy what you eat, but conduct long conversations with friends and family as far away from the food as possible. Dinner parties tend to make you munch on whatever is within reach without you even noticing! So if you’ve eaten to satiety, and you’re feeling good, just move the party to the couch (and take a cozy cup of tea with you to help digestion.) No need to battle with the buffet 😉 – out of sight, out of mind!

3. When in doubt – DANCE! Instead of hesitating about taking seconds or thirds of turkey and pie, hit the dance floor and shake that body! This way, even if you do indulge a little, you can burn it right off while you tango. The average number of calories burned if you dance very fast for 1 hour is 600; 10 hours of dancing – if you’re game to go all night 😉 – and you’ll have lost 2.2 lb of fat right there!

4. Think before you drink ;). Avoid strong alcoholic beverages (vodka, whiskey, liqueur , brandy etc.) as their high sugar content raises your glycemic index, causing the body to store more fat. Instead, go for a glass of red wine, and sip it slowly throughout the evening so that you don’t feel the need to fill a second one 🙂. Red wine is charged with antioxidants, so it is good for you – but in small quantities. Beyond this glass of red, quench your thirst with water, and non-alcoholic beverages, like tomato or fresh fruit juices – you will feel much better and will be able to truly enjoy the festivities!

5. Don’t detox after you party. Yes, you heard it from your weight loss coach :). Do add detoxifying foods to your meals on Black Friday and over the weekend (lemon, watercress, apple, banana, garlic, artichoke) as they will help support your liver functions BUT do not go through an intense detox the day after Thanksgiving. Detoxing intensely after you indulge is a brutal shock for the body, and simply teaches it how to stock up energy and calories for later. Instead, eat light and be active. Get your heart pumping: swim, walk, jog, run! This will help you sweat and you’ll eliminate those toxins a lot faster.

Have a lovely Thanksgiving!

With gratitude to you – my bootcampers, followers and fans,

Valerie Orsoni
Your LeBootCamp Coach