One of the best holidays of the year is one week away and we at SpringSpot want to help you make the the most of this Thanksgiving. Check out some of our tips below to make this Thanksgiving the most joyful *and* healthy yet!
Be Present
Thanksgiving is one of those rare holidays where it’s just focused on family, friends and food. Family members travel from all over the country to be together for this special time. This year try to be fully present in the moment with every family or friend you spend time with. Most companies are shut-down during this time anyway, so let work obligations and to-do lists take a pause so that you can recharge. Nurturing connections with loved ones is one sure fire way to improve your mood and energy levels. Play, talk and laugh with your kids this Thanksgiving. Take a break from social media and just be present with real people. Notice people's facial expressions, their laughs, what the weather is like outside, take it all in. Throughout the break, find times to leave your phone in your purse or out of sight for an hour to just focus on what’s happening in front of you and see what happens.
Eat More Color
My mom makes the best turkey stuffing and I devour it every year. She marinates the breadcrumbs in the turkey juice and fat and puts in mushrooms and onions and it comes out scrumptious every time. Other dishes I also get second servings of are mashed potatoes and gravy. There’s just something about these carby delights that without them, it just isn’t Thanksgiving. However, they are all similar in color - brown, tan and white. If you love these foods like I do, continue eating them. I just encourage you to add more colorful foods to your plate. Bright red apples, red, orange or yellow peppers, carrots, green beans or green asparagus. Get your kids involved and have them peel the ends of the green beans. Also try preparing the veggies a different way if your kids don’t eat them. My older son didn’t like sautéed broccoli, but when I tried steamed broccoli he loved it. Eating the rainbow as it’s called is great because as humans, we’re drawn to bright color. Also the more color a food has, the more natural flavor it will likely have too. Along with the first tip, be mindful of what you’re eating so that you enjoy every morsel and the company that is surrounding you.
Express Gratitude
Something my husband and I try to do every night is tell each other three things we’re grateful for that happened that day. It’s a nice way to focus on what is going right in our lives, rather than focusing on the negative. I encourage you to spend some time thinking about the people in your life that you’re grateful for and on Thanksgiving, telling them why you’re grateful for them in your life. Either tell them in person, write a handwritten note, send a text message or email. Not only will the recipient of your gratitude feel great, but you’ll feel great too! Something else you can try with your kids is when it's Thanksgiving meal time, go around the table and let every person, including your kids, say one thing they are grateful for this year. Give them a couple days notice so they can spend some time thinking about it before they are asked to share.
Move Your Body
Fall is in full swing and it’s chillier outside, but the fall leaves are spectacular. So put on a warm coat and spend some time walking outside breathing in the crisp air. Better yet, go for walks with your family together after you’ve eaten your Thanksgiving meal. Or play Simon says with your kids inside and move every body part! Or play Twister if you have it. Take the kids out with their bikes while you ride along side them or do a brisk walk or slow jog. Set yourself and your family up for a lifetime of physical activity by finding time to move. Plus it will help you digest all that turkey, stuffing, AND colorful veggies!
Looking for more ways to move your body? Come join a SpringSpot Family Session.
Our mission at SpringSpot is to get parents and their kids moving so they move confidently in daily life and physical activity becomes a lifelong source of energy, joy, and unity for their family and their community.
