Have you ever noticed that the morning after an indulgent meal like Thanksgiving your body and mind are absolutely consumed by cravings?
Me too! It can drive a women nuts. You have every intention of “being good” and getting back on your diet the next day, but your body is just screaming “give me more!”
And on top of the cravings, we have to resist the time-honored tradition of grazing off of Thanksgiving leftovers the over the rest of the weekend. This “tradition” of extending your Thanksgiving feast by two or three days can turn one indulgent meal into a 2-5 pounds of rapid weight gain. Yikes!
To me, a healthy Thanksgiving is all about ending the feast once you leave the table. I would like to propose a sensible alternative that will allow you to revisit the delicious flavors of Thanksgiving and return to a nutrient-dense PCOS-friendly diet.
The plan below is made up of nutritious recipes that have a hint of holiday flavor without the added sugars, unhealthy fats, and refined carbs that make our traditional feast detrimental to our health.
Your Ultimate Healthy Thanksgiving Recovery Plan
Meditate
Start your day off with meditation. I know what you’re thinking: “how will meditating keep me from pigging out?”
Here’s the deal: after the excitement of a holiday celebration, it can be difficult to transition back to your normal routine and clean eating. Prepare yourself mentally for this challenging day by doing a brief meditation. A few minutes of quiet reflection will keep you more mindful and in control of the rest of the day.
You can try my favorite meditation app Headspace for free, or you can use this free mindfulness meditation series from DoYogaWithMe, which also has some great online yoga classes I love.
Eat a PCOS-Friendly Breakfast
My grandma would let us eat leftover pie for breakfast the morning after Turkey Day. But today, the adult me is going to skip the pie and whip up a batch of Grain-Free Pumpkin Pancakes.
Break a Sweat
Now that you’ve enjoyed a nutritious breakfast, it’s time to work out. You do not need to be a superhero today – just get moving! The natural high of physical activity will help keep you feeling balanced.
Do you have house guest and can’t get away to the gym? No problem! Click here to get my 10-Minute Quickie Workout sent to your inbox.
Prepare a Healthy Lunch
I know your first instinct will be to build yourself a monster-sized turkey sandwich. Let’s avoid the processed carbs by skipping the bread. Instead, whip up this Turkey and Kale Pumpkin Soup. Since you already have cooked turkey on hand, you can chop that up instead of using ground turkey.
Avoid a Snack Attack
Many women struggle with a late afternoon cravings. Try to boost your endorphins (the “feel good” hormones) without snacking. Cuddle up and watch old movies with your sweetheart, go for a walk at a local park, or play backyard football with the family. Keep yourself busy and out of the kitchen!
Cook and Anti-Inflammatory Dinner
Last night you might have chowed down on inflammatory foods like sugary pies and cranberries floating in corn syrup. Soothe you body’s inflammatory response by having Omega-3 rich salmon for dinner. Researchers have discovered omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation, and might ease the symptoms of disorders influenced by inflammation, like PCOS.
This Pan-Seared Salmon with Cranberry Walnut Relish would pair nicely with a baked yam and steamed green beans.
Get to Bed on Time
Congratulations! You’re at the finish line. The last step of this no-nonsense recovery plan is to get a good nights sleep. Plan on being in bed at least 8.5 hours before you have to wake up. Sleep deprivation can compromise your wellbeing and your ability to stick to a healthy routine. Don’t undo all your hard work by skipping over this final step!
Ready to bounce back from your turkey coma like a champ? Get my 10-Minute Quickie Workout sent to your inbox now.
