“It’s Just One Day!” Ten Tips For A Healthier Thanksgiving:

I well remember my years as a Weight Watcher Leader as we approached the holiday season with lots of encouragement, mental strategies, tactics and recipes! One woman, who was well on her way to ultimately losing 45 pounds, wisely said in mid-November, “Thanksgiving is ONE day. A little indulging will not sink the boat or rock it very much. But only if you  treat it as ONE DAY, rather than the first day of continual holiday feasting until January 1 and the New Year finally arrives.”


I liked that so much then and still do.  I often worked at the Weight Watcher weigh-in desk the day AFTER Thanksgiving. It was very rewarding to see so many people come to weigh in and get RIGHT ON TRACK the very next day.

In fact, it was the Monday after a very out-of-control Thanksgiving weekend in 1998 that I returned to Weight Watchers and got myself in control for the rest of the year. That bend in the river turned into eventually becoming a Weight Watchers Leader in 1999 and to ALL of what I do now with the tea and this newsletter! Isn’t that something? God bless Thanksgiving!

Well, we can make the “It’s One Day” our plan this year, too … so here are  my Ten Best Tips for Thanksgiving Day, which will launch a very healthy holiday season!

1.  Eat Breakfast – it’ll take the edge off your appetite, which will allow you to make better food choices at feast time.  

2.  Wear a fitted outfit/slacks as a reminder to stop before you overeat.

3.  Lighten up and use fat-free chicken broth to baste the turkey, for gravy and potatoes.

4.  Use sugar substitutes in place of sugar and/or fruit purees instead of oil in baked goods.

5.  Reduce oil and butter wherever you can

6.  Use bouillon cubes and skim milk for mashed potatoes.  (We’ve been doing this for years … no one cares or notices!

7.  Go for the white turkey meat, if eating meat.

8.  Enjoy plain veggies seasoned with salt and pepper, and fruit or more fruit salad for dessert with just a little pie :0)

9.  Choose roasted sweet potatoes instead of sweet potato casseroles

10.  Take a walk in the morning and after the meal to count your blessings and relax.

Who doesn’t love looking at new recipes online?  Since many of us will be having much smaller gatherings, if at all, this year is the PERFECT time to experiment with a few new recipes for the holidays!  Here’s a good starter for healthier Thanksgiving recipes.

1.  THE GREEN LOOT THANKSGIVING RECIPES

At the end of the summer, we discovered Kate at  “www.thegreenloot.com“.  I sent the link then for her summer suppers and we’ve made many of those recipes that are delicious any time of the year.  Her website is excellent and loaded with really fantastic ideas!

She’s got an awesome collection for Thanksgiving, including a recipe for  “Stuffing Muffins with Gravy” that looks delicious. We will definitely try it!  Even if you don’t do it with muffin tins, it includes instructions  for both healthy stuffing and mashed potatoes.  Really! What’s not to love?!


Please note:  She does lots of photos and descriptions making it a little difficult to find the recipe itself, but use the recipe title that has a green underscoring that looks like a highlighter. That’s the link to the recipe itself.

2.  FORKS OVER KNIVES THANKSGIVING RECIPES

This is the gold-star standard for great whole-food plant based recipes and a way of life. We’ve made oh-so-many of their recipes and will continue to!  Their Thanksgiving spread starts with appetizers, then on to their delicious salads!  How about Pear-Barley chopped salad? Or Pomegranite and Wild Rice Salad? YUM!

Click HERE for the link to the Forks Over Knives Thanksgiving spread for 2020.

3. DR. T COLIN CAMPBELL THANKSGIVING RECIPES 

Dr. Campbell (a medical doctor, now 86 and still extremely healthy and active) was one of the original movers and shakers in developing the whole-food plant-based lifestyle. His international research and documentation is astonishing, practical and fascinating!

He writes:

“When it comes to side dishes, you may have already noticed that the most popular Thanksgiving foods have always been plant-based anyway: yams, mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and so on.”

How very true! And how very excellent his information and recipes are. I hope you’ll take a look and give them some consideration.

Click HERE for the link to Dr. T Colin Campbell Thanksgiving Recipes

Well, we love you and hope you’ll have a wonderful week preparing for Thanksgiving, enjoying the season, and growing personally in ways we never expected to this year with forgiveness, patience and perspective.

Once again, thanks for allowing us to be a part of your lives! We are oh-so-grateful for our conversations and the ways our products have blessed your health.