Thanksgiving: How to Hide from Bad Dishes and Maybe Help Others

While Thanksgiving season brings out articles about food and over-indulging, there are plenty of people in the Santa Cruz area feeling nervous about what this season may do to their waistlines.

It's true that holidays should be celebrated and the term everything in moderation works well for this holiday. A good trick is to review the food on the table and ask yourself if you know that it may taste like and if it’s even worth it to you. If a family member makes a dish that you have never tried before - live a little - sample it and you might have a new favorite dish. If you are staring down the your sister-in-laws’ cold macaroni cheese with tuna that you’ve hated for years, try to move along and, if questioned, just say you had something similar the day before and are full and then promptly change the topic.  

Be careful to tell others about your nutrition goals. People, especially family members, will likely have their opinions about every healthy step you may be taking with your diet and exercise. At the same time, if your overweight older brother is sitting down to a third helping of stuffing and gravy biscuits, we live in a world where it is rude for anyone to say a word.

Everyone has their opinions and everyone will be certain that there way is the correct way to diet and exercise. Remember though, the same way different medical prescriptions may affect your Aunt from your Mother, food and exercise might have different responses as well. Depending on your own interest, your own taste buds, the way your own metabolism reacts to nutrients; everyone has their own path to health. 

If you do have a family member you are concerned about with their health the best way to get them to make any change is not to try to change them but to let people know what you are doing to improve your health and how the changes are improving your world. Studies show that people are more likely to make a change when inspired by someone they know who are making a healthy change and are showing results. Telling anyone directly they should do anything has never been proven to work. At the most, explaining how their health may negatively impact others might have the person consider an action. At the end of the day, people will only change when they want a change.

Always appreciate the moments you have with your loved ones because life can make a change and every moment counts.     

Caroline Hawkins is a certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach from the American Council of Exercise. As owner of the fitness and employee wellness company Train for Today (www.trainfortoday.com), she has trained clients on building strength and losing weight through a holistic approach to health.