By Mandy Kendall

So, another Thanksgiving has come and gone but there may be more than turkey leftovers. It is estimated that the average person will eat at least twice their usual calorie intake on Thanksgiving, gaining about 1 pound in extra weight. Although that might not sound like very much, unfortunately we generally never tend to lose that pound and year after year they all add up.

Christmas is still more than a month away, but the supermarkets and commercials will do their best to make us feel like we are already headlong into the next holiday season. We will be constantly tempted by beautifully packaged foods and candies, so it could be easy to get carried away and let the holiday spirit encourage us to indulge more than we should over the next few days, or weeks, with leftovers and all the holiday fare stocking the shelves and enticing us.

Mandy Kendall

So, here are some Qwik-e tips to help reduce the gains.

Recruit some help — Ask friends and family to support you in your quest to eat healthily over the holidays by not bringing you tempting food or party dishes.

Avoid white carbs as much as possible — Refined white flour, that tends to make up the majority of white carbohydrate type foods like bread and pasta, etc., tends to have more calories than nutrition. Instead, aim for most of your plate to contain mostly nutrition-dense foods. (Pretty much any food that has not been processed in any way.)

Hydrate — Thirst is often mistaken for hunger, so drink some water before reaching for a snack. A large glass of water a few minutes before a meal will also help you not overeat.

Rehydrate — Our systems may well have leftovers of their own, including unhealthily high salt levels from holiday indulgences. Flushing the body with plenty of water will help counterbalance the remnants of salt left in our system. (And don’t forget that high levels of salt can cause water retention; making you feel bloated.) Alcohol levels may well have been exceeded, too, so give your liver a rest and have a few days without alcohol.

Cleanse — After the carb, fat and sugar overload, your body might be in need of something a little lighter. Try a few days of vegetables, fruits and maybe a few whole grains to help clean your system out.

Keep on track — Let’s face it, we are all likely to have overindulged at least a little over the holiday season. Don’t beat yourself up. You’re only human after all. Just get back on track and plan to keep up with good healthy habits even during the holiday season. You don’t have to wait until Jan. 1 to get that new gym membership or start a new healthy regime. Make a deal with a buddy to hold each other accountable and have some fun keeping in shape.

Until the next time … wishing you all happy and healthy holidays.

Mandy Kendall operates Health Connective in South Lake Tahoe, which aligns wellness seekers with their ideal wellness provider. If you have questions, would like some advice, or would like to request some Qwik-e tips on any health and well-being topic, drop her an email at connect@healthconnective.com or keep an eye out on Lake Tahoe News for regular Qwik-e tips on how to make healthy changes one Quick and Easy step at a time.