1. Remember your goals – After indulging in your delicious Thanksgiving feast – a couple days in a row – it can be easy to throw in the towel and forget about your health goals for the remainder of the year.  The week after Thanksgiving, make a list of small, manageable health goals.  Don’t pressure yourself into upping your gym routine to impossible heights, the little efforts count too.

2. Portion your leftovers – Of course you don’t want to waste your delicious leftovers – those sweet potatoes are calling your name – but it is important that you portion them out.  Separate the food into meal or snack-sized containers so you aren’t tempted to eat all of it in one sitting. 

3. Banish the booze – After a hearty diet of carbs, one of the easiest ways to cut back on calories is eliminate excess drinking.  (One beer has 154 calories – which is basically half a slice of pumpkin pie) Cutting out drinking when you first get back on track is a great way to rebalance your caloric intake and avoid weight gain. 

 4. Accept the holiday – Don’t spend the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas beating yourself up.  You indulged, you enjoyed - and its okay.  Getting back on track isn’t any easier if you’re mad at yourself. Think back on Thanksgiving and smile, but prepare yourself to make adjustments to return to a healthy diet and lifestyle.