When you count your blessings this Thanksgiving, will you be grateful for good health?
HealthyWomen wanted to know, so we conducted an informal online poll and asked survey participants to share what they'll give thanks for this holiday. We're gratified to find out that 92% of you are thankful for your health. Here's how it broke down:
While it's great to know that people are thankful for their health, we were surprised to find that more than one-third of respondents said they've made no modifications in their traditional Thanksgiving dishes, either to make them healthier or to accommodate eating restrictions—apparently not even to take the marshmallows and sugar topping off the sweet potatoes. (Come on, give it a try—mashed sweet potatoes are yummy on their own.)
Nearly a third of us—and I'm definitely in this group—also say that we'll eat as much of everything as we want at Thanksgiving dinner. I view it as the one day a year (well, maybe not the only day) when I can load up my plate and indulge, enjoying every bite of a fabulous meal prepared by and eaten with friends and family. More power to the rest of you. Maybe I'll gain more willpower as I get older.
Apparently, even some of us who are a little gluttonous on Thanksgiving try to somewhat offset our overeating with exercise. More than half (58%) of those surveyed said they plan to work out on Thanksgiving or the day after to burn off some of those zillions of calories consumed. I'm going to a hot yoga class with my daughter and best friend on Thanksgiving morning. I have other friends who will be participating in turkey trots or other weekend events.
There's still time for the rest of you to get moving. Even if you're not up for hitting the gym on Thanksgiving, do your health a favor and encourage your friends or family to join you in a brisk after-dinner walk.
HealthyWomen will continue to help keep you informed and empowered about your health—and we'll be grateful if you continue to come to our site for your health information.
Happy Thanksgiving!
