One of the best holidays of the year is coming up and our team at SpringSpot has a few tips to help you make this Thanksgiving break the most joyful *and* healthy yet!

Be Present

Thanksgiving is one of those rare holidays where it’s just focused on family, friends and food.  Though it may be different this year, with less travel, it is still a special time.  Try this year to be fully present both mind and body with every person you spend time with.

Think quality, not quantity.

Nurturing connections with loved ones is one sure fire way to improve your mood and energy levels.  Play, talk and laugh with your kids this Thanksgiving.  Take a break from social media and just be present with real people.  Notice people's facial expressions, their laughs, what the weather is like outside, take it all in. Throughout the break, find times to leave your phone out of sight for an hour to just focus on what’s happening in front of you and see what happens.

Reflect

The Thanksgiving holiday is a great time to reflect on how you're feeling and take stock of your life.

Try journaling. Use your Notes app on your phone, Google Docs, or Evernote to write down any thoughts you have at the moment. Don't think too much, just write what's on your mind. The act of writing your thoughts down can be therapeutic and help you be in the present moment. Write about recent anecdotes of your kids, how you're feeling, what you're grateful for (read more below) or just your stream of consciousness.

Eat More Color

My mom makes the best turkey stuffing and I devour it every year.  She marinates the breadcrumbs in the turkey juice and fat and puts in mushrooms and onions and it comes out scrumptious every time.  Throw in some mashed potatoes and gravy and you have a carby feast.  However, these foods are all similar in color - brown, tan and white.

This year try adding more colorful foods to your plate.  Bright red apples, orange or yellow peppers, cranberry sauce, carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans or green asparagus.  Get your kids involved and have them peel the ends of the green beans.  Kids won't eat veggies? Try preparing them a different way.  My older son didn’t like sautéed broccoli, but when I steamed it, he loved it.  Eating the rainbow as it’s called is great because not only are we attracted to the bright colors as humans, but the colors usually mean they have more nutrients and natural flavor to them.

Express Gratitude

Something my husband and I try to do every night is tell each other three things we’re grateful for that happened that day.  It’s a nice way to focus on what is going right in our lives, rather than focusing on the negative.  I encourage you to spend some time thinking about the people in your life that you’re grateful for and on Thanksgiving, telling them why you’re grateful for them in your life.

Tell them in person, write a handwritten note, record a video, or send a text message or email.  Not only will the recipient feel great, but you’ll feel great too!  Something else you can try with your kids is when it's Thanksgiving meal time, go around the table and let every person, including your kids, say one thing they are grateful for this year.  Give kids a couple days notice so they have some time to think before they share.

Move Your Body

Fall is in full swing and it’s chillier outside, but the fall leaves are spectacular.  Put on a sport coat and spend time walking outside breathing in the fresh, crisp air.  Better yet, go for walks with your family together after you’ve eaten your Thanksgiving meal.  Or play Simon says with your kids inside and move every body part!  Or play Twister if you have it. Take the kids out with their bikes while you ride along side them or do a brisk walk or slow jog.  Set yourself and your family up for a lifetime of physical activity by finding time to move. Plus it will help you digest all that turkey, stuffing, AND colorful veggies!

Looking for more ways to move your body? Come join one of our SpringSpot Classes.

Or try our new kids movement card game: Power Up! Kids love the colorful illustrations of animals doing yoga moves and get a little competition going trying to complete the most challenges to earn gems to power up your characters!

Our mission at SpringSpot is to empower kids and their parents to improve your wellbeing for the long term. We hope to create a future where all children move confidently in their daily lives, nourish their bodies appropriately, and are emotionally balanced.

Happy Thanksgiving!