6 Do’s and Don’ts for a Healthier Thanksgiving

This is it! The super bowl eating event of the year…Thanksgiving! Side dishes galore, a massive turkey and sometimes other proteins, PLUS dessert…oh and the delicious dinner rolls! It’s a food lovers dream come true. 

Everyone has their own traditions surrounding Thanksgiving. Some must make everything from scratch, following the most meticulous and precise recipes to a T annually. Others prefer to order the meal and leave the fuss to a well seasoned caterer, while others forgo a turkey all together and opt for a non-traditional meal like lasagna or Chinese food! 

Whatever your tradition is surrounding Thanksgiving, one of the main concerns I hear from clients is, “How do I handle Thanksgiving in a balanced way?”

Honestly, there is no right or wrong answer here. The choice is ultimately yours to choose to overindulge, knowing its one day out of the year, and move on with your life, or to chose to keep it more balanced, being mindful of portions, and come out of the meal satisfied. 

Either route you go, the main goal is to ensure you feel GOOD about YOUR choice at the end of the day…no restricting on Friday or punishing for “bad” eating the day before.

Here are 6 do’s and don’t for a more mindful Thanksgiving.

DON’T skip meals to "save up" for the big meal.

I hear this time and time again…folks who are in the school of thought to hold off on eating until the big meal and then load up. While this strategy may work for you, it typically leads to eating super fast, making choices you may not have wanted to, and maybe overeating past the point of fullness.

Instead, go about your normal day. If the meal is served closer to lunch, then have a typical breakfast with protein, carb, and a healthy fat. If the meal is served closer to dinner, then either have a light lunch or a protein packed snack 2-3 hours before the meal.

You won’t go into the meal starving and risk a lot of uncomfortable feelings afterwards. You’re more likely to make level-headed choices, pace yourself, and come out of the meal feeling satisfied and great.

DO be choosy and pick foods that are special and that you'll truly enjoy.

I have said this before and I'll continue to stand firm on this point. Do NOT feel obligated to try every single dish out of fear of offeding someone. 

Chances are, its going to be a chaotic time of everyone making up their plates, chatting, and having fun, that no one is going to notice if you skip great Aunt Margie’s marshmallow yams. 

It’s your right to choose what looks good to you. For example, some people do not like turkey, but love all the side dishes. Then pass on the turkey and make yourself a little side dish sample plate. Whatever you do, make sure to choose what you like and enjoy. 

DON’T eat super fast. Pace don't race. Remember it takes 20-30 minutes after eating to recognize fullness.

Like our first "don’t" pointed out, don’t eat super fast. You’ll more than likely eat way beyond fullness to the point of feeling uncomfortable and possibly sick.

Try to give yourself pause points throughout the meal to stop, drink a glass of water, use the restroom, and check how you are doing.

Remember! Most people make WAY too much food and you can always have more later or wrap a plate of leftovers for the next day.

DO put on your plate foods, in amounts, you’ll be happy with afterwards! 

On the flipside, avoid depriving yourself. Please don’t be THAT person that takes a huge serving of salad, one spoonful of stuffing, one spoonful of mashed potato, and a sliver of turkey,

You’ll probably leave the meal feeling deprived, and possibly risk overeating or binging out later in the evening.

Instead, enjoy the meal, and remind yourself that it’s one day out of the year. I promise…you won’t break the scale!

DON’T obsess about your food choices. Choose to view this meal (and all meals!) as NOT a big deal. Make your choices, and move on.

Seriously…I don’t want you having those negative thoughts like:

“Tomorrow I’m up at 6 am and running for two hours.”

“On Monday, it’s back to salads all day, everyday.”

“No more sweets ever again.”

These statements set you up for failure and are almost a guarantee you will end up on a binge-restrict-repeat cycle. This is where you label foods as “bad”, restrict them, lose the willpower and eat said foods, and then feel guilty…rinse and repeat. 

Stop…just stop :) 

If you need help in this area, please reach out to me. 

DO stay present and enjoy the whole event. What are 2 new things you can learn about every person at your table?

While Thanksgiving is a jammed packed food event, it’s also about who you are with. Stop obsessing over the food and instead, go connect with the people. 

It could be your immediate family, relatives from far away, or even new friends - whoever you are with, there is always something new to learn about each other. 

Take time to savor the moment and make fun memories together.

Happy Thanksgiving!