Navigating Thanksgiving weekend and the holiday season is always tough for my weight loss clients and may be for you as well. Should you follow a strict diet and skip the treats? Can you only cook healthy versions of Thanksgiving favorites? Do you need to count calories? How can you enjoy the holiday without gaining weight?! In this article, I will give you 5 tips on how to manage your weight while enjoying Thanksgiving in a healthy way without feeling like you’re missing out.
5 Tips to Manage Your Weight While Enjoying Thanksgiving
1. Enjoy Your Thanksgiving Meal
People often think that on Thanksgiving they need to stick to a strict diet or meal plan, or only eat salad and turkey. But this isn’t necessary unless you truly only enjoy those foods. Part of a healthy lifestyle is enjoying food and special time with friends and family. If you’re feeling guilty or restricted all day, gazing at all of the yummy foods you “can’t” eat or counting every calorie, it may stress you out more than eating the food would stress your body. It could even lead to overeating down the road in response to using so much restraint for so long. I have personally experienced this where, because I didn’t let myself enjoy dessert, it was all I could think about for the next day or so and I eventually went out and bought something unhealthy and ate more of it than I probably would have during the special event! This is unwise. Part of sustainable weight management is being able to still live your life and do normal things. Thanksgiving is once a year, so go ahead and enjoy the day without worry.
2. Focus on What is Important
While enjoying holiday food is important to sustainability, it’s not the only important part of the holidays. The main purpose of these big meals is to bring loved ones together to express gratitude. “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Try not to make the entire day about food, but instead give your emotional and mental energy to friends and family around you. If you’re the one cooking, remember that everything doesn’t have to be perfect. People will eat and enjoy your food even if something doesn’t turn out quite right. They will probably remember the love and attention you gave them more than the actual food you served. You might also consider eating a snack before dinner so that hunger doesn’t distract you from meaningful and fun conversation and will also help prevent you from eating too much and too fast.
3. Eat & Drink Mindfully
Another way to prevent overeating is by eating mindfully. This is one of the best tools you have to manage weight and feel fulfilled by your food. Take your time during the big meal to savor and enjoy your food. Rather than pile up your plate and scarf it down in 5 minutes, serve moderate portions and take your time. Taste the flavors and truly experience gratitude for what you’re enjoying. When you’re about 80% full, put your fork down and give your body time to register the food you’ve eaten. No one enjoys that so-stuffed-you-can’t-move feeling, so stop before you get there. If you end up feeling like you still want or need more food, then go ahead, but giving yourself some time to decide if you’re full can help prevent you from going overboard. Plus, you’ll probably want to save some space for dessert!
Additionally, consider your alcohol intake. The holidays aren’t a joyful time for everyone, and alcohol can become a coping mechanism. A drink or two won’t kill you and might enhance your dinner experience, but alcohol is not only empty calories but it can impair your body’s ability to digest food and may make it likely that you’ll store more of it as fat. Many people approach holidays as a reason to get drunk, but like food, try to consider why you’re drinking and how much you truly need to feel satisfied. Keep in mind that it can be both unhealthy and dangerous at excessive levels, and if it’s a way to numb emotions, consider healthier, more effective ways to manage long-term. Try to take your time, sip slowly, and enjoy your drink without becoming unsafe.
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18).
4. Cook Healthy Options
It’s not necessary to cook only fat-free, sugar-free food. But if you want to eat as healthfully as possible, then decide what’s important to you and cook some healthy alternatives for foods that aren’t particularly meaningful. For instance, if green bean casserole isn’t a necessity for you or your family, then just opt for simple green beans made with garlic and almond slices to reduce calories. Does your apple pie really need four extra tablespoons of sugar, or could you cut it back to one? I like to make sweet potatoes with just a bit of maple syrup or honey drizzled on top and a few slices of butter because I realized that loads of extra sugar and butter aren’t necessary for them to still taste sweet and savory. On the other hand, if grandma’s gravy recipe is a family favorite, then don’t mess with it. Just enjoy your gravy without stressing about the fat for one day. Similarly, if certain foods aren’t particularly appealing to you, skip them rather than put them on your plate just because they are available.
5. Don’t Let the Thanksgiving Feast Become a WEEKEND Feast
One day of extra calories won’t ruin your weight loss efforts or your health. But an entire weekend of feasting may start to set you back. This is a common issue I see with clients who struggle to lose weight. Thanksgiving day turns into treats and overeating ALL weekend, and before they know it they’ve overeaten and over-drank all the way through the holidays to New Year’s. I’ve done it, too! This is when weight starts to creep back on and sets people back on the progress they’ve made. Enjoy your Thanksgiving meal and maybe some leftovers the next day or so, but aim for balance. Continue to eat veggies and fruit, use portion control, and exercise. Try to get back to your normal eating and exercise habits as soon as you can, and continue those healthy habits until Christmas when you’ll likely have many more opportunities to eat festive foods at work, at home, church, etc.
Consider Group Coaching for Women to Manage Your Weight
If staying on track is a struggle for you, I encourage you to join my Monthly Group Coaching Membership for Women. This is a fantastic group of sweet women who are all working on health and weight loss together and are there to support one another and help keep each other accountable and on track! You can learn more by clicking the link or contact me to ask questions.
