Thanksgiving Shouldn’t be Stressful on your stomach

Breathe.

Everything will be okay, no need to stress about what to eat, how to eat or when to eat.

It’s quite simple, what I am going to tell you. No reason to change yourself for a holiday, but a good reason to prepare for it, so when it comes in your direction, you are more than ready for the opportunity to enjoy yourself. 

1. Thanksgiving is about enjoying time with family/friends/peers 
2. You may attend as many Thanksgiving parties as you wish — don’t interpret this as greedy but instead as there is no number rule when it comes to attending family gatherings — it’s once a year, spend it with people.
3. Food will be present 

Those top 3 things listed above should help you prepare. The next line will help you get through the holiday with a positive mindset.

1. Eating is okay. 
2. Trust yourself to make sound decisions. You will know when you are full because you know your body.
3. Don’t go in with the mindset: “I will only eat this, this this” or “I will only eat one plate” or “no dessert this year” etc. Those are all grand ideas if you follow through but chances are, you won’t follow through and when you don’t, you will have then failed yourself enough to be frustrated — then comes stress eating because you give up on yourself. 
4. Instead attend the dinner with the mindset: “I need food for energy, I need food for survival and food fuels me” with these words in mind, you won’t be stressed out, but will be positive.
5. If you want to stay disciplined during the Thanksgiving Holiday with your weight loss plan: Eat a balanced meal. Drink plenty of water and stay active (go for a walk, attend the gym in the morning before dinner, chase the kids/grandkids around the house/yard, etc) if moving is going to be hard on you, then be sure to stretch every once in a while — you might be stuck in a chair watching football, but make the effort to stretch so you can get some form of movement) it’s better than nothing. Also be sure to share good news with the family about how your weight loss plan is coming along — it will help you stay on track with good support cheering you on! 

I realize the Holiday can be hard with all the temptation of food at work events, home, family gatherings, etc. You have worked hard on yourself and meeting your goals, they shouldn’t be thrown away because you had a plate of mac & cheese — and cheesecake for dessert. Food is fuel for the mind & body. Having a goal that you will eat one plate, is hard.. because whose to say you will be full after one plate? and why should you stack that ONE plate with everything just to meet your needs? Telling yourself you will only eat certain foods is hard too, because when you cook for yourself, you eat what you like & it should be the same during Thanksgiving. The problem people seem to run into is the fear of “overeating” or not making healthy, wise decisions during this Holiday. Many times, overeating does occur and the choices of healthy food is lacking or not something you really want to eat but force yourself to (which makes you unhappy and cranky) — the solution is eating a balanced meal (proteins, carbs, veggies, fiber, fats) – that way you are eating things you enjoy & aren’t missing out on the nutrients! If you are attending more than one Thanksgiving in a weeks time or on the same day, then eat according to how you feel from the previous dinner (if you are full, don’t eat), if you ate less veggies, and more carbs the first time, switch it this time around. No need to eliminate food from the diet UNLESS you choose to do that & can follow through and keep a positive mindset doing it. 

Keep in mind, I want Thanksgiving to be stress free eating and a focus on appreciating the fact you are spending it with loved ones. Keep in mind what you are eating and how much of it you are eating — if you can’t finish the plate, save if for later or the next day. Don’t be afraid of food, but be cautious of what your body is telling you, it will be your guide. If you don’t think you can trust you body with making sound decisions, then hold yourself accountable & be aware of your food choices and portion sizes.  Hopefully this will be helpful for your Holiday 😀 if you have anything you want to add, feel free to leave comments!

Shay-lon Moss