How to Survive Thanksgiving

My Favorite Tips For Navigating The Holidays

We all joke about overeating on Thanksgiving, but it really stresses out a lot of people. Many of us who are trying to lead a healthier lifestyle, find food-centric holidays a real challenge.

I get asked all the time – “How can I enjoy Thanksgiving without overeating and hating myself at the end of the day?”

Well, my friends, I’m here to help! I believe in keeping things super simple. We are way more likely to succeed at whatever we are doing if we keep it simple. I recently heard one of my new favorite quotes: “Complexity is the enemy of execution.” – Tony Robbins

How true is that? We often trick ourselves into believing that we have to go all in or do nothing at all… when that is the absolute worst thing we can do. A small improvement is still an improvement!

KISS isn’t just an overhyped mediocre rock band, it’s also one of the best acronyms ever: Keep It Simple Stupid!

I’d never call you stupid, so, let’s just stay in the spirit of keeping it simple. With that in mind, here are my favorite KISS tips for having a Thanksgiving Day that you won’t regret.

1. Load up on those veggies!

Vegetables take up room in our stomach without a ton of calories – plus they are full of vital nutrients our bodies need. Try to fill your plate at least half full of vegetables. Be careful of veggie casseroles or other sauces mixed in that add extra calories. As much as possible, stick to plain veggies with light seasoning.

2. Be wary of alcohol

In case you never noticed, alcohol lowers our inhibitions and we end up making decisions that we wouldn’t otherwise if sober. Have a few drinks and not only do you risk getting into a fight with your obnoxious cousin Fred, but you also risk forgetting all the tips on this list and maybe even scarfing an entire pumpkin pie! Keep alcohol to a minimum, or better yet, go without.

3. On that note, drink lots of water

Stay hydrated. It can be easy to forget to drink enough water, especially when we are out of our daily routines. Water helps aid in digestion, removes toxins from your body and helps you feel full – among other benefits. Drink up!

4. Don’t show up with an empty stomach

What tends to happen when you’re starving? If you are anything like me, you end up eating way more! Too often we fall into the trap of skipping breakfast or earlier meals with the idea that we are “saving calories” for the big meal. That’s a dangerous strategy that could lead you to eating way too much and beating yourself up about it later. Eat early, eat often.

5. Go easy on the appetizers

Stick with the fresh veggies, if possible, and skip on the little smokies and dips. Also, whenever eating, put your food on a plate rather than grazing from the table. When we have food on our plate, it’s far easier to control how much we’re eating.

6. Use your hands to track portions

Below is a super simple way to use your hand as a guide to help control portion sizes.

7. Eat slowly

Have you ever ate so fast that you didn’t realize you were full… then 20 minutes later your gut feels like it’s going to burst and you are asking yourself “why did I eat so much”? A great way to avoid this feeling is to eat slowly. At a holiday meal like Thanksgiving, try engaging in conversation to help space your bites. Perhaps put your fork down after each bite or count 20 chews per mouthful. Is there a super slow eater at your table? Try pacing yourself to them. And when you start to feel full, STOP – regardless of how much food is left on your plate or what you mom beat into your head as a kid.

8. Save room for dessert

This may sound counter-intuitive, but we have to live. A healthy lifestyle is built on all things in balance, so allow yourself to enjoy a little dessert once in a while. Don’t restrict yourself so much that you end up binging later. Eat slowly, listen for your hunger cues and stop eating before you are completely full…. So that you can have some dessert! Enjoy.

9. Be kind… to yourself above all

I saved the best and most important for

last… hopefully you made it this far! It’s easy to stumble or get off track. Cut yourself some slack and don’t beat yourself up. Despite what social media may lead you to believe, nobody is perfect and we all struggle with things in our life. If you end up eating or drinking more than you planned this holiday season, the worst thing you can do is let that negative thought train get rolling. Don’t let it even start. Ask yourself what you can do differently next time you are in a similar situation and do you best to implement. There are no mistakes, especially if you learn something from the experience.

You can find even more tips on this post I wrote a couple years ago about Super Bowl parties and other gatherings.

Looking for some Paleo & AIP recipes that will make everyone happy at Thanksgiving? Check out this great resource from Michelle at Unbound Wellness.

Ready to take control? You can do it. I can help. Together we’ll crush it.

Jeff Spitzer