Don't sweat it, it's just one meal
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to gather with friends and family. But the meal can be anxiety inducing, especially for someone trying to eat a nutritious diet and watch their sugar intake.
Trust me, I’ve been there. Baskets of rolls, bowls of mashed potatoes, platters of stuffing, and even that weird sweet potato dish with marshmallows. And that’s before you get to dessert! Hard to feel like you’re eating healthful, nutrient-dense foods.
Thanksgiving dinner and feeling like you have to watch what you eat are not exactly compatible.
The good news is, there are some ways to dial down the anxiety and lose the guilt over what is on your plate.
Tips for a no-guilt Thanksgiving meal
First, it’s easy to get all twisted up about having to eat “healthy” all the time. No one is perfect, and you should never expect yourself to be. Enjoying foods that you wouldn’t normally eat, like pumpkin pie for example, will not ruin your progress. It’s just one meal, get back to your regular way of eating on Friday.
You can’t always control what is being served, and the options may be pretty carb-heavy and sugary. So if you can, bring a dish that fits your diet like roasted Brussels sprouts or a sweet potato puree (without the marshmallows!)
If you are hosting, you have all the control! Make foods that line up with your way of eating, like roasted veggies, root vegetable purees, sausages, and even grilled meats. Don’t feel like you have to stick to the traditional Thanksgiving script, either. If you don’t like mashed potatoes and gravy, don’t serve them! (But do let guests bring dishes they love, too.)
Let yourself enjoy a little something sweet. Ask for a slimmer piece of pie or just grab a cookie. Suffering through watching everyone else enjoy dessert is just going to make you miserable. It’s ok to have a treat once in a while, and this is the perfect occasion for it.
If you’re concerned about the ingredients or sugar content of store-bought desserts, make your own! When you control the ingredients, you know what’s in the food, and what’s not. Make fruit tarts or cobblers, berry pie or even citrus bars. Yes, there is added sugar in these too, but far less than what you might get from something on a shelf. You can use sugar replacements, too like dates or apple sauce to reduce sugar content.
Get as many people as you can to take a nice walk after dinner. Walking helps blunt the blood sugar response, helps you digest and relieves stress.
You don’t have to “earn” your Thanksgiving meal, either. If you feel like doing a workout on Thursday morning, go for it! But don’t feel like you have to just so you can eat extra calories later. That’s not how that works, anyway.
Thanksgiving is a day to enjoy spending time with family and friends, not fretting over calories or worrying about eating too many carbs.
I hope you are able to enjoy a feast and reflect on what you’re thankful for.
While I’m sure most of us will be partaking in some Black Friday deals this week, I hope you’ll consider supporting a Small Business this Saturday, as well.
For Small Business Saturday, I’ll be offering a 10% discount on my 3 and 6 month 1-on-1 coaching programs.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
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