Let me be one of the first to wish you and your loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving!
Let’s take a look at the Holiday Season by the numbers.
In a 31-day span from Thanksgiving to Christmas, you might have anywhere from two to six big meals with all the goodies on the side depending on how big and frequent your gatherings happen.
Assuming you eat three full meals a day, you will have 93 meals in that same time period.
Only 6 of them could potentially be calorie and flavor rich.
That is only about 6% of your meals in that time frame.
Have you ever heard of the 80/20 rule?
My advice is to enjoy these meals with loved ones to the fullest and guilt free. Have that extra piece of pumpkin pie, have another roll with way too much butter on it. It is okay! Work hard to make healthier choices for the other 87 meals and you’ll be able to maintain or continue to lose weight.
Nutrition isn’t the only aspect we need to be mindful of. Nearly every year, I personally completely lose track of my own fitness from Thanksgiving to Christmas. It is hard to stay in routine with 3-day work weeks, traveling to see family, or being the one who is entertaining out of town loved ones.
Again, it is only 31 days, you’ve spent 300+ days this year working towards your goal. Maybe you have to drop the number of workouts you do from three a week to one or two. Or you switch to 30-minute workouts instead of 60. Whatever the case, make these count, enjoy them, and push yourself!
Here is the strategy I will use personally to navigate the holidays and what I’ll be doing this week to help navigate my way through Thanksgiving week.
Let’s first start with movement.
This should continue to be a priority this week, especially Monday-Wednesday. You don’t have to “punish yourself” for the decisions you’re going to make. That isn’t what this is about and if that’s how you feel, you need to address that.
It is about being active and making sure you get your workouts in early in the week because Thursday through Sunday will be significantly more difficult to find time to exercise.
Get your normal workouts in, if you have the time and energy feel free to go a little longer, but overall, just maintain your consistency and don’t totally abandon your fitness this week.
Exercise is not a form of punishment for your less healthy choice.
Don’t forget about your non exercise activity this week as well. Try to spend a little less time sitting if possible this week. The goal is to counterbalance and be proactive with our health whenever the opportunity presents itself.
And now let’s talk about food and drink.
We all know Thanksgiving isn’t about the food and drinks, but it certainly plays a large role. Here is what I recommend.
Monday through Thursday morning, do your absolute best to:
Cook your own food if possible
Prioritize protein
Prioritize fruits/veggies
Limit liquid calories
Limit snacking
Thanksgiving Day or whenever you have your feasts, have at it! Eat your favorite foods, drink your favorite drinks, and soak in the time with family and friends guilt free.
Friday-Sunday enjoy some leftovers, but at normal portion sizes. Try to squeeze a workout in if you normally workout on the weekend.
The most important part is that you continue to be mindful of your health and wellness during the Holidays. This might require you to manage your own personal expectations of what that will look like. Don’t set yourself up for failure by placing unrealistic expectations upon yourself.
Put forth your best effort daily, so that when the busyness stops you still have your habits and structure you’ve developed throughout this rollercoaster year.
Keep the big picture in mind and enjoy spending time with loved ones.
Make it a great, safe, and joyful Thanksgiving!!