It is the week of Thanksgiving, and hopefully, you’re gathering with some people you like and eating some delicious food. I will be starting my day at the gym, doing some coaching, a bit of lifting, hanging out with my favorite strong people, and listening to “Alice’s Restaurant” with Pierre Roberts on WMMR. I did not realize how many Philly adjacent folks were not initiated into this holiday tradition.
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. You get all the food and togetherness of Christmas without the stress of gift shopping. What I don’t love? The flood of food-shamey content that some fitness accounts push this time of year. Let’s break that cycle and talk about holiday nutrition from a healthier, kinder perspective.
Holiday Nutrition Do’s and Don’ts
DO enjoy your food without any guilt or shame.
Savor your meal. One day of overeating won’t derail your overall health. And if anyone makes rude comments about your plate? You’re absolutely allowed to set boundaries—because you deserve to enjoy your holiday.
DON’T starve yourself all day to be ready for a big meal.
Sometimes people do this with the thought that not eating will “save room” for a big meal later. In reality, it leaves you feeling overly hungry when the meal is finally ready, and you’re more apt to overeat to an extent that feels crummy. Instead, eat meals before the big one. It’s okay to keep them a little lighter than usual, but don’t end up ravenous when the turkey is finally coming out of the oven.
DO workout if you want to/have the time.
Want to get some exercise in on Thanksgiving? Do it! If you don’t want to or don’t have time, it’s totally fine to skip it. I love getting some lifting in on Thanksgiving!
DON’T feel like you have to “make up” for what you eat on a holiday (…or ever).
This is called compensatory behavior and is actually a sign of an eating disorder. Eat what you eat, and move how you want to, but try to avoid mentally thinking about exercise as a way to cancel out food, or “earn” more food. I hate when gyms promote classes meant to burn off your Thanksgiving dinner. It promotes an unhealthy way of thinking about eating and movement.
DO consider ways to make your plate nutritionally balanced while prioritizing enjoyment.
It is great to look at your plate and consider whether you can make it more nutritious without sacrificing enjoyment. Do you have a good serving of protein? Do you have some vegetables? If not, can you get some more of either without sacrificing the stuff you love? For me, I’m gonna have my mac and cheese, and my sweet potato casserole, and I’ll be sure to have a good serving of turkey to get my protein in.
Holidays are about connection, joy, and celebration—and food plays a big role in that. Across cultures and history, food brings us together. Let’s honor that tradition while embracing a mindset of enjoyment and balance.
From the team at Power Plant Gym, have a great Thanksgiving!
