How to Pig Out on Thanksgiving (Without Packing on the Pounds)

As much as we’d like to pretend that Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks, it’s mostly about the food!

Am I right?

Sure, we can and should remember to give thanks for the blessings we have, but I would rather be thankful every day and just eat on Thanksgiving. After all, it’s the one time of the year when no one will judge you for stuffing yourself so full that you are sick, eating multiple pieces of pie, and then taking a nap.

Nobody wants to be thinking about their diet or exercise on Thanksgiving, or Christmas for that matter. Sure, there are some people who may stay disciplined on the holidays, but for most of us (me included), we want to enjoy the food.

I’m here to tell you that you can. You do not need to sacrifice your favorite macaroni and cheese your aunt makes, or even the pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. If you have had some good success this year with reaching your fitness goals, you are not going to ruin it in one day. You can still enjoy the holidays while pursuing a fit life. Here’s how:

Take the day off, not the whole month

The 4 weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas is when most people lose all their drive and consistency.

I’m going to be real here…a lot can happen with your body in 4 weeks. If you think you can take that much time off from exercise and a healthy diet, and not see a decline in your strength, flexibility, and/or cardiovascular endurance, you are wrong.

Not to mention the potential weight gain. It’s the painful truth. The holidays are meant to be celebrated and you should definitely take the day off to enjoy them, eat some good food and spend time with your family. But, that does not mean that you should indulge for the entire month.

Offer to bring a dish or two

Don’t want to miss out on the pre-holiday festivities, but know that your healthy food choices will be limited at the work party? The best thing you can do is to give yourself the options! If you know that the pie that your co-worker makes for the holiday work lunch is loaded with butter and sugar, offer to make the pie this year and bring a healthier version.

This way you won’t offend your co-worker by telling her your can’t eat her pie because it’s not good for you, and you don’t have to get into an awkward conversation about how you’re trying to live a healthy lifestyle without them accusing you of being a crazy “dieter”. You still get to have pie, you contributed to the lunch, and you didn’t offend anyone. Win, win, win. No one has to know your ulterior motives.

Don’t show up hungry

If you know you are going to be in a food situation where you have no choice but unhealthy choices, don’t go to the event hungry. The worse thing you can do is show up to the event starving. You will end up devouring every last unhealthy dish without any willpower. You don’t have to eat a whole meal before you go to the party (that would just be weird and wasteful), but I would recommend eating a healthy snack. That way you can still enjoy a reasonable portion of the party dish without going crazy.

Commit to a local charity walk/run

The holiday season can be a cheerful time for a lot of people, but it can also be a hard time for others. Perhaps they have recently lost a loved one and the holiday season highlights the loss of that person. Or, maybe they are a family struggling financially and can’t put a Christmas meal on the table. Many charities and local organizations will host an event to raise money for people in need during the holidays. This is a great thing to get involved with, not only because it can help someone in need, but because it will encourage you to train for the event. Nothing will motivate you more than to sign up for a walk or race that benefits a cause you believe in.

The event can be anything from a “fun walk” to a marathon race. You can find a local race  that can give back to the community while also challenging you physically. Check your community newsletter for event information. That is how I found out about the Turkey Trot event I have committed to this year in my community which gives to the homeless.

Sign up for a race that means something to you and and matches your fitness level. Not everyone is ready for a marathon, but the local 5K race in your town is definitely something you can strive for. Once you sign up, you have committed, and with that commitment comes training and a great way to stay consistent with exercise.

Get some accountability

I don’t like to disappoint people. I would guess that most people don’t. So, when you make a commitment with someone to exercise together or hold each other accountable to maintain good nutrition, you are wayyyy more likely to stay consistent. If your consistency impacts THEIR health and not only your own, you won’t want to let them down. Giving support means you also get some support in return.

Find someone who has similar goals to you and commit to holding each other accountable through the holidays. This may look different for everyone. You may need a running partner, or a gym partner, or just maybe someone who is willing to be your morning wake-up call to get your workout started.

Think about what your biggest struggle is and find support to improve it. Maybe your biggest temptation is the workplace snacks and you need to recruit a co-worker to hold you accountable to avoiding that temptation. Find someone you get along with and trust. Your support system should support you, not make you feel bad about yourself if the time comes when you fail.

Think about what your biggest struggle is and find support to improve it. Maybe your biggest temptation is the workplace snacks and you need to recruit a co-worker to hold you accountable to avoiding that temptation. Find someone you get along with and trust. Your support system should support you, not make you feel bad about yourself if the time comes when you fail.

If you need some support but you don’t want to involve your family or friends, you can always commit to 100 morning workouts with Morning Meltdown!

Another great way to have some accountability over the holidays is to make a financial investment in your fitness. Sign up and pay for a month of fitness classes at the local gym. Or don’t wait until the New Year to get your Beachbody on Demand membership, go for it now! If you’ve paid for it in advance, you’re more likely to go, after all you don’t want to waste your money!

Put a cool fitness gift on your wish list

I am 30 years old and I still make a Christmas wish list. Don’t judge me! My family actually requests a list from me, so who am I to argue? I actually appreciate that they ask me what I’d like, because I know I will get something for Christmas that I can actually use!

I almost always put something fitness related on my wish list. This may be a new workout outfit, some new fitness gear, a fitness class pass, or a new fitness program I want to try. This year I have two things on my Christmas wish list that will help me with my fitness goals! One is a new glute resistance band that won’t slip. The second thing is an inspirational fitness tank. I am super excited!

If you put something fitness-related on your Christmas wish-list, you are more likely to use it! And that means more exercise! I am usually so excited about my new gadget, fitness program, or new workout outfit that I open them up on December 25th and can’t wait to use them! Which means that I am fired up and working out the day after Christmas and I actually WANT to! It’s a cool trick, you should try it!

Take advantage of your location

Fall can be one of the most beautiful seasons of the year. It’s my personal favorite! Temperatures are cooling but not unbearable. It’s a great time to take advantage of the weather and take your workout outdoors. Go for a walk, a run, or do something adventurous!

It’s also a great time to change your workout up a bit. If you are having a hard time getting to the gym during the holidays, take a quick run instead! I am personally not a big fan of running BUT this fall I am actually learning to enjoy it. The weather is beautiful and it makes running around the neighborhood much more enjoyable. I may never become a marathoner, but it’s a great feeling to be able to take my workout out into the great outdoors. (I always have a back-up workout plan in case my outdoor workout plan gets interrupted by rain).

Traveling this holiday season? Find something active to do in the area you’re in. This holiday season I will be traveling to 3 different cities and one other country. I am not saying that you should sacrifice time on your vacation to workout, what I’m saying is that you should strive to incorporate some exercise into your vacation!

Your workout doesn’t have to take the place of an adventure, it can BE the adventure!

Visiting the in-laws in the mountains? Why not go for a family hike and explore the area? Visiting the Big Apple? Bring your walking shoes and explore the city by foot instead of by cab. These are just some ideas. You can be active however you’d like, wherever you’d like, it’s just up to you to make it happen.

I absolutely love the holidays! I also love my body. It’s not perfect. Far from it. But it’s my only one and I plan to take care of it. I am going to stay consistent through the holidays so that come January 1st I won’t regret the choices I’ve made. However, that does not mean I do not plan on eating turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, biscuits, and probably 2-3 pieces of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving and Christmas (this is usually my actual meal). Tell me your favorite Thanksgiving dish in the comments below! Happy Holidays!