3 Secrets to Avoid Overeating at Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving can be one of the most overwhelming times of year for chronic dieters… but it doesn’t have to be that way when you employ some mindfulness tips at your dinner holiday. These 3 secrets to avoid overeating at Thanksgiving will help you feel confident going into the biggest eating holiday of the year!
As a registered dietitian you may expect me to give you the world’s best tips on how to have a healthier Thanksgiving… but let’s be honest, you don’t need these tips.
In fact, as a chronic dieter, you probably KNOW those tips.
But they haven’t worked in the past. So why would this year be any different?
Why Healthy Thanksgiving Tips Don’t Work
To be 100% honest, these types of “How to Have a Healthy Thanksgiving” types of tips are the type of content I shared and work I did with clients when I first became a registered dietitian because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do.
But as an evolving dietitian, keeping up with the latest research, this is definitely NOT the advice you need.
Over the past couple of years I’ve helped countless women break free from diet rules and learn how to eat to feel their best in the Nutrition Training Program. Instead of being a chronic dieter, they’ve become a confident eater – Thanksgiving included – and you can too!
The reason these types of “healthy” tips don’t work is because the underlying mindset of abundance isn’t there. Instead, you’re stuck in a dieting mindset.
What is a chronic dieter mindset?
A chronic dieter mindset is “I have to eat all the “BAD” foods now before I go back on my diet.”
Or “It’s now or never!”
Or “I’m so BAD for eating this pie, but my diet starts tomorrow, so I better eat it now [past comfortable fullness levels].”
How to Shift Your Mindset to Become a Confident Eater
Something that I’ve learned, both through my formal education and my self-experiments, is that there’s no one secret that works for everyone to instantaneously develop a flawless relationship with food.
There are small steps you can take over time to help you shift your mindset and become a confident eater – including your favorite, previously “off limits” foods.
First and foremost, give yourself permission to enjoy all foods.
Yes, ALL foods. When you stop limiting yourself, the “want what you can’t have” aspect to food wears off.
And so do the feelings of guilt when you eat these foods.
Second, commit to eating in a way that helps you feel good.
Not to eat as little as possible.
When you’re constantly counting calories or macros, tracking points, or turning your food into a math equation, you obsess over every bite. That doesn’t foster a good relationship with food.
Instead, try focusing on balanced meals *most* of the time to feel your best and be satisfied from your food.
Third, know that you can eat your favorite foods at ANY time.
It doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving to make a pumpkin pie, if you love it.
It doesn’t have to be Halloween to eat fun-sized pieces of candy.
And it definitely does not have to be Christmas to enjoy cookies.
When you internalize that you can eat these foods at ANY time, the pressure to “eat it all now” goes away.
With Thanksgiving around the corner, here are 3 secrets to avoid overeating at Thanksgiving:
1. Choose the food you WANT, not what you *think* you *should* be eating.
Satisfaction is key to turn off your hunger hormones and signal to your body to stop eating.
If you fill your plate with turkey, roasted carrots and brussels sprouts, and cauliflower mashed potatoes – are you really satisfied by that plate at THANKSGIVING? Maybe on a Tuesday, but on a holiday that carries a lot of food memories?
You may feel a bit deprived – even if you’re physically full – because you skipped some “Thanksgiving foods.” If you look down at your plate and see something that you WANT to eat missing, add it!
Food is meant to be enjoyed. Yes, we eat for energy and nutrients, but also for pure enjoyment. And there’s no better day to push aside all other eating hangups you may experience (aside from food allergies!) than Thanksgiving.
So ENJOY every aspect of every bite you take — from the aroma of your mom’s gravy to the creamy texture of your grandma’s pumpkin pie and the savoriness of the stuffing. Use all five senses for a complete mindful and satisfying experience.
Plus, when you’re satisfied by the foods you eat, it’s easier to stop eating when you’re full.
2. Give yourself permission to take home leftovers so you can eat more later (or tomorrow).
Having a doggie bag waiting (or setting aside some of your own cooking), prevents the “now or never” mentality.
Instead, you’ll shift to an abundance mindset.
By knowing there’s food around that you can enjoy at ANY time – not just the hour you’re at the dinner table – you’ll be more likely to stop eating when you’re full, not stuffed.
3. Food does not control you.
People who struggle with indulging with awareness — enjoying every aspect of eating your favorite foods — may also think that food has this power over them. Well, use Thanksgiving to take back the throne! YOU decide what you eat, when you eat it, and why you’re eating it.
Food does not have this unspoken control over us. Never doubt the ability YOU have to make the best food choices for your body; and the best choice you can make for your body may include an annual meal that is larger than most that you are truly aware you are enjoying.
Learning to eat mindfully is a great way to learn the power that you have to fuel your body with the foods that make it feel its best and be able to eat the foods you love.
Another way to avoid overeating – take the pressure OFF of yourself this year. ENJOY your food and the eating experience with family and/or friends.
Set aside thoughts of what perhaps over-indulging will do to your external appearance. I promise, one meal will not make or break your health!
Also remember, it’s normal to overeat sometimes. Try not to beat yourself up or let feelings of guilt creep in (here’s what to do instead!). You’re on a JOURNEY to improve your relationship with food and feel confident in your food choices, but this shift doesn’t happen overnight! No one’s perfect when it comes to eating!
Try to focus on enjoying the special day with family and friends…and savoring every bite of food…without the guilt!
Happy indulging 🙂
XO