A Realistic Guide To Being Healthy For Thanksgiving

I debated even writing this post. Will I just be adding more noise on the topic of staying healthy during the holiday season?

But I can’t say nothing.

I’ve read one too many click-baity articles about staying healthy during the holidays. Groan. And don’t even get me STARTED on Thanksgiving workouts. One year I gave my instructor the death stare for telling me to work harder and earn my stuffing. No, just no.

This post ain’t about building the perfectly balanced Thanksgiving plate. Because I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to prioritizing stuffing over all other food. It’s about my own philosophy towards approaching the holidays with a healthy mindset.

For the third year in a row I will be attending two back-to-back Thanksgiving feasts on Thursday. That’s right, Jeremy and I are hitting up both fams for a turkey tour of Westchester. It’s a lot of family and a lot of food.

I’m not a nutrition expert. My certifications are in namaste-ing and lifting heavy things. So this is just one gal’s take on how to approach the holiday season in a healthy, mindful matter.

First and foremost, I challenge you to rethink what healthy means

Okay, so every media outlet everywhere has taught us that veggies = healthy. And I’m not saying that’s not true. Duh, eat your veggies. But what if we rethought what healthy means during holiday season?

For me healthy means taking care of myself. Something I strive to do on a daily basis. But also something I sometimes struggle to do ‘cuz life. I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving break because it’s just that, a break. A rare moment I get to step away from my usual, frazzled, life

Depending on how I’m feeling Thursday, taking care of myself might look like sleeping in and not waking up early to work out. I swear my childhood bed is SO freaking comfy. I sleep HARD whenever I’m home. Probably also thanks to how quiet it is compared to NYC.

As you guys know, I don’t sleep a ton these days with my schedule, so sleeping in might be exactly what I need. I’ll make a game time decision on Thursday.

 

If you do choose to workout on Thanksgiving morning, do it for *you*

Do it because you want to. Not because you need to.

And please, please, please, don’t do it to burn calories so you’ve “earned” your Thanksgiving meal. For starters, that could potentially encourage overeating versus listening to your hunger cues. Workout because the endorphin rush will make dealing with 20+ family members a bit more bearable.

As I said, I personally haven’t decided yet if I’m going to workout on Thanksgiving. Most studios are 20+ minutes away from where I grew up. If I do decide to wake up early (and by early I mean before 10AM) I’ll most likely hit up a yoga class. I know for me I crave movement on Thanksgiving. It’s a whole lot of sitting which leaves me feeling lethargic and ready to go to bed at 9PM.

 

Remember it’s just one day

I swear people act like the holidays are a month of eating Thanksgiving-like feasts. I don’t know what your personal life is, but I know come Friday I’ll be back to my regular, boring eats. Lots of sweetgreen and lots of sushi.

When I get back to the city I’ll get back to my usual sweat-filled workouts.

It’s only a few days away. I’m not suddenly going to become some sedentary lump that can’t burpee. And the same goes for you, wherever you are in your wellness journey.

Focus on enjoying the holidays. Not what you can / can’t eat or should / shouldn’t do.