5 Tips for Thanksgiving Feasting

Photo by Amy Shamblen on Unsplash

1. If you’re lucky enough to have a bounty of food, let yourself enjoy it. You're not "bad" for doing so. A delicious feast shared with loved ones is something not everyone can have.
   

2. Treat it like a normal meal. Sure, it's a meal that might take a little longer to prepare or be a little more elaborate than normal, but at the end of the day, it’s just dinner. It's not something to get worked up about (even if you’re hosting!)
   

3. Eat mindfully. (More tips on how to do that here.)
   
   That might mean eating LESS than you normally would at a holiday feast, because you’re tuning in to your hunger and fullness cues and you know your body has had its fill. That might mean eating MORE than you normally would at a regular dinner, because it’s more delicious than most meals, and has foods you don’t normally get throughout the year, and you freaking want more even though your stomach is feeling stretched. Both ways are ok. Just be mindful and decide for yourself what’s “enough.”
   

4. Eat what you want. 🤯 It’s a holiday so if it’s not what you’d normally have, or the quantity is more than normal, that’s ok. Recognize that it’s ONE day (or weekend #leftovers)
   
   Enjoy the foods that you look forward to each year that friends or family have put a lot of love into preparing. And also, eat what YOU want. It’s ok not to try everything, or to only stick with your favorites, regardless of who made what or whether someone asks why you don’t have any ____ on your plate.
   

5. Worry about your own plate. Take the foods you want, skip the ones you don’t, and eat the portions that feel best for you. No one else needs to comment on what you are or are not eating or how much, and you don’t need to comment on anyone else's dinner. More on that here.

Need additional tips and guidance?
Check out last year's Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide, and don't forget to register for my 2021 Stress Less Holiday Season Support Squad!