Thanksgiving Without the Guilt: 5 Hacks for a Healthier Holiday
Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate, connect, and enjoy — or if you’re in our house, it’s a time for family, football, and fun!
No matter how you spend your day, you don’t need to sacrifice your health, wellness, or progress to have a hell of a time.
These five simple strategies allow you to fully participate in the festivities while staying aligned with your fitness and performance goals.
1. Prioritize Protein: Start with Turkey
Turkey is more than just the centerpiece of the meal—it’s your MVP.
Two servings (about 8 ounces) provide 70 grams of high-quality protein. This regulates blood sugar, supports muscle repair, boosts metabolism, and makes you feel more full.
Turkey is rich in B vitamins and selenium that increase energy, enhance immune response, and reduce inflammation & oxidative stress within body.
Action Strategy:
Load your plate with turkey first to reap the benefits above and keep you from overindulging on side dishes & desserts.
Optimized order of consumption:
Turkey → Vegetables → Carb-Heavy Sides
2. Walk It Off: Post-Meal Movement
Studies show light post-meal activity reduces blood sugar spikes by up to 30%! This is crucial to regulating the insulin response and preventing excess fat storage from all of the extra carbohydrates that were likely consumed during your big Thanksgiving feast.
Walking will also improve digestion, burn a few calories, boost your mood, and combat the post-meal energy crash.
Action Strategy:
Walk for at least 15-30 minutes after your Thanksgiving meal.
Encourage your family to join you!
3. Commit & Quit: Indulge with Intent
Holiday sides, appetizers, and desserts can wreak havoc on your nutrition if left unchecked. Break the engrained pattern of eating seconds, thirds, or even fourths of the high-calorie options.
Mindless eating wracks up hundreds (if not thousands) of extra calories that you may regret when it’s time to get focused the following week. Follow this simple rule…
Commit & Quit.
Commit to 1-1½ servings of your favorite holiday dishes, make a deal with yourself, then walk away.
Action Strategy:
1. Decide on a quantity of servings or treats you’ll consume that day or during a meal.
Have ONE serving of sweet potato casserole or stuffing.
Enjoy TWO small cookies or ONE slice of pie.
2. Eat slowly, mindfully, and take time to enjoy and taste the flavors. Then QUIT.
Walk away from the temptation
Drink a glass of water
Go outside or take a walk
4. Raise a Glass, Not Your Cortisol: How to Navigate Holiday Drinks
Alcohol is often a hidden source of sleep disruption, increased cortisol, and empty calories over the holidays. It’s also a key contributor to dehydration due to it’s diuretic effects that increase urine production and cause electrolyte imbalances.
Limit yourself to 2-4 drinks.
Last drink = 2 hours before sleep.
Action Strategy:
Limit intake to 2-4 drinks, spaced throughout the day.
Stop drinking at least 2 hours before bed to avoid compromising recovery & increasing cortisol.
Hydrate aggressively to decrease demands on your liver.
Choose your drinks wisely:
Dry red wine
Quality straight whiskey, tequila, gin, or vodka
Light, low-calorie beers
5. Gratefulness Fuels Greatness: Build Mental Resilience
Get into the spirit of gratitude. Research shows daily expressions of gratitude lower cortisol, boost your mood, improve sleep, increases energy, and create a resilient mindset. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to kickstart a gratitude practice.
Action Strategy:
Set aside or schedule 5 minutes a day to express what you’re thankful for.
Do it with your family before dinner, before you go to sleep, first thing in the morning.
Write it down or say it out loud.
Find a habit that works for you, but give yourself the opportunity to profoundly enhance your overall well-being by doing this every day.
Key Takeaway
Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a choice between enjoyment and discipline—it’s an opportunity to practice balance and intentionality.
Prioritize what matters most. Get yourself a gameplan. Stick to it. Enjoy your day.
Follow Jared Evans and Emily Evans on LinkedIn for expert insights on how to navigate the holiday season while keeping fitness, nutrition, and wellness goals on track.
Curious about the 6 Surprising Reasons You Gain Weight Over The Holidays? Check out this article to learn what they are and how to avoid them.
References:
Raben, A., & Astrup, A. (1995). Leptin and overfeeding: Evidence that protein is more satiating and energy-consuming than fat. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 62(Suppl.), 293S–303S.
Wood, A. M., Froh, J. J., & Geraghty, A. W. (2010). Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(7), 890–905.
Epstein, F. H., & Leiber, C. S. (1965). Alcohol and nutrition. JAMA Internal Medicine, 116(6), 936–945.
