How NOT To Freak Out About Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: The time of year that we come together and celebrate with food. So many of my clients have a lot of anxiety leading up to this holiday. They don't want to ruin their hard earned progress, or the idea of celebrating a holiday that revolves around food is scary to them. Add on the stress of traveling, cooking the turkey, or dreading the conversation at the dinner table (How's school? How's work? Why are you still single?...You get the gist) and it can all feel very overwhelming. 

 But, you shouldn't freak out. Why? Because one meal is not going to ruin your progress. Plus, as much as people like to bad-mouth Thanksgiving food, many of the traditional foods served are very nutritious. And guess what? You can have these foods whenever you want. In fact, there's a sandwich shop in NYC that has a Thanksgiving sandwich on the menu. All year round. And stuffing is always in the grocery store. So if you fear that you will go overboard because it'll be another year before you can have these foods, keep in mind that you can have turkey and stuffing any time you want. 

A big  mistake a lot of people make it that they skip breakfast or don't eat all day to "save" their calories for the big meal. This is NOT a good idea because you will most likely overdo it later on. Have a high fiber, high protein breakfast to kick start the day and to keep your blood sugar levels in check. Think of Thanksgiving dinner as any other dinner: protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates. They are just in different forms than the usual. Would you skip meals on a non-holiday day? No. So don't do it on Thanksgiving either. 

Don't deprive yourself. If you're dying for Grandma's stuffing, put it on your plate. If you tell yourself you can't have something you'll want it even more, and may wind up overdoing it in the end because you won't feel satisfied. Leave what doesn't really interest you (don't put the potatoes on  your plate if you're not really into them). Same goes for dessert. Take a small dessert plate and fill it with desserts that you really enjoy. Then move on.

Don't get so caught up in the food that you forget the real reason you're gathering for this holiday. It's a time to make memories with friends and family, It's a time to celebrate, and to express gratitude and thanks. You can get back on track at your next meal.