Last Updated on May 21, 2023 by Michael Brockbank
Every year, a lot of people plop themselves down at the table and take part in an ungodly feast of gluttony, surrounded by amazing foods. But does that mean that you need to pack on the pounds for the next few days during Thanksgiving?
I suppose that really depends on how gung-ho you are for overfilling your tank and how much activity you get afterward. Seriously, who thinks about playing basketball outside after eating 3,000 calories worth of Thanksgiving dinner?
As I am trying to lose as much as possible before the end of the year, I’m taking a bit of a strategic approach to the holidays. It all starts with not gorging myself on all of the goodies available.
How I Plan to Still Lose Weight Throughout Thanksgiving
Since I’m not heading to Utah this year, I can plan out a solid plan for losing weight. Normally, I would have to consider the number of calories and carbs in the sheer amount of alcohol I drink when visiting family.
This year, I don’t have as much to keep track of in terms of consumables.
Hey, ya gotta accentuate the positives…
Proper Portion Control
The first thing to remember is proper portion control. For example, one roll with your dinner is considered a single portion, not two or three.
And no, this doesn’t mean you have to avoid half the food on the table. In fact, I was able to have everything one Thanksgiving without going over 300 calories when keeping portion sizes in mind.
Once you start training yourself the proper portion sizes of different foods, it gets much easier to identify how much you’re actually eating. It can get to the point when you can come within 30 calories of estimating virtually any kind of food.
My point is that you don’t need to pile on your plate to enjoy the feast. A logical sampling of everything available won’t add up to a lot of calories or carbs without sacrificing the tastiness of the holiday.
I’ll use MyFitnessPal to help ensure that I’m not gorging myself.
Getting In Some Physical Activity
Another element of losing weight and burning carbs is being physically active. While some of us will get in quite a few steps during Black Friday shopping, you can do other things to burn away the fat.
For instance, I’ve been getting back into playing the Xbox Kinect quite rigorously. Then, you have things like house cleaning, going for walks, hitting the gym, and a plethora of other things you can do to keep yourself moving.
The reason why you put on weight in the first place is that you’re consuming far more than what your body uses. It’s like trying to fit one more gallon of gas in the car when it’s already full.
Of course, your car isn’t going to get bigger ass by forcing more gas into the tank. But you will.
Paying for the Thanksgiving Goodies
So, what about some of the sugar-laden goodies during Thanksgiving? Pies, cookies, cakes, and more are part of a traditional feast. Well, if you want those extras, make sure you “pay” for them.
This goes along the lines of what I was saying about physical activity. Essentially, the more active you are, the more you can eat.
I lost 20 pounds within a month and a half due to this mindset. If I wanted an extra slice of pizza with my dinner, I would walk to burn off enough to “afford” those calories.
Playing the Kinect for 40 minutes would burn enough to pay for any slice of pie, end then some. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ll burn quite a few calories decorating the house for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving.
The point is that you don’t have to deprive yourself of some tastiness as long as you’re capable of burning it off. In other words, don’t sit around and let all of those carbs collect on your butt.
A Legendary Frame of Mind
One thing that is inspiring me this year is my frame of mind this week. I have some big plans coming up soon, which means I am embracing a “legendary” mindset.
Well, legendary to me, anyway. That’s because I plan on doing some big things in the near future. As such, I need to maintain myself throughout Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.
The point of having this type of mindset is to prevent me from being influenced by others. When it comes to food, it doesn’t take much to convince me to throw caution to the wind.
I have virtually no willpower. Especially when it comes to my guilty pleasure…sigh…Taco Bell.
By knowing where I want to be and keeping in mind how I’m getting there, I’m able to still lose weight regardless of what’s being served.
This has a lot to do with proving to myself that I’m capable of achieving my goals. Not to mention proving to others that I know what the hell I’m talking about.
There’s no doubt that the past three years have been especially hard on me. I’ve lost a great deal as a parent, brother, and son. All I can do is keep myself moving in the right direction.
The fact that I’m still pushing as hard as I do is a testament to my tenacity. And I refuse to let Thanksgiving throw a wrench into my progress. I’ve done enough of that this year myself.
Don’t Be too Hard On Yourself at Thanksgiving
Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind, though, is to not beat yourself up if your Thanksgiving results in a few extra pounds the next day. For one thing, it could take you two to five days to digest solid foods completely.
In fact, I’m not even worried about using the scale until next Sunday, when I actually start my Xbox Kinect challenge without interruption. (very long story)
But if you do indulge, don’t view it as a failure. After all, it’s a holiday. You’re not supposed to worry about such things, especially when spending quality time with friends and family.
As long as you get back on the horse afterward, anything you eat during the holidays will come off as quickly as it was put on. That is as long as you remain serious and keep yourself physically active throughout the holidays.
It’s OK to have a cheat day or two. Just make sure it doesn’t turn into a cheat month or year.
Enjoy Thanksgiving, But Don’t Overdo It
Thanksgiving is more than just food. It’s about spending time with loved ones and enjoying each other’s company. It’s one of the celebrations of life during the year, so, embrace it.
But when it comes time to sit at the table, understand that you don’t have to neglect your taste buds to still lose weight.
It all comes down to what you do before and after the meal that really matters.
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