10 Thanksgiving Tips to Ease Food Anxiety
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
This holiday for a lot of people brings up feelings of anxiety and stress around food, especially if you have a negative relationship with food and/or your body. So, here are my 10 Tips for Thanksgiving Day to help ease some of that stress and anxiety and enjoy your day with your loved ones.
Don’t starve yourself before the big Thanksgiving meal
You’ll go into the meal ravenous and you’ll eat faster and eat more.
Eat a good breakfast and if you’re hungry throughout the day, eat some snacks to keep your metabolism going!
You don’t HAVE to workout in the morning to “earn” your meal
I always say, don’t treat a workout like a punishment for something you did/did not do (or in this case are going to do).
If you enjoy working out and want to do so in the morning - great - I love a nice long walk when I have mornings off - but don’t workout because you “have to” to be “able to” eat food later or because you want to, “burn off the calories you’ll eat later.” You’re feeding into this negative relationship with exercise and food you have. If you choose to do workout, do so because it makes you feel good and you enjoy it.
Eat the things that you LIKE
I’m all for still making sure I eat nutritious foods on Thanksgiving, but not in an effort to eat less of the foods I REALLY WANT to eat.
Don’t fill up on things you don’t like because you think you have to. You’ll end up eating all those things AND the things you like and get super full.
It’s the one day of the year you get to enjoy foods you wouldn’t normally have regularly (someone’s special apple pie, stuffing, etc.)
Savor and enjoy these precious meals that took someone time and love to create and share with you.
Don’t stress about the amount of calories you’re eating
It’s one day of the year, in the grand scheme of things it’s going to do NOTHING to you.
Focus on the company you’re with
Don’t try and calculate how much food you’re eating.
DO NOT compare your plate to someone else’s - Your body knows what it needs and doesn’t need.
Remember this holiday isn’t just about eating, but being grateful for what you have. Don’t get so caught up in your food or self-image that you forget to cherish the company you’re with and make beautiful memories.
Wear comfortable clothes
We all know we’re going to be unbuttoning our clothes…
Don’t wear clothes that are going to trigger self-doubt and self-hate.
Wear clothes you know you’ll be comfortable in.
Thanksgiving can trigger food insecurities for just about anyone. If someone makes a comment about your food, remember it’s not about you, it’s about them, revert to my “How to Handle Food Comments” blog post.
Remember your affirmations if you start to feel the food guilt come in:
“I trust my body to guide my choices.”
“I treat body with respect and nourish it with what it asks for.”
“The foods I choose to eat do not impact my self worth.”
“I am loved for who I am, not what I eat.”
You don’t HAVE to workout the next day to “burn off” your meal
Again, do not treat a workout like a punishment. Refer back to Tip #2.
You don’t HAVE to detox the next day because you overate
Treat the next day as a brand new day. Yesterday happened, let it go.
If you’re hungry the next morning, eat.
Your body knows what to do with the food it’s given, trust your gut.
If you’re looking for a safe space where you can learn how to let go of dieting for good, enjoy food without guilt, and turn exercise into something you love to do rather than something you “have” to do, submit a client application to get in contact with me! I work with clients virtually all over the world helping those who are frustrated with dieting and want to change their relationship with food and themselves.
Hi, I’m Azul Corajoria, an Integrative Health Coach, Personal Trainer & Yoga Instructor. I support my clients in making step-by-step changes so that they can live a healthy and balanced life. By recognizing the interdependent roles of mindset, nutrition, and movement I educate and hold my clients accountable for achieving their health goals through lifestyle and behavior adjustments with an emphasis on self-care. Together, we navigate the contradictory world of nutrition through intuitive eating, practice mindful movement, and implement small mindset and lifestyle shifts that empower them to be their best selves in the easiest way possible.
