Hello from Minnesota! Rob and I drove through Saturday night so we wouldn’t miss anything and the drive went a lot smoother than I thought it would. We switched off driving every few hours and the time went by pretty quick. I was pretty happy when the sun came up though because it made it easier to keep an eye out for deer.

A few of my personal training clients and teaching co-workers have asked me for some suggestions on how they can successfully get through the food fest that is Thanksgiving. Since they were curious, I figured a few of you might be as well. Here are my 9 tips for how to not lose all your hard work during this food-filled holiday.

1. Do Something Active in the Morning – Starting the day with a Turkey Trot or a plyometric workout will burn calories that you can eat back later in the form of pumpkin pie. Get up, get out, and get active before everyone arrives and the cooking (and eating) is in full force.

2. Eat Breakfast – Make sure you start the day with some protein and healthy fats. Even a smaller meal will kickstart your metabolism. The worst thing you can do is skip the morning meal in preparation for all the food that comes with dinner!

3. Know What You Want at Dinner – Is this the only time of year you get those perfectly creamy mashed potatoes your grandfather makes? Or the one day your sister makes her famous cranberry sauce? Eat it! Know what you want to indulge in and go for it.

4. Utilize Party Tricks (if you’re really struggling) – If you know you can’t control yourself around delicious appetizers and a buffet table, try these two things: 1) Don’t stand near the appetizers. If you can’t reach them, then you won’t eat too many, 2) Use a smaller plate. It’s a trick for your eyes if you use a smaller plate as it looks like you’re eating the same amount you would if you used a larger plate.

5. Eat Slow – There is a lot of food (at least at my Thanksgivings). There will be leftovers. Enjoy the flavors, enjoy the conversation, and slow down. Take a breath. Put your fork down between bites. This will help you enjoy the food rather than rushing to get as much of it in your belly as you can.

6. Drink Plenty of Water – Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Between the salt, salted butter, alcohol, and rich, heavy foods, your body is going to be screaming for water to help flush everything through. If you’re drinking alcohol, try sipping a glass of water between cocktails or have a glass of water on the table while you eat and keep refilling it!

7. Move After the Meal – If it’s not too dark, and it’s not too cold, get up and get out for a walk after you eat. If you have to stay inside, help do the dishes. At least it gets you standing!

8. Indulge and Have Fun! – Don’t be afraid to enjoy yourself and indulge! It’s the one day of the year that is built around food, so enjoy it and don’t beat yourself up if you have a second slice of pie.

9. Get Back to It on Friday – After enjoying the day, get back to your normal eating and workout routine on Friday. Again, eat a good breakfast (don’t skip it!) and get in some activity. Your body will be back to feeling like it’s fit, healthy self within a day or two. And if it doesn’t, you can always grab your Full Body Tone Routine to reset your goals.

Brooke Selb

I’m Brooke Selb, a Personal Trainer and Health Coach specializing in helping busy moms and moms to be to easily juggle mom life with family friendly recipes, and easy exercise routines to help you achieve your fitness goals that fit in with your already busy life with sound nutritional advice.