In the days and even weeks before Thanksgiving (and again in December), there are nutritional messages that honestly make the most confident person question calories, think we have to exercise to ‘earn’ our pie or burn off the mashed potatoes, and somehow food becomes morally good or bad. All of a sudden the sweet potato casserole is going to send us to hell. I mean, really…?
When did Thanksgiving become so damaging? Let’s get something straight …this mentality only creates unnecessary stress or anxiety that does not promote a mindful and intuitive approach to eating… honoring your hunger, respecting your fullness, and discovering the powerful force of satisfaction without overeating…
Here’s the thing…We don’t need to feel guilty or shameful for the dinner roll (or the potatoes. Or the cranberry sauce. Or the stuffing. Or all of it!). Your body is not going to become a mush machine. Your life is not going to fall apart. It’s one meal. One day. Remind yourself of this (especially if you catch yourself getting caught up in the diet or punishment mentality). Thanksgiving is truly a meal we should aim to savor and enjoy to the fullest extent by being present, just like any other day…. except Thanksgiving usually comes with comforting foods like mashed potatoes (my favorite!) and great company (or company you don’t particularly care for but it might make for entertainment 😉 ).
I keep gratitude at the forefront of my brain most days but especially during crazy times …and I’d encourage you to **think** about how you want to memorialize the day. For example, I’m looking forward to all my favorite foods in ONE place and laughing so hard my belly hurts. Cue gratitude. I’m also looking forward to help in the kitchen so I don’t have to do all the dishes. Cue gratitude. What we see is what we manifest. So if we’re only caught up in how many calories we just ate, it’s likely going to be a miserable day filled with guilt or shame and that’s not productive. Focus on people you love (or you try to love for one day 😉 ). Focus on the good. Focus on gratitude. Gratitude in every moment. Even in those challenging moments.
Hugs and Love Always,
Morgan