3 mindful tips to fully enjoy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving can be really overwhelming if diet culture infiltrates and totally ruins the mood of the day. It might feel like this is your only chance to eat rich, tasty foods which results in ending the day feeling beyond uncomfortable, or it might just cause some anxiety that leads to missing out on good conversations or super tasty dishes. Both options take away from the meaning of the holiday - to gather with loved ones and celebrate with gratitude. Here’s 3 tips to help you feel mentally and physically your best on Thanksgiving.
Eat breakfast + snacks or lunch
Eating a normal morning meal, and filling in the hours between breakfast and the turkey feast with a lighter lunch or a few snacks can help keep you energized to be fully engaged with your friends and family and do whatever other activities you have planned. Plus, once you get to the main meal, you won’t be so ravenously hungry that you end up eating to the point of extreme discomfort. Being satisfied or even a little overfull at Thanksgiving is bliss (YES it’s fine and normal to feel overfull sometimes!! It means you allowed yourself to find pleasure in taste and that is OK). Eating a little something in the morning can help you find that sweet spot.
Go on a short walk
Walking after the main meal helps digestion get going and leaves room for pie :) This is also helpful if you or anyone in your family is working on managing their blood sugar. Be a partner or ask for a partner - doing some joyful movement in the fresh air is a great chance to bond!
Keep focused on gratitude
Aunt Susan’s diet that she’s starting on Friday doesn’t matter, and whether you feel comfortable kindly reminding her of that fact is up to you. Regardless, you can always return to a personal practice of gratitude. Set an intention for yourself to tell your loved ones why you are thankful for them, and ask them what they are thankful for too. Food might be at the center of the day, but what matters way more than what or how much you ate is the experience you got to share with those around you.