I guess this is a trick question because I don’t think you should give a single thought to calories, carbs, fats or any macro or micronutrients on Thanksgiving. Holidays and special occasions should be considered re-feeding times. Re-feedings are specific times when you go off of your usual dietary routine… like having high calories on a low calorie diet, having high carbs on a low carb diet, etc. It is an opportunity to shake things up and give the body something different to process. Consider the hunter-gatherer era and you hit the jackpot with a large mammoth kill, a berry patch and unearthed tubers all in one day. It’s a feast day. The body likes dietary changes in much the same way it likes exercise changes. So if your diet is clean, you can take the guilt out of holiday re-feeding times.
Having said that, I do empathize and understand that for many of you, these holiday times and special occasions can be triggers for long standing food issues. This is particularly true for my sugar-people. Having a day or a few days of eating carbs and sugars can seemingly “undue” all of your hard work and send you back into a spiral of food cravings and sugar binges. It’s not always as simple as “eat what you want and get back on track”, so I think it is important to come up with a plan for the coming food celebrations and a plan for getting back on track.
If Thanksgiving foods and indulgences cause you anxiety, decide on a few factors you can manage ahead of time.
*The most important thing you can do is move. Decide that you are going to get in an extra walk or run on turkey day. This is not about expending calories. This is about keeping your head clear by optimizing neurotransmission and your cells sensitized to the food load you will be consuming.
*Focus on the protein. Protein is satisfying and reduces ghrelin, the hormone responsible for hunger. Start out your Thanksgiving day with some protein to set the stage for the day in terms of blood sugar and satiety.
*Stay hydrated. The day before Thanksgiving and the day of are important times to stay hydrated. This will help lower anxiety levels, keep you full and combat any alcohol related dehydration.
*Beyond the above, decide you are going to truly slow down and enjoy the food you are consuming. You have given the day some thought and are approaching the food and the company with consciousness and gratitude. There is no counting calories or giving yourself a hard time for indulging. Let go of the stress of it all and simply decide the next day is a new day to get back on track.
On another food-related note, I am really excited about this vegetable introduced to us by Fire Ant Farms called Fun Jen. It’s a type of Chinese cabbage that’s slightly hardier than lettuce has a delicate earthy flavor and comes from the Brassicaceae family like broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts. We have loved in it our Fall salads and sauteing with eggs and scallions in the morning. Thanks to Fire Ant farms for introducing it to us. Our office is part of a Monday afternoon CSA drop off. We are happy to include you for a veggie pick up. Let us know!
On a non-food related note:
I have written about my mom, Debra Nelson, many times over the years usually related to her beauty secrets. I am so excited to let everyone know she was chosen as one of the TEDx speakers for Charleston’s first Women’s TEDx event! She is a self-employed, powerhouse of a financial planner and loves sharing her wisdom. Hope you will come to this event and support her and many other local female speakers. TEDx talks never disappoint.
Thanksgiving Specials:
Want a little boost getting on track after Thanksgiving? Now is the time to get your metabolism on track, circulation flowing and much needed holiday detox pathways opened up. We have a holiday sauna package just for you. Get 5 Sauna sessions of your choice for $100, a savings of $50, with this offer.
We never thought the holiday would be a popular time to cleanse, but we learned early on that many of you like to do the cleanse between Thanksgiving and Christmas as a way to stay on track. I commend those of you that choose to do this! Please take advantage of $50 off our Clean UP Metabolic Cleanse. Discount already applied.
With much gratitude,
~Dr. Sherri and everyone here at Remedy Wellness
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