You can have a delicious and healthy Thanksgiving dinner with these simple tricks. Plus a free recipe guide!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and while Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday spent with family and friends, it can cause a lot of unnecessary anxiety for people who are trying to live a healthier life. Thanksgiving revolves around food. The traditional Thanksgiving foods aren’t necessarily bad for you, but when eaten all in one sitting and in such large quantities, that glorious meal can set you back on your goals.

You don’t have to give up your favorite foods in order to have a healthy Thanksgiving. Life is all about balance and it’s important to apply this principle to your Thanksgiving dinner as well. I have four strategies that can help you have a delicious and healthy Thanksgiving dinner! If you implement these tips, then you’ll be able to enjoy your Thanksgiving without guilt or remorse!

Make a plan

My number one tip to a delicious and healthy Thanksgiving is that you absolutely must have a game plan! It’s impossible to stay on track with your goals if you don’t have a plan.

Because Thanksgiving is a special occasion where you’ll have the opportunity to eat foods you don’t usually eat, I want you to pick one or two of your must-have foods. For me, I love mashed potatoes and pie, so I plan to enjoy those two dishes without an ounce of guilt!

Once I know that I’m going to be able to eat my favorite foods without feeling bad I am able to enjoy Thanksgiving! I know I’m not denying myself of what I love and I don’t feel deprived. I’ll enjoy my creamy mashed potatoes. I’ll get to savor a slice of pie. I don’t need much more than that to really enjoy Thanksgiving dinner. The rest are just extras, so I don’t mind finding more wholesome options.

Find recipes that fit your plan

Now that you know which foods you want to indulge in for Thanksgiving, you need to find cleaner recipes for the other sides.

When my clients first start changing up their diets to include cleaner meals, they struggle to find recipes that fit into their new goals. I understand that this can be a huge roadblock for people.

To help you overcome this, I’ve put together a free resource of Thanksgiving dinner swaps. These recipes are all great macro-friendly options to replace your favorite side dishes.

Some of the best swaps to make are carb-heavy sides. Mashed potatoes, stuffing and rolls are all going to be high in carbs and low in fiber and other important nutrients. 

I also recommend adding more vegetables to your Thanksgiving dinner. Most of the popular Thanksgiving vegetable dishes aren’t the best options, so try to swap those fatty or carby veggies out for cleaner options. For example, swap out green bean casserole, which is high in fat and carbs, for fresh steamed green beans.

Know your portion sizes

People are more likely to overeat at Thanksgiving dinner than they will on a regular night. Which makes total sense! We don’t want to miss out on all of the delicious foods so we load up our plates and then go back for seconds! But overeating is the easiest way to get off track and can simply make your feel gross afterward!

It’s important to be aware of how much you’re eating and to aim for appropriate portion sizes. I’m not saying you need to pull out a food scale and measure each thing that goes onto your plate! However, be aware of what your body needs and try to stay within that. 

I like to use my own hand as a quick portion guide. One serving of protein should be the size of your palm. You can do 1-2 servings of protein per meal. When you clench your fist that is roughly the portion size for vegetables. Aim for 2 servings of veggies at dinner. Next, cup your hand, this is a serving of carbohydrates. You can do about 2 servings of carbohydrates at each meal. Finally, you should have 1-2 servings of healthy fats at each meal. A serving of fats is the size of your thumb. 

If you follow this guide you should be able to eat a well-balanced meal that will satisfy you and keep you on top of your goals. 

Find a way to move your body

We’ve talked a lot about food, it is Thanksgiving after all! However, I want to remind you to move your body on Thanksgiving!

Movement and exercise are so important to a healthy life. It’s important to make time for exercise every day, even on holidays!

One thing I love about Thanksgiving is that it’s traditional to go out and play football! This is a great way to get your whole family out moving their bodies and having fun together. 

Running a race is also a great Thanksgiving tradition! You can always find something that works for your fitness level and you can even look for a race that includes the whole family. If you can’t find an organized race that works for your family, then create your own! 

If you want to start a tradition of fitness, make sure your family has fun exercising! Find an activity that you can all do together and then get out there and move!

I want you to move your body because it’s good for you, not because you’ve done something “bad” by eating a lot of food on Thanksgiving. You should never use exercise as a punishment for eating. Instead, use the extra food you’ve eaten to fuel your body and push yourself!

Above all, remember that Thanksgiving is a chance to be with the people you love and to make memories together. If you overeat, it’s OK! If you don’t get out and move your body, you’ll be just fine! Healthy living isn’t about restricting yourself, it’s about learning how to enjoy your life while making the best choices you can!

If you want help staying on track this holiday season, then I would love to chat with you! When you schedule your free discovery session, we can talk about how to get through this holiday season without giving up on yourself.

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