11/27/2025
Tips for not gaining (too much) fat today on Thanksgiving.
1️⃣ Breakfast: Eat a breakfast high in protein and fruits/veggies, and as close to zero carbs as possible (outside of the fruit/veggies). This can be as simple as having a protein shake and 2 oranges. The goal here is to load up on high quality nutrients and fiber. This will come in handy later.
2️⃣ Do a workout before eating your Thanksgiving food. Yes, you should take advantage of the fact that you’re going to load up on food today. Break your muscles down in a major way, so that all that food and relaxing has minimal negative effects.
3️⃣ Prioritize protein for Thanksgiving. Load your plate up with foods that are obviously a source of protein: Deviled eggs, turkey, ham, etc. When you eat these foods first, they will typically be the lowest in calories when compared to other items, and offer the best chance at promoting muscle growth.
4️⃣ Wait 15-30 minutes after eating these protein foods first before going back for the side dishes. Instead of stuffing your face as fast as possible, TAKE YOUR TIME. This will let you realize how full you probably are, which will drastically reduce the calories you can eat from high calorie carb sources.
5️⃣ Pick ONE dessert. Don’t deprive yourself of having a sweet treat. However, if you want to lose fat, you do NOT need to have multiple desserts in one day. You’ll be just fine if you get a little bit of dessert. Keyword there being “little”.
6️⃣ Remember that Thanksgiving is ONE day. Overeating a little bit for one day has pretty much no lasting effect on your weight. But come Friday morning, if you’re as serious about losing weight as you say you are…get back to regular eating habits. Thanksgiving leftovers should be for people who aren’t trying to lose weight or don’t care either way. Don’t let Thanksgiving food turn into eating everything in sight from Thursday-Sunday. You’ve done that the last few years, it’s time to get control of your habits.
Do these 6 things, and you’d be surprised how easy it is to enjoy Thanksgiving food while still being social and enjoying family and friends. This isn’t a deprivation plan, it’s having accountability for your fitness goals.
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