T-minus ONE DAY until Thanksgiving! I’m super excited for some much needed family time. My sister, dad and I have a tradition of starting Turkey day off by running in the local 5K. This year is a little extra special since it’s the first time the hubby is running with us! He had to officially be family in order to run. Okay,I’m kidding. Kind of…

I may be excited about Thanksgiving this year, but it hasn’t always been that way. For years, when I was struggling with my relationship with food, I actually hated this holiday. I’d spend the days leading up to it undereating in order to “save up” calories and then meticulously count every single one that I ate on Turkey day (or try to). I was left feeling frustrated and disappointed when I inevitable exceeded the bizarre “calorie limit” that I had set for myself and my horrible mood from this made it impossible to enjoy the holiday.

Since repairing my relationship with food and putting an end to the restrict-binge cycle, I can honestly say that I love Thanksgiving. I love spending time with family playing board games, eating seasonal foods and enjoying a nice cocktail.

If your relationship with food is less than stellar and are all too familiar with restricting and bingeing, I get it, it’s tough. So, I wanted to help make things a little easier for you and give you 4 tips to reducing bingeing and increase enjoyment on Thanksgiving.

• Tip #1: Eat normally before the big meal. By eating normally your body will avoid entering “starvation mode”. Starvation mode happens when we over restrict foods and our bodies get confused, thinking that food is scare. Then, when we finally give it food, it stocks up, thinking it might not get anymore for a while. When you do this before a big meal you’re setting yourself up for a binge that’ll leave you feeling frustrated and uncomfortable. Avoid this by eating your normal meals and snacks throughout the days leading up to the big meal.
• Tip #2: Avoid over exercising. When we exercise excessively our bodies will want food to replace the burned energy. If we pair this with restrictive tendencies bingeing comes in full steam ahead. Rather than spending a ton of extra time in the gym, stick to your typical workout routine.
• Tip #3: Eat mindfully. I always suggest taking a “time-out”. That means stopping for at least 10-15 second before, during, and after a meal to check in with your hunger and satiety cues. Are you starting to feel stuffed? Or maybe you want a few more bites of cranberry sauce, but are done with the potatoes. Taking these time-outs will help you to eat more intuitively by honoring your hunger and fullness while also appropriately satisfying your cravings
• Tip #4: Don’t forget to enjoy the experience. Take some of the pressure off of the food and look to those who are around you. Enjoy their company and relish in gratitude! Reducing the food focus can help you to better enjoy the holiday.

There you have it, 4 tips to reduce bingeing and increase enjoyment on Thanksgiving!

And remember, if you over eat, it’s okay! Don’t view it as a failure or being “bad”. Part of normal eating is overeating. Acknowledge this fact, take a deep breath, and move on with your day!

I hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving and take a movement to reflect on all that you have to be thankful for!!

Happy eating,

Colleen