ShareThis week, most of my clients have been thinking about Turkey day.
To be honest with you, so have I. Deliciousness.
The Biggest Thanksgiving Mistake. Ever.
Fortunately, no one has suffered from my inability to roast a turkey. So this story doesn’t involve any turkey nightmares or family meltdowns.
Two years ago in the lead up to Thanksgiving, I was training one of my clients and of course, we got to talking about food and calorie counting (mind you, most clients love to chat about food while we’re working out. It’s cruel torture if you ask me.)
Anyway, she was telling me about Hula Pie (a Hawaiian ice cream delicacy) and the amazing pies she was going to bake for Thanksgiving. And yes, she promised me she wasn’t going to eat more than one slice – ah ha I’m sure that was total bullshit.
Two days later on Thanksgiving Eve, my adorable client showed up to our session with a freshly baked Chocolate Pecan Pie – for me! The game plan was to take it home, and enjoy it for dessert on Thanksgiving night.
Oh. My. God.
Instead, because the aroma was so tempting and I was freaking starving, I decided to prematurely have a little bite. Just one. And only to make sure it was safe. 
You know what happened to that pie. I won’t lie. Before I even made it home from work that night, more than HALF the pie was gone. And no, it wasn’t all fat little me – the boys secretly couldn’t help themselves.
The pie was crack. I like to think I have discipline, but I really couldn’t stop. You hear people say one cheat day won’t make any difference to fat loss…
But…
That 1-2 days of pie madness was enough to send me spiraling. It was the start of my dietary demise into the holiday season. The pie damage appeared in the following weeks, when those few cheeky holiday pounds stuck around. Lucky it was Winter.
And so, this leads me to my number one tip for Thanksgiving Day.
Number 1 Tip on Thanksgiving:
Turkey day happens once a year, which carries a lot of family food traditions. It’s crazy to deprive yourself today, but you can still enjoy deliciousness without going completely nuts and destroying your body.
#1: Leave All Your Cards on the Table
For you, this means:
- Avoid Seconds: One plate is enough. Going back for more is usually not because you are still hungry. Wait 15-20 minutes for the protein in the turkey to start digesting and I’m sure you won’t be hungry. Plus, you will avoid the dreaded food coma.
- Leave the Doggie Bag Behind: Just because it’s there, doesn’t mean you have to take it. “No, thank you” works wonders, and if you really can’t say no, there are plenty of shelters that would appreciate your donation. Don’t have 10 pounds of leftovers sitting around in your fridge. Or any pies. You will eat it eventually… Bad news for fat loss people.
- Go For Quality: If you’re only having one plate, you may as well go for the quality stuff that you dream about. Whatever your thing, go for it. One time only.
As you can see, it’s really not that hard.
Just in case you were wondering, this Thanksgiving there are no pies on the menu at our house. Seriously. We’ll be spending Christmas day partying on Bondi beach so I definitely can’t be hiding behind winter coats for six months.
So a big Happy Thanksgiving to all my USA readers! Watch out for crack pies. Including Hula Pies. They will end up on your thighs. And if you’re not already on our email list, you should really sign up here and get in on the awesomeness. Today’s exclusive email included a Top 5 list of Thanksgiving Foods that I don’t want you to miss out on. Get on board today and I’ll send you a copy of the cool email.
OK here’s my game plan. Epic workout. Then turkey feast.
Another happy day.
KV
