Do you have a sense of dread or a little anxiety gnawing at your soul when you think of Thanksgiving? The formula is supposed to be simple: Food, Family, Fun. But when Food is complicated, the Fun can be elusive and even Family events can feel awkward. Let’s chat about how to prepare, survive, and even love Thanksgiving again! How to support your own health goals or (sometime even harder) how to support those you care for. (Ever had to tell your kid they are the only one who can't have pie?)

Check out the video or the summary below.

What I Cover in This Discussion

Two Questions to Base your Strategy on (2:45):

Should you eat all the things? Maybe the answer is YES?!

Why are you on a Diet?
What will it cost you to go “Off Plan?”
It might surprise you to know that, depending on your answers to these questions, I might advise you to go off plan and eat what you want! Eat it all if you want! If you understand the cost of your choice, you might see that it’s okay to take a day completely off and release yourself from the shame or guilt you might otherwise feel.

4 Times You Should Stay Strong (5:11)

Early Keto (5:23)

If you aren’t firmly fat adapted (meaning you’ve done keto for at least 6 weeks and can easily move in and out of ketosis) then a cheat day could set you back anywhere between 1 day and several weeks! This might be a cost worth paying—how good are your grandma’s rolls and honey butter?—or it might cause you to rethink your strategy. Own your choice and stand by it and you will be good with whatever you decide!

Good news: Keto is an EASY style to cook for. Thanksgiving with it’s meats and cheeses and bacon wrapped everything lends itself easily to a keto makeover. Even desserts can be managed. (Keto pumpkin cheesecake? Yes please!) You can sail through without feeling deprived at all!

Binge Eater/Food Addict (6:30)

Know your limits. For example, I can be around food and appreciate the sight and smell of it. But if I have a bite, I am not stopping. So before I eat something “off plan,” I have to consider the impact of a large portion. So if I truly love it—like my mom’s raspberry dessert—I might be okay with that. But for something I don’t love, it is easier for me to just pass by it altogether.

Allergies and Intolerances (7:55)

This has much more serious ramifications for “cheaters.” Going “of plan” can have a huge range of physical symptoms ranging from discomfort to severe pain to anaphylaxis. Be VERY mindful about how you proceed. For example, Celiacs? Don’t touch the rolls! Make sure that turkey wasn’t stuffed with a bread stuffing. Watch for cross contamination. Check ingredient lists.

Depending on the severity of your allergies, you might do most to all of your own cooking.

Elimination Diets: AIP, GAPS, SIBO, Candida, etc. (8:30)

For therapeutic diets and elimination periods, it is really important to ponder that WHY. Then understand the cost. Generally, we are dealing with immune responses here so going off plan can set you back to square one in your journey. Is that worth it? Most likely not.

On the bright side, you can remind yourself that this is temporary situation. If you survive this holiday spread, the next one could be so much easier!

Oops! (9:20)

Accidents happen. You assumed a dish was safe and it wasn’t; you forgot to check a label, etc. Don’t panic! Don’t make a big deal. Don’t guilt trip your host! Deep breathes. If you begin to feel bloated or have stomach upset, a couple of charcoal tablets can help draw out the irritants. Take with plenty of water and continue to hydrate through the rest of the day and into the next. Be careful to stay calm and rest if needed; stressing out can magnify the effect. Don’t beat yourself up or replay the event.

Cooking for Others (10:30)

Cooking for ones you love can be more stress than cooking for yourself. Check the video for a discussion of how to stay focused and motivated.

Destination Dinners and Dealing with Host/Hostesses (13:37)

Setting up an honest and no pressure conversation is vital to success when eating away from home. Listen in for some tips.

Fill the table with basics (16:50)

The visual feast is half the fun, and a variety of dishes to fill up the table is part of the tradition/fun. Pick a few simple vegetable dishes to share that come together in minutes and taste great.

Examples: Green beans with bacon bits, creamed corn (so easy from scratch!), fresh cranberry salsa, candied carrots, whipped sweet potatoes, queso dip or a cheese ball, caprese salad, roasted Brussel sprouts, etc.

Pick one or two you can offer up, even if they don’t fit everyone’s diet on your list. They will add to the entire experience.

Feeling Special: the Feeling you’re going for (17:40)

Remember how you felt as a kid on Thanksgiving day? Harness that excitement. It is your turn to create that for your kids and loved ones. Remember that episode of Friends where Monica is cooking everyone’s favorites and then blows up in frustration? We are not going for that. But we do want to make each person feel one dish had their name on it.

Interviews

Ask each person with special diets what would light them up. What would they really miss if they couldn’t eat? It might surprise you how easy their request it. Some may take more creativity and effort, but starting early will help and the pay off is worth it. Check the video for some examples of this from my own house.

Plan ahead! Map it all out! Drop things if you need to and then make it happen!

Strategy

Shop Ahead! (21:40)

Be meticulous with that list so you aren’t running back for “one thing” 5 or 6 times. Shop as far in advance as you can to leave time open closer to crunch time.

Delegate (21:53)

Involve the whole family. Who requested the stuffed mushrooms? They can prep the caps so you just have to fill them. Little hands can wash vegetables and stir things. Husbands can chop veggies and prep. Look for what you can assign to others. Be specific with instructions, but also accept their best efforts.

Stay Calm (25:51)

There are a lot of stressful triggers on Thanksgiving. At least for me! Time and Space restrictions; 10 dishes and 1 oven; high expectations; lots of people, small space; travel; timing; etc. You have to be on your game to avoid falling victim to the frenzy. Check the video for discussion on how.

Find and Focus on Joy

Wishing you the bet Thanksgiving ever! There is always so much to be grateful for. I love this saying:

A grateful heart attracts miracles.

I am wishing you and yours feel healing miracles in the coming months. Your efforts to eat healthy will pave the way!

Hungry for More? Talk to Me!

Let’s chat about your strategy to get through the holidays and into the next year. Let’s talk about ways to get help aligning your diet with your goals. Remember, your food should be serving you!

Visit the Farm

Come in during store hours, I am usually behind the counter. And it is time to get your turkey! Make sure to tell me while you are in what your favorite holiday foods are! UPDATED: I no longer work at the farm and can’t speak for their stock and store updates anymore but I still enthusiastically promote their delicious, ethically raised, locally sourced products and still recommend anyone on the Wasatch Front check them out! (Tell them I sent you!)

One on One:

Need some more intensive help? I would love to see what your personal needs and concerns are and talk about how food can help. Schedule a free 20 minute consult by phone or video chat so we can discuss your challenges and goals and ways I can help.

Let's talk

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Thanksgiving with Special Diets: Help