Transcript: Thanksgiving Workout Strategy: How to Enjoy Holiday Food Without Gaining Weight
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Ashley introduces the episode's premise: that enjoying the holidays and staying committed to fitness are not mutually exclusive, pushing back on the all-or-nothing mindset.
Hey guys, famous Ashley Grant here. Welcome to More Movement Please, the podcast about inspiring you to move your body more. So tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I wanted to talk really quickly about something that's been on my mind and probably yours too. With the holidays here, it doesn't have to mean that you destroy your weight loss goals. And I know what you're thinking, but it's Thanksgiving or it's Christmas. I'm surrounded by family and there's pie everywhere and my gym routine is completely thrown off. I hear you. But here's the thing. You can enjoy, absolutely, you can enjoy the holidays and stay committed to your fitness journey. They're not. I repeat, they're not mutually exclusive. So let's talk about tomorrow, right? Thanksgiving dinner is going to be amazing.
Ashley shares three specific eating approaches — eating breakfast, staying hydrated, and using the plate method — plus a reminder to eat slowly and let the brain catch up to fullness.
And you should enjoy it. But here's what science actually tells us about not overindulging while still having a great time. First, I want you to eat breakfast. I know far too many people who will not eat breakfast the day of Thanksgiving. In fact, it used to be a thing that my husband was really adamant about. He's like, well, I don't want to do breakfast and I don't want to do lunch because we're going to have Thanksgiving dinner and I want to be really, really hungry for it. And it's tempting. It really is tempting to save all those calories for the big meal.
But research shows that arriving whenever you're starving leads to overeating. What you should do instead is have a really good breakfast to keep your blood sugar stable and then stay hydrated. That's number two, right? In fact, you should be doing that all day. Stay hydrated. Because what's funny is we often mistake thirst for hunger. So drink water all day, especially right before the big meal. And third, and this is a big one, I want you to use the plate method. Fill half of your plate with vegetables first, and then a quarter protein, hello turkey, and a quarter with those delicious carbs and sides. Notice I didn't say don't have the carbs and sides.
I want you to have it. I want you to have that stuffing and the mashed potatoes and all the delicious things, but you just have to be mindful about your portions. And the biggest thing while you're eating is eat slowly. If you're mindless about your eating, before you know it, you're shoveling in a crap ton of food and you may already have been full, but you kept going. If you keep going, even after you're full, you're just going to overstuff yourself and make yourself sick, right? So I know it's going to be hard, but I want you to like put down your fork between bites.
It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that you're full. Savor the flavors. Give your body time to tell you when it's satisfied. And not stuffed. So, it's going to be difficult, right? It's going to be hard. I get it. I totally get it. Because you start talking to Aunt Sharon and before you know it, you have just shoveled in a whole bunch of mashed potatoes and stuffing and all the good things. And your brain hasn't quite caught up to the fact that, hey, you might already be full. Now, let me tell you what I plan on doing. Tomorrow morning, before the chaos begins, I intend to get my workout in. I am so used to every single Thursday, I do Tabata and I do stretch. And there's amazing classes online that you can take. And so that's what I intend to do. My goal is even if I only work out 30 to 45 minutes, I plan on doing some Tabata rounds and I plan on doing some stretching. And here's
Ashley describes her own plan: Tabata and stretching on Thanksgiving morning, and her regular Friday Zumba class on Black Friday instead of shopping, framing movement as a personal identity commitment.
why. Not only does it set the tone for the day, it reminds me that I'm someone who prioritizes movement and health even on the holidays. And on Black Friday, while everyone else is going to be trying to get to the stores at dawn or maybe going back to work or whatever, I'm going to the gym. I definitely will be going to the gym. I'll have my Friday routine just like I do every single Friday of Zumba and low -impact cardio because, honestly, that's going to feel more amazing to me than trying to get some amazing deal. And let's face it, so many of the deals these days are on the computer anyway. You don't have to go and be one of those doorbusters. And do we really need $25 off a TV? Absolutely not.
What I need is 25 pounds off my waistline. So that's what I intend to do. And I encourage you to consider doing that for yourself as well, because there's something so satisfying about knowing that you had a good meal and you still kept your fitness goals and your commitment to yourself to get in shape as your top priority. So when you enjoy your Thanksgiving meal, And you continue to keep working out maybe the day of, or at least at the very least, the day after.
You're energized. You've got extra fuel in your system. And you're proving to yourself that one day of celebration doesn't have to derail everything you're working for. And listen, Thanksgiving is just the beginning. I know. We're heading into the full holiday season. You know, Christmas parties and cookie exchanges and New Year's celebrations. There's sweets. There's treats. And they're everywhere. And here's my plan. And maybe it'll work for you too. So I'm just sharing it with you in case you possibly want to use it. I fully intend to enjoy my mom's peanut butter chocolate candy.
Ashley extends the conversation to the broader holiday season — Christmas parties, cookie swaps, pie — and shares her personal plan to enjoy food while staying consistently active, warning that over-restriction leads to binging.
I fully intend to have some cookies at the cookie party, the cookie swap that I'm having with some gym buddies. I even plan on having some pie. But I'm also going to make sure that I am moving my body consistently every single day, staying active and not use the holiday as an excuse to completely abandon everything that I've worked so hard in the last few months for. Here's the thing. This episode is intended to remind you that the holidays are about joy. They're about gratitude and they're about connection. I don't want you to feel guilty. about the holidays.
But I also don't want you to overindulge. At the same time, if you over -restrict yourself, that's what's going to lead to the binging. So don't feel guilt if you want to try your cousin's banana pudding pie. Don't feel guilt if you're really wanting a couple bites of that sweet potato casserole. Have it. By all means, have it. But just make sure that you are not overindulging, you're being mindful about what you're consuming, and Work out even on the days that you have family things going on. Wake up earlier if you need to. I mean, I know that sounds like the same old things that gym bros say all the time, right?
But at the same time, if you just give yourself an extra 15 minutes, it could be what you need to stay on track. So wake up earlier. Do a quick body weight circuit in the guest room. Take a family walk after dinner. Movement, it doesn't have to be perfect, but it does have to happen. if you want to stay committed to your fitness goals. You've got this. I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving. I want you to know that I am so thankful that you're listening to this, and I hope that you are moving your body more. Love your people, eat the good food, and then make sure that you are getting right back to the work.
Onwards and upwards, my friends. Have you worked out today?