For many people, Thanksgiving (celebrated every November in the U.S.) is one of the best holidays of the year. Besides being a time to show gratitude, Thanksgiving is also a time when most people get together with their loved ones. Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday season, and it’s celebrated with lots of love, laughter…and food!
The main event of the holiday is Thanksgiving dinner: loads of tasty side dishes, decadent desserts, and the traditional Thanksgiving turkey! Holidays can be challenging for dieters, though. When you're on a diet, (especially a carb-limiting diet like Keto), you have to resist the urge to dig into all the mouth-watering (and often carb-heavy) dishes spread out before you. How can you cope?
You have a few options. You could decide to avoid attending or hosting a Thanksgiving dinner this year, although that decision might cause a little friction with your family. Alternately, you could follow my tips, which will let you enjoy the Thanksgiving feast and still maintain your Keto diet!
Tip One: Load Up on Turkey
You don't have to worry about missing out on all the delicious turkey available during Thanksgiving as it is Keto-compliant! You can have as much turkey as your stomach can take. Turkey is mostly protein, which makes it not only Keto-friendly but better for your overall health. Loading up on turkey during Thanksgiving is one of the surest ways to avoid unhealthy foods. It fills your stomach and helps to curb unhealthy cravings. Just remember that you will need to consume some fat at some point during the day to keep your macros in line! Plan to have some fat bombs later at home, or down an extra bulletproof coffee to stave off that tryptophan snooze fest!
Tip Two: Choose Your Drinks Wisely
Limiting yourself to a maximum of two alcoholic drinks during Thanksgiving dinner will go a long way to keeping your diet in check. However, which alcoholic beverages are the best for Keto? When you indulge in alcohol, opt for a pure distilled spirit such as plain vodka. You could also choose any of the regular dry wines. Whatever you pick, ensure that you do not exceed two serving. Alcohol can affect people on Keto sooner and harder than people on a regular diet!
Tip Three: Prepare Home-Cooked Meals
If you are attending a Thanksgiving dinner, bring your Keto-compliant food. (Note: Always check with the host or hostess before you show up with your own food: anyone who has spent hours creating a feast might be a bit offended if a guest brings their own dinner!) Offer to make a Keto-friendly side dish or two, like mashed cauliflower or sugar-free cranberry sauce. If absolutely necessary, eat before you head over and just focus on enjoying the company--and the turkey! If it’s an all day event, take a thermos with bone broth (Amazon US | Amazon CA) or protein shake to help get you through the day.
You can adapt almost every traditional Thanksgiving dish to the Keto diet! With a substitute for nearly all the carb-heavy ingredients, you can prepare interesting meals to enjoy during Thanksgiving.
What are your plans to make it through Thanksgiving? I would love it if you shared them with me in my Intentionally Bare Facebook group!
You got this!
Leta ~ Intentionally Bare
DISCLAIMER: The information in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. The content in here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or heard here.
