Many people are finishing up their Thanksgiving feast plans now. Some people plan to eat only according to their food plan, others are going hog-wild, and yet others are somewhere in the middle.
Myself? I plan to eat more carbs but no sugar or alcohol. I know myself and my limits. I bounce back very easily from an occasional (rare) carb indulgence. Sugar or alcohol can destroy my food plan for weeks.
As you approach Thanksgiving, it’s critical you know yourself and plan accordingly.
Whatever you plan on doing, be true to yourself.
Below are strategies for a positive Thanksgiving. In addition, it's critical to identify the types of people who might push you to eat off your plan. Understanding how your family and friends fits into these roles will help you be prepared for them.
Strategies
Prepare Mentally
Remind yourself of your why ~ why you choose to have a food plan. What pain drove you to that point of commitment to a new way of eating? You don’t want to return to that space.
Prepare Physically
Eat a snack or mini-meal in advance. It’s harder to resist the urge to eat off-plan when hungry.
Have Alternatives
Take safe food alternatives you can enjoy. If you are worried it will draw unwanted attention, don’t mention it’s low-carb or keto. People only care that you’ve brought a dish to share and that it tastes delicious.
Stay Busy
Staying busy by helping set-up dinner, serving food and drinks, cleaning up, etc. is a very effective deflector. It not only deflects people from focusing on your eating but also helps deflect yourself from focusing on food.
Plan a Reward
Sometimes knowing you have a “safe” reward at home can help stifle urges to eat off plan. (I use this one frequently!)
Types of People Who Might Force Food on Others
Below are the types of people who will insist that others eat. Some are well-intentioned, some are not. No matter their type, this is their reasons for pushing food.
See if you can identify these people before Thanksgiving. Rehearse now how you might respond to them.
The Good
The Nurturing Caregiver: They equate food with love and care. Offering food is their way of showing affection and concern.
The Enthusiastic Cook or Foodie: They take pride in their cooking or food choices and are eager for others to enjoy it. They might push food as a way to share their passion.
These two are the most positive types. When food is offered, gush over them and let them know you feel the care and love they put into their food. You deeply appreciate their efforts.
When it comes to actually tasting the food, deflect and redirect. Put the food item aside, get busy and move on.
My husband is the Nurturing Caregiver. I asked if he could make food that I could eat and shared recipes with him. If he wanted to make something that was off plan for me but fine for him, I admire it like art and then eat my food. It works for us.
The Moderate
The Cultural Host: In many cultures, offering food is a sign of hospitality and refusal might be seen as rude. They may insist on guests eating more as a way of showing generosity.
The Traditionalist: They adhere to traditional values where not eating enough or refusing food is seen as disrespectful or concerning.
These two are tricky and candidly, hard to get around. This is part of an identity and “rejecting food” can be seen as rejecting them, or family.
Try putting the food on your plate and ignoring it, “This looks great, I will leave it here and eat it when I get a moment.”
If that is too much temptation, say "next go around" and then rave about what is on your plate or change the topic.
Lastly, reframe things as this is not a rejection of them but instead an investment into your health. Tell them you love them cooking for you and ask if you could share recipes of food you can eat for future feasts.
The Worst
The Peer Pressurer: Sometimes, in group settings, people encourage others to eat (especially unhealthy foods) to feel validated about their own food choices.
The Control Seeker: For some, insisting others eat can be about exerting control or influence, often under the guise of care or hospitality.
Deflect and redirect. When that fails, ignore.
Sometimes a simple “no thanks” does the trick. When pushed even harder (it happens at times), just smile and say “no thanks” again.
By not engaging (or offering explanations) it’s very difficult for a person to push without ending up looking terrible. You don't have to explain yourself to people, you really don't. Just keep smiling and saying “no thanks”.
One last tip:
If possible, having a friend or family member at the party who understands and supports your goals can be a helpful. They can act as a buffer from people pushing food on you and also help keep you accountable.
No matter what type of Thanksgiving your planning, I hope you have a wonderful one.
Until next time!
Hugs,
Jami