Welcome to this special Thanksgiving edition of F45 Training’s Fact or Fiction: Nutrition series, where we separate seasonal food myths from practical, evidence-informed guidance. With support from registered dietitian Ashleigh Kidd, this edition is designed to help you navigate holiday meals with more confidence, balance and enjoyment — without falling into restriction, guilt or all-or-nothing thinking.
In this Thanksgiving special, we’re exploring why you don’t need to “save up” calories before a holiday meal, why it’s okay to enjoy the foods you love, how mindfulness can support a more balanced eating experience, and why food is only one part of what makes the holiday meaningful.
Ready? Let’s bring a little balance to the holiday table!
“You should eat like you normally would leading up to your holiday meal”
Fact!
It can be tempting to skip meals leading up to the meal you’re looking forward to in attempts to save up calories. But, this will more likely than not leave you feeling out of control and possibly binging once you get to that holiday meal. Instead, eat how you normally would leading up to the meal/day and aim for balance at most meals (including fat, carbohydrates, fiber, and the right amount of protein for your needs). Read more about building a balanced plate on the F45 blog.
“It’s ok to eat the foods you love at your holiday meal”
Fact!
Give yourself the permission and freedom to eat your favorite holiday foods. Avoiding these will almost always result in overeating them either. Remember: there are no “good/bad foods”. Eat, enjoy, and move on, it’s one meal on one day.
“You can practice mindfulness at your holiday meal”
Fact!
One way to bring some mindfulness to your holiday meal is assessing your hunger before, during, and after your meal. Once you’ve finished your meal, take 10-15 minutes and remove yourself from the dining area. If you’re still hungry, go get more! If you’re not, move on. Remember that seconds will always be there, they aren’t going anywhere. Here’s some tips on mindful eating.
“What you eat is the most important part of the holiday”
Fiction!
We all look forward to that yummy holiday food, it just hits different (hello, sweet potato pie!). And it’s normal to be excited about high-salt or high-sugar foods that we don’t usually consume more than 1-2 times per year. But remember, that’s not the only part of the holiday. Try to bring some focus to spending time with your loved ones and reflecting on what you’ve been grateful for this past year. When we’re in the moment and present with our family and friends, the less space we have to let food guilt and thoughts creep in.
Looking for more seasonal nutrition guidance? Continue exploring F45 Training’s Fact or Fiction: Nutrition series with our Ramadan special edition, where registered dietitian Ashleigh Kidd shares practical advice for supporting energy, hydration and balanced eating during changes to your daily routine.
