The Thanksgiving feast has come and gone, leaving us with full hearts, possibly fuller bellies, and definitely a fridge full of leftovers. While the holiday may disrupt your usual eating routine with its abundance of food, it's a perfect time to practice self-compassion and navigate back to your intuitive eating habits. Here's how you can make the most of your Thanksgiving leftovers while gently realigning with your body's cues.
Managing Leftovers Creatively:
Transform into Something New: Leftovers offer an opportunity to get creative. Transform turkey into a savory soup or a turkey chili. Use mashed potatoes to top a shepherd's pie or mix them into dough to make potato bread or gnocchi. Vegetables can be tossed into a frittata or used as a vibrant addition to soups and salads. Not only do these ideas prevent waste, but they also provide enjoyment of your holiday feast in new, exciting ways.
Portion and Freeze: If you have more leftovers than you can handle in the few days following Thanksgiving, portion them out and freeze for later. This can make future meal planning easier and less stressful, ensuring you have quick, ready-to-eat options that can help maintain balanced eating habits.
Embracing Intuitive Eating Post-Feast:
Listen to Your Body: It's common, and perfectly normal, to overindulge during holiday celebrations. Now that they are over, simply return to listening to your body's hunger and fullness signals. Give yourself grace and avoid the urge to compensate for overeating. Instead, resume your normal eating routine, focusing on nourishing your body according to its needs.
Normalize All Foods: Remember, all foods can fit into a healthy diet. Just because you ate a lot of desserts for Thanksgiving, doesn't mean you need to avoid them in the near future. Continue to include a variety of foods in your meals, from proteins and vegetables to grains and fats, and desserts. This balanced approach helps reinforce a healthy relationship with food and can prevent feelings of restriction that might lead to overeating and feeling loss of control.
Thanksgiving and the few days after it filled with leftovers provide an opportunity to practice and reaffirm your intuitive eating principles. By approaching the post-holiday period with a plan for your leftovers and a commitment to listening to your body, you can enjoy the season without guilt and maintain a peaceful relationship with food.
