The time has come! How the heck is Thanksgiving already only two days away?! I don't know about you, but I feel like it totally came out of nowhere this year. I guess that’s what happens as we get older - remember the good ole days of making paper turkey cutouts in elementary school and dorm room Friendsgiving parties in college? Sigh!

To be totally honest, I had quite a bit of resistance come up, personally, around talking about wellness as it pertains to the holidays — everyone is already talking about it, it can feel completely overwhelming, and often times it just adds MORE stress to an already stressed and busy bride. (How am I going to get through it? How am I going to have the willpower? What happens if I totally mess up? What am I going to eat? Am I going to have to not eat the entire next day to make up for it? Is this going to ruin all my hard work?...)

That being said, I decided to speak to it simply because I want to help you avoid all the unnecessary stress, pressure, and dread that can accompany the overload of wellness advice this time of year. I’ve learned, through trial and error, what works for me… and I want to share some tips with you in the hopes that by implementing these, you can be totally present and enjoy yourself this season — instead of freaking out about the food on your plate.

So! Here are my top 5 tips for a healthy and mindful Thanksgiving:

1. Loosen your grip

Whatever happens, the world won't end. Please, go easy on yourself. Until you've been at this for awhile (eating a certain way and really understanding what makes your body thrive)... the holiday season IS hard. You probably WILL "slip up." Don't place unfair expectations on yourself, and just know that at the end of the day, what you consume is not the most important thing anyway. Be present, and enjoy this time with friends and family. Focus on conversation over calories, and you’ll be better off for it.

2. Drink (lots of) water

For many, Thanksgiving festivities come with a lot of alcohol; be mindful here, and make sure you're hydrating. Drinking water consistently throughout the day is also really helpful in avoiding over-eating — not only is hunger often confused for thirst, but placing your focus on hydrating can keep you from mindlessly grazing all day long.

3. Don't apologize for your self care

I've experienced this personally, and this is a topic that's come up a lot recently with my clients. They're nervous about having to explain and defend their choices to their families, and they're concerned that they'll feel pressured to eat certain things that they genuinely no longer want. This is really a much larger topic, but just as a reminder: do what you need to do to take care of yourself, and you don't owe anyone an explanation.

4. Load up on protein and fat

And, of course, veggies! Go for the turkey (can’t believe I’m saying that; I actually hate turkey and won’t touch it), cook your veggies in high quality & filling fats — and fill your plate with those, first. Then, if you’ve just gotta have some stuffing and mac & cheese (no judgements here), start with small spoonfuls. You’ll probably find that once you’ve filled up on the protein, healthy fats, and veggies, you won’t want quite so much of the other stuff!

5. Healthify your fav dishes!

This is something I’ve started doing in recent years to make sure I’m set up for success. My family doesn’t want to give up their traditions — which means stuffing from a box, sweet potato casserole with mini marshmallows on top… you get the idea. (Thankfully, I’ve gotten them to switch to grass fed butter in the mashed potatoes instead of margarine!) Instead of trying to make everyone else change what they’re eating… I just make sure to take care of myself. I make small servings of my own mashed sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce made with raw honey, a paleo pumpkin pie, and roasted brussels sprouts. This way, I don’t have to feel left out, I don’t have to compromise on what I’m choosing to eat, and everyone else can keep doing their thing.

I hope you find this helpful — and I’d love to know if you were able to implement any of these tips into this year’s festivities!

<3 Happy Thanksgiving!

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