What I'm going to say here might be a bit controversial in the fitness and fat-loss world
but I think it needs saying...

It applies not only to Thanksgiving (here in the U.S.) but to ANY occasion where you
have the opportunity to overeat.

And that advice is this...just do it.

And don't worry about it.

I am so tired of hearing about how to "survive" Thanksgiving or "survive"
Christmas as though a holiday is something to be feared because eating a
big meal among friends and family will somehow morph into a 6 week
Hungry Hungry Hippo marathon of binge eating.

If you want to eat, eat.

Plan for it in your training and in your eating habits before and after and just get
right back to business when you're done.

Now, just to be clear...I'm not saying you HAVE to overeat or stuff yourself with garbage.

What I AM saying is that if you do, the stress hormones you're going to release
worrying incessantly about screwing up are doing more harm to you than eating
that actual piece of pumpkin pie.

So I propose something different.

Rather than forcing yourself to eat plain veggies and dry turkey when your whole
family is sitting down to a big holiday dinner, join in. I'm going to tell you how to
make it work FOR you, not against you.

#1 - Forgive yourself in advance

If you're the type who feels guilty when you eat foods that aren't the greatest for
you, try to set that aside. This is going to be a positive, guilt-free experience.

#2 - Reduce your calories BEFORE your big meals

By reducing your caloric intake before the big meals, it's more likely that your body
will use those excess calories to rebuild depleted stores first rather than add to the
ones that are already there. Don't starve yourself completely - just reduce.

#3 - Do a hard, heavy workout as close to mealtime as you can

Immediately after a hard workout, your body is ready for raw materials to rebuild
with. This effect lasts for about 3 to 4 hours. During this time, your body is primed
for muscle growth. By doing your workout just before a big holiday dinner, all that
food is going to go towards helping your body rebuild and recover from the workout.
Very little, if any, of the excess calories you eat will be stored as fat under these
conditions.

#4 - Try to focus on foods with some nutritional value

Feel free to load your plate with turkey and mashed potatoes. These foods have
plenty of nutritional value. At the same time, don't freak out that the gravy isn't
made with grass-fed butter.

#5 - Increase your training volume temporarily

What this basically means is do more sets/work for each muscle group. Back off on
intensity a bit and decrease your rest periods so you can do more sets in your workout.

#6 - Don't go to sleep after you eat

I know it's going to be hard but you're better off not napping after a big holiday
meal, especially if the Lions are playing ;). Try to keep moving around to keep
your stomach contents churning and digesting.

#7 - Schedule another heavy workout for the day after a big holiday meal

After loading yourself up with carbs, fat and protein, your body is a nutrient-filled
growth machine. Take advantage of your loading by doing another high-volume,
heavy workout the day after.

Putting these tips to work won't necessarily mean you won't gain some fat over
the holidays but they can certainly help to minimize fat gain and maximize your
muscle mass gains. Putting your overeating to work for you may not be pretty but
it can be very effective!

And like I said at the start...DON'T feel guilty about eating big holiday meals. When
you plan for it, you can actually use it to your advantage and everybody wins.

You have my permission.

Nick

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