How to Not Overeat this Thanksgiving

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

Will this be another Thanksgiving that you throw caution to the wind and once again abandon your health goals?

Maybe you’re telling yourself that it’s only one day so you can get back on track tomorrow. Or maybe you don’t have the headspace to ‘deal with’ any more restrictions right now.

Whatever your reason, one thing’s for sure—you’ll regret it! Once the smoke has cleared, no one has ever said, “I’m so glad I overate.” Ever!! We always regret it, but our brains have this helpful way of forgetting our past transgressions. We forget all of the disgust, guilt, and shame we felt and vow to do better next time. We forget the promises we made of “this is the last time” and “just let me get through today.” Except, they are all lies.

The truth is, it takes us months to get back on track, if at all. I’ve read that the average American will gain 8-10 pounds from the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas and spend the entire new year trying to lose it, if at all.

Make his year different! Decide, once and for all, to end this cycle this year.

Here are a few tips I’ve put together that I’ve learned from many years of overeating during the holidays.

Put Some of These Tips into Practice

1.  Write out a few memory verses and keep them handy for when you need them

We’re constantly trying to use our human efforts to overcome these massive strongholds in our lives. When will we learn that we are no match from our emotions, from the powerful marketing of all the food commercials that are shoved in our faces during the holidays, and from the enemy? We lose every time! BUT God is! Use the power of His Word to encourage you and strengthen you during this season. It may sound simple but start by choosing a few scriptures and paste them in your cupboards, in your fridge, on the dashboard in your car. Use them wherever you need them.

Choose scriptures that speak to your need—overcoming temptation, gluttony, anger, loneliness, overwhelmed. For example, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Cor. 10:13

2.  Plan, Plan, Plan

Ever heard the quip, ‘Proper planning prevents poor performance.’ Keep thinking about that throughout the holidays. Start planning from today. Start planning your meal and what you will do when food is shoved in front of you. Start planning what you will do to stay within your boundaries and start praying now for the spirit of self-control. Waiting until the day and then hoping for the best is a bad plan.

Spending all day in the kitchen on Thanksgiving day will leave you very stressed and throwing caution to the wind. Try planning some meals and freezing them to avoid major Thanksgiving meltdowns.

3.  Load up on your vegetables and protein

This practical tip might not keep you from overeating, but it will help to ‘lessen the damage,’ so to speak. Many of us lose it with all the extra desserts and alcohol, which provides little to no nutritional value. Instead, try making some creative and delicious recipes that will fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied. If you think your family will revolt, try sneaking it into your favorite dishes. I bet they won’t recognize the difference. Try sneaking in some mashed cauliflower into your mashed potatoes, for instance—sneaky, sneaky.

With prayer and planning, you don’t have to feel stressed about sabotaging your health goals. Declare that this will not be the year that you gain weight over the holidays.

To help you kickstart the planning process, share below what you will do this Thanksgiving to help you stay within your boundaries.

Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends.

P.S. Of course, this is the perfect time for accountability and support. If you’ve tried it your way without success, change your approach. If you are tired of circling the same mountain repeatedly and want a Christ-centered approach to lasting weight loss without feeling guilty, deprived, or overwhelmed, be sure to sign up for our video course program right away at Weight Loss, God’s Way.