What This Dietitian Wants You to Know Before Thanksgiving

If thinking about Thanksgiving makes your brain jump straight to calories, “making up for it,” or how bloated you’ll feel after dinner…you are in good company.

You might be juggling…

• A sensitive gut (hello IBS, reflux, mystery bloating)
• Hormone related diagnoses like PCOS or blood sugar swings
• GLP-1 medications and a brand-new relationship with appetite
• A long history of dieting and food rules

…on top of travel, family dynamics, and that one relative who still wants to talk about everyone’s body at the table. As a registered dietitian, here’s what I want you to know before Thanksgiving this year so you can actually enjoy your food and feel okay afterwards.

Thanksgiving Is One Day, Not a Test

Diet culture treats Thanksgiving like an exam you either pass (“I was so good”) or fail (“I was so bad”). Your body does not see it that way.

Your body sees:

• A bigger meal than usual
• Different foods than usual
• Maybe different timing than usual

… and then it does what bodies do: digest, regulate, and return to baseline.

One meal (or one weekend) doesn’t:

• “Undo” your health
• Erase your nutrition progress with your weight, digestive health, or managing your blood sugar
• Make you a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ at your nutrition

You’re allowed to have a special meal without turning it into a personality test.

Don’t Show Up Starving

I know the temptation: “I’ll just save up all my calories for dinner.” Mathematically, this might make sense; if we budget our calories for dinnertime, then the meal we eat will be our day’s breakfast + lunch + dinner. But, from a nutrition perspective, that usually (always) backfires and makes everything feel harder:

• You arrive overly-hungry, so it’s easy to eat past comfortable fullness.
• Blood sugar can swing more dramatically. Low blood sugars create a feeling of, ‘I want quick carbs (hello, bread) and I need them now’. I’m willing to bet that when you’re hangry, you’re not reaching for a salad.
• It sets up the “last supper” feeling: I better eat it all now.

Instead:

• Eat a breakfast like you would on a normal day (protein + carb + some fat).
  • Example: eggs or Greek yogurt + multigrain toast + nut butter + fruit
• Have a light lunch or snack a few hours before the meal.
  • Example: turkey/cheese roll-ups + crackers, or hummus + pita + veggies

You don’t need to be stuffed walking in, but you also don’t need to be ravenous. Aim for “I could definitely eat, but I’m not shaky or obsessed with the bread basket.”

Build a Plate That Loves You Back

There’s no one “right” way to make a Thanksgiving plate, but here’s a structure that works for most bodies:
1. Start with protein (about a palm-sized amount).
Turkey, chicken, roast beef, salmon, whatever your family does. Protein helps with blood sugar and satiety and should be about 1/4 of your plate.

2. Add 1–2 veggie or fiber-rich sides.
Think: salad, green beans, roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts, squash, simple roasted potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes. These support digestion and blood sugar, and your body will appreciate the fiber.

3. Choose 1–3 “fun” carbs you’re truly excited about.
Stuffing, mac and cheese, sweet potato casserole, dinner rolls, that one casserole your aunt makes that you look forward to every year. You don’t need to “earn” them or justify them.

• Pick what you actually want, not what you “should” have.
• Start with a small scoop of each so you can taste everything without overloading your stomach.

4. Pause halfway and check in.
Not to micromanage every bite, but to notice:

• Am I still enjoying this?
• Am I getting physically uncomfortable?
• Do I want more of anything, or is this enough for now?

If your gut tends to be sensitive, smaller portions with the option for seconds often feels much better than one giant, overloaded plate.

It’s Okay to Feel Full

Fullness is a body sensation, similar to feeling like you need to use the bathroom. On holidays, it’s very normal to feel more full than usual. That doesn’t automatically mean you “overdid it” or “messed up.” Sometimes it just means:

• The food was delicious
• You ate slower or faster than usual
• You had more variety than on a typical day

What I don’t want for you is the spiral that often follows: “I’m too full → I failed → tomorrow I have to ‘make up for it’ → cue the restrict–binge cycle or running 10 miles because I have to burn off my food.”

Instead, try:

• Notice: “Wow, I’m really full right now.”
• Normalize: “It makes sense, this was a special meal and my routine is different.”
• Nurture: “What would help my body feel better over the next few hours?”

That might look like a gentle walk after dinner, comfy sweats, extra water, or tea, not punishment workouts or skipping meals the next day.

Scripts for Shutting Down Diet & Body Talk

Unfortunately, food and body comments love to crash Thanksgiving like an uninvited guest. Here are some phrases you can borrow:

For diet talk (“I’m being so bad,” “I’ll have to burn this off tomorrow”):

• “I’m trying not to label my food as good or bad. I just want to enjoy dinner.”
• “Let’s talk about something more fun, it’s Thanksgiving!”

For comments about your plate (“Is that all you’re eating?” “Wow, going back for more?”):

• “I’m listening to what my body needs today.”
• “I’m good for now, thank you.”

For comments about your body or weight:

• “I’m focusing on how I feel, not my weight.”
• “I’d rather not talk about my body, tell me about [your kids / your trip / anything else] instead.”

You don’t owe anyone an explanation for how you eat, what meds you’re on, or what your goals are. A short, neutral statement + topic change is usually enough.

When Your Body Has Specific Needs (IBS, PCOS, GLP-1s, History of Dieting)

These are the categories my clients are typically in, so let’s talk through a few quick considerations.

If you have IBS, IBD, or a sensitive gut:

• Watch your onion/garlic load if you know they’re triggers for you (stuffing, gravy, some casseroles).
• Be mindful with very high-fat foods, which can worsen cramping or urgency for some people.
• Use FODZYME (*this is an affiliate link*) at meals or IBGard (use before and/or after the meal).
• Portion size + pace matter more than perfection: smaller scoops, slower bites, and time between courses help your digestion keep up.
  You don’t have to eat a fully “safe” plate or bring your own separate meal unless that genuinely makes you feel calmer.

If you have PCOS or blood sugar concerns:

• Keep that plate structure: protein + fiber + carbs you enjoy.
• Try not to skip earlier meals; big blood sugar swings can leave you feeling extra tired, moody, and snacky later.
• If dessert is important to you, have it during the dessert course, not in secret or with shame. You’re allowed to enjoy it.

If you’re on a GLP-1 (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, etc.):

• Smaller portions spread out over time often feel better than one massive plate.
• Eat slowly and pause often; your stomach empties more slowly on these meds.
• Don’t change or skip your dose just for Thanksgiving without talking to your prescriber first. Your long-term health matters more than one meal.

If you have a history of dieting or disordered eating:

Holidays can be really activating for diet thoughts. My top tips:

• Make a plan with your care team (RD, therapist, support person) for the day.
• Consider sharing your plan with one safe person at the gathering who can help run interference or take a walk with you.
• Remember: you are not “back at square one” because a holiday feels hard. Recovery includes real life, and you’re practicing that right now.

If Things Don’t Go As Planned

You might have the best intentions and still:

• Eat or drink more than feels comfortable
• Say “yes” to food or conversation you wish you’d skipped
• Have a flare of symptoms, anxiety, or guilt

None of that means you ruined anything. It just gives you information (or data, as I like to call it) for next time.

Instead of: “Ugh, I blew it. I have to be perfect tomorrow.”
Try: “Okay, that wasn’t ideal, but it’s one day. What would support my body and brain today?”

Some gentle “day after” ideas:

• Hydrate (plain water or tea)
• Eat your regular meals instead of “making up for it”
• Move your body in a way that feels good, not punishing
• Jot down what helped and what didn’t in your Notes app, so future-you has a little playbook

When to Reach Out for Support

If Thanksgiving (and the whole holiday season) tends to send you into a spiral of:

• Bloating, reflux, or IBS flares
• All-or-nothing eating
• Stress about blood sugar, PCOS, or meds
• Shame after meals and “I’ll start over Monday” thinking

…you do not have to DIY this.

I work with clients on digestive health, hormones, and their relationship with food using evidence-based nutrition and a very human, non-judgy approach.
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I wish someone would just help me make a plan that fits my real life,” you’re exactly the kind of person I see.

Learn more about working together here.