Thanksgiving, rules or no rules?

As some of you know (if you read her blog) I am Foodstalking my friend Aidan this month. 

Aidan is doing really well (she may be sick of my suggestions but she hasn’t said so), sending me her food log each day but yesterday this question came “thoughts on tgiving dinner? Rules or no rules??!”

I don’t think it came as too much of a surprise to Aidan, who knows I wrote a book about nutrition and planning, that I not only replied “rules but reasonable ones” but also attached a “treaty” for her to complete and sign. Then, during a client session yesterday, another client asked “is this time of year a total nightmare for you?” It isn’t and I’ll tell you why. If we think about our choices over Thanksgiving we set the tone for a mindful (AKA weight gain free) holiday season. Before Thursday sort a few things out:

When will you workout?

I believe in moving (you don’t need a gym, “turkey burn” or a turkey trot but if you have access to these- go) on Thanksgiving you just need to do something for 30 minutes or more.  If you are traveling ALL day (or fessing up to blow dry preservation) and absolutely cannot then aim for Wednesday and Friday.  Holidays can be full of sitting so wear your Fitbits too.

Pick Favorites

I’m not a fan of “everything in moderation” because at Thanksgiving there is nothing moderate about a little of everything. Is your absolute favorite stuffing or pie (those seem to be the most beloved among our clients) have a small piece of pie or ¼ of your plate of stuffing. And it's only fair that while you’re picking your favorite treat, pick a couple things you can skip. Options include cheese, bread, potatoes…I say skip the items you can have any time of year.

Have an anchor (or 2)

We know that Thanksgiving can be a nutritional doozy (I recall estimates for “typical meals” in the 4,000 calorie vicinity) but don’t forget things you can do proactively. Whether it’s water drinking or filling ½ your plate with veggies or sending us your plate (via instagram or twitter @Foodtrainers #turkeytreaty) commit to something as your anchor behavior  ahead of time.

So yes, I am always in favor of rules though I think calling it a plan sounds a little better. Trust me, come Monday you’ll be thankful.

What workouts do you have planned over thanksgiving? If you were to “pick favorites” what’s your favorite treat? Any items on the “no” list? Will you send us a plate pic?

Mindful but not Neurotic

New Foodtrainees often ask “how long do clients typically see you?” That’s a tricky question to answer. Most clients come intensively in the first couple of months but the really successful Foodtrainees don’t see our work in those terms. If you think about it, would you ask a personal trainer “how many visits will I need?” Or a therapist? Food is the same way. Though clients may not come weekly for the duration they check in, schedule a bunch of visits to reboot and realize the value of accountability.

I am an excellent digresser but session frequency wasn’t the point of this post. I had a client in my office last Thursday and we realized that we first met five years ago. I have seen her in spurts but this time of year is crazy for her with work and so we’re usually in contact. She opened her session (long time Foodtrainees know I prefer the good news first though we all have the tendency to want to confess our food sins) saying “I feel mindful but not neurotic”.

I jotted that comment down in my notebook. Progress with weight should make us less obsessive not more. I’ll call this client Five (for our five years). Five knows what foods to bring for her trips. She also knows how to reign it in before and after to allot for travel eating. Most of all, she knows which behaviors leave her at the top of her comfortable range and what she’s doing when she wants to drop.

I was doing a radio show last week and was asked “who is the Foodtrainers’ client?”

I joked and said I  could be a Foodtrainers’ client and added it’s someone who likes input and a system, someone busy with work or family or travel or just stuff. Someone who likes to eat but likes their clothes fitting well and wants to age gracefully.” My client Five is all of the above. Happy Anniversary to her and I’m raising my glass (ok coffee mug) to us all being more mindful and less neurotic.

Why do you think we want rapid results when it comes to food and weight? Would you have thought that clients come to us for 5 or 10 years? Are you more mindful or more neurotic?