A Realistic Thanksgiving Game Plan

What Holidays Actually Look Like for Most Adults

Next week, you wear every hat. You are the host wiping counters while answering “what time should we get there” texts, the guest arriving with store-bought pie because the homemade plan lost to the calendar, the traveler power-walking terminals and counting carry-ons like toddlers, and the cleanup crew stacking Tupperware that never has matching lids. Food shows up at odd hours, coffee becomes a personality trait, and sleep negotiates against logistics. The gym bag rides shotgun, untouched, and you keep promising you will get back on it next week, right up until the group chat invents a new plan.

So we make it easier. Ten minute walks count, especially when they fit inside what you already do. One satisfying plate is enough, and dessert is on the table when you actually want it. No food penance, no perfection trap, no pretending this month is normal. Your win is momentum, not martyrdom. Now let’s set a game plan that helps you move a little, eat well enough, and keep your sanity without turning the season into a project.

Just Walk It Out

Travel days and family plans will bend your routine, so anchor movement to obvious moments you are already doing. Take a ten minute walk before you leave and another when you arrive. If you are in an airport, loop your gate area between connections. Within an hour after the big meal, take a 10 to 15 minute stroll, which can help your body handle the meal and keep energy steadier. You will get similar benefits with brisk post-meal walking in everyday life, not just on holidays.(PMID: 23761134)

How to Enjoy the Food and Still Feel Good Tomorrow

Build a plate that is satisfying without micromanaging. Aim for a palm of protein, fill half the plate with veggies you actually like, then add the starches you genuinely want, not the ones you feel obligated to try. Make one plate, pause for ten to fifteen minutes, then have dessert slowly and without multitasking if you still want it. Choose one or two “worth it” holiday favorites and pass on filler items. Pair every alcoholic drink with a full glass of water. Before dinner, pack tomorrow’s lunch from today’s turkey and vegetables so grazing the next day is less tempting. Remember, people often eat a bit more around the holiday period, and small changes can linger across the season, which is why simple edges like these help. (PMID: 10727591)

Ditch the Food Math And Keep the Joy

No guilt policy. You do not need to earn your food. Meals are not a prize for suffering or a penalty for missing a walk. Eat because you are hungry, because you actually enjoy the holiday dish, and because sharing a table matters. Movement is care, not currency. Walk because it helps you feel better during a busy week, clears your head, and keeps your groove, not to pay off a plate. Skip the math, skip the penance, and skip the “I will make up for it tomorrow” bargaining. If the morning stroll disappears, take the after-dinner one and call it a win. If today is pie day, enjoy it slowly and move on. A single short walk can lift mood and reduce stress, which makes sane choices easier when family and travel are in the mix.(PMID: 29765853)

Choose Your Own Holiday Game Plan

When Everyone Is Coming to Your Place

• Morning, 10 minute solo walk before prep

• Afternoon, 10 minute “timer walk” while something bakes

• After dinner, 10 minute family stroll

When Your Day Is Planes, Trains, or Freeways

• Before you leave, 10 minute neighborhood loop

• En route, one terminal lap or two rest stop loops

• After you arrive, 10 minute “stretch your legs” walk

When You Are Back in Your Childhood Living Room

• Breakfast, 10 minute walk with coffee

• Between games, two, two minute driveway laps

• After dessert, 10 minute walk and talk

Ready for Structure That Survives the Holidays

Want a plan you can actually stick to in December too, with accountability and good vibes, join our Signature Group classes and roll into the holidays with momentum. We will help you build your walk anchors, keep stress low, and feel strong without the all or nothing trap.

References

• DiPietro, Loretta, et al. “Three 15-min Bouts of Moderate Postmeal Walking Significantly Improves 24-h Glycemic Control in Older People at Risk for Impaired Glucose Tolerance.” Diabetes Care, vol. 36, no. 10, 2013, pp. 3262–3268.

• Yanovski, Jack A., et al. “A Prospective Study of Holiday Weight Gain.” The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 342, no. 12, 2000, pp. 861–867.

• Basso, Julia C., and Wendy Suzuki. “The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways.” Brain Plasticity, vol. 2, no. 2, 2017, pp. 127–152.