Gobble up! It's one of the yummiest days of the year! It's also one of the most challenging. No matter where you are at with your nutrition, this day seems to bring up emotions. The rushing around begins weeks before with the hustle at the grocery stores, and if your lucky you only have to make one trip. That's if your lucky. But the day of is where we tend to fall off track. Best laid plans right? Well, as I'm sure there is a Google App somewhere that can help you navigate your way through the buffet tables of stuffing and pies, I'm also quite certain it's a tough path to follow precisely. Why do we feel the need to overstuff our belly and brain to the point of food coma? It may be the pressure our family puts on us to finish our plate, "eat up, we made plenty for seconds, thirds, leftovers." There is something about this day, I dunno bout you but dinner begins earlier and earlier, as this year I think it's at 3:30? What's the deal with that? I have a theory, the person hosting this day of thanks is so exhausted from weeks of planning and days of prepping and cooking that when the actual day of reckoning arrives they just want everyone to eat and then get the heck out. There are so many rounds of meals that if dinner were to begin at six o'clock, it would be after midnight by the time it ended. Have I struck a cord with any of this? What's the bottom line? This day is notorious for food abundance, family, overeating and sensory overload. It's also a time to count our blessings and be grateful for all we do have, so let's focus on our task at hand, enjoying the day and not trying to compete with the stuffed bird for who can fit more bread into their belly.

Many of my Food Athletes who are new to formulating their eating strategies are in a minor panic mode. If I'm entirely honest with you, and I hope you appreciate my candid approach, I'm in a slightly excited state myself. I get anxiety just like some of you. It has taken many years, but I have learned to channel my nervous energy that leads me always to have some noshes at my fingertips. I like to say a little prayer before I leave for the festivities and do some meditation. Once I'm at my destination the planning and accessing happens the moment I walk in the door. Where are all the platters of snacks, a strategic position means that I'm not sitting directly in front of a bowl of nuts or a platter of cheese? I grab a glass of water, find the raw veggies and remind myself what this day symbolizes. Gratitude. Blessings. Family. Someone stop me if I'm wrong but isn't there a stigma attached to feasting until we are passed out on Thanksgiving. We do have choices, and we also have common sense. It's also in the realm of possibility to thoroughly enjoy yourself and at the same time keep it healthy.

Navigating through Thanksgiving Day

Step One: Even if you have the day off still set your alarm. This isn't the day to try to clock more zzz's. Have you ever had a day that you napped too much or overslept and your whole day was a complete fog? Today is not the day for this friend. I don't mean wake up at 5 am, but set your alarm, so you have no more than 8 hours, maybe even go for 7, which is perfect. You're not going to make up for a week's worth of insomnia in one day.

Step Two: EAT BREAKFAST!!! I'm the first to admit that I went for most of my life on a starvation Turkey Day Diet. No breakfast, workout, no snacks, and boom, straight to the TG meal. My thought process? Umm, not any thought that had fact attached to it, just a lot of assuming that I was going to be eating a ton of food and I wanted to have an empty stomach to fit it all in. Wow, was I wrong about that one.

Step Three: Stick to a schedule. Before your Thanksgiving meal plan snacks. Within forty five after waking up eat breakfast. Something, anything. Doesn't have to be a platter of pancakes. Try a smoothie or juice and toast. Oatmeal. Yogurt and berries. Then a few hours later another snack. Few hours after that another snack. It doesn't have to be a meal; the idea is to take that schedule with you into your TG party. You'll probably see appetizers, cheese plate, crackers, veggies, dips. I would take a pass on any bread or crackers and stick to veggies. I mean STUFFING is the best part right? Just be patient and wait for the meal to get into the bread and rice.

Step Four: Go workout! Don't skip that. Just eat your PRE workout meal, snack, something appropriate to the genre of exercise, HIIT, a short run, Yoga. Hopefully, you have a plan about that already. And YES, FUEL up POST workout. Again, depending on your athletic sport of choice I'm hoping you have knowledge of what and why you nourish your body.

Step Five: Hydration! Pace yourself but continue to drink H2O throughout the day. Especially if you are going to be partaking in alcoholic beverages, try to keep that to a minimum first, but have a glass of water for every drink. Since you don't have control of the sodium content in the food, it's crucial to stay hydrated.

Step Six: Stay Present & Practice Mindful Eating. It's so easy to get caught up in the chatter, catching up with the family who doesn't live in town. Try these few tricks 1) Eat with your non-dominant hand 2) Chew your food 3) Sit for 20 minutes after you finish your plate and access if you are indeed hungry for a second plate or if maybe you have just enough room for dessert. Always try to leave that 10% empty feeling.

Step Seven: Portion Control. Remember that three small plates could equate to 2 large ones. Look at your plate, do you see half of your plate is veggies? Or even better start with your first plate and load up on veggies and salad. Eat that first and give your body a moment to evaluate how full you got from the vegetables. The part we seem to lose control over are the portions and making the connection from our stomach to our brain. We appear to miss or ignore signals of satiety. Go for protein and grains next. Allow yourself to enjoy the mashed potatoes and stuffing, and of course, you want to leave room for a slice of pumpkin pie.

On Thanksgiving, a day of celebration and gratitude I am merely suggesting you continue to honor yourself. Your body. If you are considering planning a path of more deliberate nutrition, this is an ideal day to start. In my field it's often I hear, "I'm going to start tomorrow." "This week was difficult to start eating healthy." The truth is that there is never going to be an ideal time. Besides holidays, life is constantly happening, if your waiting for perfection in the form of time, the time is right now! Consider the possibility of the rest of the 364 days that are going to be achievable after you are successful on this special day. Rather than just surviving through another Thanksgiving holiday and spending the next day self loathing. Allow room for all the miracles and be open to the spirit of this holiday.

And in the spirit, I would like to say thank you to all of you who find meaning in health. It's because of you, your curiosity and your determination to find a healthier way of living that I get the good fortune to do what I do. My job isn't just a job. It is a privilege and an honor to be considered a valued person in this community who is dedicated to teaching wellness.

Happy Thanksgiving Food Athletes! I wish you a holiday filled with an abundance of love.

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body,

xo Jessi (Your Food Athlete) xo

"Let food be thy medicine......" It's The Food Athlete mantra. Why did I choose this phrase? Well, I have first-hand experience of the healing powers of food. I believe in the effects of becoming what you eat. It's incredible how what we ingest can either create sickness or promote health. Have you ever thought of it that way? It's one or the other, not any in between. We consume poison on a daily basis. These little devils show up everywhere, sometimes hidden, sometimes not. They are in processed foods, artificial additives, excess sugar, actual toxins in the form of pesticides that are used to grow some of our seemingly "healthy organic" plants. Can indeed wreak havoc on our system. Does that sound dramatic? It should as well as looking scary. Energetically when we pour harmful ingredients into our body, they can and will feast on our protective cells and cause our insides to go berserk. In basic terms, berserk = stress. Stress in the form of oxidation which we then try to battle by nourishing ourselves with more antioxidant rich food. Or stress by way of anxiety. Messages sent to our brain to signal that "fight or flight" response. That then triggers our need for more meditation, more exercise, more endorphins, to attempt o balance back to normal. It's sorta like yo-yo dieting when your thinking that you are going to lose a few pounds by eliminating bread from your life and this is the answer to all your prayers. Pray on this for a moment, natural herbs that are specifically used to rebalance your adrenals helping your body to be in a more even-keeled happy place. Some of our common herbs we don't even know are contributing to fight stress, prevent diseases and reduce inflammation. Adaptogens work therapeutically like a thermostat to aid in adrenal stabilization. Similar to how our appestat works in our brain to regulate feelings of hunger.

How about a little Adaptogyn 101? Let's take a closer look at this word ADAPTogyns. To adapt: "become adjusted to new conditions." Well, this makes sense now, doesn't it? Adaptogenic Herbs aka Superior Herbs, are plants that used in our system to bring back balance during times when our body is going through chaos. But don't just go plucking bouquets of leaves off the trees and eating them. These particular therapeutic herbs have to measure up. 1: They must be non-toxic. 2: They prove to have a "normalizing effect on body functions..." 3. They have an action wherein their properties improve our bodies resistance to stress. So as you can see these specific herbs are indeed medicinal and require criteria to confirm they will do what they say they will. They are magical don't get me wrong but with anything that is going into your digestive and nervous system you want to be smart and make educated choices.

The Food Athlete is all about understanding how what we eat is creating who we are. I help clients learn. With that knowledge comes the tools to design. With the tools their optimal body is possible. The body you visualize and create gives you freedom from hoping and wishing. The results of your deliberate efforts allow you to live your best self as you see and have designed your best self.

If you hear something that resinates with you and you think that adaptogens may serve you in some way, first, always consult a doctor. Don't just go all out mad scientist and start throwing herbs into all your Epicurious adventures. Maybe focus on just one to begin. Here are some of my faves. But there are much more to explore.

Adaptogens

No 1. Ginseng: East Coast, West Coast. Many varieties to swoon over. I do want to responsibly mention that the jury is still out on some of the benefits of the "healer," so I still suggest to work with your herbalist to find your perfect fit. Herbs can work harmoniously, but you don't want to guess when it comes to your body and what you put in it. It does have some proven properties which qualify it as one the most popular adaptogens. Boosting the immune system supports brain health, prevents cancer, anti-inflammatory and of course, reduces stress.

No 2. Rosemary: has been used for centuries medicinally, for asthma and treatment of arthritis pain. But this aromatic plant is also a stress de-fuser. I find it growing everywhere, and I often pick some and display them in bouquet form around my home. Besides the fresh scent, they make a beautiful Fall display. Dried, oil, fresh. I just bought some for a friend who was suffering from allergies and she keeps the oil in her purse at all times now. A few drops on a kleenex to inhale can calm your sneezes and awaken a sense of peace.

No 3. Holy Basil: There are dozens of basil variety. Tulsi basil (it's holy name) is explicitly used for healing. Versus the basil, you would most commonly find in your pasta dish. What you probably won't find in your spaghetti and meatballs is a hormone regulator. One of those cheeky monsters Cortisol has a way of making itself know, to us girls mostly in our belly. One day we wake up and see that little extra ab that we didn't get from our favorite pilates class. It's, unfortunately, a result of being a woman. However, this holiest of basil has a way of taming this serum. When we stress less, we produce less cortisol. Sounds good, right?

No 4. Ashwagandha: I was first introduced to this herb when I was battling thyroid disease. I had both hyper and hypo situations many years ago that as you could imagine messed with not just my mind but played a role is excessive weight gain and loss. It was still in the experimental stages then, so I was not as open-minded as I am today. I'm also much more informed so that combined with a positive attitude can influence the productivity of a medicinal herb. Chronic stress is something that can affect someone who also over trains. I speak to clients often about getting rest days, letting your body recover from tough workouts. On a glycemic level if you are watching sugar content this antioxidant is perfection, also helps lower cholesterol. Because of its hormonal benefits, it is superior in its emotional effects. Here's yet another superfood that blends well in a smoothie or tea.

No 5. Maca: I store powdered form to add when I bake. It's another perfect one to sneak into smoothies. I don't have any issue with how it tastes so if your buds are sensitive it may take you a minute to adapt. It's more earthy than bitter. Maca drenched in minerals, vitamins, amino acids and fatty acids that are considered healthy. It's a favorite natural energy booster and metabolizer. Food as fuel, this is one of my themes, and I talk about it almost every chance I get. When you create a metabolism for YOUR body that is balanced and consistent, it works in a functional way that converts and absorbs nutrients that compliment you.

So, I'd say we ALL agree that less stress and more positivity is a goal. Balance rather than struggle. In my next life, I think I'd like to come back as a fairy living in the Adaptogen Forest. Yes, I just made that up, I don't know if there's an actual forest but being surrounded by nature that makes the feeling of stress a non-issue sounds magical. There are people everywhere who want to help us be healthier, more joyful and live longer. Some good humans are like-minded as I am, on a mission, along with the passion for teaching about health. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I want to help wellness become attainable for anyone. We can all have it all; my question to you is, how bad do you want it?

As always I'd love to hear from you. If you're interested in learning how to bring awareness to your home and life, please don't hesitate to reach out here.

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body,

xo Jessi (Your Food Athlete) xo