Thanksgiving Survival Guide For Keto Dieters

By: Tiffany D. Davidson
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​The time of temptation is upon us, keto allies! We've made it past the bags of Halloween candy, and it just gets more difficult from here with Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner. 

The holidays are a common time of year to fall off the diet wagon, reassuring yourself that you'll get back on track with the new year. 

But as we all know - once you fall off, it's not always easy to get your blood sugar, your cravings, your weight, and your health back on track. 

That said, let's go ahead and do some preventative planning, shall we? As the saying goes: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that's never been more true...

Make Your Own Thanksgiving Dinner

This can go two ways. 1.) Cook Thanksgiving dinner for yourself This is a great opportunity to practice all of the low-carb alternatives out there, from low-carb stuffing to mashed fauxtatoes, herb and butter-laden turkey (learning to properly roast a turkey is a kind of rite of passage if you ask me), sugar-free cranberry sauce, and more! Once you've had your fill and patted yourself on the back a few times, you can divvy everything into containers and have lunches sorted for the next week, or you can craft to-go plates to take along with you to get-togethers! Either way, it's a winning situation. Learn to cook, feed yourself, and avoid the tempting and unhealthy dishes that tend to frequent family dinners. Or...

2.) Offer To Host Thanksgiving Dinner That's right – if you have the space and desire, suggest everyone come to your place this year!
Just prepare the same as above but with larger portions, light a few candles, arrange seating, and you've got yourself a cozy dinner setting! Invite loved ones to bring a low-carb dish in potluck fashion (you can even send over low-carb recipes to replace traditional high-carb ones!). This could end up being a fun way to shake things up for everyone while keeping you in ketosis! (High-five)

A great Thanksgiving recipe guide can be found here. ( http://cavemanketo.com/cmk-thanksgiving-guide/ )

Not ready to put in this much effort? No worries! Read on...

Don't Go On An Empty Stomach

Instead of treating family dinners as actual meals, try a different mindset altogether. Eat as you normally would that day, scheduling a little differently if required, then attend your family get-together. 

If your family is the type who would deem it impolite not to eat, make yourself a small plate of turkey and whatever else fits into your keto diet so as not to stand out. Otherwise, let them know you're on a diet that has been making you feel great and you don't want to mess it up. Turn adherence to a diet into a positive rather than a starved negative. 

Instead of focusing on food, spend time really catching up with family members and having meaningful interactions. 

Bring a Low-Carb Side Dish to the Feast

Traditionally, you can probably count on there being some source of meat at your holiday get-togethers. So if you prepare a low-carb side dish to bring along, you're guaranteed a substantial keto meal that you can enjoy at the table alongside loved ones! An added benefit – you introduce the low-carb lifestyle to others, allowing them to see that their most loved dishes can be prepared in a healthy way with no sacrifice to taste! My favorite? This stuffing! (Link: https://www.mommypotamus.com/homestyle-stuffing-gaps-paleo-primal/ )

Bring a Low-Carb Desset

Alternatively, bring a low-carb dessert along with you!
Desserts can be the most tempting when you're sitting around with loved ones after a meal - 
you've done well so far, filling up on turkey and veggies and very nobly skipping the mac and cheese -  now everyone's relaxing, talking and enjoying one another with delicious sugary desserts in front of them and your willpower begins to fade...

Not to worry! You thought ahead and brought a low-carb dessert! Pair that with a hot cup of coffee and enjoy the rest of the evening with loved ones while your taste buds delight.

A little tip – sugar-free pumpkin pie is actually very easy to make. Here's a recipe to get you started! (link: https://www.lowcarbmaven.com/no-bake-low-carb-pumpkin-pie/ )

Any tips to add? Let us know in the comments! Let's cheer each other on and do our best to stick to our values this holiday season!