and a weight coach for ultrarunners and marathoners. “Food is fuel, and there’s no such thing as good food or bad food. There’s a balanced diet and an unbalanced diet, and one meal does not throw off that balance.”
That kind of thinking—any time of the year—creates a sense of guilt and shame around eating, something that’s meant to be enjoyed or necessary for function. And that’s an especially crappy way to feel around, a RRCA- and USATF Level 1 run coach and body-positive activist. “Eating whatever your heart desires a couple of times a year isn't going to hurt you,” she says.
Think about the last time you stuffed yourself on Thanksgiving turkey, gravy, and potatoes—you probably weren’t even hungry the next day. “If you listen to your body and its cues, you’ll realize it can course-correct on its own,” says Clark. Instead of “burning off” those excess calories, just don’t consume another 4,500 calories. Easy. And if you like, get in your normal run, walk with the family, or enter a.
Instead of obsessing over what you ate and how to bring your body back to normal afterward, put food at the bottom of the priority list. “Holidays are meant to connect and grow relationships, so I always encourage people to incorporate activity with others during the holidays: Go for walks with grandparents, explore the outdoors with nieces and nephews, and engage in friendly competitions with siblings are all great ways to be active,” says Kage.Whatever happens at the meal, don’t dwell on it.