Every year, as Thanksgiving rolls around, so do the messages about “burning off” your Thanksgiving meal. You’ve probably seen it; fitness challenges called “Turkey Burners,” slogans like “earn your pie,” or post-meal workouts aimed at “undoing” what you ate.
At first glance, it might seem harmless, even a fun way to stay active during the holiday season. And I do understand why this might feel motivating or even beneficial for some people. For those who thrive on challenges or use these workouts as a way to connect with others during the holidays, it can feel like a positive push.
But let’s take a closer look. Beneath the surface, this kind of messaging perpetuates a toxic narrative, the idea that you need to “earn” your food or that you have to work out to “burn off” all the calories you just ate to not gain weight. This isn’t just a quirky holiday tradition, it’s a gimmick that feeds into unhealthy patterns around food and fitness.
The Harmful Cycle of “Earning” Your Food
When we frame exercise as something we HAVE TO do to compensate for eating, we unintentionally send the message that food is something to feel guilty about. It turns movement into punishment instead of the joyful, empowering activity it can be.
This mindset can lead to an unhealthy relationship with both food and fitness, where meals are “good” or “bad,” and exercise becomes a tool to fix perceived mistakes. Over time, this all-or-nothing approach can contribute to disordered eating habits, obsessive exercise patterns, and a lingering sense of never being enough.
Why It’s Time to Rethink Holiday Fitness
Holidays like Thanksgiving are about connection, gratitude, and yes, celebrating with food maybe even some cocktails and wine. A plate of mashed potatoes or an extra slice of pie isn’t something to punish yourself for.
Movement, on the other hand, should come from a place of love and respect for your body. It’s about how you feel, energized, strong, clear-minded, not about how you look or what you ate. It's about taking care of your heart health, brain health, to get stronger, among other things too.
Viewing exercise as a way to "work off" food overlooks the broader benefits of fitness, like reducing stress, enhancing mood, and just finding fun in physical activity.
How to Move with Gratitude Instead of Guilt
This Thanksgiving, let’s shift the narrative.
Here’s how:
1. Reframe Your Why: Exercise because it makes you feel good, not because you’re trying to burn calories. Go for a walk to connect with family, take a yoga class to center yourself, or dance in the kitchen because it’s fun.
2. Release Food Guilt: Remind yourself that food is fuel, but it’s also meant to be enjoyed. Thanksgiving is one day. It’s what you do consistently over time that matters, not a single meal and not even a weekend.
3. Practice Gratitude for Your Body: Your body works hard every day to support you. Show it love through movement that feels good, not movement that feels forced.
4. Tune Out Toxic Messages: If a “Turkey Burner” workout pops up in your feed, keep scrolling. You don’t need external pressure dictating how you care for your body.
Thanksgiving is about abundance, abundance of love, connection, and gratitude. Let’s include our relationship with our bodies in that abundance.
When you approach movement with gratitude instead of guilt, you’ll find it’s not only more sustainable but also so much more fulfilling. So go ahead, enjoy your favorite Thanksgiving foods with no strings attached. Then, move in a way that lights you up, that is fun, not because you feel like you have to, but because you want to.
Your body is worthy of love and care, every day of the year, not just after a holiday meal.
What’s your favorite way to move during the holiday season? Share your thoughts, I would love to hear!
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