Speaker 1: 0:02

If you're a whiny snowflake that can't handle the truth, is offended by the word fuck and about 37 uses of it in different forms gets ass hurt. When you hear someone speak the absolute, real and raw truth, you should leave Like right now. This is Shut Up and Choose, the podcast where we cut through the shit and get real about weight loss, life and everything in between. We get into the nitty gritty of making small, smart choices that add up to big results. From what's on your plate to how you approach life's challenges. We'll explore how the simple act of choosing differently can transform your health, your mindset and your entire freaking life. So if you're ready to cut through the bullshit and start making some real changes, then buckle up and shut up, because we're about to choose our way to a healthier, happier life. This is Shut Up and Choose. Let's do this Now. Your host.

Speaker 2: 1:12

Jonathan Ressler. Hey, welcome back to Shut Up and Choose, the podcast where we cut to all the nonsense and all the noise that the weight loss industry is talking at you. We talk about sustainable weight loss and the small, smart choices that help you stick to that weight loss. I'm your host, jonathan Ressler, and today we're going to talk about something that we probably need to talk about, which is Thanksgiving. It's tomorrow, so this is my Thanksgiving survival guide, for lack of a better term, because we all know Thanksgiving is a special day, right? It's a time when we get together with our friends and our family and we share some gratitude.

Speaker 2: 1:47

We indulge in a lot of traditions, and many of those traditions honestly revolve around food. So for anybody that's on a weight loss or a wellness or a healthy lifestyle journey, this can feel like a pretty high stakes holiday where the sheer volume of the stuffing and the pie and the gravy threatens to do the undue, the weeks or months, or, in my case, close to two years of progress. But the truth is, you're not going to blow your progress on a single meal or a single day. I mean, come on, get over it. That's not how progress works. It's about the choices that you make consistently, not the occasional indulgence. I always talk about feeding my soul and all that stuff, not the occasional indulgence. I always talk about feeding my soul and all that stuff. So the occasional indulgence or the occasional day that you're really kind of going wild, that's fine.

Speaker 2: 2:35

Thanksgiving is a chance to celebrate, to enjoy yourself, hang out with your family, do all that stuff and practice the balance and forgiveness that sustains long-term success. It's not about throwing caution to the wind. That's not what I'm saying. And it's not really about presenting that calories don't exist, because of course they do. It's about embracing the holiday though, savoring every bite and trusting that you can get right back on track tomorrow. So let's take a look at how you can make the most of Thanksgiving mindfully, joyfully and, most importantly, guilt-free.

Speaker 2: 3:05

So, number one Thanksgiving is about more than food. I know for me, for many years it was all about food. I couldn't wait for Thanksgiving, eat like an animal, feel sick watching football, but before we even get to the turkey, let's reframe what Thanksgiving is all about. Yeah, food plays a central role, but it's not the only thing on the menu. Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate connection. Right, you're getting together For a lot of families. People are coming in from all over the country. Maybe you haven't seen each other in a few months. So it's about connection.

Speaker 2: 3:32

It's about gratitude and you know I practice gratitude and the traditions that make your life rich and meaningful. I have great memories of 60 or actually, at this point, 59 years of Thanksgiving. It's about remembering all that stuff. It's about remembering those things that make your life rich and meaningful. So I guess the first step for me is certainly going into tomorrow is I'm thinking about what I'm really grateful for this year. Obviously, one of those things is this weight loss journey and this new kind of journey that I'm on to live healthier. So I know that's going to help me focus on abundance and all the great things in life rather than restriction. So soak up the moments that don't involve food, whether for you if that's watching the parade, for me it's definitely watching the football games and laughing with my friends and family and, honestly, taking that snooze after the tryptophan kicks in from the turkey. I love that snooze on the couch. So remember that the memories you make at the table are about more than just what's on your plate. So when you look at this holiday, when you look at Thanksgiving and, honestly, all the holidays coming up with gratitude and connection in mind, food becomes just one piece of a much bigger and more beautiful and meaningful celebration.

Speaker 2: 4:42

So the most important thing and I say that all the time, but this one's really important is that one meal won't ruin everything. That's worth repeating. One meal will not erase your progress. Your weight loss or health journey is defined by what you do the majority of the time, not on a single day of indulgence. You know I'm all about feeding myself, so I indulge all the time, but I know this one holiday, this one meal, this one day of indulgence. You know I'm all about feeding myself, so I indulge all the time, but I know this one holiday, this one meal, this one day of this eating orgy which I'm not going to do but I'm going to enjoy myself is not going to erase the progress. Will I put on a pound or two? Probably, but is that okay? Hell, yeah. So it's important to remember, because the stress and guilt that we pile on ourselves about this holiday eating causes more harm than the actual food, because we tend to believe that we've blown it right, and when you feel like you've blown it, you're more likely to spiral into overeating or just honestly giving up entirely.

Speaker 2: 5:37

Instead, look at the idea that Thanksgiving is just one meal out of literally hundreds you'll eat. This year Will you eat more? Probably, but give yourself permission. Permission to indulge in your favorite foods, permission to enjoy the holiday without overthinking every calorie, permission to forgive yourself and move forward, no matter what. Your body is a resilient thing, and so are you. Thanksgiving is a speed bump, not a roadblock. So enjoy it, don't dread it.

Speaker 2: 6:06

The next thing is, if there's ever one day to eat mindfully, it's Thanksgiving. Right, not only is the food delicious, but the effort that goes into making it deserves to be for lack of a better term honored. It's not the time to just inhale your meal, which I do all the time. I mean, I used to eat like it was a race but slow down and enjoy every bite. And in case you forgot how to eat mindfully, let me just give you a few tips. First of all, start with gratitude. So, before digging in, before getting ready for that feast, take a moment and appreciate the food and the people that made it, and definitely, eat slowly.

Speaker 2: 6:41

A problem that I have all the time that I still wrestle with 19, 20 months into this thing is chew your food thoroughly and savor the flavors. This is a big one for me. The next one, which is put down your fork between bites, because it's not a race. I have to work, I have to literally think to put down my fork between bites, and when I do that, I definitely eat a lot less and I realize that I'm full a lot sooner. So when you focus on that quality over quantity, like choose foods that you love the most and enjoy them, a small slice of pie that you savor is a lot more satisfying than three slices that you barely taste. And when I used to eat, I would eat at such a fast rate I guess I really didn't taste the things that I was eating.

Speaker 2: 7:24

So mindful eating not only enhances the enjoyment of food, but it also helps you recognize when you're full, so you don't just overeat out of habit or just because the food is there. That's a big one for me. Again, slow down, savor every bite because it's a great meal. Hopefully you're going to have a great meal. I don't know who's doing your cooking, but I hope you're going to have a great meal. So enjoy it. And of course, you have to remember that in spite of all that, you have to feed your soul and not just your stomach. So Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to nourish actually more than your body. It's a day, like I said earlier, that you get together with people you haven't seen, with your friends and your family you can reflect on all the great things that happened this year.

Speaker 2: 8:04

I know I'll be thinking about the weight that I lost and the health that I gained and then just get ready for the joys of the season. Food is just a single part of that equation. It's not the whole equation. So different things that you can think about For me celebrate the people.

Speaker 2: 8:19

Take time to connect with the people in your family, your friends that you haven't seen in a while, that you haven't had a chance to eat with, that you haven't had a chance to hang out with and even if that's just a phone call or a Zoom call, the relationships and the things that your friends and your family, and those relationships will last a hell of a lot longer than that plate of food and definitely focus on joy. For me, thanksgiving is all about laughing and sharing old stories and just soaking in that feeling of everybody just being together. Those minutes, those moments are what makes Thanksgiving special. Granted, if the food is good, we talk about some of the Thanksgiving food that we've eaten for years, but the reality is it's about the laughing and the stories and just the camaraderie of being together with friends and family. I definitely this year will practice some gratitude. I'm going to take a minute to reflect on everything I'm thankful for. I talked about that. It's two seconds ago. I'm really thankful that I've been able to go on this weight loss journey and this health journey and I'm not on any of the medications that I was on and I can really enjoy Thanksgiving and enjoy my life a lot more than I did. I'm going to take some time. I'm thinking about it now, but I'm going to take some time and really think about that and I believe when you practice gratitude, it shifts your mindset away from that guilt and negativity around eating the food and it helps you see the bigger picture. When you see, when you focus on feeding your soul, food becomes a source of joy, not stress. So I'm definitely going to feed my soul. Now I'm also going to be really honest here. I'm probably going to eat more than I planned. I mean, I'm probably going to have an extra helping of mashed potatoes or go back for a second dessert. That's just the reality of the situation and that's okay.

Speaker 2: 10:05

Thanksgiving is supposed to be a celebration. The holiday is supposed to be a celebration, not a test of your willpower. Your willpower, you know about willpower comes and goes. Enjoy the celebration, because the reality is that guilt is completely unproductive. Beating yourself up over what you ate doesn't undo the calories. Right, you ate the calories, it's done. I mean, unless you're going to stick your finger down your throat, which I don't recommend but the calories you've eaten, it's done. It only makes you feel worse when you think about it. So when you forgive yourself and get over it quickly, you're actually much more likely to bounce back and make better choices moving forward.

Speaker 2: 10:42

I always say when you feed your soul, when you make a mistake, when you fuck up. Weight loss is not linear. Health is not linear. It doesn't go in a straight line, but when you forgive yourself, it helps you bounce back and make better choices.

Speaker 2: 10:53

Starting the next meal, right, you can make a mistake and start the next meal. What I said earlier was one meal is not going to derail your whole journey and it's a learning opportunity, right? So reflect on how you feel and maybe what you enjoyed the most and what you didn't like, but how much, how you might approach the next holiday coming up, whether it's Christmas or Hanukkah or whatever food celebrations you're about to have. We're going into holiday party season, so think about how that made you feel and maybe you approach the next one differently, the next holiday party or whatever. So remember, your weight loss journey is about balance and not perfection. It's never going to be perfect. No matter what you do, it's not going to be perfect. So it's about balance. So enjoy that meal and enjoy it and then move on. Move on to the next small smart choice.

Speaker 2: 11:43

One of the things about Thanksgiving that definitely is I don't want to say a tradition, but it's definitely a fact in my family is Thanksgiving is pretty much a sedentary day. Right, we sit around the table, we watch football, we're lounging on the couch, but moving can be a great way to add energy and joy to this day. I'm going to start out my day with some exercise, which, for me, exercise all that is is a walk. I'm going to go out for a walk. For you it could be yoga at home or hit the gym if you're one of those guys me, as you know, I hate the fucking gym. Still hate the gym two years later, but I fucking hate it. I won't go there. So I'm just going going to go out for a walk. I know it'll set a positive tone and it'll boost my mood, so that walk outside is going to be refreshing for me. It's going to start my day out right Now.

Speaker 2: 12:27

If you're really kind of a dork, you can organize like a family game of touch football or a bunch of you dorks dancing around and you're some music. Or if you're just a normal parent, you'll probably be chasing your kids around the yard a little bit. But anyway, movement should make you feel good. It's not like a punishment for what you ate. The goal is to enhance your day, not to burn off the calories. So the next thing that I know I'm going to enjoy is dessert.

Speaker 2: 12:52

So let's talk about dessert. Thanksgiving pies iconic. They're incredible, maybe, probably definitely better than donuts. I'm going to pick one or two of the things that I love and I'm going to savor them. That doesn't mean that I'm going to have the whole pie or the whole whatever. I'm just going to have a small slice and I believe, if you remember my rule of four, by the fourth bite you're satisfied. You satisfied your sweet tooth. So practice the rule of four when you're eating dessert on Thanksgiving and really in any holiday party, and you'll find that you're satisfied after those four bites. And if you're one of those people that think, hey, I'm just not going to have dessert, I'll skip it, let me stop you right there. You're full of shit. You're going to eat dessert, so you might as well enjoy it. There's no problem with eating dessert. It's part of the celebration and you're allowed to enjoy it without any guilt. I know I am. I'm going to eat the shit out of my dessert, but anyway.

Speaker 2: 13:47

Another thing that I'm thinking about is drinking, and I mean drinking alcohol, because, along with all the food and stuff that you're going to eat, you're probably going to have a couple of drinks and it's easy to forget about hydration when drinking. I'm not talking about a gallon of tequila, but staying hydrated can help you feel your best and even, honestly, prevent overeating. So I'm going to start out. I start out every day this way, but I'm going to start out with a big glass of water in the morning when I wake up, because I just find that kickstarts my day. I know that there's some kind of medical stuff that says that your brain needs to get rehydrated in the morning, but I just drink water in the morning because, honestly, it wakes me up. I drink it before I do anything else, before I have coffee or tea or anything else that I'm going to eat or drink. So start early, have a big glass of water, another thing that I'm definitely going to do and that I try to do all the time. I'm not 100% effective in this, but I try to have a big glass of water before I eat, like a half hour before I eat, because it helps me to be a little bit more full and it helps me to realize when I am full actually from eating. So I would say I'm definitely going to drink a lot of water.

Speaker 2: 14:51

On Thanksgiving, I try to drink over a gallon of water every single day or more. And when you're drinking because you're going to drink, I know I'm going to have 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 tequila. Well, maybe not that many, but I'm going to have a few drinks on Thanksgiving, and it's always good to kind of mix in. Let's say, I have one drink, one glass of water, one drink, one glass of water. And and, by the way, that's not just with alcohol, it's with any kind of that sugary shit that you're drinking. Any of that special holiday I don't know what the fuck you drink on a holiday, but try to alternate it with water, because water is your secret weapon for staying energized and avoiding that post-meal sluggishness. Most people, they say, are walking around dehydrated every single day. So make sure that on Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season really throughout the year is that you really make an effort to stay hydrated. All right.

Speaker 2: 15:39

So now you've made it through Thanksgiving or whatever holiday meal we're talking about, and it's time to bounce back. So what do you do? What am I going to do the day after Thanksgiving? I think the day after Thanksgiving, bouncing back is probably just as important as the meal itself, and the good news is getting back on track is simple. It's simpler than you think. The next day, just go right back to making small, smart choices.

Speaker 2: 16:00

Don't go out there and skip breakfast or skip meals. Start your day with a healthy breakfast and it will reset your routine. Skipping meals only makes you hungrier and it makes you a lot more likely to overeat later. Sometimes I do skip breakfast, but if I intentionally skip a meal, I'm always hungrier. Later. Again, you want to drink a ton of water so you flush out any of the extra salt or sugar or any of the shit that's in your system, and again that comes from being hydrated. Definitely, I can tell you, friday morning I will be going out for I don't know if it's my longest walk of the year, but definitely a walk or do whatever it is you do, like I said, do yoga or go to the gym, if you're one of those psychos that likes a gym, but do whatever it is that you do that makes you feel energized and refreshed.

Speaker 2: 16:47

And most important part of that, most important part of the bouncing back after the holiday meal or any big meal for that matter is leave it behind. Okay, it's done. And it's not a reflection of your progress or your dedication. It's just a meal or whatever it was, and now it's over, so leave it behind you, get right back to making small, smart choices and, when it's all said and done, take a minute to celebrate how far you've come. If you're approaching Thanksgiving with mindfulness and balance, that's a huge win. Prior to this, I looked at Thanksgiving as an eating orgy, and it was. I couldn't stuff enough shit in my face to satisfy myself. Now I look at Thanksgiving as just another day. Yeah, there's going to be some extra eating and possibly some extra drinking and more dessert than I would normally eat, but that's it.

Speaker 2: 17:37

It's over the fact that I'm looking at it now as a okay, I have a plan. That's great. So whether you lost weight or you built healthier habits or you just had a shift in your mindset, you're making progress, I'm making progress and you can make progress, and that deserves some recognition. So things that you could look at like did you actually enjoy and save your favorite foods without going overboard that's a win. Did you focus on gratitude and connection with your friends and family instead of feeling stressed or guilt about eating? Hey, that's a win. Did you move Like did you go out for a walk rather than just lay on the couch like a lazy sack of shit? Those are all that's a win. Did you move Like did you go out for a walk rather than just lay on the couch like a lazy sack of shit? Those are all. That's a win.

Speaker 2: 18:18

Each one of those wins is proof that you're capable of enjoying bigger meals, holidays, these special moments, while staying aligned with your goals. It's pretty simple stuff, because Thanksgiving and holidays shouldn't be about restriction or guilt or obsessing over every calorie. You know, I hate counting calories anyway, but don't obsess over it. It's about gratitude and hanging out with friends and just connecting with other people. It's about choosing to live life fully and enjoy the moments that matter most, because those are the memories you're going to remember, without letting a single meal define your journey. It's just one meal. It's just one day. So this year, I want you to shut up and choose. Choose to enjoy the holiday, choose to forgive yourself and choose to trust that one meal won't derail your success. So eat the pie, hang out with your friends and give thanks, not just for the holiday, but for the progress that you're making and the life that you're building. Tomorrow you can get right back to it stronger and more determined than ever.

Speaker 2: 19:23

So that's my thoughts for Thanksgiving Short podcast this week, because I know you're all on the way to friends or family. You're preparing, so I'm going to close it out, just remind you. Thank you for everybody who's been buying my book and leaving me great reviews. I really do appreciate it. I am grateful for it. See, I'm practicing gratitude. Also, don't forget, if you have a fat fuck friend that needs to lose some weight, my video course Live Life, love Food, lose Weight might be a great gift. It's not just a gift, but it's actually something that will help them change their entire life. Wow, I'm selling like a fucker today, but anyway, yeah, so you can get that at learnshutupandchoosecom. That's learnshutupandchoosecom. So that's it for Thanksgiving. I don't know what else to say other than have a great Thanksgiving, a great holiday season, and most. I don't know what else to say other than have a great Thanksgiving, a great holiday season and, most importantly, shut up and choose.

Speaker 1: 20:18

You've been listening to Shut Up and Choose. Jonathan's passion is to share his journey of shedding 130 pounds in less than a year without any of the usual gimmicks no diets, no pills. And we'll let you in on a little secret no fucking gym. And guess what? You can do it too. We hope you enjoyed the show. We had a fucking blast. If you did, make sure to like, rate and review. We'll be back soon, but in the meantime, find Jonathan on Instagram at JonathanWrestlerBocaRaton. Until next time. Shut up soon. But in the meantime, find jonathan on instagram at jonathan wrestler boca raton. Until next time. Shut up and choose.