Ok, so the holidays are here! These are one of my favorite holidays because it is the time we get to all get together, we start feeling more appreciative for others, we spend more time with friends and family, we feel more love, we get to all get together on the special day…………………………………and GET FAT!
NO! Not this year!
Would you like to know how to do the holidays right so you can eat, drink, party, have fun, enjoy your friends and family and STAY IN SHAPE? Would you like to learn how to get FIT though the holidays?
Yes or Yes?
Awesome! So lets do this!
When it comes to living Fit/ripped/defined year round this is a 24/7 discipline all year long. You have to always be planning ahead, planning your meals, planning your workouts, making your nutrition and training a priority. During the holiday seasons especially.
So Im going to lay out the process of getting fit through the holidays step by step, if you follow it, you will get LEAN during the holiday season, dont follow it and you get to be the statistic that starts off the new year heavier.
Wanna learn how to do it the right way?
Ok, lets go!
Step #1. Carb Deplete!
This means 1 week out from the holiday, or as soon as you see this article if you’re late seeing it, you are to cut your carbs completely. Now you should NEVER be eating processed carbs to begin with, things like bread, pasta, pizza, crackers, cakes, cookies, icecream etc. So when I say cut your carbs Im talking about the healthy ones too, so this means cut out rice, beans (beans are NOT protein vegans!), potatoes, fruit, quinoa (this is a carb too vegans!), etc
Wanna know why?
The main reason is to deplete your body of stored glycogen(stored sugar in muscles and liver). You see all carbs, are broken down into sugar inside the body, whats not used up, burned up, gets stored into the muscles and liver. So we are depleting those stores to make room for more carbs coming in on Thanksgiving day. This makes it less likely that you will spill over into fat. Completely prevents it if you follow the rest of the rules to follow.
So starting 1 week before or immediately upon reading this, carb deplete. Make sure that you increase your fat intake to hit your calorie goals, and that you hydrate adequately and add some Pink Salt to your water a few times a day. (1/4-1/2 tsp each time). When carbs are low, water and salt must be higher or you will feel like shit.
For those who know how to track calories, macros, make sure you still hit your calories, just increase fats to hit them with carbs low.
PVF. This is one of my tricks known as Protein and Veggies First. This is the staple of all meals. But especially while depleting.
So you eat proteins like beef, chicken, fish, pork, turkey, eggs, etc. Make sure you eat some meals with the fattier versions like ground beef, chicken thighs, some salmon, whole eggs, etc.
(Fats are GREAT for you and every cell in your body, your brain, your hormones NEED fats. Forget everything you’ve ever heard about Fats and Cholesterol it was based off of a LIE, flawed science, and has cost millions of lives. It was also launched after Harvard scientists were paid $50,000 to blame fats for heart disease when it was actually sugar all along. Guess who paid them? The sugar industry! Just an FYI. Google it. Its fact.)
Then add in some veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus. But dont eat these raw, thats gross, I dont even do that and Im a health freak. I prefer to cook them on stove, covered, in thin layer of water, with some garlic powder, salt, pepper, butter. Dont eat boring veggies, unless you like them. lol.
But keep your carbs around 30g, which is basically 1-2lbs of veggies eaten with your proteins.
So step #1 to prep is to carb deplete!
Step #2. Find Clean Recipes.
There is NO reason to ever eat junk food, none! Every single dish you love can be created, remade using clean ingredients that dont wreck your gut health, your health, and trigger insane binges because of the addictive properties. All it takes is some quick research and some trial runs to test them out before you find a winner.
So whatever your favorite dish is that you’re dying to have on Thanksgiving go on google and type in “Paleo____” or “Keto___” or “Low Carb____”.
We do this because the main two ingredients you want to avoid consuming are refined sugars and flour(white,wheat), this are absolute physique killers, health wreckers, and gym injury creators. So by finding recipes that are Keto, or Paleo approved, you are going to find recipes that do NOT contain these ingredients. If you find the right sites, they will be using healthier ingredients, natural ones, from nature, like almond flour, coconut flour, sweeteners like honey or real organic maple syrup(not crap like aunt jamima), etc. By eating the clean versions, you will eliminate the highly addictive ingredients that cause BINGING making you fat and causing harm to your gut health leading to the inflammation that is linked to all diseases, including you getting sick(colds, flu) and injuries in the gym.
This is also the time of the year where heart attacks increase because of these foods consumed. Its also the busiest time every year in emergency rooms are the days after Thanksgiving and Christmas because everyone is sick AF cuz they wrecked their gut health eating flour, sugar, crap, basically opening the door for bacteria and viruses into their blood stream. Probably didnt know that happens, huh? I know. Most people dont thats why Im educating you right now.
This is why we avoid these foods like the plague and find smarter, healthier ingredients to make the foods we love.
For example, my favorite thing is Pumpkin pie, so years ago I did this google search, found an outstanding recipe which I will be sharing in another article. This recipe is awesome and has won 2 taste contests. I also have some other recipes for the common dishes for Thanksgiving day that I use annually as well.
Heres my recipe rules and foods list. Recipe Article
Heres also two trusted sites that usually have great recipes check them out in the links below to find what you like. I would recommend doing a test run so you have some experience with the recipe.
(Know this, Im doing all of this WITH you. I do exactly all these tips each year and lead by example. )
Check out these recipes below…..
https://paleoleap.com/paleo-thanksgiving-recipes/
The point is, DONT just buy shit at the store and serve it, at least not for you. I understand you may have some family or friends who DGAF about themselves so they eat whatever, fine, buy those to serve them. But for yourself, make your OWN dishes so you can keep your diet clean and on point.
One of these clean recipes that is an absolute staple for you holiday is Paleo Deviled eggs. Its just mayo, mustard, parprika, top with some Paleo Bacon or ground beef pieces. They are a HIT! You gotta use clean mayo though you can find it at most grocery stores, Whole Foods and online. Looks like this
Deviled eggs are LIFE savers because serving these as an appetizer makes everyone feel full and satisfied. The protein and fats in these trigger the hormones that make you feel fuller. So everyone will naturally eat less, but feel satisfied throughout the day, including YOU. Which is a WIN!!!!
Got it? Yes or Yes?
So Carb deplete, then find healthy recipes.
Step #3. BURN 1000+ calories!
You should be burning calories every day anyway, but especially on Thanksgiving day. YES you read that correctly! You MUST work your butt off on Thanksgiving day or you are guaranteed to get fat! Your calorie intake is going to be high, so your calorie output must be insanely high!
So you need to get up, early if you’re traveling at 2am, 3am, 5am, whatever it takes to get your workout in and burn 1000+ calories. It may take 2 workouts. But get it done! Wanna know why?
Heres why…..
The average basal metabolic rate for men is about 1900 calories, the average for women is about 1300 calories. If you dont workout, thats ALL your body is going to burn for the day and anytime you eat MORE than your body burns, you store all the excess calories as FAT. So if you dont workout and you eat 2000 calories guys, you get fat. Ladies if you dont workout and eat 1,400 calories, you get fat. EVEN if its healthy foods!
This is why you should be training every day, but especially training on thanksgiving day! Cuz I guarantee you’re going to eat a TON more than your basal metabolic rate. Even with the tricks Im about to teach you.
Now, if you go workout, burn 1000+ calories your bodies are going to be burning a ton more! Ladies youll be around 2300-3000. Guys youll be around 3000-5000. So not only are you getting your 1000 cal burn, you’re also going to get some afterburn calorie burn from your body trying to recover from the workout all day.
For example……
My BMR is about 1700 cuz im short, on normal training days I burn about 2800-3000+ depending on my effort. Last year on Thanksgiving I lifted then went to do our annual Thanksgiving day shred with clients, I burned like 1,500 calories in my workouts. Tracking it using my Polar a360. After my workout that day I restarted my watch to watch my afterburn all day. My normal resting heart rate is about 38-40bpm, when I train I get up to 180’s and 190s on my shreds so my afterburn is NUTS. That day after my 1,500 burn my total calorie burn for the day was well over 5,000 calories, which is INSANE!
Which means I could have eaten 5000 and never gained an ounce, but since I followed the exact same rules Im about to teach you, I was FULL AF and didnt even come close to that. I finished off the day around 3,000. So literally had pie, alcohol, turkey, and enjoyed the day like everyone else, just smarter, and STILL kept a calorie deficit and didnt gain anything, actually lost that day.
This is WHY you gotta workout!!!!
I also recommend doing this fasted to further deplete your muscles and reduce your overall daily calorie intake. Dont worry, you wont lose your gains. Make sure you take salt pre and post workout or you will feel like DEATH. Take some during too if needed. Typically in 1/4-1/2 tsp servings. If you feel like shit, bump more, especially after the workout.
So Carb deplete, find clean recipes, burn 1000 calories!
Lets move to step 4.
Step #4. PPF!
Ok, So you have prepped for a week out, you have done your research for clean recipes, you have made your clean dishes, you have made your deviled eggs as an appetizer and you have put in the WORK to burn 1,000+ calories to increase your output for the day.
Now its time to EAT!!!
So you shoulda already started eating your deviled eggs, so you should already be feeling a lil full, not hungry, cuz those hormones are kicking in. Awesome! But now its time to sit down with the loved ones for the feast so the next step in the process is PPF!
WTF is PPF?
Its very similar to PVF that I mentioned in tip #1, but this one is different just a tad, PPF means “Protein Plate First!” This means when you are making your first plate of food for your meal your very first plate of food is PURE protein. That means full of turkey, steak, more deviled eggs, ham, pork, whatever your family is serving. Your first plate of food is pure protein, no potatoes, no pie, no fruit, no gluten free stuffing, no carbs yet, just protein. We are still hacking your body and hormones. So eat the entire plate full of protein first, then when you get up for seconds then you can have some of the fun foods you really want to eat.
Why do we do this?
Same reason we did the deviled eggs, to basically fill you up, keep you full from the hormones triggered, so you naturally eat less calories. Youll be so stuffed after this meal, you wont be grazing all day like most people do consuming 1,000’s and 1,000’s of excessive calories that are exploding their wastelines and cellulite.
Because you’ll be so full, you wont even want to look at anymore food and you wont feel like you’re missing out.
Brilliant, right?!! Yes or Yes?
So you’ve carb depleted, you’ve made healthy ingredient recipes, you made deviled eggs, you burned 1,000 calories, you ate the eggs as appetizers, you PPF, then you ate your healthy fun foods, now lets talk about how to drink with that!
Lets move to tip 5
Step #5. Drink Smart!
Ok, I get it, we all love to drink and enjoy ourselves when we have these celebrations of love during the holidays. Yes, you CAN drink, but you have to be smart about it. You have to drink at the right TIMES and make SMART drink choices.
So what are the right times?
Simple, AFTER you’ve eaten a bunch of protein. So after you’ve eaten your deviled eggs, or after your PPF. Then its go time! Drink up!
The reason we do this is to keep your blood sugar and hormones in check. If you drink first, like most people do, youll F yourself and end up with wrecked hormones, insane bingeing and making all the wrong food choices. But if you eat some protein first let the hormones start kicking in, youll be good!
So what is drinking SMART?
As you’ve probably noticed theres a trend here, a focus of always doing things to reduce, cut, eliminate calories, so if keeping your calories as low as possible is the goal, what should you be drinking?
Lets start with what you SHOULD NOT be drinking……Mixed drinks, margaritas, mimosas, champagne(unless you’re sipping), wine(unless its just a glass), etc. These are high in calories, carbs, or sugar for most of these. The others like champagne, wine tend to be triggers for binge drinking and eating for most women. So if thats you, AVOID. If you can drink responsibly, go for it.
So what are the lowest calorie options that have the MOST alcohol by volume?
Everclear!!! Jk I dont want you getting your stomach pumped cuz you got alcohol poisoning.lol.
But the answer is simple, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio cuz I know you guys like wine, so this is your best option. Cuz its low in carbs usually, about 12-14% alcohol by volume and low in calories. Yes, I know it tastes like sh….. But it gets the job done and keeps you calories in check.
The other option is hard liquor this is also low calorie and high in alcohol. Things like whiskey, vodka, rum, tequila, etc. On the rocks or with some lemon or lime squeezed, or just straight shots if you go hard on Thanksgiving lol.
Either one of those options are the smart options that will get you tipsy, reduce your calorie intake, and help you enjoy the day without making you a fatty.
Win-Win, right? Yes or Yes?!
Ok, so we have discusssed Carb depleting for the week prior to prep, we got healthy recipes, we burned 1,000 calories, we made eggs, ate our eggs and ppf, we drank smart, we had an amazing time connecting with our loved ones, our bellies are stuffed, we are grateful, thankful, happy and we are almost done with the rules.
What? I thought we were done?
Almost, theres one more rule to follow!
Step #6. Toss It!
Most people dont only gain weight ON Thanksgiving day, they continue to for the week to follow, guess why? LEFTOVERS! They have left over stuffing, pies, potatoes, cakes, candy, and all kinds of things that will literally make you crave like crazy, leading to you making excuses, NGAF, and giving in over eating on more and more and more.
NOT THIS TIME!
Even the healthy foods we made will make you just as fat if you keep eating them. And the clean recipes will still trigger cravings, so the best way to avoid dealing with the cravings and over eating is to TOSS IT! That means when everyone is going home, you need to get it OUT of your house. That means throw it away or send it home with the friends and family who came, either way it needs to LEAVE your house.
If you have ever been to my house you have seen me do this exact thing as soon as people start leaving, everything that is processed(family members brought), high carb, possibly addictive, goes in the trash or home with them. Its getting out of my house, immediately before i even go to bed.
This is crucial! And it will help you wake up the next day, and jump right back on track with your nutrition and training because you’re not being distracted by the taunting of the tasty food in your kitchen. This is also key to staying on point all year, never bring anything addictive/processed or even healthy foods you dont have discipline with into your home.
So the very last step of the week to getting fit through the holidays is to throw out all the CARBS!!!!
You can keep the turkey, steak, beef, or whatever other protein sources you have, those are fine. Everything else GOES!
You follow these rules, and you will literally be getting FIT through the holiday season while the other 99% is getting fatter like they do every year.
Men, If you like what you’ve read, youll love my book “The Shredded Executive” it teaches you step by step how to get ripped, just like this article but in more detail and includes macros, mindset, nutrition hacks, and workouts. Paperback on amazon or click the link for ebook.
Women, if you want to get defined with a booty I got you too! I wrote the book on this called “Booty gains” its got everything you need from nutrition, mindset, workouts, etc. Paperback on Amazon or click link below for ebook.
Click here to get it
If you are interested in In Person or Online Coaching shoot me a text 949-632-3458
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Make sure you share this article with your friends and family. So they know what to expect from you, and so maybe they too can jump on board with you. Be willing to be the weird one, the disciplined one that stands out. When you are rocking that physique that stands out, they will start to understand and be inspired by your lead.
Have an awesome holiday Shredders!
Daymond Sewall
