WASHINGTON — Put away the skinny jeans: It’s time to break out the pants with the elastic waistband. Thanksgiving is here, and it’s the only time of the year when it’s perfectly acceptable to stuff your face with as much food as possible.
Want to take your eating game to the next level this Thanksgiving? You better come to the table with a strategy. After all, there’s nothing more frustrating than feeling full before you even consider seconds on grandma’s mashed potatoes.
When it comes to eating large quantities of food, no one is more qualified to dole out advice than world-ranked competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut.
“I have the best job in the world, and on Thanksgiving, everybody tries to do my job,” he says.
To train for a big eating competition, Chestnut staggers practice eating runs with periods of fasting, and he drinks a lot of liquids to keep his stomach stretched. However, he doesn’t recommend that approach for Thanksgiving dinner. He says all you need to do is put your mind to it.
“Every time you pick up a new plate, try to treat it like it was your first. It’s a mental game: Just keep on eating like it was your first plate,” he says.
[Dietitians and health professionals may want to stop reading now.]
And when your body signals that it’s full, pay no attention.
“You find your rhythm, and when your body’s telling you something, you can usually ignore that feeling and just keep pushing,” Chestnut says. “It’s mind over matter.”
Another piece of advice he has for the big meal is to stick to the foods you’re used to eating. “If you don’t eat cranberry sauce on a regular basis, you shouldn’t try to eat a lot of it on Thanksgiving,” he says.
Prefer dark meat over light? Stock up on your favorite. Mashed potatoes will likely be easier on your stomach than the stuffing, which is served only a few times a year.
“You don’t want to push limits you haven’t developed yet,” Chestnut says.
And no matter how full you may be at the end of it all, dessert is a must.
“Pumpkin pie with whipped cream — this is something you have to do. It’s a crime if you don’t.”
Chestnut admits he’s a big fan of Thanksgiving dinner — especially the mashed potatoes with gravy — but even he has to exercise some restraint when his aunts, uncles and cousins gather around the table.
“If I ate as much as I could, my mom would really get pissed.”
