5 Ways I gained 5 pounds over Thanksgiving

I call it “the morning after” weigh-in—the first time I step on the scale after any trip, and for me, it’s always a doozy. This morning, it was a solid 5 pounds up from my maintenance weight.

I’ve spoken to so many women about this moment, and it often leads to a spiral of emotional drama. The truth? That extra number on the scale is rarely about “ruining everything” or “losing control.” It’s about understanding your body and cutting yourself some slack.

Let me walk you through why those 5 pounds have zero power over me:

Yes, I stuffed myself with cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, pecan pie, and more—foods I haven’t had in twelve solid months. It was glorious and you better believe I savored every bite and enjoyed it to the fullest. But here’s the thing: those foods aren’t the reason for my scale’s rebellion.

Instead, I know those pounds are about these five key factors:

Food weight: Eating more food means more physical weight in your system. Simple as that.

Travel slowdown: GLP-1s can make it a little harder to get the food out the other end, if you know what I mean, and travel does the same for me. Let’s just say my “intestinal guests” overstayed their welcome.

Sore muscles: While I was away, I played six hours of pickleball and added a run to my walks (which I haven't done in awhile). My muscles are yelling at me. Sore muscles retain water to heal, and that’s a good thing.

Travel water retention: My body always holds on to water after flying or road-tripping—every single time.

Healing mode: My family brought home a not-so-sweet parting gift: a fever and cough. It's not the grand finale we were hoping for, alas, my body’s working overtime to heal, which causes inflammation and water retention.

So I could have freaked out when the scale was up a solid 5 pounds this morning, knowing I had just spent several days gorging myself on foods that would likely fail any health-o-meter test.

For many women, this would mean starting the week after Thanksgiving off with extra exercise and a restrictive diet.

But not for me.

Instead of stressing out about a few days of unhealthy eating, thinking I set myself up for gaining weight, I chose to take a look at all the other factors at play.

And instead of jumping into restrictive eating or extreme workouts as a result, I’m choosing to care for my body differently. I’m sleeping more, taking slow walks when I feel like it, and eating as many nutrient-dense foods like fruits and oatmeal as I can to recover gently.

Because I know this: In 3-5 days, my body will release the water and inflammation weight (and btw, those “intestinal guests,” have already found a new home) and I’ll be right back to normal.

We’re getting deep into that “holiday season”, where women usually stress in one way or the other over their weight.

In years past, I would either say “who cares” and just go all in, usually gaining several pounds by the time January rolls around (I blame egg nog, hands down). Or I would feel deprived while watching others enjoy.

Now, I set some ground rules for myself (for one, no egg nog until the week of Christmas), and plan a day or two to just go all in with all the foods I've been gifted or that I love and enjoy. A single day or even two will not overthrow your goals, I promise!

Some women have told me that they can’t allow even a day or two of all-in food enjoyment or they will go hog wild after that.

In my experience, that suggests a pattern of restriction that hasn’t been fixed yet. When you allow yourself to eat enough of the foods your body loves and needs every day of the year, two things happen.

1: You will completely lose the need or desire to binge and you are more able to enjoy a bite or two of those “off limits” foods.

2: You lose desire completely for foods that don’t serve your body.

So often now, I will see a food that I used to love and binge on, given the chance, and my brain tells me I want that food. But when I go to eat it, my body says no. Either it no longer tastes good to me, or I just lose the desire for it after a bite or two - no more binging.

For many people, these are foods that have been heavily restricted in an effort to eat low-carb. But what I hope to teach you is that it has never been the carbs that have been the problem. Your body wants and needs those carbs.

Yes, sugar too.

(While “table sugar” has no real nutritional value, it does offer glucose, which your body can use for energy production. So “sugar” has never been the problem.)

I go into “Cravings, Sugar Addictions, and Binging” in lesson 4.4 in GLP-1 Done Right. If you feel you are dealing with any of these issues, it’s very likely that your body is starving for energy, and you can overcome these struggles easily with the right strategy.

GLP-1 medications are a superpower and will help you overcome these issues so quickly and easily, as long as you’re eating appropriately while on them. But if you’re unable to utilize GLP-1, you can still fix these issues with time, patience, and the right strategy. I teach all of that within my full course.

As we navigate the holidays together, remember: It’s not about perfection; it’s about progress. If you’re ready to embrace a balanced approach to health—one that lets you enjoy life and reach your goals—let’s do this together.

🎄 Feel you need a little extra support this holiday season? Check out GLP-1 Done Right to learn how to nourish your body, conquer cravings, and heal your metabolism while staying true to your goals.

Hugs & Smoothie Smiles,

Coach Camille PN, SSR

🌟 Let’s keep the conversation going! Send me an email and let me know: What’s your biggest struggle during the holidays?