First you get some turkey. Then you scoop on some potatoes, both mashed and sweet. Find those green beans and make some room on your plate for the stuffing. For good measure, dump cranberry sauce and gravy over everything. Be sure to save room for the pumpkin and pecan pies, topped with a dollop of whip cream, of course. Add it all together, and you’ve got yourself a Thanksgiving meal.

At least it would be for most Americans. For those high school runners lucky enough to still be racing, whether it’s at Foot Locker or NXN regionals on Nov. 30, a Thanksgiving feast may seem like a perfect way to feel terrible only two days before one of the biggest races of the year. It doesn’t have to be that way, however. Thanksgiving can be a festive meal with your favorite foods that won’t leave you feeling like you can’t race in two days. Instead, if you tread carefully—and healthfully—a Thanksgiving feast can be a great lead-up to race day.

“It might seem unfortunate for runners to have this type of a holiday so close to a huge race,” says Kelly Jones, a registered dietitian with a private practice in Bucks County, Pa., “but if they navigate the dinner table the right way, they can enjoy themselves and celebrate a great tradition.”

One of the first tips that Jones gives is to avoid any non poultry. A ham will likely have more saturated fats, which are to be avoided whenever possible. She says that turkey is a great protein source, but to try to opt for white meat over dark meat. “This way,” she says, “you are getting essential protein and nutrients without the extra saturated fats.”

Another thing to look out for is how foods are prepared. It might seem healthy to go for the green bean casserole and sweet pototoes, but they could be loaded with cream, butter, and extra sugar. These Thanksgiving staples can be delicious without the additives. Green beans are much healthier when steamed and sweet potatoes are sweet as is, so whip them up with a little butter and cinnamon instead of marshmallows and a stick of butter. 

Jones recommends filling up a plate like so: Fill a quarter of the plate with the lean turkey and the rest with vegetables and carbohydrates like stuffing. For toppings opt for the cranberry sauce and omit or limit gravy. When it comes to dessert, don’t deprive yourself but eat in moderation. “Pick one dessert that you like the most or just take a spoonful of several dishes so you can taste them all without going overboard,” she says.

The main point is to avoid pigging out. As we preach here on The Furnace, eat foods that make you feel good when you run. You can do this at Thanksgiving.

But what about the relative who wants you to eat everything, the one who tries to stuff more and more food in your face? And what if you don’t like Thanksgiving food anyway?

I ran Foot Locker Midwest in 2002 and 2003. One of the years, I was at my family’s Thanksgiving dinner in Detroit. Like I was every year, I was at the kid’s table, set off to the side with the other cousins my age. My Aunt Sue was there too, out-aging us by four decades, but she was a perpetual kid-table member. She was my crazy aunt.

With a big race in a few days, I was worried about eating too much, so I picked at my giant plate full of food. My cousins were worried about not being able to eat dessert, because they hated everything but mashed potatoes but needed a clean plate to be allowed anywhere near the pies. Aunt Sue knew what to do. She had us all lean in at the table and spoke quietly, “You just pile some food here,” she said, demonstrating on her own plate, as she forked a pile of green beans over a dried up piece of turkey. “And then hide some in your napkin,” she continued, balling up a napkin full of stuffing and hiding it in her pocket. As my cousins ate apple pie and I sat focusing on my race, we all thought she was a genius.

It could have been easier, though, if we had followed Jones’ advice and portioned our plates in moderation. Or I could have said I was racing.

It’s the perfect excuse that shouldn’t offend family members who slaved over a meal: You have a Foot Locker or NXN race in two days. Heck, that excuse is so foolproof, it might even get a few picky eaters to turn into runners.