Mindful Eating during the Holidays

The holidays can be stressful, so it is important to take a deep breath and enjoy these special moments with our friends and family. I often joke that stressed spelled backwards is DESSERTS; which is often a coping mechanism for us during periods of high stress. But what if I told you that you could enjoy your desserts and manage your stress during the holidays with a few simple tricks?!? The basis of this practice is mindful eating or often called intuitive eating.

There are some rather intense courses on the subject and it sounds very simple but in our fast-paced society we forget to listen to our body’s natural cues. The good news is if you can master mindful/intuitive eating, you will be able to enjoy every type of food and will never have to “diet.” Some of you have heard me say before that it is not just our “diet” that we need to change but our behaviors. So, I challenge you this holiday season to try a few of my personal favorite tips and enjoy delicious food!

Holiday Mindful Eating Tips:

1. Take it slow!

You should be taking about 20-30 minutes to finish a meal. Think of the five S’s (sit down, savor, chew slowly, stay in the moment, and smile).

• Sitting can help us pay more attention to our own body’s satiety cues.
• Savor the food; think of how long it took to prepare this wonderful meal; don’t rush it and enjoy it!
• Chew your food thoroughly and think about the flavors and the textures you are eating; set your utensils down while chewing.
• Stay in the moment; time is precious so enjoy your time with your friends and family.
• Smile it is the holiday season and the food is delicious.

2. Avoid portion distortion.

Try using a smaller salad plate vs the large platter when serving yourself.

3. You don’t have to clean your plate.

This is probably the hardest habit to break! I think we were all raised to clean our plates and to not waste food, but try to tune into your body’s cues and if you are full stop eating.

4. Don’t skip breakfast.

It is logical to think that if we skip breakfast we can enjoy the mid-day meal even more, but often what happens is we end up eating too fast and too much food and then feel miserable. So, plan a head and enjoy a nice balanced breakfast.

5. Take a Walk!

After enjoying a wonderful holiday feast, go take a quick 20-30 minute walk. Not only will this help you digest your food, but exercise helps release all those wonderful endorphins that make us feel happy!