How To Eat Mindfully During The Holidays
Here come the holidays with parties, family gatherings, and food galore!
But before we dive into the HOW that will allow you to eat more mindfully during the holidays, let’s take a step back to clarify what mindful eating really is. Mindful eating is when you’re paying attention to what you’re feeding your body. You’re eating your food slowly and with awareness and enjoying it at the same time. It also allows you to be present and enjoy these moments with your friends, family and loved ones.
Here are few tips that I think can support you during this very special time of the year:
1- Use small plates:
It makes sense that a dish with a smaller surface area would only allow you to serve yourself a smaller portion of food at a single time. As you know, our eyes are always bigger than our stomach, yet we still pile our plates high knowing full well it's too much!
The best way to avoid overstuffing yourself is to start small, then go back for seconds if you feel your appetite hasn't been satisfied.
2- Slow down:
Before digging into your food, take a second to absorb everything on your plate with your other senses. Look at the variety of colors, inhale the different notes of spice and smoke and sweet and acknowledge the difference in textures. Chew slowly and lower your utensils every few bites. Eating is a full experience. We often rush to indulge our sense of taste plus it takes about 20 min for your stomach to signal to your brain that it's full. Giving yourself time to digest a meal will help you notice your body’s signals.
3- Honor your Fullness:
Even if it means passing up dessert or a second helping of food that someone spent hours preparing. Just politely say, “No, thank you, really.”
4- Allow yourself to enjoy your favorite foods:
Restricting yourself from foods you truly desire not only won’t help with the mindful eating but can lead to binging or overindulging. This is about choice. When you forbid foods, you often want them more. Permission doesn’t mean you have to eat everything that is offered, or all of it; it gives the choice and the power back to you.
5- Manage stress:
While the holidays can be a magical and wonderful time of year, they can also be full of stressful moments. Instead of coping with a box of homemade holiday cookies or the bowl of stuffing we planned to take to the party, it's important to have outlets of stress relief not related to food.
By meditating, taking short walks, reaching for a warm cup of herbal tea, spending time with people who make you laugh and getting enough sleep are some of the few ways in which you can positively impact how you manage your stress levels.
Remember, before you rush into the party or sit down at the holiday meal, stop and take a few deep breaths. Acknowledge how you feel. Rushed? Stressed? Sad? Nervous? Hungry? Put your hands over your heart and allow space for what is. Even a moment or two of breathing and acknowledging will put you in touch with yourself, will help you regulate your nervous system and will support you in making better food choices once.
Wishing you a very happy holiday!
Love,
Nousha
PS: If you feel you need more support, CLICK HERE and book your complimentary consult call with me today.