5 Mindful Ways to Avoid Overeating During the Holidays
The holiday season is once again upon us. This often means indulging in delicious foods and festive treats in the name of tradition, nostalgia, or celebration. However, it's also a time when overeating becomes a common occurrence, leading to discomfort and guilt. Maintaining a balance between enjoying the season and avoiding overindulgence is possible with mindful eating strategies.
Practice Mindful Eating
The first and most basic strategy to survive the onslaught of amazing foods that come with the season is to engage in mindful eating. This essentially means being present in the moment. The concept of mindful eating is simple. Be present. Obviously physically you are always there, but mentally be there. Don’t just put food in your mouth as part of the process. Enjoy the conversation but also enjoy your bites.
Savor each bite. That means you might want to turn off the tv or not eat on the go. If your mind isn’t on the activity of eating, overeating is likely to occur as you aren’t in tune with your body. Listening to hunger cues is an essential piece of eating enough, but not too much. Use the hunger scale to determine how hungry you are to estimate how much your body needs.
To practice mindful eating during holiday gatherings, chew slowly. This not only gives you time to savor your bite, but it signals to your brain that you are indeed giving it nutrients. Put down your utensils between bites. If you are anything like me, if there is a glass in your hand, you are drinking. Similarly, if there is a fork or spoon in your hand, you are eating. Eating shouldn’t be the point of the gathering. Be sure to focus your attention on the people instead.
If you are just a fast eater, taking notice of when other people take bites may help to pace you. Above all else, be aware of satiety signals. Use the hunger scale to help you be in tune with your body.
Portion Control and Balanced Plates
Portion control is another seemingly simple tool that can prevent overeating. If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach,” you’ve probably piled the food on your plate at some point. It almost seems impossible to not pile your plate with all of the amazing options that have magically made their annual holiday appearance. One trick you can employ is to use a small plate rather than a large one. Simply put, if your plate has no more room, you have to sit down to eat before adding more.
If you are able to contain yourself to small amounts, remember, once you have mindfully eaten a taste, you can always go back for more. If there is none left, hopefully, you savored what you could have. This is especially helpful if there are overwhelming options of dishes to choose from. If a large plate is put in front of you, filled to the gills, eat half. This is especially helpful at restaurants even when it isn’t the holiday season.
You can also create a balanced plate. No, I don’t mean putting the plate on your head and walking across the room. Try filling half the plate with vegetables, a quarter with protein, and the remaining quarter with carbs or other foods. Vegetables are high in nutrients and low in calories. Fill at least half of your plate with these sides. However, if they are cheesy, creamy, or fried, that very much defeats the purpose of consuming them. As much as they are the only way some people enjoy them, eating them has considerably fewer benefits. You may want to consider less than half of your plate.
Stay Hydrated
The significance and simplicity of staying hydrated cannot be emphasized enough, as thirst can often be mistaken for hunger. Try this: drink a full glass of water before eating and then pause for 10-15 minutes. Let the water work its magic and you may find that you are able to eat mindfully, in rational portions, and enjoy the conversation and people around you.
Another great trick is to alternate between water and your other beverage if you choose to have one. This especially helps if your alternative beverage is alcohol. Alcohol can affect your mind in a way that turns off focus. This often results in an inability to listen to internal signals and satiety. Your body is the best determiner of over or under-eating.
Plan Ahead and Prioritize Favorites
It may seem like a given but be sure to plan ahead for holiday meals to avoid overeating due to last-minute decisions. Imagine the scene: Family “dinner” is at 2:00. You are busy setting the table, roasting the turkey, mashing potatoes, cutting veggies, and finishing the pies. It is 1:30 and you realize you are starving because you haven’t eaten all day. The hunger scale seems to be telling you that you are somewhere between a 1 and a 2. You are in a bit of panic mode and pile your plate. The sheer amount of potatoes you consume seems to suggest you may turn into one later that evening. As you reach for a slice of pie, it all hits you at once. You. Are. Stuffed.
Alternately, planning for a 2:00 family “dinner” could mean eating an early breakfast and then planning a snack for 10:00 or 11:00. If you know you are going to be furiously busy, set an alarm. Take time for yourself. You and your health are important. Don’t let yourself get to the hunger status of a 1 or 2. Prepare to avoid regret.
Planning ahead also includes choosing your favorite holiday foods mindfully, rather than indulging in everything available. Do you really need 3 kinds of meat, 5 different pies, 3 types of potato, and 3 dinner rolls? If you are not hosting but want to ensure there is a healthier alternative, offer to bring a side. In doing this, you could ensure there is a healthy vegetable available. You could also make a traditional side with health-conscious ingredients. Greek yogurt for sour cream, reduced fat or sodium cream soup, or Neufchatel cheese instead of cream cheese.
Choose wisely.
Mindful Indulgence and Self-Compassion
The importance of allowing yourself to indulge mindfully without guilt cannot be overstated. At the end of the day, it’s ok to indulge sometimes. If you choose to not regulate yourself, be sure you don’t do so to the point that you feel guilty later.
Self-compassion and the absence of negative self-talk related to eating habits are essential. Be kind to yourself. People come and go but you are stuck with yourself for the rest of your life. You shouldn’t be your greatest critic or enemy, but your biggest cheerleader and motivator. Avoid negative self-talk. I’ve always clung to the idea that if your mom wouldn’t say it to you, don’t say it to yourself. However, my mom was my biggest fan. This is not always the case. If that is the case for you, think if your biggest fan wouldn’t say it about you, don’t say it or think it about yourself. There is enough in the world to tear us down. Don’t contribute to the negative.
The holiday season is a time for celebration and enjoyment, and it's possible to do so without overeating. By incorporating mindful eating practices, being conscious of portions, staying hydrated, planning ahead, and showing self-compassion, you can navigate the holiday festivities without the discomfort of overindulgence. Remember, it's about finding a balance between enjoyment and mindful choices.
By implementing these mindful strategies, you can savor the holiday season while maintaining a healthy relationship with food. Here's to a happy, healthy, and enjoyable holiday season!
