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.

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.

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.

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.