Holiday Food Stress

Finally! I am sitting down to write my very first blog post. This is something I have tried (and failed) to initiate for years now. There is no time like the present, so here I go!

The holidays are such a special — yet stressful—  time when it comes to eating. I think of the holidays as a string of events and tasks similar to a train on the tracks. Think of it like this: you are on a train, riding down those tracks, and you’re making visits at stations (like events, parties, and meals) or just passing through them. 

That train leaves the station slightly before Thanksgiving and barrels down the tracks until it finally comes to a stop on January 2nd. By then, you’re exhausted and maybe overwhelmed. If you already have a general nutrition practice you probably feel pretty comfortable hopping off and on the train. But let’s be honest, it’s also the party train! During the holidays, we generally just want to do what feels good and avoid anything that feels hard. But, successful planning and implementation of healthy meals takes time, organization, and motivation.  

It’s not easy. That’s why if you haven’t established your nutrition practice by the holidays, it’s common to feel like that train is careening out of control. This can lead to feelings of guilt, sometimes shame, or just a feeling that you have let yourself down. These self-deprecating feelings can lead to additional emotional eating and an even more pronounced sense of being out of control. 

So how do you slow the train? Here are 3 tips to slow down, savor the moment and indulge your body and your soul

1. MINDFULNESS: A basic practice of being mindful around meals and eating is a great way to start. Before attending an event or sitting down to a meal, ask yourself how physically hungry do I feel? You might even rate your hunger on a scale of 1-10. Also by taking this pause, you allow your body to tell you what foods it is asking for: something crunchy or possibly something with protein? You might have a small snack based on those cravings before an event so you can avoid being overly hungry.

2. SAVOR: During the meal, practice being present and savor the enjoyment of the flavors, textures and aromas of the meal. Allowing yourself to reflect on the moment and the people around you will give you the space to assess your enjoyment and satisfaction of the foods. When you bank those memories, you can return to enjoying the moment in your mind and you can also reassure yourself that there will be another delicious meal/food to enjoy in the future.

3. LET IT GO: If you feel overly full or overindulged, or maybe ate foods that are outside of your normal practice, relish the moment and then let it go. One meal is a blip in your nutrition and health practice. By remembering that and honoring the purpose of the meal, you will allow yourself to let go of that feeling of lack of control.

Being more mindful around eating can be a first step in your nutrition practice or it may be a tool you need to activate. Either way, the answer to holiday stress is not what you are going to deprive yourself of, but how you are going to empower yourself to apply the brakes, take a breath, and then enjoy the party. 

Especially this year…we all need to have a little party in our lives! How are you relishing the moment?