This post isn’t going to tell you to watch your weight this holiday season or to let you know how precarious this time of year is. You probably already know that Thanksgiving can be the tipping off point of holiday eating insanity, but it doesn’t have to be. Have your slice of pie (I will probably be having two), your mashed potatoes, and your wine this Thanksgiving and don’t beat yourself up about it. Enjoy this season, but do so in a mindful and present way. Sure, I am talking about looking up from your phone and actually appreciating your friends and family surrounding you but, also to be present with your stomach and your mind as well. We are all hopefully getting to January 1st - do you want to get there and feel discouraged and regretful and jump into a cleanse that may encourage yo-yo dieting and perpetuate diet culture? Or do you want to get to January 1st and feel like it is just another day of the week?
Listen to your body
Step 1 actually listen to your body. Watching my toddler eat has been the number one example of mindful eating (minus the mess that typically ensues). Babies and toddlers eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Somewhere along the way we’ve all gotten a little messed up with actually listening to our stomachs. Most individuals, at some point in their lives, experience the need to restrict, and limit which typically leads to overeating, guilt, or deprivation. Pace yourself when you are eating, chew slowly, take sips of water between bites, and be in tune with how hungry you are. Are you eating because you are bored or do just want to put food in your mouth because it tastes so darn good? Well, those habits typically lead to feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. The key takeaways during the holiday season and everyday life is to be aware of your hunger and fullness levels. Don’t allow yourself to get to a ravenous state by waiting too long to eat and don’t eat in excess and push yourself to an uncomfortable fullness which typically leads to feeling “bad” about food. On a hungry/satiated scale of 1 being starving and 10 being stuffed to capacity, you ideally want to start eating around a 3/4 and stop eating around a 6/7. Reaching either side of the spectrum can perpetuates yo-yo eating habits.
Don’t Show Up Hungry
So how do you avoid a 1 and 10 on the scale? You snack or have a meal every three hours - just like a baby! For Thanksgiving and any holiday function, arriving at a gathering starving is setting yourself up to make poor dietary choices. You are already focusing your mind on overdoing it by “saving” yourself for this one big meal. Make sure that you have a snack two to three hours prior to the meal that includes fiber, protein, and fat. This can be a hard boiled egg, brown rice crackers with nut butter, half an avocado with everything bagel spice, vegetables and hummus, or a handful of unsalted nuts.
never use the term cheat day again
During this season of abundance, it is important to try to not categorize food as good vs bad, i.e pumpkin pie - bad, raw brussels sprout salad- good. But to enjoy all the food in a mindful way. This also means not considering Thanksgiving as a “cheat day”, but as a special time with family, friends, and really good food. Placing specific foods or the holiday into a “naughty” category means that you will then have a “nice” category and so goes the back and forth of categorizing foods.
don't feel deprived
It is holiday time and you do not have the opportunity to eat pecan pie, latkes, and marshmallow covered sweet potatoes year round. Allow yourself a mindful portion, enjoy it slowly, and listen to your hunger cues.
don’t throw it all out the window
Despite not wanting you to feel deprived, I also don’t want you to just fill your plate with mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. Thanksgiving can actually be quite balanced and full of vegetables, protein, healthy fat, and fiber - all of the tenants of a satiating, nutritious meal. Make sure to include nutrient dense foods such as roasted vegetables, salad, and turkey, and balance it out with the stuffings and mashes.
Exercise
I exercise because it puts my head in a better place. It makes me feel good whether it is yoga class, barre, or HIIT class. Moving my body with intention is beneficial for my mental health. If you fall into this category, get moving this holiday season - not to allow you to feel free to indulge and eat in excess, but to get your head in a better space to deal with the stress of a holiday function or family and be clear and focused around food. If you are exercising to allow yourself to overindulge, this perpetuates a yo-yo mentality. Reassess why you are working out, and how it best serves your body and your mind.
It’s just one meal
Remember that one day or one meal is not going to cause a change in pant’s size or make you any less healthy. Enjoy your favorite holiday foods with intention and avoid feeling deprived or guilty.
