The holidays can be joyous, yet stressful for a lot of us. A hidden culprit of this stress isn’t the last-minute shopping, opinionated family members, or weather complications, however. You guessed it, we’re talking food.
This may come as a surprise, since the holidays are notorious for the most delicious food of the year. Christmas cookies, baked turkey and ham, and culturally traditional food that you save for these special occasions are plentiful. The other side of this is that there’s just a lot of it. It seems like there’s a party or gathering every weekend through December.
Don’t arrive at parties starving
“Prepping” for a party by not eating may seem like a strategic move, but this often leads to overeating and eating too fast. This can lead to symptoms of bloating, stomach pain, and excess calorie intake. Have a snack or a small meal before attending a holiday gathering to help keep your mind and stomach at ease.
Ask for recipes
Potluck style parties and parties at others’ houses is a prime opportunity to try foods that you don’t often cook. The desire to try all these foods can create what’s called the “Last Supper Effect”, where we feel the need to eat as much of this food as possible because we feel like we’ll never have it again. Take a sampling of each food item that you’d like to try, and ask the host for the recipe so you can make that food anytime you’d like afterwards.
Most people will be flattered that their dish was one of your favorites and may be happy to share!
Eat slowly and utilize body scans
Eating quickly is the easiest way that we end up overeating. Without checking in with our body, we don’t recognize when our body is getting full. Eating food slowly and taking a break every 10-20 minutes to scan your body can help you identify how full you’re feeling and stop before you get overly full.
Make room for the fruits and vegetables
Don’t deprive yourself
A lot of folks enter the holidays with the staunch ruling that they’re “not doing that this year”, meaning, not letting themselves have any sweets. While this decree is admirable, it can often lead to intense cravings and overeating if the resolve breaks. It is usually best to enter a situation with the goal of simply staying mindful, savoring the delicious food, and listening to your body cues.
Get Started today
Want to learn more about staying in tune with your body? Our nutritionist, Sarah, works with clients on formally adopting the Intuitive Eating style of nutrition and can help clients take control of their eating habits.
Call the office today at 302-828-0048 to schedule an appointment and start your new year off right!
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