One of the great joys that comes with celebrating the holidays with loved ones is the food that brings us together. It’s a time to cook traditional family recipes, festive flavors and dishes unique to the most wonderful time of the year. For many, certain dishes are tied to sentimental value and cherished holiday memories. For others, the holiday food environment can feel like a never-ending calendar of parties with many opportunities to indulge or even feel out of control with the many food choices. This can spark feelings of anxiety and apprehension, especially for those who struggle with their relationship with food. If you ever feel this way, mindful eating, which enhances the enjoyment of food and promotes a healthier relationship with both food and the body, could be for you.
Mindfulness refers to the conscious practice of being present and aware in a given moment without judgment or distraction. When applied to eating, mindfulness can help maximize the satisfaction of your meal. The Center for Mindful Eating defines mindful eating as an approach that allows yourself to become aware of the positive and nurturing opportunities available through food selection and preparation by respecting your inner wisdom. This inner wisdom may look or feel like your own body’s hunger, fullness or simply what sounds good to you when you’re choosing what you want to eat. Mindful eating helps you tap into your senses related to the color, smell, texture and your own response to the food you’re selecting to eat.
It’s important to acknowledge your response to a particular food choice - whether you like it, dislike it or feel indifferent about it - without judgment. For example, if your favorite dessert—let’s say, a chess pie— is served at a dinner party, you should not feel one bit guilty for loving chess pie, even though it might not be the lowest calorie option on the menu. Those who eat mindfully do not attach a moral value or “right or wrong” label to any particular food. If you’re someone who has spent a large part of life following the many food rules that come with dieting, it takes time and persistence to rewire your mental framework to view all foods neutrally, whether it’s a stalk of broccoli or a pint of Bluebell ice cream.
When we make a food choice that we feel isn’t the best or healthiest, there is often a tendency to ruminate on that choice, using mental resources that could be used elsewhere, such as enjoying the conversations and the company of your friends. Instead of dissecting the decision to take a bread roll from the basket, then trying to compensate for that one roll by eating less for dinner, take the bread roll and move on. This does not make you a bad person.
We tend to keep our minds running wild throughout the day, thinking back to what happened during a meeting at work 10minutes ago or thinking ahead to what’s happening when the kids get home from school. For many, being present and shutting out this “noise” is unfamiliar territory. Those who can do this successfully often find it can help decrease the incidence of overeating and promote a more balanced and positive relationship with both food and the body, which cannot be undermined.
While January is National Mindful Eating Month, I believe the holiday season is an excellent time to begin exploring the concept of mindful eating. With the hectic nature of the holidays, it is hard to completely revamp your eating habits at this time. Mindful eating can help you achieve a healthy nutritional and caloric balance while enhancing the satisfaction of your meals and food choices at holiday gatherings. Here are some tips for how to enjoy your favorite holiday foods, without guilt:
Before eating, check in with yourself: How are you feeling? Overwhelmed? Busy? How hungry are you? Checking in with yourself before eating is a great way to ground yourself to the present moment and how you’re approaching your meal. If you notice you feel rushed or stressed, use this time to relax and enjoy your meal in peace. It’s also important to assess how hungry you are. Entering a meal feeling famished makes it difficult to feel sensations of fullness as you approach the end of your meal, which does not promote mindful eating. Just like you will check in with yourself at the beginning of your meal, you’ll want to check in with yourself at the end as well.
Eat regular, balanced meals throughout the day: Most people go long periods of time without eating throughout the day and/or skip meals. Eating well-balanced meals every 4-5 hours with a variety of protein, carbohydrates, protective fats and color on your plate gets you into a rhythm that helps you better stay in touch with your body. It’s distracting when you feel uncomfortably hungry or full. Even if you’re going to a holiday party with a delicious spread of food, it’s not recommended to “save up” during the day to compensate for the calories you plan to eat at the party. Food should be enjoyed, but it should not be the focal point of your experience.
Give yourself permission to eat: Viewing all foods without judgment helps you give yourself permission to eat. At holiday parties or on special occasions, many people graze and grab a handful of this, or a bite of that. Serve yourself a plate of food. By allowing yourself to eat, you are making peace with food by not employing any food or diet rules, which helps you stay connected to your hunger and fullness. When we are exposed to the “forbidden fruit”, or the food you think you’re not allowed to have, it makes you want it even more and may lead to overeating or promote binge-like tendencies.
Consider your attention and intention: We know we want our attention to be focused on the meal at present, but focusing on your intention is equally important. What purpose does this food or meal serve for you? Is it of sentimental value? Something you’re craving? A food that provides high-quality nutrients to your body? Considering the purpose of your choice helps boost mindfulness and appreciation.
Sit down and slow down: Physical awareness can help you eat more mindfully in addition to the mental awareness component. Try not to eat standing up, which inherently promotes more distracted and mindless eating. Slow down the pace of your eating by putting your utensil down in between bites. This can help you enjoy the flavor profile of your food and also help you register hunger and fullness cues more efficiently. To minimize further distraction, keep phone and television screen time scarce during meals.
Implement self-care: As busy as the holidays are, this is also a time to unwind and reflect. Practice self-care strategies that help decrease stress levels and add more balance to your life, such as reading, calling a friend or taking a walk around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. Notice how none of these ideas involve food. Food should not be used as a way to cope with stress or emotion. Emotional eating can be both confusing and damaging to your relationship with food.
Your holidays should be spent celebrating joy and connection with your loved ones, not overthinking how many small bites you took from Santa’s cookie stash. Mindful eating is a friendly and peaceful approach to minimizing food fear and maximizing satisfaction within the mind and body.
Emma Willingham is a registered dietitian who practices in an outpatient hospital clinic and through her private practice, Fuel with Emma. You can find her on social media at @fuelwithemma.
How to eat mindfully during the holidays - Houston Chronicle
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