How to Navigate the Holidays

Between work, organizations, family, and friends, the holiday potlucks seem like they come about once a week starting in November and going all the way through New Year’s Eve. 

You’ve been working so hard to avoid eating out of boredom, being mindful of your portions, and eating tons of fruits and veggies! As exciting as the holiday festivities are, we can sometimes feel a sense of dread because our old patterns of over-indulging are threatening to reemerge. 

This holiday season, prepare yourself with these helpful tips on how to approach holiday buffets with confidence and peace, knowing it’s okay to have some fun foods in your diet and it’s also possible not to binge on them. Here is how to prepare yourself for upcoming holiday buffets (or any time there's an over abundance of food!): 

1. Don't Skip Meals. “Saving up calories” will not end up in your favor. When you show up to a meal and you are ravenously hungry, it is much harder to make good choices, control portions and slow down while eating. Your brain will be signaling to your stomach to "catch up" from all the calories you've missed throughout the day. If you maintain your normal breakfast, lunch, and snacks, you won’t feel ravenous at a holiday dinner. You’ll be able to think clearly and rationally about what you truly want to eat from all the options available. 

2. Survey the buffet before filling your plate. It’s okay to tell people to go ahead of you because you’re still looking at the options! Looking at all the foods gives you time to decide which foods you really want to try, so you don’t end up overfilling your plate because you’re only seeing a few foods at a time. This will also help you feel mentally satisfied because you get to pick your favorite foods! You won’t feel like you absolutely have to go back for more because you missed out on dishes you didn’t get to try.

3. Eat until you are full and satisfied, then stop! It seems so simple, but it can be hard to implement! This is a great time to practice listening to your body, and feeling when your stomach starts to get full. And if you eat past the point of fullness, make sure to forgive yourself, avoid guilt and know that you can learn from the experience to help you not make the same mistake the next time! 

4. Slow down and enjoy the taste and texture of the foods you picked. Eat slowly and really think about how the food tastes and savor the moment. This is another strategy to help you get that mental and emotional satisfaction from fun foods. At the end of the night you want to feel like you weren’t deprived of any food, but also stopped eating when you were satisfied and before you felt too full.

As potluck season approaches, I hope you feel confident and excited to implement these tips to help you feel in control and enjoy your holidays. Leave a comment below and share your tips for being successful through the holiday season!

If you have any questions or are interested in individual coaching, contact me at miranda@lifeinbalancenutrition.net