The holidays are here and the next few weeks are sure to be filled with lots of sweets and treats. In a society that has been brainwashed by diet culture, this time of year can feel stressful. You may be thinking “Will I gain weight?” or “I need to be disciplined this year.” We are here to show you how you can enjoy the holidays, eat intuitively, and cultivate a positive relationship with food.
The Importance of Food and Traditions
Diet culture has led us to demonize all foods with a lot of sugar, fat, and calories. While these foods are not “health foods,” they can play an important role in our overall well-being.
Food helps bring people together, embrace different cultures, and celebrate family traditions. Some of the foods involved in the traditions may not be very nutrient dense, but it is still important to let yourself enjoy them. The joy you feel and memories you make will help fulfill your mental, social, and emotional needs. Based on the Pillars of Wellness, we know that fulfilling each avenue of our wellness is more important than just focusing on your physical health.
The Psychology Behind Food
Now that you understand the importance of embracing holiday food traditions over diet rules, let’s dive into the psychology behind food.
How many times have you promised yourself that you were only going to eat one cookie and then ended up eating five? This doesn’t have to do with lack of willpower. There are many factors that can influence how in control you feel around food.
- Stress: The holidays can be stressful. When we are feeling stressed, it is not uncommon to turn to food. The key is to find other tools to help you cope with your stress that do not involve food. When stress eating does happen, let it and move on!
- Undereating: When we do not eat enough during the day, it can make our cravings for treats stronger. If you want to feel more in control when eating holiday treats, make it a priority to eat consistent meals during the day.
- Restriction: We always want what we can’t have. This is called the Forbidden Fruit Effect. Giving yourself unconditional permission to eat something will help you feel in control around it.
- Guilt: Do you feel guilty when you eat treats? This can lead to an endless cycle of restricting and binging. Instead, you should allow yourself to enjoy what you are craving mindfully and without guilt.
How to Feel in Control This Holiday Season
If you want to truly enjoy this holiday season, it is important to foster a positive relationship with food. We have some tips to help you do it:
- Eat breakfast to help you feel in control of your cravings
- Drink lots of water to stay hydrated
- Prioritize protein and veggies to ensure your body is still getting the nutrients it needs
- Pair treats with something more nutrient dense to help you feel more satisfied after eating
- Remind yourself that it is okay if you overeat every once in awhile because a couple of holidays are not going to ruin your health goals
- Don’t go too long without eating because it is harder to eat mindfully when you are starving
- Be kind to yourself if you start feeling guilty and then find something to do that will distract your mind
- Remind yourself that you can have leftovers another day if you are full to help prevent overeating
- Don’t overfill your plate at first because you can always go back for seconds and won’t feel pressured to clean your plate and avoid wasting food
The holidays are supposed to be enjoyed, not spent stressing about food. We hope this blog helped give you the tools to feel confident around food this holiday season. Eat the foods you want to enjoy without guilt!