Staying sane about food during the holidays
Camille Schwartz
Holidays are a time when food is plentiful. Whether it is your mother’s homemade sugar cookies, filled with tablespoons of sugar and butter, or your grandmother’s scrumptious pecan pie, the holidays offer plenty of opportunities for tasty desserts.
Last night, I had a conversation with my roommate about eating during the holidays. She explained to me, “I usually eat more than I’d like over the holidays because I know that I only get to eat this type of food every once in a while. For me, the holidays are a time to eat great food; if I wasn’t eating my mother’s Christmas desserts I’d feel like I was missing out.”
My roommate’s comment left me to wonder if it is possible for us to enjoy the holidays without eating every dessert or delicious dish that is offered to us. Moreover, is there a way that we can enjoy our favorite foods without falling victim to mindless eating?
In her blog, Comfort Cravings, Dr. Susan Albers explains that mindful eating during the holidays is not about eliminating all desserts or caloric dishes; rather, it is about being present and enjoying our favorite foods in moderation. Imagine if it were possible for you to find pleasure in eating your favorite holiday treats without feeling guilty or gaining excessive weight?
Here are some simple steps you can take towards managing the food frenzy throughout the holidays.
1) Avoid making food the main focus of social gatherings — while there may be a lot of tasty food at holiday parties, avoid using these types of social situations as an excuse to devour the dessert table. Instead, turn your focus towards catching up and having fun with your family and friends.
2) Be present while eating your favorite foods — it’s not a problem if you want to try a little bit of that pecan pie for dessert as long you are really enjoying the experience and not just eating for the sake of eating. While you’re eating your favorite foods, make a conscious effort to sit down and be present. Try sitting down and chewing slowly, without talking or doing another activity when you eat.
3) Avoid all or nothing thinking — according to Albers, “eating mindfully is a shade of grey, not a black or white extreme of overeating or dieting/restriction.” Allow yourself to enjoy your food, but do so in moderation. Remember that placing lots of restrictions on your diet can result in more overeating.
4) Pay attention to why you are eating — the holidays can sometimes provoke negative emotions such as stress, loneliness or boredom, which can lead to emotional eating. Before you decide to eat, ask yourself if you are really hungry. If the answer is no, first try to understand why you are using food as a coping mechanism to divert your attention from uncomfortable emotions. Next choose another activity that directly addresses the emotions you are experiencing.
So don’t wait until it’s time to make New Year’s resolutions to begin eating healthy. Yes, it is true that the holidays are a time for delicious food, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw your healthy eating habits out the window. Rather than mindlessly gobbling down three of your mother’s homemade sugar cookies, sit down and eat one.
Camille Schwartz is a writer for the Voice and can be reached for comment at CSchwartz14@wooster.edu. She writes a blog, which can be found at consciousindulgence.blogspot.com.