Minus the Mindless

Christmas is creeping up on us. Houses will fill with the sounds of seasonal jingles, family and friends and the smell of Christmas baking. Who doesn’t anticipate their favourite holiday dish or sweets? A lot of us tend to indulge more than usual around this time of year. We find ourselves making excuses like, “hey, it’s Christmas!”. Indulgence is a part of normal eating. I mean, you have to enjoy yourself, right? There is no shame in enjoying festive favourites. Some have an easier time recognizing hunger cues and knowing when they are full. Others may have the conflict of their eyes being bigger than their stomach and tend to overindulge. Mindfulness when eating can be a struggle, especially in a social setting with delicious dishes surrounding us. The experience of eating can be fully enjoyed when being mindful and can lead to improved eating habits. Here are some tips for staying mindful this holiday season:

• Reflect: Are you eating because your bored? Stressed? Are you actually hungry? Take a moment to reflect on how you are feeling and then choose if you want to eat, what you want to eat and how much you want to eat.
• Portion sizes: Use smaller plates, bowls or cups. You might crave less if you see less.
• Sit down: It can be difficult to keep track of how much has been eaten if you’re moving around and less likely to appreciate your food if you are multi-tasking.
• Put down your utensil: Many of us already have the next bite on our fork or spoon before we’ve even finished the previous bite. Try putting the utensil down while chewing and enjoy your food!
• Screens: Try not eat in front of the tv or anything with a screen. These devices can be distracting and you might not even realize you ate that whole plate of sugar cookies!
• Water: Drinking water can help in feeling full, therefore, help with overeating.
• Leave the “clean your plate” club: Many of us grew up with being taught to finish everything on our plate. Don’t force yourself to finish the plate. Consider packing the rest for leftovers. Those foods can be enjoyed again another day.

These tips can help you become more aware of hunger a satiety cues. Minus the mindless and enjoy. Happy holidays from the Poppy Innovations family!