Food is always an attraction to those who love it, and almost everyone loves food. But the food that gives you energy can also add some extra pounds, or tamper with our blood sugar levels. It is mostly during the holidays that most people fail to control binging on the delicious holiday foods. From the sugary sweet Halloween candy to lip-smacking Christmas dinner and the unavoidable New Year parties, the holiday season is a challenge that most people fail. How can you savor the season without having to change your health goals?
Mindful Eating for the Holidays!
In simple terms, mindful eating is being mindful of what you eat and not overindulging in the act of eating. Most people eat when they are exhausted, overwhelmed, anxious, or lonely. Mindful eating practices help you keep yourself healthy during holidays. How can you practice mindful eating?
- Hunger assessment: Check whether you are actually hungry or your emotions are dominating your decision? Differentiate between your cravings, your emotions, and actual hunger. Take a moment to reflect on what you are feeling before taking action.
- Set a timetable: The ideal way to be mindful of what you eat is to decide when to eat. By setting a timetable, you can be sure that you don’t eat unnecessarily at odd times.
- Enjoy what you eat: When you engage all your senses into what you eat, you will appreciate every aspect of the food that you eat. Appreciating how the food looks on the plate, how it smells, the texture, the taste, as well as the nutrition that you receive, will only help you enjoy the food more.
- Avoid distraction: The ideal way to be mindful of your eating habits is to get rid of distractions such as television, mobile phones, tablets, laptops and such. You are less aware of what you eat when you are engrossed in these distractions. Instead, set the table and make every meal a time for family and conversation.
- Illusional aid: Did you know that when you pick a large plate, you tend to eat more? Pick a small plate which gives an illusion of a full plate even with a small portion. You can deceive your mind into believing that you have consumed a large portion of food. Also, make sure you always serve out a portion into a plate or a bowl instead of eating out of the box or bag.
Take time to appreciate all the effort that has gone into preparing the food that is served to you, from farm to table. Be thankful to those around you who are there to enjoy the meal with you. Giving gratitude will help you understand the importance of food and being mindful of what you eat.