Mindfulness Around the Holidays
Topic Tuesday
Mindfulness around the Holidays: Food
With the holidays right around the corner, thoughts of my weight start to creep in. Even though I have come a long way in learning to view health as not just a number, it is still hard to not think about all the temptations and extra treats.
It is still hard to not punish myself, or restrict myself if I “over indulge in cookies”. Some of you may be thinking, well everything you make is healthy, so does it matter? Even though I try to use nutrient dense foods, like nut flours and natural sweeteners, there is still a balance of treats and fueling my body with healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein.
It is the holiday season and baking is my love language- so here are a couple things I am learning and I thought might be helpful to share.
- It is OK to enjoy my favorite cookie at 10pm and still eat breakfast the next morning.
- It is OK to say “I am satisfied” when round 2 of dinner is getting passed around.
- The scale does not rule me. It does not tell me my worth nor is it in any way my identity.
- Sometimes the stress I put on myself for eating or not eating something is worse than actually eating it.
- Asking to go for a walk or stepping away to move my body is OK.
- It is OK if I mess up and do not listen to my body when it is telling me what it needs. Tomorrow is a new day.
- It is OK to listen to my body when I am full and do not want dessert, even if everyone else is having it.
- I can eat dessert alone if I want to.
- My hunger today is not dependent on what I ate yesterday.
- Restriction generally leads to overindulgence and a punishment mindset (at least for me).
- It is OK to pick and choose through the dishes of the holidays and not take everything- I know what my body needs and what fuels and nourishes it.
I believe we can all enjoy the holidays while still being mindful of what our bodies need and giving ourselves some grace. Stay tuned for some tips coming Thursday!
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