(Mindful) Feasting

As promised, we have another guest blog! I am not too proud to admit these are some of my favorite posts, too. These guest authors are insightful, practical, and experts on their topics! Any day I can sit back, relax, read, and learn something new, is a good day in my book (or blog?). I guess what I’m trying to say is: settle in and enjoy!

Allow me to introduce Doctor Shanley (yes, you read that right!). Shanley is currently in the clinical rotations of her Dietetic Internship. Before being a total smarty pants, Shanley and I grew up in the same ‘lil hometown. Her sister and I are good friends and played sports together since we were munchkins. Plus, her cousin was my college roomie and another of my besties. Did I mention we’re from a small town? Anyway, minus the family affair, I knew Shanley from high school. Sort of. She was the cool senior chick who kicked ass at all sports, was funny, and, would you believe it, was nice! Even to the awkward freshman emerging at the bottom of the high school food chain (I still cringe at my adolescent self).

Okay, so now we’re adults and I’m still caught up in the fact that the pretty senior agreed to write a post on my blog (my Freshman heart is going nuts over here!). She is all things nutrition & fitness inspo, go ahead and add in a heavy dose of realism, too. I love when pictures of her eating ice cream pop up on Insta (thank God, I am not the only one out here keeping the ice cream industry alive). She reminds me that you can be health conscious and fit, while still being a human with indulgences. With that said, Shanley has graciously provided some guidelines for the food eating marathon of the year: Thanksgiving thru Christmas (okay lets be honest, New Years, when those damn resolutions kick in). Here goes!

Mindful Eating During the Holidays

Power-eating breakfast as you sprint to the car because you’re running late for work? Shoveling food into your mouth because you skipped lunch and now you’re 50 shades of hangry? Crunching numbers for that school project, and now you’ve crunched yourself to the bottom of that chip bag?

Raise your hand if you can relate.

Okay. Now keep it raised if you’re then hit with:

“Woah, how did I finish that? It’s seriously already gone? What did I just eat, again? I swear I packed more food. ”

Just so everyone knows, I am sitting here with both of my arms raised… and my left foot.

Now one of two things usually happens next. You acknowledge that you just devoured that sandwich and bag of chips without paying any attention to what you just ate, then make a mental note that the next time you eat you will allow yourself time to truly taste and enjoy that meal, and move forward with your day. Or you feel an intense rush of emotions and guilt, which can often lead to some of the following mentalities or actions, let me list a handful:

1. Annoyance and frustration. Leading to a guilt-tripped fast or starvation period.

2. The “Last Supper” mentality. The mentality that basically says, “I might as well eat as much as I can or want now, because starting tomorrow I will be so rigid about my eating. For reals this time.” 

3. Anxiety and depression linked to food, because you have been taking your health into your own hands, and succeeding, but damn you just “failed”.

4. Obsessive thoughts about food and exercise.

5. Isolation. You don’t want to be tempted with the social aspect of eating.

I would like to highlight how all of the things listed above are not only terrible for our mental health, but it is the total opposite way we should look at our relationship with food. 

Today we live in a world that is motivated by being faster, quicker, better and MORE. We are driven by that go-go-go mentality, and unfortunately being mindful is often lost or thrown out the window with this lifestyle. This is why I wanted to introduce the topic of mindful eating, especially during one of the most go-go-go, wonderful yet very stressful, times of the fa la la la year!

You’ve got it! Let’s think about mindful eating during the holidays!

But first, let me hype up the human body.

The human body is fascinating. It has the ability to take what we just ate, break it down into itty, bitty pieces, digest it, absorb it, and utilize it exactly how and where it was needed. This process fuels our brain, keeps our muscles strong, our eyes sharp, our skin regenerating, our blood sugars stabilized, our heart pumping; you get the picture. Our body is pretty cool. 

Our body also is controlled by hormones, which literally tells us when we are hungry and when we are full.  Here is the catch, it does however take our body about 20 minutes after that first bite to register when we are full, or satisfied. So this is when slowing down and practicing mindfulness is important.

Okay, now… Let me define mindful eating. Mindful eating is exactly what it sounds like. It is the practice of being mindful when we eat. It’s setting your phone down, closing your textbook or your work email. It’s savoring what you are about to eat. It’s reflecting on the flavors and the textures, and even the emotion this food might give you. It’s honoring when you are hungry, and stoping when you are satisfied. It is seeing food as fuel and as a necessity to life, and not as an obsession or something we are either going to binge or restrict. Being a mindful eater is the forefront to having a healthy relationship with food.

Now let me tie it into the holidays. 

From about October to January we are surrounded by beautiful, wonderful, traditional foods. These are foods that bring joy, that bring memory, and most important, bring you together with loved ones. Never will I ever tell any of my clients to deny themselves these once-a-year favorites. We are going to parties every weekend (and there is always a reason to have a holiday toast). We spend endless hours in mall madness, staying energized with eggnog lattes and Mrs. Field’s cookie stops (c’mon, I know this isn’t just me). Or sometimes, we just overeat during this time of year because it can be a lot of stress too. 

We kind of turn the Holiday into a Holla-week or even a Holla-month. Which is great when it comes to cherishing the moments being made, but not so great when we indulge mindlessly using the excuse “well, it only comes once a year”.

So here are some tips I like to share with clients when it comes to enjoying all things holiday, without forgetting about your overall health and health goals:

Do not go to the main meal starving. The “banking up your calories” approach does not work, and is more likely to result in over-eating and weight-gain. Instead, balance your day with healthy snacks and meals prior to the big event, and enjoy your favorite holiday dishes instead of ravenously eating them.

Spend your calories on your favorite foods. Really not a fan of your aunt’s famous candied sweet potatoes? Ditch it. Don’t feel like you are obligated to eat foods just because they are a “tradition”. Choose what you enjoy most and savor the moment with your aunt. She’d much rather that anyway.

Don’t skip meals when traveling. Instead, pack a healthy lunch or snack to take with you on the road. Try to add some sort of protein and a piece of fruit to this. The protein and fiber combination should help keep you full until your final destination.

Stay active. Baby it might be cold outside, but hello, winter scarves and jackets are so trendy. Play touch football with your cousins, do hot laps around the cul-de-sac with your grandma, take an indoor cycling class with your mom. Not only will staying active counterbalance some food choices, it will amp up your happy hormones.

Eat fruits and vegetables with every meal. They bring such an important preventative piece to our overall health and wellness. Plus, they make dishes delicious.

Sip on sparkling waters or calorie-free beverages between cocktails. Guidelines recommend that men do not consume more than 2 servings of alcoholic beverages a day, and women do not consume more than 1. One serving, my friends, is a 5 oz glass of wine, 1.5 oz spirits or a 12 oz beer. Because I know that doesn’t typically fall into the holiday party plan— Just try to be conscious and be safe. Stay hydrated and slow down drinking by alternating alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic beverages.

Modify recipes. Could you use egg whites instead of whole eggs? Could you cut the sugar in half by smashing up a really ripe banana?

Use smaller plates. Our eyes can be a lot bigger than our stomach, so why not trick the eyes?

Resist any food guilt. Instead discover the satisfaction that being mindful while eating brings you.

Enjoy time with your loved ones and be mindful together. Because at the end of it all, the time spent enjoying these moments is going to always outweigh the rest.

Happy Holidays, from one food lover to the next,

Xx- Shanley S.