Holiday eating can be extremely tricky with all the gatherings and indulgences. By the end of this, you will walk away with 3 practical, no-nonsense strategies to stop the holiday binge cycle without feeling deprived or overwhelmed. These tips are designed to cut through the noise, helping you to enjoy the season while staying mindful.

Change your mindset around holiday eating

If you’re in the ‘all-or-nothing’ mindset (most of us are or have been at some point), then you probably feel like you can’t have ANY holiday treats or you have to start over. This leads to binge cycles. You might think, “I’ve already eaten a cookie, might as well eat the whole tray”. Friend, this is a mindset trap! 

I want you to adopt the mindset “progress over perfection.” One indulgence, a cookie, a piece of pie, doesn’t mean throwing the entire day away. If you want a slice of pie, enjoy it. Then, make a conscious decision about your next choice without the guilt spiral. 

This works best if you focus on how you want to feel after the holidays, not just how you want to eat during the holidays. Food is part of the holiday experience and you should enjoy it but food doesn’t define the whole experience. Feeling proud of yourself for allowing yourself to have a treat and not beating yourself up will feel a lot better in the long run than looking back and wishing you’d stopped at one cookie or allowed yourself a piece of pie. You’re in control here.

Tune into your body with mindful eating

Many people stop listening to their body’s hunger cues during the holidays because they are eating out of fun or stress. Before eating, check in with your hunger level. Are you actually hungry or are you eating because it’s there? During meals, notice textures and flavors, and ask yourself if you’re satisfied halfway through. This will help you to follow your body’s cues. 

Mindful eating doesn’t mean not eating the fun and festive stuff. Instead, just notice how your body is feeling on the hunger scale. If you are struggling with this, drink water between meals and avoid grazing without intention.

Set boundaries and intentions without deprivation

When setting boundaries and intentions, you have to get rid of unrealistic restrictions. It isn’t realistic to say that you’ll never want a slice of pie or grandma’s cranberry cookies. Instead, set flexible, realistic boundaries. For example, instead of “I’m not going to eat any dessert this holiday,” try “I’ll enjoy  my favorite desserts but will stop when I feel satisfied.”

Another great way to set boundaries without deprivation for holiday eating is to plan ahead. Be intentional and know that every holiday, when you go to families, you are faced with delicious pie. Know you’ll allow yourself a treat and how much before you even step in the door. I’d recommend that you don’t show up to parties hungry. When you show up hungry it makes it incredibly hard to tell that inner “I need it” that you don’t actually need the whole plate.

One last tip. Use this mantra “Enjoy and move on.” This will keep your mindset positive and proactive!

You can absolutely enjoy the holidays and take care of yourself at the same time. The key is mindfulness and intentionality, not perfection.

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