Mindful Munching this Holiday Season

-

 Mindful Munching this Holiday Season

This time of the year involves lots of sweets, holiday cocktails and comfort foods. It’s the best time of the year, but sometimes it can be a really challenging time of the year for people who struggle with disordered eating. Disordered eating doesn’t have to be a specific diagnosed disorder, it can simply be erratic eating patterns of over-eating and not-eating. Anyone can experience this type of behavior and during the holidays it can add more stress when being around food.

The concept of mindful eating is a way to prevent over-indulging and be conscious of what you are actually eating. This does not include crazy diet tricks that prevent you from consuming some of your holiday favorites, but instead allows you to enjoy all your favorites in a smarter, healthier way. Mindfully eating allows you to choose foods you truly want and YOU, and only you decide what you want to eat!

Mindful eating allows you to use your senses to choose food that is satisfying to you by using your hunger cues to guide when you should eat something and when you should stop eating. Mindful eating is all about trusting your body to tell you when you are hungry and enjoying the experience of eating, taking your time to appreciate the flavors in your food and allow eating to be a pleasant, stress-free experience.

Current dietetics professionals find during the holidays many people feel anxiety and creates the notion to create food rules. Mindful eating can provide increased satisfaction , choosing foods that taste good and feel good to the person.

This is something that can be learned and worked at—hey I even have to work at it! But the point is I am working on it! And you can too! You can recognize your hunger cues and allow yourself to enjoy all of your favorite foods without restriction.

Here are some ideas by Barbara Gorden, RDN, LD to think about when at your next holiday gathering:
1.                    Don’t Skip Meals: Consume smaller meals throughout the day to avoid overeating at meal time.
2.                    Eat Small Portions: Everything in moderation, eat your favorites but not in a large portion.
3.                    Pick a Strategy to Avoid Overeating – and Use it!: Use a smaller plate to help limit your portion size, fill your vegetables first, then entrée and then dessert, eat slowly and savor your food!
4.                    Keep Moving: Get physical and go for a walk after dinner!
5.                    Visit a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist: Need more help and information on Mindful Eating? Contact an RD!


EB

Reference:
Dennett, C. (2016). Holiday Eating. Today’s Dietitian, (18), 11, p. 22. Retrieved on November 21, 2018, from https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/1116p22.shtml
Gordon, B. (2018). 5 Tips od Enjoying the Holiday without Gaining Weight. Eat Right: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Retrieved on November 21, 2018, from https://www.eatright.org/health/lifestyle/holidays/how-to-enjoy-the-holiday-without-the-weight-gain

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Do you struggle with pre and post exercise nutrition?

-
Image
What should i eat before and after a workout? First things first…carbohydrates, proteins and fats are important for the body before  and after exercise. Exercising muscle preferentially uses carbohydrates from stored glycogen, but fats are also an important fuel source for energy production during exercise. Fats and carbohydrates are the two major fuel sources during exercise. Fats must be translocated and broken down from their storage form before they are used. Typically there is enough carbohydrate stored as muscle glycogen for exercise but as muscle glycogen stores decline, the skeletal muscle will then use some amino acids (basic components of all protein). More specifically, the amino acid leucine is used for energy.              It is important to consume an adequate amount of carbohydrates exercise to delay fatigue and minimize gastrointestinal distress. It is also important to consume enough fluids to prevent hypohydration. Now, lets talk about pre-exercise me
Read more

Child Malnutrition

-
New approach to childhood malnutrition may reduce relapses, deaths http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150211124024.htm               Moderate acute malnutrition is experienced by 35 million children worldwide. A new study led by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has suggested that feeding children until they have met target measures of arm circumference and weight may be more important than a set 12 week feeding time. However, researchers have found that the current targets, set by the World Health Organization (WHO) may not be sufficient and raising these targets slightly could significantly reduce the risk of relapse in malnourished children; a condition that has a 37% relapse rate. The study took place in rural Malawi and was comprised of 2,349 moderately malnourished children aged 6 months to 5 years old. Children were evaluated 12 months after treatment; 1,967 received a soy-based supplement for 12 weeks while the other 3
Read more

Harvest of the Month

-
Image
Harvest of the Month  August – Corn Good source of  fiber Carbohydrate source for energy Antioxidants Contains vitamins and minerals ½ cup or 1 ear = 80 calories   http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=90 September – Watermelon High in vitamin A and vitamin C Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory support 1 cup cubed = 46 calories http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=31 October – Apples High in fiber Vitamin C Abundant amount of antioxidants 1 medium = 95 calories  http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=15 November – Squash and Pumpkin High in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B2, B3 & B6 Many minerals  High in fiber Multiple antioxidant properties  1 cup = 76 calories  http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=63 December – Pears Contains fiber Vitami
Read more